Specialized Diverge 4 Expert - Shimano GRX Di2 vs Specialized Crux 5 Expert - SRAM Force XPLR
Both are gravel bikes at a similar price. Here is what actually separates them.
The short answer
For a typical all-round rider the Specialized Diverge 4 Expert - Shimano GRX Di2 comes out ahead (72% against 69%). That is not a universal verdict — change the terrain or the priority and the order can flip.
What actually separates them
- Price
- The Specialized Diverge 4 Expert - Shimano GRX Di2 is £500 cheaper — £5,499 against £5,999.
- Weight
- The Specialized Crux 5 Expert - SRAM Force XPLR is 0.7kg lighter, which you notice on long climbs more than anywhere else.
- Riding position
- The Specialized Diverge 4 Expert - Shimano GRX Di2 sits you more upright (1.52 stack-to-reach against 1.45). The Specialized Crux 5 Expert - SRAM Force XPLR is the more aggressive of the two — quicker if you can hold it, harder work if you cannot.
- Tyre clearance
- The Specialized Crux 5 Expert - SRAM Force XPLR takes 55mm tyres against 50mm — the single most common thing buyers wish they had more of.
- Climbing gear
- The Specialized Diverge 4 Expert - Shimano GRX Di2 has the easier bottom gear (21 gear inches against 23), which matters more than weight on anything genuinely steep.
- Mudguards
- Only the Specialized Diverge 4 Expert - Shimano GRX Di2 takes mudguards, which decides whether it can be your winter bike.
Side by side
| Spec | Diverge 4 Expert - Shimano GRX Di2 | Crux 5 Expert - SRAM Force XPLR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £5,999 |
| Weight | 8.9 kg | 8.2 kg |
| Frame | carbon | carbon |
| Groupset | Shimano GRX Di2 RX825 1x12 electronic | SRAM Force AXS XPLR 1x13 electronic |
| Stack / reach | 1.52 | 1.45 |
| Tyre clearance | 50 mm | 55 mm |
| Lowest gear | 21 in | 23 in |
| Mudguard mounts | Yes | No |
| Comfort | 78 | 65 |
| Speed | 36 | 53 |
| Climbing | 73 | 78 |
| Value | 0 | 0 |
Neither might be the right answer
This page assumes an average rider. Tell us how you actually ride and we will rank these two against everything else at the price.
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