Originally Posted by
Jay Olson
The Diverge is Specialized's go-almost-anywhere bike. Maybe it is like mountain bikes that people only ride on the road. Their go-anywhere bike is the AWOL. If you don't need/want to bring much with you (i.e. don't need racks), the Crux also fits the bill.
OP, this is quite true. The Diverge is more of an enduro bike with larger than roadie tire clearance, while the Cross-Check is a jack-of-all-trades. So of course the Cross-Check is going to be better at tire clearance. You're comparing apples to oranges.
Look at the Kona Rove / Sutra, & Raleigh Willard / Timland. Btw, the brake noise is because Performance Bike put it together. They're known for poor mechanical skill in the industry.