BirdsBikeBinocs

Title says it all. I put 10 miles on it yesterday and it's a great ride. Love the new Shimano 105 groupset. Never in between gears and the shifting is fast. Great fit. Very efficient. Specialized Diverge E5 Comp. Aluminum.
Question.... I didn't realize this... I have to remove the thru-axle wheels using an allen wrench. Geez..... I thought they came as one piece with a handle. I hate the allen wrench thing. Tools needed when it didn't have to be that way. Can I get one piece thru-axles.??

sdmc530

congrats! Nothing better than new bike day. Very nice set up! I am spec fan boy, so I like what you got there!


shame on your for the cross chain too

bikeaddiction1

There are some advantages to these through axles. The are simpler (less parts) and lighter, and not quite as easy to steal. They also use an allen key size that will be on every bike multi tool so you are carrying the tool anyway. The disadvantage, as you point out, is you have to take the tool out.

Doctor Morbius

Very nice looking bike! Nice color too. Congrats.

Darth Lefty 

Sweet bike! Livin' large-large

rayooo

Great looking bike for sure! enjoy and ride safe!

GlennR

Ride the rubber off it... enjoy.

Brocephus

I dig the color, even though I can't be exactly sure what it is. It kinda looks like good ol' battleship grey, but it also looks like it may be that cool, funky grey/green color you see on some Subarus.
BTW, it's probably just the camera filter, but in the 3rd pic, the atmosphere has that weird milky-green haze that's sometimes seen when tornadoes are threatening !

dsaul

You should be able to find thru axles with a handle. You'll need to know the length and thread pitch of the axles. DT Swiss and Paragon Machine Works make some nice ones with handles that can be repositioned after tightening. Be prepared for sticker shock on thru axles.

aclass

Nice!! NBD for me as well. Specialized Tarmac, love it!

bogydave

hillyman

Wow what a change in bikes. That's an exploring machine!

a1penguin

That's a great looking do-it-all bike! Enjoy!

BirdsBikeBinocs

Thanks for the comments. I got a nice ride in today. No complaints. Rolls along very nicely. No buyers remorse at all.

The cross chain thing brings up a point. My hybrid has a triple chainring up front with twister gear changing on the handlebars and the gears are numbered. This Diverge has a double chainring up front with an 11 ring cassette, no numbers. I literally have no idea what gear I am in. I can look back there fairly easy but still, I can't keep track of where the chain is. lol. I can say this.... I love the 22 speed. I have yet to feel like I'm in between gears. Fantastic gear ratio's. I just need to learn them, feel them out. I can barely turn the hardest gear. That has to be a downhill gear. I'm going to like the 48/32 rings up front. I can't imagine a 50/34... I ain't Hulk Hogan.

A great feature on the shifters is that one can change as many as 3 gears with one long swipe of the shift lever. For example, say your cruising along at 15mph and you need to stop for traffic in short order. I can do the 3 gear change down so that when I take off again it's easy pedaling. One click, one gear. 2 clicks, 2 gears. 3 clicks, 3 gears. Or, if you're on a hill and didn't plan correctly, you can get to an easy gear in short time. Like, fast. I'm really liking the 105 groupset.

The color is what I would call a Tan. The first picture best represents it's true color. Super nice welds. It's a good looking bike.

BobbyG

Nice!

CodyDog

Nice bike. Congrats.

NomarsGirl

I have a 50/34 on my new Ruby. You don't need to be Hulk Hogan. I stay in the 50 most of the time unless I'm climbing. I'm getting used to not knowing exactly what gear I'm in. I just try to be aware if I'm in the largest or smallest to avoid cross-chaining.

BirdsBikeBinocs

That was a tongue in cheek comment I made...hulk hogan. I too ride mostly on the big ring. Momentum is your friend. Try this.... Stop your bike in the hardest gear. Then, try to take off with the bike in the hardest gear. Report back with your result. I know, it's not logical but just try it. Hulk Hogan might come to mind....

NomarsGirl

Can I start at the top of a hill in that gear? 😁 I have used the 50 and the 11, but only downhill. I think I went 40 mph if only for a few minutes. And mine's a "girl's" bike.

taz777

Congratulations on your lovely new bike!

shelbyfv

Nice bike! IMO, you are fortunate to have the Allen key thru axles. I have the kind with the lever and find them annoying. After tightening the axle, I have to back it off some for the handle to close. Possibly this is not the case with all, don't know. Anyway, I'm thinking of buying the Allen type for the front which gets removed often for transport. Price is silly for what they are

OldTryGuy

Better for aero

Must have been a long downhill.

My handle pulls out to reset into better orientation.

BTW -- NICE BIKE, ENJOY

BirdsBikeBinocs

Thanks for the comments on the thru-axles. It's beginning to make sense to me.

puma1552

Great bike, and the exact bike I'd choose if I wanted a gravel bike - Specialized's highest end alloy model.

People can trash talk Specialized all they want for suing people, etc., but they make a damn good bike. I love mine, which is also E5 alloy.

BTW, if you don't already know, the brifters also have trim settings on the front derailleur so you can push the derailleur out a bit while on the small ring or in a bit when on the big ring to help give you better range on the cassette in each chain ring. Have a google if you don't know what I'm talking about.

illdrag0n

No risk of the screw in through axles releasing/threading and nothing can catch on it. Much prefer the screw in to the lever style