4 different approaches to ride comfort: which will be best for gravel?
 

Panaracer Gravelking SK 700x43 tire in each case. By comfort I mean: both dampening bigger bumps and killing road buzz. The contenders are:

1. Canyon Grail with carbon frame vcls seatpost and hover bar to add comfort when ridding on tops. Tires set tubless.
2. Specialized Diverge E5 comp Alu frame with vcls seatpost and future shock adding suspension regardless of your hand position. No tubless due to Specialized rims.
3. Giant Revolt 2019. Carbon frame and D-fuse seatpost and handlebar that works when you are on hoods or even better on drops. Tires set tubless.

I've never ridden any of these but I can confidently rule out #2 . Non-tubeless is a deal breaker IMO.

I would rule out bikes like Revolt and Canyon because they are limited to give comfort only in particular situation. Diverge is an interesting solution but very expensive for what it offers. I have steel Jamis Renegade with VCLS 2.0 seat post so I believe that there is no bike with more comfort at the rear end. Problem for me is front of the bike but I think that Shockstop stem will solve that and in the end I will get the bike that beats all of above bikes in terms of comfort. Hopefully :) If not, there is always a possibility to run a bigger 50c tire in the front which I am also considering (but I would need to change rim to do that properly).

Does the Diverge have enough clearance for 43 tires?

In any event not going tubeless is a deal breaker.



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The hover bar is for riding in the drops, not the tops and has nothing to do with dampening bumps or vibration.


-Tim-

I see a big future for FOX AX for people with bikes with icky forks/front ends.

Tim - the cross section on the top level (that sounds weird) of the Canyon Hoverbar is not supported in the middle - giving it some flex... it's intended to act as a bit of suspension/vibration dampening.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9426d95321.png

I love my Grail. I thought the bar was hideous... 'til I rode it. The bike is really (!) comfortable. Granted, my road bike is a Scott Foil with about 6" of drop from saddle to bar, so hopping on the Grail is a big jump in relative comfort. AND, it's the only gravel bike I've ridden.