I jumped back into biking a short time ago and bought what I thought was a very well thought out purchase, a Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc. I was planning on having the "one bike fits all my needs" solution. However, I ran into a problem I had not expected, I was not sure what my "needs" were. I wanted something to ride for fitness, something I could ride on mild trails be them dirt or gravel. I wanted something I could cruise on in the city or get out on the road. I still want all those things. However, after riding the Crosstrail for nearly two weeks I have put 77 miles on it only missing one out of the last 13 days. All but 7 of those miles have been by myself though the plan was to ride with my wife and all of those miles have been on roads or paved river pathways in my city. I have found myself wanting to go faster and ride longer than the 7-10 miles I have been riding daily. The more I am out I feel the Crosstrail does not fit my needs. My LBS has a 30 day trade/money back program that will allow me to swap out for full retail value. The staff that work there have sized me to a 58cm bike and think the Allez fits my needs best. However, I still love the idea that I might ride on gravel trails and do not want to feel like I have been beat up after a ride which pushes me toward the Diverge. (FYI My LBS carries Specialized, Trek, and Salsa).

So...

Concerns for the Allez:
Will it handle/ride rough on gravel?
Will I be comfortable on slower/scenic rides with my wife (she rides a Trek commuter bike)?
Will this be too much of a "race" bike for endurance rides?
Will the caliper style breaks be acceptable on wet weather rides?
Will I notice the carbon fork upgrade in the Sport or Elite model?
Will adding a 28c tire make it more of an all around ride?


Concerns for the Diverge:
Is it too much of a dedicated cyclocross bike or is this what fits the "one bike solution"?
Will I need to get a thinner road tire (currently has the 30c)
Will it be 'fast' enough to keep up with pure road bikes if I do group rides?
It has disc brakes but I have heard negative things about mechanical brakes... thoughts?
Slightly more than I wanted to spend.

Thanks in advance,
Nate