Found a barely ridden base Diverge E5 online for 40% off of the original retail price. Basically a brand new bike. Deep cleaned and tuned it up first. Then upgraded all of the contact points (bars, tape, saddle, pedals), upgraded the terrible stock brakes, and went tubeless with some 47mm tires. I see a new wheelset in the distant future when I have more to spend.
After riding my AWOL for the last five years, I am so pleased to have a lighter bike for bikepacking. Mentally, it’s also a bit easier for me to use and abuse this bike knowing that I didn’t lose an arm and a leg to get it.
Not crazy about the orange, but like that it looks much more like salmon in the sunlight.
by Sidesaddleridge