Not a fan of the Diverge dark paint but if Specialized gave us that old school late 80’s colorway from this year’s Unbound Gravel race, then they can have my money.
I'm going to wait for the release of the new 2022 checkpoint then make a decision, that bike looked very clean. The futureshock of the diverge seems to make a major difference when it comes to riding fatigue though.
I have the 2022 Checkpoint sl6 etap. It’s a nice ride but I also love my Diverge. I have not ridden the Checkpoint enough as the weather has been crappy here in the east coast. Looking forward to it.
@@BogeyLowensteinsParty I like both bikes. They both have great features. The Diverge has the future shock to dampen the rough roads, the Checkpoint has ths Isospeed near the seatpost which helps with rough rides. Both can be converted to 650b wheelset and take wider tires. The Diverge is a 2by and of course the Checkpoint has the 1x12 drivetrain Sram Etap. However both ride differently. The Diverge I consider more of a racebike as it responds that way. I’ll be honest I believe the Checkpoint has been an eyeopener for me as to comfort , speed and handling. I was surprised that enjoy riding it over the Diverge. I’ll be taking the Checkpoint to Kansas for Unbound. I think over 100 miles it will suit my body better and be able to handle the course. I’m shipping my bike tomorrow so I’ll be on the Diverge until I leave next week. I have not done any bikepacking with either but I’m sure they are very capable. Both are fantastic bikes and each offer me what I need for a specific ride. You won’t be disappointed with either but I lean toward the Checkpoint. Hope this helps.
I am a Trek Madone owner, but I ordered and bought a 2021 Diverge , because of the specs and features that Trek did not release till now. The down tube storage that the check point now has is a feature my diverge has , is so cool, no muddy dirt hanging saddle bags to deal with , but ,,,,,, the diverges have the 2.0 future shock which has worked well, time will tell in maintenance , Trek does not have checkpoint shock. But I really do love the Checkpoint color ways. So limited on my specialized color way options wish it was more more like P1 builds that trek does . But no…… anyway I will just enjoy and appreciate what I have …..🤔☝🏻😊
the last part is the main part, as long as u appreciate what u got then your good..... the project one colors are for sure nicer but i mean right now in my opinon no one can come close to that diverge future shock, for gravel, it is top notch
@@GCPerformance18 Thank You Grant it works well, I am not to crazy on the hover bar top or flats shape , seems to create a pressure point in my hands , seems like I work,d prefer a wider top section bar shape , and maybe a carbon bar too. I feel more comfortable on my trek carbon bar in my Madone than the aluminum hover bar. Not sure on Specialized’s thinking on the hover bars top section diameter or contours. I don’t find it comfortable even if I wrapped it with ESI silicone tap either. That stuff gets yucky slimy riding with out gloves in hot weather too. Pressure point is still there also. I got rid of WolfTooth branded silicone tape for SILCA nuzzo tape is it ?
@@GCPerformance18 Was hoping you could help me with this question , can I get away with a helix 9-46 cassette in the Rear and a 46 tooth crank upfront. Thanks for your help 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
I have a 2020 Sirrus X5.0 It is the equal of a Diverge base carbon with a much more comfortable flat bar. I would really like to see a head to head comparison between a Diverge and a Sirrus X5.0 in the same price range
Technically, a "Diverge Lite". One of the customers in the LBS I work in runs 33 mm WTB gravel tires + 17 mm internal rim width on his S-Works Roubaix.
Tyre clearance on a Roubiax is nowhere near a Diverge, geometry completely different. I know as own both and the Roubix is no substitute for a decent gravel bike
I have done this before for consumers who want both and it does work well I have put 700x33 tires on there and made it work for some consumers who didnt mind
I'm in the process of choosing a bike and these two interest me. But i will certainly go to Trek Checkpoint : good colors (i want the RED radioactive !!!), an internal storage, GRX 2X drivetrain. Specialized propose to me their diverge sport carbon. Futur shock 1.5, no internal storage, SRAM (only one drivetrain. Their only diverge with 2 drivetrain are E5 and Elite, above it's SRAM only this year), colors are not as fun and 300€ more costly... But spe retailer has one in stock of my size ; with trek it will be many month of waiting (certainly one year)...
All of the information in this video is stuff that you can just read from the website of each brand. The opinion of which is the better gravel bike came down to you saying that you’re biased towards the specialized brand, not because of this particular bike. There’s really no point in making a video on which bike is better if you haven’t actually ridden either bike. The video should just be titled, listing the specs and components of two bikes in the hot Florida sun.
I love people like you, who listen to someone who rides a bike and they give a review of the two bikes when there body, there riding style, there geometry preference can be completely different from yours, but you will listen to them say something and try to relate to it, when you get on the bike and have a whole different riding experience, reason I say this is because in my line of work I sell a lot of bicycles, the same bicycle to alot of different people. I will sell the top high end bike to two category 1 riders and they will give two complete experiences on the bike, one ended up selling it because he hated it and said the bike felt sluggish to his old bike, the other guy said the bike was the fastest he rode yet and loved how the bike responded underneath him..... both two extremely fast guys at top performance both different views on the bike.... these arnt like car reviews, where the car has a machined engine and will perform for everyone the exact same way, we are the engines and our bodies are the suspension. I show you the bikes I tell you what each bike has to offer and i let you know which bike I think is giving you a better value in my experience with bikes.... I have done other videos with mtb bikes where I have said trek is the better bike. and I am sure if I said I rode both of these bikes for 1000 miles each at the beginnign of the video you would have ate it up. heres my advice, do your homework watch as much as you can on the product you are looking for, take in as much information as you want but at the end of the day make your own decision on the bike and try to get your hands on one to test ride before you buy. a bicycle is 100 percent a preference thing, and it needs to fit your body
"Hey Trek, SRAM/Shimano speaking. Can you help us selling our electronic groupsets?" Trek: "No problemo! We will totally ruin the looks of our checkpoint just be the cable routing ..." Wish they would have done it just like specialized as the frame apart from that is actually beautiful.
I ended up on the ALR5 because I'm fat. I put flared handlebars and stem from redshift and boyd 650b wheels with those specialized tires in a 47mm. Not too shabby. I'd love the diverge with the adjustable future shock just to have it, maybe down the road.
You said that the diverge has fender mounts but I think it's worth pointing out that these only support the shitty specialized fenders. The trek mounts look more like versatile.
Thanks for this comparison, great vid! I’m also considering the Salsa Warbird too with the Diverge. Any thoughts on the Warbird? Can’t make up my mind!😞
@@GCPerformance18 I agree but would he nice to see the exact weight difference. Would help viewers if you weighed both with or without pedals. But keep up the good vids 👌
I'm intrigued by the Specialized Future Shock. I'm looking to get a Cirrus for my wife. I'm not sure why you'd buy the Trek when the Giant Revolt offers a similar setup for several hundred bucks less.
the future shock seems gimmicky but I am telling you it is one of the most comfortable things out there and once she tries it, she wont want to go back form it
we have more dedicated gravel ridding trails for them so it is a different workout, it is a bike meant for that purpose specifically, I wouldnt recmoend a gravel for road riding
@@GCPerformance18 I have a 2020 diverge comp carbon. Very nice color. 32/46 crank 11-34 cassette. I have 32mm slicks on it and that's all I ride on the road. Not the most efficient but it's very comfortable and gear range is perfect for me who weighs 200-210 lbs lol
We have some nice gravel trails very close, so almost all of my outdoor riding is on gravel. I prefer riding a well maintained gravel trail to pavement.
not a fan of proprietary frame dampening tech. I still have a 2014 Spec Roubaix frame with "Zertz" inserts that have become brittle and need to be replaced. Not willing to bet on any of these parts including Futureshock nor Iso Speed.
Equipping bikes with cylindrical cross-section handlebars is a crime against the user: they grossly compromise the comfort, the visual appeal and to a very negligible extent - aerodynamics. Sure, they're better for mounting accessories (important!), but then 60% of the bar real estate serves as a hand rest, anyway. The perfect handlebar would be cylindrical cross-section in the middle (ca. 7-8cm on Wouter side of the stem clamp, but very flat from there too the levers).
Both lovely bikes. I'm no fan of the dropped seatstay fad, but otherwise, the Diverge appears to look a bit more streamlined (a bit more sloping and less curved top tube?) than its predecessor. I wonder if the Checkpoint's track bike -style rear dropouts aren't a compromise in practicality. Sure, you can use different length chains, a longer wheelbase and all that, but at no compromise in reliability and setup ease?
@@GCPerformance18 It just doesn't look nice geometrically to me. I just think it looks silly. I don't see the point. Apparently seat flex is the reason but I still think it ugly. The whole thing with carbon apart from the obvious is looks. I just hate the look of it.
which do you choose? specialized or trek?
specialized for big brand bikes; boutique brands for other projects
The trek, just for the color
Specialized Diverge. I was never a fan of Trek's seat mast cap interface.
Specialized Diverge all the way! 😎
Trek, just for the colour.
Gotta love that Factory Orange colour, they do that colour on the Trek Dual Sport & it reflects the sunlight amazingly well
trek kills it with colors
Thanks for doing the comparisons and yes, the videos help show the color off better than online pictures.
Thank you so much for watching :)))
for 2022 trek checkpoint platform is updated with yes you guessed it aero tubing / clean cable routing.
very nice and thanks for pointing it out
The in frame storage on the checkpoints is cool. Not sure I’d store stuff in it for a race but it’d come in handy for training rides.
yea it is nice, alot of people od not use a saddle bag and just shove a tube and a pump in there
Not a fan of the Diverge dark paint but if Specialized gave us that old school late 80’s colorway from this year’s Unbound Gravel race, then they can have my money.
I wishhhhhh, they need to make that a comp color way and it would sell out all year
I'm going to wait for the release of the new 2022 checkpoint then make a decision, that bike looked very clean. The futureshock of the diverge seems to make a major difference when it comes to riding fatigue though.
2022 checkpont is sweet
I have the 2022 Checkpoint sl6 etap. It’s a nice ride but I also love my Diverge. I have not ridden the Checkpoint enough as the weather has been crappy here in the east coast. Looking forward to it.
@@fraji1 any updates between the 2 bikes?
@@BogeyLowensteinsParty I like both bikes. They both have great features. The Diverge has the future shock to dampen the rough roads, the Checkpoint has ths Isospeed near the seatpost which helps with rough rides. Both can be converted to 650b wheelset and take wider tires. The Diverge is a 2by and of course the Checkpoint has the 1x12 drivetrain Sram Etap. However both ride differently. The Diverge I consider more of a racebike as it responds that way. I’ll be honest I believe the Checkpoint has been an eyeopener for me as to comfort , speed and handling. I was surprised that enjoy riding it over the Diverge. I’ll be taking the Checkpoint to Kansas for Unbound. I think over 100 miles it will suit my body better and be able to handle the course. I’m shipping my bike tomorrow so I’ll be on the Diverge until I leave next week. I have not done any bikepacking with either but I’m sure they are very capable. Both are fantastic bikes and each offer me what I need for a specific ride. You won’t be disappointed with either but I lean toward the Checkpoint. Hope this helps.
Thanks for this breakdown of both bikes.. this has helped me make up my mind checkpoint. Not sure to go alr 4 or 5. Happy new year
I am a Trek Madone owner, but I ordered and bought a 2021 Diverge , because of the specs and features that Trek did not release till now. The down tube storage that the check point now has is a feature my diverge has , is so cool, no muddy dirt hanging saddle bags to deal with , but ,,,,,, the diverges have the 2.0 future shock which has worked well, time will tell in maintenance , Trek does not have checkpoint shock. But I really do love the Checkpoint color ways. So limited on my specialized color way options wish it was more more like P1 builds that trek does . But no…… anyway I will just enjoy and appreciate what I have …..🤔☝🏻😊
the last part is the main part, as long as u appreciate what u got then your good..... the project one colors are for sure nicer but i mean right now in my opinon no one can come close to that diverge future shock, for gravel, it is top notch
@@GCPerformance18 Thank You Grant it works well, I am not to crazy on the hover bar top or flats shape , seems to create a pressure point in my hands , seems like I work,d prefer a wider top section bar shape , and maybe a carbon bar too. I feel more comfortable on my trek carbon bar in my Madone than the aluminum hover bar. Not sure on Specialized’s thinking on the hover bars top section diameter or contours. I don’t find it comfortable even if I wrapped it with ESI silicone tap either. That stuff gets yucky slimy riding with out gloves in hot weather too. Pressure point is still there also. I got rid of WolfTooth branded silicone tape for SILCA nuzzo tape is it ?
Thank you!!! grat comparisson and choice review!!
Sirius X top of the line...$2k and I simply love it, gives me so much more than my buddies on their gravel bikes.
So True ! I love my Sirrus X 5.0 ! Over 1500 miles on all sorts of trails & tarmac and she rides awesome ! 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
@@mikep277 Add the CGR seatpost and viola! It's the gravel bike that is MACK DADDY!
yea the sirrus x is a monster of a bike it has so many options on what it can do
@@GCPerformance18 Was hoping you could help me with this question , can I get away with a helix 9-46 cassette in the Rear and a 46 tooth crank upfront. Thanks for your help 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
I have a 2020 Sirrus X5.0 It is the equal of a Diverge base carbon with a much more comfortable flat bar. I would really like to see a head to head comparison between a Diverge and a Sirrus X5.0 in the same price range
the big T! the checkpoint frame is worthy of upgrade.
versatile frame.
dammmmmmm, first trek I have seen so far
Change Roubaix tires, then become Diverge?
geometry is different
Technically, a "Diverge Lite". One of the customers in the LBS I work in runs 33 mm WTB gravel tires + 17 mm internal rim width on his S-Works Roubaix.
@@vongdong10 yeah, but how much different though...
Tyre clearance on a Roubiax is nowhere near a Diverge, geometry completely different. I know as own both and the Roubix is no substitute for a decent gravel bike
I have done this before for consumers who want both and it does work well I have put 700x33 tires on there and made it work for some consumers who didnt mind
Specialized All Day ! 🔥🤘🏼🔥🤘🏼🔥🤘🏼
hel yea brother!!!!!!
what's the point of weighing one bike with pedals and the other one without?
I was rushed with the bike and didnt have time to remove the pedals but I figured it would at least give a reference even knwoing that one had pedals
Wow, just today SRAM release XPLR GROUPSET, ROCK SHOX RUDY XPLR 30MM TRAVEL, and DROPPER POST for gravel, and ZIPP RIMS 101 XPLR.
yea I seen that, it looks insane of a group
I choose the 2022 Scott Gravel!!!!
I can only dream to get one in
@@GCPerformance18 it’s a mythical bike like Braveheart! We can only talk and not see the bike 🤣!
Scott has got only 5 years warranty, trek, specialized have got life time warranty
Diverge cable routing win, bottom bracket win, futureshock win, Trek sliding dropout for single speed win, still more wins for the Diverge!
yea I see mroe plus on the specialized and I know I am being biased lol
Future shock sounds like a lose to me
…the looks of the Checkpoint (not only color) is way better
I'm in the process of choosing a bike and these two interest me. But i will certainly go to Trek Checkpoint : good colors (i want the RED radioactive !!!), an internal storage, GRX 2X drivetrain.
Specialized propose to me their diverge sport carbon. Futur shock 1.5, no internal storage, SRAM (only one drivetrain. Their only diverge with 2 drivetrain are E5 and Elite, above it's SRAM only this year), colors are not as fun and 300€ more costly...
But spe retailer has one in stock of my size ; with trek it will be many month of waiting (certainly one year)...
The geometry is so much prettier but the paint job sucks.
All of the information in this video is stuff that you can just read from the website of each brand. The opinion of which is the better gravel bike came down to you saying that you’re biased towards the specialized brand, not because of this particular bike. There’s really no point in making a video on which bike is better if you haven’t actually ridden either bike. The video should just be titled, listing the specs and components of two bikes in the hot Florida sun.
I love people like you, who listen to someone who rides a bike and they give a review of the two bikes when there body, there riding style, there geometry preference can be completely different from yours, but you will listen to them say something and try to relate to it, when you get on the bike and have a whole different riding experience, reason I say this is because in my line of work I sell a lot of bicycles, the same bicycle to alot of different people. I will sell the top high end bike to two category 1 riders and they will give two complete experiences on the bike, one ended up selling it because he hated it and said the bike felt sluggish to his old bike, the other guy said the bike was the fastest he rode yet and loved how the bike responded underneath him..... both two extremely fast guys at top performance both different views on the bike.... these arnt like car reviews, where the car has a machined engine and will perform for everyone the exact same way, we are the engines and our bodies are the suspension. I show you the bikes I tell you what each bike has to offer and i let you know which bike I think is giving you a better value in my experience with bikes.... I have done other videos with mtb bikes where I have said trek is the better bike. and I am sure if I said I rode both of these bikes for 1000 miles each at the beginnign of the video you would have ate it up.
heres my advice, do your homework watch as much as you can on the product you are looking for, take in as much information as you want but at the end of the day make your own decision on the bike and try to get your hands on one to test ride before you buy. a bicycle is 100 percent a preference thing, and it needs to fit your body
Specialized Diverge FTW! 😎
hel yea brother
"Hey Trek, SRAM/Shimano speaking. Can you help us selling our electronic groupsets?" Trek: "No problemo! We will totally ruin the looks of our checkpoint just be the cable routing ..." Wish they would have done it just like specialized as the frame apart from that is actually beautiful.
hahahahha I know lol
What was the sound you made for the made in taiwan sticker?
As a life long fan of both brands my current is a Sirrus but they have messed up with the dropped seat stay. Hideous.
Trek colors are legit.
yea trek has been on point and especially giving the project one options too they are far superior in color options right now
The checkpoint also accepts 650b wheelset. Lots of room for tire sizes with the rear drop out being adjustable.
I ended up on the ALR5 because I'm fat. I put flared handlebars and stem from redshift and boyd 650b wheels with those specialized tires in a 47mm. Not too shabby. I'd love the diverge with the adjustable future shock just to have it, maybe down the road.
You said that the diverge has fender mounts but I think it's worth pointing out that these only support the shitty specialized fenders. The trek mounts look more like versatile.
very good mention thanks for the correction
Is a gift bike sold in Morocco
yesh
@@GCPerformance18 And how much is the current price in Morocco? Thank you
Thanks for this comparison, great vid! I’m also considering the Salsa Warbird too with the Diverge. Any thoughts on the Warbird? Can’t make up my mind!😞
I have not had any time with the warbird so I can not speak on it, but go diverge lol
Warbird
good vid. but weights mean nothing when one has pedals and the other doesnt.
I mean pedals is not the big deal is something small
@@GCPerformance18 I agree but would he nice to see the exact weight difference. Would help viewers if you weighed both with or without pedals. But keep up the good vids 👌
I'm intrigued by the Specialized Future Shock. I'm looking to get a Cirrus for my wife. I'm not sure why you'd buy the Trek when the Giant Revolt offers a similar setup for several hundred bucks less.
the future shock seems gimmicky but I am telling you it is one of the most comfortable things out there and once she tries it, she wont want to go back form it
How often do people run into gravel on a normal day? I only got to ride on real gravel one time. A few days later they made it into an asphalt road.
we have more dedicated gravel ridding trails for them so it is a different workout, it is a bike meant for that purpose specifically, I wouldnt recmoend a gravel for road riding
@@GCPerformance18 I have a 2020 diverge comp carbon. Very nice color. 32/46 crank 11-34 cassette. I have 32mm slicks on it and that's all I ride on the road. Not the most efficient but it's very comfortable and gear range is perfect for me who weighs 200-210 lbs lol
We have some nice gravel trails very close, so almost all of my outdoor riding is on gravel. I prefer riding a well maintained gravel trail to pavement.
Better take the Canyon Grizzl with 30mm Rockshox Rudy and suspension VCLS seatpost for U$1999.00
Not a fan of the iso speed decoupler, so my vote is for the specialized.
yea me either lol
I have a Domane and I haven't ride a most comfortable bike. Not sure why you don't like the iso speed
Love that you don’t need a tool to remove the Trek’s front wheel 👍
yea it is nice
I would have to say TREK for me but its a toss up
it all depends, im a fan bony so I would say diverge
not a fan of proprietary frame dampening tech. I still have a 2014 Spec Roubaix frame with "Zertz" inserts that have become brittle and need to be replaced. Not willing to bet on any of these parts including Futureshock nor Iso Speed.
Could you please elaborate as I have the Sirrus Pro 2017 and I'm concerned about my safety.
Equipping bikes with cylindrical cross-section handlebars is a crime against the user: they grossly compromise the comfort, the visual appeal and to a very negligible extent - aerodynamics. Sure, they're better for mounting accessories (important!), but then 60% of the bar real estate serves as a hand rest, anyway. The perfect handlebar would be cylindrical cross-section in the middle (ca. 7-8cm on Wouter side of the stem clamp, but very flat from there too the levers).
I choose hardtail :)
not a choice you lose
Both lovely bikes. I'm no fan of the dropped seatstay fad, but otherwise, the Diverge appears to look a bit more streamlined (a bit more sloping and less curved top tube?) than its predecessor.
I wonder if the Checkpoint's track bike -style rear dropouts aren't a compromise in practicality. Sure, you can use different length chains, a longer wheelbase and all that, but at no compromise in reliability and setup ease?
I agree it is a stupid trend.
bike is good!
The more I see dropped chain stays the more I hate them
Really? I’m not a fan of the old school like the sl5 or the madone or emonda. It looks dated to me
@@GCPerformance18 It just doesn't look nice geometrically to me. I just think it looks silly. I don't see the point. Apparently seat flex is the reason but I still think it ugly. The whole thing with carbon apart from the obvious is looks. I just hate the look of it.
man you talk fast
Hahahha I’m sorry
My car is cheaper.
lmao true
No one.Alan sg scandium
Both crap