Specialized Diverge Carbon X1

While the real fun starts where the road ends, you still need a bike that'll get you there—one bike that shreds flowy singletrack, gravel, and traditional roads with equal authority. A more capable road bike won't cut it, nor will a more road-worthy 'cross bike for that matter. No, you need a dedicated gravel bike like the Diverge. First and foremost, it's fun and always down for a good time, but with a progressively-tuned Future Shock, our fast and stable Open Road Geometry, and plenty of tire clearance, it redefines the possibilities for adventure on a drop-bar bike. This Diverge delivers a tremendous value for anyone who's gravel-curious. We spec'd it with SRAM's Apex 1x11 group for its crisp shifts and powerful hydraulic disc brakes, as well as reliable Axis Sport Disc wheels, a Praxis Alba crankset, 38mm Pathfinder Sport tires, and our fan-favorite Power Sport saddle.

- Clearance for either 700x42mm or 650b x 47mm tires? Check. Three water bottle mounts, mounts for racks and fenders, and our Road SWAT kit. The Diverge not only has everything you need for pretty much any pedal-powered adventure—whether it's gravel racing, bikepacking, or weekend shredding—and does so at a frame weight that's close to today's high-end road bikes. Sure, you might be thinking more plaid flannel than Polka Dot Jersey, but you'll thank us on your next dirt climb.

- You can think of the Diverge's geometry as a road version of a modern trail bike. It provides playful handling and predictable steering for endless dirt skids and mid-corner drifts, but keeps stiffness up to snuff for your inner-racer. Along with a bottom bracket that's over a half-centimeter lower than the previous Diverge, we also slacked-out the head tube angle, shortened the chainstays, and made a shorter wheelbase. The result? A bike that performs equally well over both the dirt and road.

- There's only so much that wider tires with lower pressures can absorb when it comes to bumps, but this is where our Future Shock comes into play. It not only soaks up bumps with ease, but it also adds the benefit of extremely predictable handling. That's because the wheelbase isn't lengthening when you hit a bump, so when you dive hard into a turn, you won't be surprised by under-steer or sloppy handling. The Diverge's version also gets a special treatment featuring 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