Small Towns, Taverns, and Drop Bars

Exploro set up for Singletrack

We’re on a road trip to Bend, stopped in a one-tavern town for fuel and a local towing a 5th wheel sees the Exploro on top of the car, and says, “Those are some big tires.” “Yup, mountain tires on a road bike.”

He then recalls a bike he just bought and a tour he did with big tires, on the road and dirt. Can’t remember the name, so I offer some help…

A brand name?

Yeah

Mountain?

It has those panniers on the front fork..

Specialized?

A Diverge!

The Diverge from earlier this year.

The local then tells me about his ride on the Diverge until Pam interrupted with, “Hey we gotta get on the road, make good time”

Anyway, the riding is world class in Bend — we’re taking road bikes on flow trials.

I love flow trials

Me too.

The first time I rode the Exploro and its sibling the U.P. (touring less aero version of the design), a Park City local in a huge work truck stopped me to ask if hardtail mountain bikes were back.

Yes with dropbars, like Tomac.

Tomac ruled.

He did

Back to the road trip, and some of the best roads in the Pacific Northwest…riding dirt, gravel too, with the same bike.

Many miles on roads like this.