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Pinnacle Arkose or Specialized Diverge

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  • June 19, 2017 at 3:46 pm #27243
    goldengoose

    I commute to work on a triban 520. I’ve been after wider tyres and disc brakes for a while, and thought that I’d move to a hybrid for my next bike (probably one of the Hoy Shizuokas). However, having looked at these in person I’ve been put off by how wide the handlebars are, which look like they will hamper manoeuvrability in traffic. This has led me to look at a number of “adventure/gravel” bikes.

    In particular I’ve been considering the Pinnacle Arkose 2 or 3 (£1000/£1150 – Tiagra/105 respectively) and the Specialized diverge elite (£1250 – tiagra).

    Does anyone have any experience of or thoughts on these? It strikes me that you get less in terms of components for your money with the Specialized. That said, I’ve read that the Arkose bikes are somewhat sluggish despite the components, so maybe that doesn’t matter.

    I use pannier racks to carry a decent amount of kit on my commute so need rack mounts – which is why I have discounted the GT grade.

    Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

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Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
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  • June 21, 2017 at 10:04 am #895405
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    tugglesthegreat

    Just to add to my earlier

    Just to add to my earlier post the Pinnacle Arkose does have a sloping top tube and when I asked Evans to get one in for a test ride the Large was too large, although being the right size on paper.  I’m 5’11” and went for a medium.  I would certainly have a test ride first.

    June 21, 2017 at 8:22 am #895403
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    Canyon48

    On paper, the Arkose 3 looks

    On paper, the Arkose 3 looks like a very sound choice. 105, hydraulics, Praxis sub-compact chainset and WTB wheelset.

    I’d certainly choose it over the Arkose 2 (£150 for 105 is worth it). £1250 for a Specialized with (non-hydraulic) 10-speed Tiagra would leave me a little underwhelmed personally.

    I imagine on both the Spec and the Pinnacle that you’d want to eventually change things like the seatpost and saddle – both Spec and Pinnacle tend to use less flattering finishing components…

    June 21, 2017 at 8:17 am #895401
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    kil0ran

    If you like your Triban

    If you like your Triban Decathlon have a disc-braked “adventure” road bike on the way.

    If I was buying new for the purpose you suggest I’d look at the Fairlight Faran but might be out of your price range.

    Also worth looking for 2016 model discounts on something like a Genesis CdF or CdA (the CdA is brilliant value and really nicely finished – takes wide tyres, mudguards, and has rack mounts).

    Friend has a white and red painted one, looks great. Base model is Claris but there is a Tiagra build too.

    June 21, 2017 at 8:14 am #895399
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    tugglesthegreat

    I have a Arkose 3 since

    I have a Arkose 3 since December 2016 and done about 2.5k on it.  When I was looking for a crosser I was coming from mountain bikes and a bike with hydrolic discs.  The brakes are great and a 105 group set not many or any other options out there with that spec.

    I changed the saddle to a regal, I changed the bars to fsa shallow drop, I really didn’t get on with the small block 8 tyres so I’ve changed those as well.  I guess these are quite personal things or things you would want to change anyway!

    I’ve not used it with luggage but it has all the mounts so should work fine.  Handles well and I’ve done cyclocross races and off road with it, I am coming from a MTB background.

    My only wish is that it had thruaxles, which the newer one has.

     

     

     

     

     

    June 20, 2017 at 10:56 pm #895397
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    Johnnystorm

    Oh, and I’m pretty sure that
    Oh, and I’m pretty sure that the SCS rear end can fit normal wheels if you change the replaceable dropout. A faff then, but not terminal.

    June 20, 2017 at 10:54 pm #895395
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    Johnnystorm

    Another happy Arkose rider
    Another happy Arkose rider here, A4 w. 105 & Hydros. Dunno about the chap up there but the brakes are streets ahead of the Ultegra rim brakes on my road bike. Using the Arkose for the Audax UK National 400 this weekend. Running it tubeless with gravel king 32c slicks at 60psi. Maybe the harsh feeeling comes from the stock tyres? I’ve never ridden mine with them.

    June 20, 2017 at 8:15 pm #895393
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    gunswick

    I teat rode an arkose 3 (105
    I teat rode an arkose 3 (105 hydraulics), it was poop. Harsh frame and the 105 hydro shifters have no feel. The 105 Grade was so much nicer, more comfort and composure plus more feel with the normal 105 leavers and Hy-Rd brakes. Get a different rack for it, or use Apidura saddle bag.

    June 20, 2017 at 8:06 pm #895391
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    goldengoose

    Thanks everyone. Good to hear
    Thanks everyone. Good to hear that the Arkose does the job well. Have since had look at the mango ar, which also looks good for the money albeit it’s not clear that the frame will be big enough for me. Would also be nice to see it in the metal before buying, which h wouldn’t be an option for me.

    Decisions, decisions! Silly given that I’m sure they will all be absolutely fine for the intended purpose!

    Thanks again

    June 20, 2017 at 8:01 pm #895389
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    goldengoose

    Thanks Langsam.
    Thanks Langsam.

    No, I was not, so good thing you mentioned! I see that someone clever has also come up with a carbon fibre rack than can be mounted without pannier eyelets (to the extent you have a couple of hundred lying around to spend on a pannier rack).

    In that case, how would you rate the Grade in the mix?

    June 20, 2017 at 2:24 pm #895387
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    ClubSmed

    I can’t comment on the

    I can’t comment on the Specialized Diverge as I have never ridden one but I have owned a Pinnacle Arkose 3 for around two years and absolutely love it!

    I managed to get the previous years model at a knock down price (I think I saved ~£150). It serves me well on my daily commute via tow path, park and road as well as working very well as a tourer and holding it’s own on Sportives.

    Changing the tyres over in the Summer to Vittoria Voyager Hyper certainly make the bike faster and the suppleness of this tyre soaks up the bumps in the road (and at ~£20 each at PlanetX are a steal). They are not the grippiest in the mud and snow though so I stick to the stock Kenda Small Block 8’s in the winter which are great in these months.

    June 20, 2017 at 1:38 pm #895385
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    DoctorFish

    When I had a similar choice I

    When I had a similar choice I went for the Arkose 4, last years model reduced by a couple of £100.  I really like it and have a lot of fun riding it.  It is a little heavy maybe, but then I replaced a Dawes Galaxy with it which was even heavier.  Once you have pannier racks and mudgaurds on it then there is possibly little point in spending more to try and save a little weight.

    I didn’t go for the specialised bikes because of the wheels mentioned above (no longer an issue).  I also thought about a genesis croix de fer but the specs again don’t look so good for the money as the Arkose.  

    I ruled out some others due to lack of mounts, there is the work around mentioned above, but i liked the idea of proper mudgaurd mounts as well as pannier mounts.

    Maybe you need to ride them both and see.

     

    June 20, 2017 at 8:45 am #895383
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    Langsam

    Goose, apologies if you knew

    Goose, apologies if you knew this already, but you can make an absolutely rock-solid rack mount for a pannier rack as long as you have the right diameter P-Clip.

     

    The lack of rack eyelets whilst not the optimal solution wouldn´t necessarily rule out the GT Grade for me.

     

    Once again sorry if you were aware of that workaround.

    June 20, 2017 at 7:41 am #895381
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    TypeVertigo

    I’m guessing a brand-new

    I’m guessing a brand-new Diverge? I would not recommend the original first-generation model because Spez had that SCS lunacy going on with their first-generation disc brake road bikes. The long and short of it is, you’re stuck with the SCS-compatible wheelsets (rear hubs specifically) and only Spez ever made them.

    Additionally, Spez makes good components, but their bikes leave me a little cold – primarily because they’re usually very poor value for money where I’m from.

    I’d say go with the Arkose. You’re not really losing much on Tiagra 4700 vs. 105 5800 especially since you’re going the disc brake route – shifting is silky smooth on both. Only real difference is that 11th cog and the corresponding chain.

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