Specialized Diverge 4 Comp Alloy E5 Sram Apex 2026: Test, Review, Pros, Cons, Issues, Performance, Opinions, Everything You Need to Know (Really)

Construction Quality

The Specialized Diverge 4 Comp Alloy E5 Sram Apex 2026 boasts high overall quality and excellent assembly. The wide range of available sizes is also a plus. The bike's weight isn't low, but it's a very solid, high-quality bike, and there's nothing else to add.

Frame

The frame of the Specialized Diverge 4 Comp Alloy E5 Sram Apex 2026 is perfectly crafted with modern geometry and excellent technical solutions for both performance and reliability. It's an excellent frame overall, but routine maintenance is not simple. From a quality standpoint, it's a top-of-the-line bike for its category.

Assembly

The Specialized Diverge 4 Comp Alloy E5 Sram Apex 2026 costs €2,700 and weighs over 10.6 kg, which are not low numbers. However, the value for money is more than sufficient. The gravel bike is expensive, but it's well-made and technologically advanced.

Comfort

This is the best aluminum gravel bike on the market today, period. The fork is excellent, and so is the rear triangle. It's not a carbon gravel bike, which is even better, but compared to other gravel bikes, its riding comfort is very high and excellent for its category. It's also more comfortable than all aluminum endurance bikes.

Handling

The Specialized Diverge 4 Comp Alloy E5 Sram Apex 2026 is a very intuitive, easy, and safe bike to ride. On paved roads, you'll appreciate its riding comfort, precision, and stability. Even off-road, the comfort remains high, and compared to its competitors, it stands out for greater ease of handling and control on very rough terrain. Its stability on descents is solid and secure. Braking is good. It's a very pleasant bike to ride at a touring pace, but also at high speeds, where it inspires great confidence and makes you want to push harder. It feels like you're on rails, with everything always under control. This allows even a beginner to ride very fast, especially off-road, where the effort required to handle the bike is minimal. Compared to other gravel bikes, it's not only far more comfortable but also much easier to handle off-road and far less tiring. In conclusion, while it's expensive, it's also much easier to ride off-road than its competitors.

Performance

The bike's overall high weight is its main limitation and only real flaw. The frame is also stiff, but some performance is lost because the bike is not at all light, and it feels heavy when compared to competitors at the same price point. Off-road, especially on technical and difficult terrain, it has no rivals—the advantage of its frame is undeniable. Only a very experienced rider can do better on competing gravel bikes, but all other riders will be faster with this frame. On paved roads, it's still fun, but less competitive. Therefore, it remains a competitive gravel bike on truly technical routes, while it is at a disadvantage on smoother terrain where speed is key. It's excellent for all-around touring, as there is no easier or more relaxing bike for very long distances.

Pros and Cons

The Specialized Diverge 4 Comp Alloy E5 Sram Apex 2026 gravel bike is expensive for its category and components, but it offers excellent quality and high performance, especially on very technical and difficult off-road terrain. Its strengths are its top-notch safety, easy handling, and high riding comfort. Its weaknesses are its price and weight. On paved roads, it's inferior to its competitors. However, it's an excellent choice for wide-ranging touring, as it has very high riding comfort.

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Note: The photo does not show the specific bike that was tested.