Trek Boone vs. Specialized Diverge
 

Has anyone ridden both back to back? I've been to a couple stores that carries both brands but neither had both bikes in stock. Rode the Carbon Diverge today and it was really great. The guy at the store suggested I also consider the Boone even though they didn't have one in stock. He had me ride a Domane and even with the narrow tires at high pressure the ride was really great. Not just because of the Isospeed decoupler, but also the front end. Now I'm wondering what a Boone will be like. The geometry seems very similar to the Diverge. Almost identical stack height and reach. Has anyone ridden both? The reviews of both the Boone and Diverge are outstanding.

The Diverge has an advantage in that the compliance of the Smartweld is rated at almost the same as the Carbon, but has the advantage of having rack mounts. I haven't found any store that stocks the Smartweld but I suspect it won't damp higher frequency vibrations as well as Carbon.

I personally thought the Diverge's ride was fine, but boring. I really like the ride on the Boone in contrast, felt more exciting. Opinions on ride can be like opinions on color, but that was my impression, I definitely liked the Boone more.

You can put a rack on a carbon bike just fine, fyi, you just have to buy a special rack made for it.

Here's pics of a Bontrager Backrack on a full carbon Trek Domane with no rack mounts:
**********-ITEM-?Y's Road ???

Axiom Streamliner Disc also works, it's the cheaper version basically. They all work by mountain at the top under the brake bridge, and at the bottom via the wheel skewer.

I really liked the Boone, has it been in the color I wanted and had better brakes (the older model I was trying is different than the recent models) I would have bought one.

Another interesting bike is the Trek Emonda, it's the smoothest ride I've ever had on a bike (in the 500 level carbon, $2,600 is the cheapest I think). It's drawback is mainly that it's so smooth I think could could also be a little boring to ride. Thought it was more exciting than the Diverge though.

The boon I rode had a 160 front rotor and had horrendous brake chatter. a 140 didnt cause it but wow... So im with the diverge and with the new front rack that apparently is coming, even more so. I still cant get over how smooth it is. The boone was a little rougher ride which feels faster at first but the diverge just does its thing.

Was the Boone rougher through the saddle or the front end?

What front rack are you referring to? I assume only for aluminum frames?

I've heard about the fork chatter in the Boone. Some riders seem to experience it while others don't.

Front rack is coning for the carbon as well, there are integrated mounts currently in the fork, they just havent been utilized.

Boone was stiff up front, and the movement in the saddle was obvious to me in hard corners on the dirt which twasnt for me.

As far a brake chatter, i would guess its mostly an issue on larger frames say 56/58/62. But its a carbon bike, and disc brakes. There should be no Brake fork chatter. None. My Crux has 160 front and doesnt do a damn thing except stop. Actually come to think about it, so does my diverge(I have a minor bike problem) so both bikes , 160 rotors, no issus. Great bikes.

That said, I have a friend with a boone, he put a 140 up front to take care of the chatter and he loves the iso coupler thing, but doesnt hit the gnarlier dirt roads around here so...

Remember also that the Boone and Diverge are not designed for the same use -- although I completely understand why they would get shopped against each other. The Boone is a CX race bike. The Diverge is an adventure/gravel road bike (or whatever they are calling them these days). So the frame geometry is going to be different between them and which is better is something only you can decide for yourself.

As a very satisfied Domane owner, I am a believer in the iso-speed frames. I would buy a Boone without even thinking if I had the money. But I also like to do a couple CX races each year. If I was looking for a new road bike that can work on both paved and non-paved surfaces I would do some shopping around. I still might end up with a Boone, but I could also see liking the geometry of bikes like the Diverge better for that type of use.

By the way, a couple of friends have gotten the Niner RLT 9 Steel and really love it.
RLT 9 STEEL