Specialized S-Works Men's Diverge Frameset

While the fun may begin where the road ends, you still need a bike that'll get you there—one bike that shreds singletrack and crushes through road miles with equal expertise. Sure, some have tried to make their 'cross bikes more "road-capable" (whatever that means), and others have made their road bikes more "adventure-ready," but we created one bike that makes no compromises between the two. The S-Works Diverge redefines the possibilities for adventure on a drop-bar-bike.

The S-Works Diverge frame will comfortably fit up to 700x42mm tires with plenty of room for mud, too. Weight was a large factor in the development, so Specialized took some design cues from the Roubaix with a sub 900-gram FACT 11r carbon frame that's one of the lightest in the category. Actually, it's pretty damn light, even if your intent was more Polka Dot Jersey than hunter's plaid flannel.

Specialized opted for a new Open Road Geometry. We know what you're thinking, "it's just another marketing term," but they truly did develop an entirely new geometry. 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-centimeter 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.

There's only so much that wider tires with lower pressures can absorb, so Specialized implemented a new version of the Future Shock into the Diverge design. It not only soaks up bumps with ease, but provides 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.

Specialized topped it off with three water bottle mounts, mounts for racks and fenders, and their Road SWAT kit that fits a tube, CO2, CO2 head, valve extender, and money clip. So while it's one of the most smile-inducing bikes you'll ever ride, it's equally adept at commuting or even bikepacking.