With the Diverge Sport, you'll be prepared for anything, from smooth tarmac to the loosest, roughest tracks out there. It's packed with all the same technologies as its pricier cousins, only its spec places an emphasis on reliable performance, not components so flashy you'll be eating nothing but top ramen for months.
With a completely redesigned frame, the new Diverge is more capable than ever. And with the constant goal to best meet your needs, we took your number one request into account—tire clearance. The new frame will comfortably fit up to 700x42mm tires with plenty of room for mud, too. Along with tire clearance, weight was a large factor in the development, and taking some design cues from the development of the Roubaix, we developed a FACT 9r carbon frame that’s one of the lightest in the category.
Next up, we moved away from a traditional ‘cross geometry, instead opting for something that hasn’t been seen before—Open Road Geometry. We know what you’re thinking, “it’s just another marketing term,” but for the Diverge, we truly did develop an entirely new geometry. With a touch less hyperbole, you can think of it as a road version of modern trail bike geometry. It provides playful handling and predictable steering for endless dirt skids and mid-corner drifts. The geo features a bottom bracket that's over a half-centimetre lower than the previous Diverge, a slacked-out head tube angle, short chainstays, and a short wheelbase. These changes make for a bike that's not only fun in the dirt, but also performs well on the road.
And while riding gravel and dirt roads on a road bike may add to the adventure, there’s only so much that wider tires with lower pressures can absorb, in terms of bumps. With this in mind, we implemented a new version of our Future Shock into the Diverge design. It not only soaks up bumps with ease, but also adds the benefit of extremely predictable handling. That's because the wheelbase isn’t lengthening when you hit a bump, so the front end of the Diverge keeps the same effective head tube angle. In other words, when you dive hard into a turn, you won’t be surprised by under steer or sloppy handling. Unlike the original Future Shock, the Diverge's version features a progressive spring that makes this technology more suitable for off-road applications, where stiffer suspension is often needed to soak-up larger bumps and obstacles.
Adding to its multifaceted talents, we topped it off with three water bottle mounts, plus mounts for racks and fenders. So while it’s one of the most smile-inducing bikes you’ll ever shred fire roads on, it’s equally adept at bike packing, commuting, or even a spin to your local brewery.
The Diverge Sport spec hits right on the money with a sturdy Shimano Sora groupset, hassle-free mechanical disc brakes, and a strong Axis Sport wheelset.
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The FACT 9r carbon frame features our adventure-bound Open Road Geometry, Future Shock suspension with 20mm of travel, and front/rear thru-axles, making it the ultimate tool for your next adventure.
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The lightweight FACT carbon fork is plenty stiff, aiding in handling, rigidity, and an overall light weight.
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The Praxis Alba 2D is an incredibly stiff crankset with supreme ramping for precise shifts between the rings.
Whether you are buying your first road bike, or like us, you're hooked and you want to upgrade your ride, this is a quick guide to steer you through the occasionally confusing world of road cycling and arm you with the right information to make the best buying decisions. For a far more detailed guide, go to our BLOG on finding the best road bike for you.
Where to start
Prices for a bike that will last and give you a proper riding experience start around £500, which includes bike set-up, your first service and a quality bike fit. You can spend less, but you'll either get sub-standard components or be left on your own to build up the bike, determine how to fit it correctly to protect your knees, back, hands and shoulders, and service it once it beds in.
What are you paying for?
£500 - £5,000 is quite a range, so how do you decide what's right for you? For example, is it more important to spend extra to get a carbon fibre frame or would you be better off with a less expensive frame and better gear shifters, brakes and wheels? If it's an upgrade from your current bike you are looking for, how do you choose the best frame, groupset and wheels for you?
1. Your cycling objectives
The best place to start is understanding what you want to achieve with your bike. Do you want a comfortable bike that's good for fitness training, but you're not concerned with speed or the latest technology? Or, are you interested in the sport, joining a club, doing challenging rides for speed and/or distance? Your budget and the type of bike you select should be guided by your objectives, and this guide should help you make more informed choices.
2. Frame materials
The frame is the heart of your new road bike. It's where the majority of the budget goes. Frames can be made from a range of materials, and the most common are steel, aluminium, titanium and carbon fibre. Each is a very worthy material in its own right.
Aluminium is the most common frame material for bikes costing under £1,000. It's an easy material to make bikes from, which keeps the cost down, and it's a very good material for road bikes, as it's stiff and light. Carbon fibre is the fastest growing segment. however, carbon frames are NOT all equal. If it's a quality frame, you can obtain a magical combination of stiffness, comfort and low weight. If it's poor quality, you're just riding a plastic bike.
3. Bike sizing: Bike Fit is more than just choosing the right size frame!
Choosing the right size bike is absolutely critical when buying a road bike, but it's just a starting point. We don't simply rely upon brand's sizing charts. We will size you up by putting bikes on a turbo trainer in the store to ensure we source the right frame size for you. Bike sizes vary by manufacturer, and the right size for you will differ based on factors, such as your ratio of leg length to torso length and the objective of the bike design (racing or endurance).
4. Groupset Components
The groupset comprises, essentially, the moving parts on your bike apart from the wheels, so it's your gears, shifters, chain, crankset, bottom bracket and brakes. The quality of these components makes a great difference in the reliability of shifting, effort to brake and comfort for your hands. There are three major manufacturers that you're likely to encounter: Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo. Shimano has, by some margin, the greatest market share. The pecking order for Shimano goes like this, from entry-level to top-end; 2300, Sora, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra and Dura-Ace. Pay more and you'll get a higher performance, lower weight, or both.
4. The wheels make the bike
The next important area of your new bicycle is the wheels. Aside from the frame, the wheels will heavily influence how the bike rides, feels and responds. Lighter wheels will ride faster with less rotating mass. Lighter and faster tyres will feel more responsive and supple over the road surface.
Summary
We are here to help you match you with the best bike for your riding objectives and budget. We'll make sure you get the right size and set it up correctly for you in any case, but we can also discuss the trade-offs and pro & cons of your different choices. We are all cyclists and enthusiasts, so we are keen and able to help.