Sorry about the autofocus craziness. I got a new camera, a little Sony ZV-E10, and it appears to have already lost its mind. Will get it dialed for the next one. Sheesh!
woah, I could buy 4 decent Canyons for $14K - Hardtail MTB, Softail MTB, Grizl with dropper+30mm fork for "adventure", and Grail for "race". I guess some people have more money than they know what to do with! 😂
The gravel bike hashtag is super lucrative. 14k jeez….bikes have always been expensive but this takes the biscuit. It’s not like the technology is insanely expensive or innovative either. It’s rehashed tech from the 90’s lol. For this money I’d buy a KTM moto cross bike and have real suspension and power with it 😂
I know, right? What i really want for this bike is a good steel frame, some rim brakes, a 2x10 mechanical and some ballast. i do not know what specialized was thinking about with this bike.
Mine was $4200 for the Diverge STR Comp (now it's $3100 on sale).. I didn't need all the bells and whistles on the S Works STR. The STR Comp is a hell of a bike. I've used it on some serious gravel rides and it's solid, comfortable and fast.
Thanks for the content, Ben. Had a 2019 Diverge Comp with the spring Future Shock aka version 1.0. Enjoyed that bike for 2.5 years but ultimately found I enjoyed riding gravel on a bike w/o the shock better. Found that dialing in tire pressure did more for me than 20mm of travel under the front bars. Guessing I fall into that 'go faster' segment you mentioned. Now with this new STR, perhaps I am old school, but I just view it as one more thing to fail or break (yes, my Future Shock was replaced by Specialized under warranty.) That plus the weight penalty.
I really appreciate your conversations and observations about these new gravel bikes, Ben, and kudos to Specialized for cooking up another suspension application, this micro mono-shock. And I like the descending prices, tho' at present I couldn't afford the works or pro or expert models. Here's hoping they release the also ran. :)
...As always complete and enjoyable review Ben! The fact that some special info such as the impact of this invention to the bike geometry and consequently feel, which setting works best, or how saddle has to be tweeked, increase the quality and utility of your videos. And now the fan part...As a Roubaix owner (from 2009 till 2021) I laughed my *** with the 'Zertz' inserts and the pointing salesmen! HAHAHAAAAA 😆🤣😂 Keep up these fantastic videos Ben!! 👍👍
You should check out the Cane Creek eeSilk+ seatpost. That one gives you suspension and it’s linkage design gives you roughly constant distance to the BB similar to how this works
Something else to break? I hope the big brands focus on producing more compliant and puncture resistant tires...and how about a very low weight, sealed, internal gear rear end with a bombproof belt drive?
@@ItsYourBoiUhh Thank you for this insight. But just 10% less efficient? This seems like a small mountain to climb for bike engineers. No? The bike industry (marketing departments) often deliver new frames that are 10% lighter, cranks that are 10% stiffer, and suspension systems that are 10% more efficient. Right?
Specialized tires are incredibly stiff, but they are also incredibly puncture resistant. The stiffness can be mitigated by simply putting less air in the tires until they feel good. Most other puncture resistant tires I've seen are less puncture resistant that the equivalent Specialized tire.
@@TheObeseDuathlete Dude!!! RELAX. 😂 How many videos are you spamming with this comment. Your cut n paste thumb must be wearing out! You work for Suntour?
Huge specialized fan here but $14,000 is way too much for a bicycle. Not a huge fan of the rear suspension either since my legs and larger tires for a cheaper price can absorb the bumps. The future shock in the front I like and have the 2.0 on my Diverge and Roubaix.
Yeah, and even the expert model is a moronic price for what you get. It’s a heavy gravel bike with a tiny bit of suspension travel. Yeah, sign me up for $7K? ROTFLMFAO 😀
Annnd cue the recalls for when the shock goes askew in aggressive riding and begins to scar the inside of the frame and introduces the beginnings of stress fractures! 😂
Wouldn't the Ergon CF Carbon Seatpost do the same job of providing 25mm of setback? Seems to me simplicity is the way to go with a seatpost, also transferable to other bikes.
Yeah, I thought the same thing. Leaf spring seatpost and carbon bars are enough for gravel. The tires are doing most of the work anyways. If you need telescopic suspension, you should just buy a mountain bike.
This is being marketed as “full suspension” but full suspension typically refers to the wheels/being suspended. The fork and rear triangle are still rigid. This is just as full suspension as the last generation madone.
@@0xsergy The front and rear contact points have “suspension” not the fork or the rear triangle. The “suspension” doesn’t meaningfully aid in traction over rough terrain beyond providing the rider with comfort. Would you consider a car with fully rigid shocks/struts on all four corners to have suspension if the seat and steering column were suspended? Probably not. Niner’s MCR gravel bike is a full suspension gravel bike, this isn’t.
@@RyonBeachner its a road bike, 20-30mm of suspension travel is more than most that have 0mm. And its not for YOU. Its meant for old ppl with arthritis and cash to blow on an overpriced system.
@@0xsergy I never said it was for me, I’m just saying that this is not “full suspension” as it’s commonly understood. It’s “full suspension” in marketing only, not function. Also, I don’t think they’re marketing these to old people with arthritis. 😂
Noname: Wrong! This is not a road bike, not even remotely close! It’s advertised as a gravel bike by Siec, not a road bike and that is what it is a gravel bike. The Roubaix is their Futureshock road bike. No sane road bike rider is looking to run 45’s or 50’s like this bike can run. No roadie is looking for a “road bike” with a front this long, 43 cm chainstays, a 69+ trail figure or a HT angle of only 70 degrees. That isn’t even remotely close to road bike geometry. This is an off-road gravel bike with minimal seatpost and handlebar suspension that would only be ridden on the road to connect to gravel paths. Can you ride it on the road and pretend it’s a road bike? Sure, just like you can ride a MTB on the road and pretend that’s a road bike too. LOL And Ryon is correct. Neither of the Futureshocks on this bike are true suspension because neither does a thing to improve rear or front wheel traction. They are purely springs for some comfort.
A pnw coast dropper post for 140 usd, add 40usd for the lever, will provide 40mms of travel to any rig plus the added control of a dropped seat height.
Good and frank insights. I would expect there to be significant variance in reach too, which on steep gravel climbs would be like someone tugging at your arms. Have you noticed this?
Definite variance in reach! Not so much the arms going out as the butt going back. But yeah - same end result. Would love to be able to test the biomechanical efficiency of a rigid system versus this, but that is well outside my $3 budget at this point. 😅
@@TheRidewithBenDelaney thanks and keep up the great reviews. Really enjoying your gravel bike insights. Maybe we can have a whip round for a little extra budget for you 😃
I test rode an SLR Checkpoint and even when I leaned on the saddle and weighted it hard I could not see or feel any give in that system of theirs. My Ti post has more give.
These bikes have to come to the market with a lifetime warranty on the frame, and perhaps even an accidental incident frame replacement program. Consumers are now much more educated about the merits of such a system, and how carbon fiber frames are manufactured. It is not that difficult for example to understand that the compliance of a frame can be tuned by the orientation of the carbon fiber strands (i..e, layup). So if you're going to put something extra into the mix, it has to be a no-risk offering when it comes to reliability and durability -- that is, at least as reliable as a frame with no such devices -- in order for it to be considered as an alternative, especially with a price premium.
They should but companies like Spec would never do that. At their core these are disposable cheaply fabricated CF cookie cutter framesets with some mini suspension gimmicks added in an attempt to portray these bikes as some massive tech. They are not designed for the long haul, they are not built for the long haul, and they are not quality inspected for the long haul. These are not artisan type custom frame builders whose primary concern is producing a great riding and superbly fabricated product. These are corps looking to build the cheapest lowest cost bikes possible and then use marketing and paid (bribed) pro sponsorships to sell them for massive margins and markups to gullible fools.
19 lbs??? That’s getting to full squish XC territory. I don’t see why they can’t make a standard rear shock. I get that a reverb isn’t aero out front but a rear shock is pretty well hidden. Especially something like the supercaliber
Exactly. One of my XC bikes has drop bars and components that are mid spec Shimano. It weighs right in the same range of this tendon joker bike, costs 1/2 the price, and is exponentially more capable. I can work on its suspension myself, no need to take it to a Spec dealer and wait 3 weeks and pay near $1K for them to replace a goofy couple centimeter mini future shock. I can’t imagine how stupid one would have to be to fall for this nonsense at the silly prices they are asking? Heck, the “lower” priced STR model is $7,000. My brand new Kawasaki Ninja 650 cost $7,500 and that motorbike has exponentially more tech, R&D and manufacturing cost in its suspension, drivetrain, motor and braking systems than this farcical product. 😀😀
Another great Video post Ben. As I work with Trek in the UK on Precision bike fitting. How do you see this rear suspension being different in terms of movement from your Checkpoint. As it looks to create much more. Which from a biomechanics stand point could be interesting from purely a bike fitting prospective🤔 Cheers
Hey Fred - The reach changes in a not insignificant way on the STR as the post bows backwards. That, plus the changing saddle angle, would probably give you fits! Or at least add some variables into the bike fit equation. The Checkpoint doesn't move as much, and, as you know, the elastomer damper in there isn't adjustable.
Probably a road bike with maximum comfort and zero torture to the butt on tarmac being a main selling point seems weird, but this bike with normal road wheels and tires is probably the best to fit in this niche.
I really like the bike, only criticism is maybe they should have added some kind of cover for the link as it looks a bit mechanical compared to the rest of the bike. Overall though very nice.
Would love to see what you think of it after the event your are going to do ! But overall >__> I really don't think this is tech that makes much sense or is needed. - not at these insane prices !!! Also, Trek seems to be doing doing a better job with their iso-speed decoupler.... and at Specialized wanting $7,500 to $12,000 i don't ever need to worry about this stuff! No thank you Specialized, wow ! A decent carbon seat post, a dropper with a bit or flex or a specific suspension seatpost all achieve the same as this system for WAY less. SMH.
I subscribe to keep it simple.... GT Carbon grade has 25mm of travel. Simpler, lighter and less expensive. My elite version is fitted 11 36 cassette. Which gives a large range and more gears than 1x. Also parts are affordable, the only trade off is about 300 grams.
Great Video Ben, love your serious Information. I‘m a Great Fan of these Specialized gimicks, like Zertz, Future Shock 2 etc. All of them were very functional in my eyes, drove them for years. Actually i own a Diverge Ecpert Carbon with SWORKS Terra Seatpost, Framesize 56 (58 would fit as well, but prefer More compact and Lightweight frames and in that case the seatpost is 2 cm more out of the seatpost.) Therefore the Terra is build, means extremly support of flex, save 2 cm. This sometimes feels for me very much and you have to have a very round kick. Question: Is it so Important for Gravel?
Thanks, Frank. So you're saying your Terra post sometimes feels like too much flex? That I believe is what Specialized is trying to solve: As riders, most of the time we just want a little bit of flex, but then for hard bumps we want more. And we don't want to have to deal with a ton of flex all the time. For me - and I believe for most riders - the solution is just to go with a carbon post that has some flex - and then just stand up over the rougher parts.
@@TheRidewithBenDelaney Thanks for answering, just saw your video from Big Sugar - awesome!! And you are right - sometimes less is more. Great pics from your country, never been in america, it‘s time🚵🏾♀️👍💯❤️🔥
So, i need to set my saddle height and fore/aft to within a couple of mm. Then have it shift by up to 30 mm on the trail? What do bike fitters. Think about this?
Adventure....maybe. Most of us arent though. Front makes more sense than rear. Our legs absorb do a great job absorbing rear bumps. but the most fatigue and loss of control is from the front wheel.
Have both the Roubaix and Diverge,love the Future Shock but have no desire for this type of rear suspension. Canyon’s carbon leaf spring seat post or similar would achieve just as much without the complexity and added cost. A fail from me unfortunately. I’d rather have seen more refinement of the front suspension.
Hi Ben as am seen this new STR... I have in mind 2 things 1. Does this seat post looks like the Trek check point + the new system for the fancy extra large complexity of compliance... But basically the same Trek type of frame. 2. Changes in the geometric composition ... Like the small space in the inside frame... Room for bags is limited to my taste then Trek has a better geometry less 'gimmick' stuff and more close to a regular basis of a bike. Market and marketing price well ... I guess and then I can gamble this like the lauf is gonna ride the most covered popular races from the rift to unbound but if you know one thing is that the most of the finishers and winners will bet for something more affordable and reliable.
I'm not a big fan of bike frames with this level of complexity. Just more things that can break or need service. I've heard that the cost of servicing the latest Future Shock is significant.
Biggest drawbacks I see from this so far is that there aren't mounting points for a rear rack, which is limiting the people who like gravel/adventure touring; and there isn't yet a model equipped with a quality component group (SRAM isn't a quality group, on account of their squishy brakes).
I’m surprised by this move from specialized- their factory riders are racing the crux at gravel events, my prediction was the diverge headed in a much stiffer direction, even potentially cannibalising the roubaix-diverge models like what was done with the venge-tarmac.
"30 mm of travel" My Canyon Endurace has 30 mm of travel in the leaf spring seatpost with out any shock or extra things that add weight. Weighs 16 lbs and was 4000.00. I do ride it on gravel some. I dont feel the seat and post moving, people riding behind me say yeah its on the move.
Trek iso speed has a beam that goes into the top tube that flexes a bit under the weight of the rider. Not the same as this. Which trek would build a gb with the rear end of a super caliber.
Not identical, no. And that beam inside the top tube is damped with an elastomer. Just similar in terms of pushing seatpost flex further down the chain.
Fourteen...thousand...dollars... I love innovation. It seems, however, that the double triangle bike we all love has hit its limit when it comes to updating it and improving it. You can change the geometry and carbon layup to achieve slightly different goals, but shoehorning in shocks and charging stratospheric prices... who is gonna buy this? I'm not sure who is even gonna buy the pro and expert versions of this? Trek is getting away from Iso-speed which was essentially the same thing. Gotta sell bikes somehow, I guess.
A friend of mine spent an absolute fortune for a full suspension, electric, di2 SWORKS mountain bike. It's a tank, it's electric, it's got ten forks, you can almost jump off a plane with it. So fine. But this? It's a farce. And the bike doesn't even look good!
Specialized creating solutions to problems that don’t exist. Tires are all the suspension most everyone needs. This is for heavy people that can’t handle some bumps and don’t know how to ride efficiently.
Yeah, that's on me for oversimplifying. Stewart is the road and gravel marketing lead - Chris D'Alusio and other engineers of course drove the actual design. Thanks for bringing that up.
It seems to me increasingly with this sort of "new tech" that manufacturers are now treating customers as unpaid beta testers. Witness the number of recalls we have had in recent years. More complication usually comes with very little benefit and just more to go wrong long-term. Personally never liked the idea of the front shock so this is just extending the negativity for me. I wouldn't even consider a bike like this. More than happy with my rigid gravel bike.
This is what happens when engineers are told to design a bike with ‘patentable technology’. They design over complicated solutions that are heavier than proven decades old tech at way more expense. Credit to those engineers for justifying their work. They will probably outgrow specialized and start designing bikes and products that riders actually asked for, rather than what the marketing, financial, and legal teams wanted.
The only mountain bike would be close to this type of speed in general is the s works epic and tell me how much money you're saving from that over this? This isn't just for normal gravel riding this is for gravel racing big races like we do here in Kansas with unbound. I absolutely hate this bike but coming from somebody who started racing gravel on a cross country hardtail that now races with a top tier gravel bike there are literal multiple miles per hour difference in the average speeds
Too expensive as always, with too many proprietary parts and guaranteed problems down the road! There’s a lot to be said for a rigid frame with wide tyre clearances and low pressures for extra comfort if needed. At this point I would just buy an MTB.
Sorry about the autofocus craziness. I got a new camera, a little Sony ZV-E10, and it appears to have already lost its mind. Will get it dialed for the next one. Sheesh!
Thanks a lot for such a detailed videos about Diverge STR. Would like to hear much more about how it compares to TREK Checkpoint
woah, I could buy 4 decent Canyons for $14K - Hardtail MTB, Softail MTB, Grizl with dropper+30mm fork for "adventure", and Grail for "race". I guess some people have more money than they know what to do with! 😂
The gravel bike hashtag is super lucrative. 14k jeez….bikes have always been expensive but this takes the biscuit. It’s not like the technology is insanely expensive or innovative either. It’s rehashed tech from the 90’s lol. For this money I’d buy a KTM moto cross bike and have real suspension and power with it 😂
I know, right? What i really want for this bike is a good steel frame, some rim brakes, a 2x10 mechanical and some ballast. i do not know what specialized was thinking about with this bike.
Thanks Ben, for a hype-free and realistic review. 👍🏻
Mine was $4200 for the Diverge STR Comp (now it's $3100 on sale).. I didn't need all the bells and whistles on the S Works STR. The STR Comp is a hell of a bike. I've used it on some serious gravel rides and it's solid, comfortable and fast.
Thanks for the content, Ben. Had a 2019 Diverge Comp with the spring Future Shock aka version 1.0. Enjoyed that bike for 2.5 years but ultimately found I enjoyed riding gravel on a bike w/o the shock better. Found that dialing in tire pressure did more for me than 20mm of travel under the front bars. Guessing I fall into that 'go faster' segment you mentioned. Now with this new STR, perhaps I am old school, but I just view it as one more thing to fail or break (yes, my Future Shock was replaced by Specialized under warranty.) That plus the weight penalty.
just buy a Suntour NCX. much cheaper, same purpose and easily replaceable
Looking forward to the full review.
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I really appreciate your conversations and observations about these new gravel bikes, Ben, and kudos to Specialized for cooking up another suspension application, this micro mono-shock. And I like the descending prices, tho' at present I couldn't afford the works or pro or expert models. Here's hoping they release the also ran. :)
Great overview, Ben. The first to publish a video about it. Great job.
Interesting. Looking forward to your review but my initial impressions are “it’s not for me”.
this has some serious 1992 slingshot vibes :)
Great and honest review! I liked it a lot. I see the topic similar to you. I´m curious to hear more detailed feedback about the system. THX!
...As always complete and enjoyable review Ben! The fact that some special info such as the impact of this invention to the bike geometry and consequently feel, which setting works best, or how saddle has to be tweeked, increase the quality and utility of your videos.
And now the fan part...As a Roubaix owner (from 2009 till 2021) I laughed my *** with the 'Zertz' inserts and the pointing salesmen!
HAHAHAAAAA 😆🤣😂
Keep up these fantastic videos Ben!! 👍👍
You should check out the Cane Creek eeSilk+ seatpost. That one gives you suspension and it’s linkage design gives you roughly constant distance to the BB similar to how this works
Specialized, just give us a drop bar Epic already!
Built that with Fox 32c gravel fork….
Have the sworks Roubaix red etap. This seems to be gimmicky. Reminds me of the zert inserts.
Ahhh, memories of all those goofy full suspension mountain bikes back in the day. More of a “fancy goofy” now :)
Something else to break? I hope the big brands focus on producing more compliant and puncture resistant tires...and how about a very low weight, sealed, internal gear rear end with a bombproof belt drive?
internal gear hubs are heavy and inefficient (about 10% less than a rear derailleur, depending on model) i love mine but its not made for speed
@@ItsYourBoiUhh Thank you for this insight. But just 10% less efficient? This seems like a small mountain to climb for bike engineers. No? The bike industry (marketing departments) often deliver new frames that are 10% lighter, cranks that are 10% stiffer, and suspension systems that are 10% more efficient. Right?
Specialized tires are incredibly stiff, but they are also incredibly puncture resistant. The stiffness can be mitigated by simply putting less air in the tires until they feel good. Most other puncture resistant tires I've seen are less puncture resistant that the equivalent Specialized tire.
Interesting bike, hope it performs well at your next race!
@@TheObeseDuathlete Dude!!! RELAX. 😂 How many videos are you spamming with this comment. Your cut n paste thumb must be wearing out! You work for Suntour?
LOL
Huge specialized fan here but $14,000 is way too much for a bicycle. Not a huge fan of the rear suspension either since my legs and larger tires for a cheaper price can absorb the bumps. The future shock in the front I like and have the 2.0 on my Diverge and Roubaix.
The less expensive STR is only a little more than half that price.
Yeah, and even the expert model is a moronic price for what you get. It’s a heavy gravel bike with a tiny bit of suspension travel. Yeah, sign me up for $7K? ROTFLMFAO 😀
@@ivanboesky1520 is there an eTap carbon gravel bike for significantly less, with our without suspension, from any of the big manufacturers?
Annnd cue the recalls for when the shock goes askew in aggressive riding and begins to scar the inside of the frame and introduces the beginnings of stress fractures! 😂
I have a Divergs Expert and ride many on rough asphalt road and bike path. The rear suspension only minimally reduces road shocks.
Wouldn't the Ergon CF Carbon Seatpost do the same job of providing 25mm of setback? Seems to me simplicity is the way to go with a seatpost, also transferable to other bikes.
Yeah, I thought the same thing. Leaf spring seatpost and carbon bars are enough for gravel. The tires are doing most of the work anyways. If you need telescopic suspension, you should just buy a mountain bike.
Pretty darn close, yeah. No hydraulic adjustment, but... I'm with you: Simplicity is good. Nevermind the cost-of-a-motorcycle price.
This is being marketed as “full suspension” but full suspension typically refers to the wheels/being suspended. The fork and rear triangle are still rigid. This is just as full suspension as the last generation madone.
The front and rear both have suspension here... hence "full". How effective the rear suspension will be is another story but it exists.
@@0xsergy The front and rear contact points have “suspension” not the fork or the rear triangle. The “suspension” doesn’t meaningfully aid in traction over rough terrain beyond providing the rider with comfort.
Would you consider a car with fully rigid shocks/struts on all four corners to have suspension if the seat and steering column were suspended? Probably not. Niner’s MCR gravel bike is a full suspension gravel bike, this isn’t.
@@RyonBeachner its a road bike, 20-30mm of suspension travel is more than most that have 0mm. And its not for YOU. Its meant for old ppl with arthritis and cash to blow on an overpriced system.
@@0xsergy I never said it was for me, I’m just saying that this is not “full suspension” as it’s commonly understood. It’s “full suspension” in marketing only, not function.
Also, I don’t think they’re marketing these to old people with arthritis. 😂
Noname: Wrong! This is not a road bike, not even remotely close!
It’s advertised as a gravel bike by Siec, not a road bike and that is what it is a gravel bike. The Roubaix is their Futureshock road bike.
No sane road bike rider is looking to run 45’s or 50’s like this bike can run. No roadie is looking for a “road bike” with a front this long, 43 cm chainstays, a 69+ trail figure or a HT angle of only 70 degrees. That isn’t even remotely close to road bike geometry.
This is an off-road gravel bike with minimal seatpost and handlebar suspension that would only be ridden on the road to connect to gravel paths. Can you ride it on the road and pretend it’s a road bike? Sure, just like you can ride a MTB on the road and pretend that’s a road bike too. LOL
And Ryon is correct. Neither of the Futureshocks on this bike are true suspension because neither does a thing to improve rear or front wheel traction. They are purely springs for some comfort.
A pnw coast dropper post for 140 usd, add 40usd for the lever, will provide 40mms of travel to any rig plus the added control of a dropped seat height.
Great video. Really cool system.
That gravel and singletrack looks awfully familiar!!!
Great review
Thank you for acknowledging that this new feature “sells bikes”. The price point is way too high for the people that would want this IMO
Good and frank insights. I would expect there to be significant variance in reach too, which on steep gravel climbs would be like someone tugging at your arms. Have you noticed this?
Definite variance in reach! Not so much the arms going out as the butt going back. But yeah - same end result. Would love to be able to test the biomechanical efficiency of a rigid system versus this, but that is well outside my $3 budget at this point. 😅
@@TheRidewithBenDelaney thanks and keep up the great reviews. Really enjoying your gravel bike insights. Maybe we can have a whip round for a little extra budget for you 😃
The Mega Pounder Rear End.. I dig the thinking out the box but 14,000 is insane..
Hmm not convinced.. but look forward to Big Sugar report! 👍
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I test rode an SLR Checkpoint and even when I leaned on the saddle and weighted it hard I could not see or feel any give in that system of theirs. My Ti post has more give.
These bikes have to come to the market with a lifetime warranty on the frame, and perhaps even an accidental incident frame replacement program. Consumers are now much more educated about the merits of such a system, and how carbon fiber frames are manufactured. It is not that difficult for example to understand that the compliance of a frame can be tuned by the orientation of the carbon fiber strands (i..e, layup). So if you're going to put something extra into the mix, it has to be a no-risk offering when it comes to reliability and durability -- that is, at least as reliable as a frame with no such devices -- in order for it to be considered as an alternative, especially with a price premium.
They should but companies like Spec would never do that. At their core these are disposable cheaply fabricated CF cookie cutter framesets with some mini suspension gimmicks added in an attempt to portray these bikes as some massive tech. They are not designed for the long haul, they are not built for the long haul, and they are not quality inspected for the long haul.
These are not artisan type custom frame builders whose primary concern is producing a great riding and superbly fabricated product. These are corps looking to build the cheapest lowest cost bikes possible and then use marketing and paid (bribed) pro sponsorships to sell them for massive margins and markups to gullible fools.
Many of these benefits can easily be had by a leather saddle such as Selle Anatomica that provides some compliance and comfort
19 lbs??? That’s getting to full squish XC territory. I don’t see why they can’t make a standard rear shock. I get that a reverb isn’t aero out front but a rear shock is pretty well hidden. Especially something like the supercaliber
Exactly. One of my XC bikes has drop bars and components that are mid spec Shimano. It weighs right in the same range of this tendon joker bike, costs 1/2 the price, and is exponentially more capable. I can work on its suspension myself, no need to take it to a Spec dealer and wait 3 weeks and pay near $1K for them to replace a goofy couple centimeter mini future shock. I can’t imagine how stupid one would have to be to fall for this nonsense at the silly prices they are asking?
Heck, the “lower” priced STR model is $7,000. My brand new Kawasaki Ninja 650 cost $7,500 and that motorbike has exponentially more tech, R&D and manufacturing cost in its suspension, drivetrain, motor and braking systems than this farcical product. 😀😀
Another great Video post Ben. As I work with Trek in the UK on Precision bike fitting. How do you see this rear suspension being different in terms of movement from your Checkpoint. As it looks to create much more. Which from a biomechanics stand point could be interesting from purely a bike fitting prospective🤔 Cheers
Hey Fred - The reach changes in a not insignificant way on the STR as the post bows backwards. That, plus the changing saddle angle, would probably give you fits! Or at least add some variables into the bike fit equation. The Checkpoint doesn't move as much, and, as you know, the elastomer damper in there isn't adjustable.
When will we get a more affordable 3D saddle choice?
Probably a road bike with maximum comfort and zero torture to the butt on tarmac being a main selling point seems weird, but this bike with normal road wheels and tires is probably the best to fit in this niche.
@The Ride with Ben Delaney get your hands on Time's new ADHX would ya!!!
I really like the bike, only criticism is maybe they should have added some kind of cover for the link as it looks a bit mechanical compared to the rest of the bike. Overall though very nice.
"Local Specialized Shop", well how to find one if all stores around me have disabandoned Spesh and they are pushing the direct to consumer system...
Would love to see what you think of it after the event your are going to do !
But overall >__> I really don't think this is tech that makes much sense or is needed. - not at these insane prices !!!
Also, Trek seems to be doing doing a better job with their iso-speed decoupler....
and at Specialized wanting $7,500 to $12,000 i don't ever need to worry about this stuff!
No thank you Specialized, wow ! A decent carbon seat post, a dropper with a bit or flex or a specific suspension seatpost
all achieve the same as this system for WAY less. SMH.
With same amount of money, which one to choose S-Works Diverge or Specialized Diverge STR Pro?
Did you try to turn the frame post 90 degrees to see how it changes? Maybe less movement for your weight... ?
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. It’s silly. When I hit rough stuff I stand up.
So do I. Suspension that doesn`t work unless you`re sitting down seems kind of pointless to me.
I subscribe to keep it simple.... GT Carbon grade has 25mm of travel. Simpler, lighter and less expensive. My elite version is fitted 11 36 cassette. Which gives a large range and more gears than 1x. Also parts are affordable, the only trade off is about 300 grams.
"Sells bikes" is one for the ages.
Interesting bike idea. Specialized frame colors need some work. The matte blacks and weird dark shades are getting tired.
Great Video Ben, love your serious Information. I‘m a Great Fan of these Specialized gimicks, like Zertz, Future Shock 2 etc. All of them were very functional in my eyes, drove them for years. Actually i own a Diverge Ecpert Carbon with SWORKS Terra Seatpost, Framesize 56 (58 would fit as well, but prefer More compact and Lightweight frames and in that case the seatpost is 2 cm more out of the seatpost.) Therefore the Terra is build, means extremly support of flex, save 2 cm. This sometimes feels for me very much and you have to have a very round kick. Question: Is it so Important for Gravel?
Thanks, Frank. So you're saying your Terra post sometimes feels like too much flex?
That I believe is what Specialized is trying to solve: As riders, most of the time we just want a little bit of flex, but then for hard bumps we want more. And we don't want to have to deal with a ton of flex all the time. For me - and I believe for most riders - the solution is just to go with a carbon post that has some flex - and then just stand up over the rougher parts.
@@TheRidewithBenDelaney Thanks for answering, just saw your video from Big Sugar - awesome!! And you are right - sometimes less is more. Great pics from your country, never been in america, it‘s time🚵🏾♀️👍💯❤️🔥
The great return of 1990s MTB technology continues apace.
Wait till they discover four bar linkages.
So, i need to set my saddle height and fore/aft to within a couple of mm. Then have it shift by up to 30 mm on the trail? What do bike fitters. Think about this?
So which of the two gravel bike camps are you in Ben? Race or adventure as a go to
Cool review Ben 😊 the tendon looks more like a ligament to me 😅
Idea: make the entire seat tube a future shock, all the way down to include the bottom bracket. Would make it a true “STR”
Ah, technology pioneered by Wal-Mart bikes in the 2000s.
Curious for your race comments, got a bit mixed feelings for suspension gravel bikes that are not really full sus...
Good to know those middle aged dentists will have a new bike soon. Maybe they'll sell their outdated Diverges for a good price to me 😁
Adventure....maybe. Most of us arent though. Front makes more sense than rear. Our legs absorb do a great job absorbing rear bumps. but the most fatigue and loss of control is from the front wheel.
Looks like my Rock Combo
Have both the Roubaix and Diverge,love the Future Shock but have no desire for this type of rear suspension.
Canyon’s carbon leaf spring seat post or similar would achieve just as much without the complexity and added cost.
A fail from me unfortunately. I’d rather have seen more refinement of the front suspension.
Yup - that Ergon post is a good one.
Nice vid!
can you do a comparison for the new diverge and trek isospeed decoupler?
Is the frameset available? Beautiful bike
I don't have a problem with the suspension being visible, it's just that the design of it looks very unfinished or unrefined.
Throw a motors in that thing. Let's get it over with. I bet it will be a blast too.
BMC's URS LT system is better front and back since you get improved wheel engagement and doesn't impact the saddle. The trek looks better.
Hi Ben as am seen this new STR... I have in mind 2 things 1. Does this seat post looks like the Trek check point + the new system for the fancy extra large complexity of compliance... But basically the same Trek type of frame.
2. Changes in the geometric composition ... Like the small space in the inside frame... Room for bags is limited to my taste then Trek has a better geometry less 'gimmick' stuff and more close to a regular basis of a bike. Market and marketing price well ... I guess and then I can gamble this like the lauf is gonna ride the most covered popular races from the rift to unbound but if you know one thing is that the most of the finishers and winners will bet for something more affordable and reliable.
I'm not a big fan of bike frames with this level of complexity. Just more things that can break or need service. I've heard that the cost of servicing the latest Future Shock is significant.
Apparently I need to drag the gravel bike up to Boulder! What open space is this?
Marshall Mesa. A few good options in SoBo.
Biggest drawbacks I see from this so far is that there aren't mounting points for a rear rack, which is limiting the people who like gravel/adventure touring; and there isn't yet a model equipped with a quality component group (SRAM isn't a quality group, on account of their squishy brakes).
How is it compared to Trek checkpoint sl 7?
Hmmm I’m not sure if the rear shock is going to translate well on a road bike platform.. Might as well just ride a XC MTB
yeah, but can it hit the local skatepark?
I’m surprised by this move from specialized- their factory riders are racing the crux at gravel events, my prediction was the diverge headed in a much stiffer direction, even potentially cannibalising the roubaix-diverge models like what was done with the venge-tarmac.
What is your height and what size bike is that? Would you say your legs are long, short, or average?
6ft/183cm, 56cm, short legs
what a cluster fuck of a bike
Wouldn't have said it better.
"30 mm of travel" My Canyon Endurace has 30 mm of travel in the leaf spring seatpost with out any shock or extra things that add weight. Weighs 16 lbs and was 4000.00.
I do ride it on gravel some. I dont feel the seat and post moving, people riding behind me say yeah its on the move.
I love that Ergon post! That to me is the sweet spot - a bit technology with legit benefit but without a ton of extra weight or cost.
Trek iso speed has a beam that goes into the top tube that flexes a bit under the weight of the rider. Not the same as this. Which trek would build a gb with the rear end of a super caliber.
Not identical, no. And that beam inside the top tube is damped with an elastomer. Just similar in terms of pushing seatpost flex further down the chain.
Fourteen...thousand...dollars... I love innovation. It seems, however, that the double triangle bike we all love has hit its limit when it comes to updating it and improving it. You can change the geometry and carbon layup to achieve slightly different goals, but shoehorning in shocks and charging stratospheric prices... who is gonna buy this? I'm not sure who is even gonna buy the pro and expert versions of this? Trek is getting away from Iso-speed which was essentially the same thing. Gotta sell bikes somehow, I guess.
Trek is not getting away from Isospeed at all, new Domane still has it, Checkpoint has it too.
Looks weird. I wouldn't like crush my gentleman area in this new "future shock"😄
maybe it's my MTB history but failing to suspend the pedals misses the mark.
A friend of mine spent an absolute fortune for a full suspension, electric, di2 SWORKS mountain bike. It's a tank, it's electric, it's got ten forks, you can almost jump off a plane with it. So fine.
But this? It's a farce. And the bike doesn't even look good!
I've got a design with the seatstays made with rubberbands🤣
Why suspend the rider when suspending the ride would get much better results at all levels?!?!
Specialized creating solutions to problems that don’t exist. Tires are all the suspension most everyone needs. This is for heavy people that can’t handle some bumps and don’t know how to ride efficiently.
Imagine spending 7k and getting NX cassette!!!!
Better to get a Supercaliber, front and rear sus. Great bike!
I'm gonna sound cynical, but it looks overcomplicated, it will be overpriced and under-supplied. Please just make an alloy crux with a decent built.
Another UA-camr that I won’t name had a totally different person that “lead the development“ of the bike. Who is it going to be?
Yeah, that's on me for oversimplifying. Stewart is the road and gravel marketing lead - Chris D'Alusio and other engineers of course drove the actual design. Thanks for bringing that up.
It seems to me increasingly with this sort of "new tech" that manufacturers are now treating customers as unpaid beta testers. Witness the number of recalls we have had in recent years. More complication usually comes with very little benefit and just more to go wrong long-term. Personally never liked the idea of the front shock so this is just extending the negativity for me. I wouldn't even consider a bike like this. More than happy with my rigid gravel bike.
At this price point you don't even get the all important UDH (Universal Derailleur Hanger) 🤦♂ .
just buy a Suntour NCX. much cheaper, same purpose and easily replaceable
you need to fix that focusing issue.. ugh.. put in on manual focus or something
What's next: DOWNHILL GRAVEL BIKE?
Check back in a couple weeks. Seriously. 😁
This is what happens when engineers are told to design a bike with ‘patentable technology’. They design over complicated solutions that are heavier than proven decades old tech at way more expense. Credit to those engineers for justifying their work. They will probably outgrow specialized and start designing bikes and products that riders actually asked for, rather than what the marketing, financial, and legal teams wanted.
when bicycle R&D cost more than motogp???
This is a sport for people too timid to get serious about mtb.
And @ $14k > the prospective New Owner can Pay somebody with real Power to ride it...
could put that system on a hardtail too
In other words....Trek Supercaliber
Anyone seen riding an S Works version of this bike should be heckled mercilessly for 🔥 $14K on a 19lb lead sled
Do gravel riders not know there are things known as mountain bikes? Ludicrous pricing compared to what one gets for the same money in a MTB...
The only mountain bike would be close to this type of speed in general is the s works epic and tell me how much money you're saving from that over this? This isn't just for normal gravel riding this is for gravel racing big races like we do here in Kansas with unbound. I absolutely hate this bike but coming from somebody who started racing gravel on a cross country hardtail that now races with a top tier gravel bike there are literal multiple miles per hour difference in the average speeds
Too expensive as always, with too many proprietary parts and guaranteed problems down the road! There’s a lot to be said for a rigid frame with wide tyre clearances and low pressures for extra comfort if needed. At this point I would just buy an MTB.