The Future Shock components of the 2023 Specialized Diverge STR – What distinguishes the new gravel suspension system from conventional MTB suspension systems?

 

The STR acronym stands for “suspend the rider”. The “suspend the rider, not the bike” slogan has been part of the furniture in Specialized’s marketing department for years and expresses their conviction that it’s more important to suspend the rider than the entire bike. With conventional MTB full-sussers, it’s crucial to minimise the unsprung mass of the bike in order to achieve the lowest possible moment of inertia and maximum traction. In mountain biking, both the obstacles and the impacts are larger than with gravel bikes, so it’s crucial that both wheels can move to overcome obstacles in order to provide a consistent level of traction. However, as the suspension compresses, the geometry of the bike changes, which alters both the handling and pedalling efficiency of the bike – a critical issue with gravel and road bikes. With the Specialized Diverge STR, almost the entire bike is unsprung and the (seated) rider constitutes the only suspended mass. As a result, the geometry remains unchanged throughout the ride, except for the seat angle and handlebar position. When sprinting out of the saddle, the Diverge accelerates like a classic gravel or road bike, without the rear suspension influencing its riding performance. We were truly impressed by how well the new 2023 Specialized Diverge STR 2023 combines out-of-the-saddle sprinting capabilities with flying carpet qualities – but more on this later! For more at frempind

 

Like the current Diverge and Roubaix models, the new Diverge STR employs Specialized’s Future Shock 2.0 system up front, which provides 20 mm travel, allowing the cockpit to move vertically to absorb impacts and vibrations from the ground. Unlike conventional MTB suspension forks, however, it doesn’t have any influence on the handling of the bike. At the rear, Specialized’s proprietary Rear Future Shock generates around 30 mm of travel and can be adjusted to suit the rider’s weight, height and riding style using a clever system of interchangeable seat tubes called frame post (FP). The damper in the top tube can be adjusted while riding using a 3-stage compression lever, while the rebound speed can be changed with an Allen key on the underside of the top tube. Moreover, gravity-oriented gravel riders can further customise their Diverge by running a short-travel 27.2 mm dropper post like the RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR post with up to 75 mm travel. Longer-travel, MTB-specific dropper posts are usually available in sizes 30.9 mm upwards and are therefore not compatible with the Diverge’s skinny seat tube. For more at cykelgear