XC or Gravel
 

Hi. Im new to gravel biking (done a LOT of mountain biking and road cycling but not gravel)
I recently sold my road bike and I was going to invest in a gravel bike but I would rather buy a xc hardtail if it is just as good. can someone explain the pros and cons of each? I want to go as fast as possible as comfortable as possible. seems like a xc would be more comfortable but mayb not as fast?? or am I wrong?

Gravel bike faster on smoother roads/trails, XC bike faster on rougher roads/trials.

If you are envision doing significant miles on the road then the gravel bike is the better choice. Sure you can put slicks on an XC bike but the positioning and drop bars of a gravel bike will make getting thru those road miles much faster and more enjoyable. By gravel bike I'm thinking about a gravel bike that's lighter and faster and not a heavy duty clunker for touring/bikepacking.

Not sure I know the differences in a Gravel vs XC bike.
If Gravel means an adapted road bike with drop handlebars and XC means a hardtail mtn bike with front suspension and flat bars - then maybe you need both. Or the Gravel bike for faster road conditions, replacing the roadie.

Gravel bike has 700c wheels, XC bike has 29" wheels.

?
622 vs 622
If rim width is the deciding factor, maybe OP's question is another example of hair splitting, in the world of bigger bike decisions. But that clearly is not the intent.

Are we talking front suspension on XC (with lock-out)? None on gravel? Handlebar diff?

Thanks for replies. I think Im gunna go with a xc hardtail and maybe put drop bars on it.

Be prepared for new bars, levers, shifters. And maybe stem given the different bars.

@KalinDrew - not much info offered or discussion about specific tradeoffs. Good luck.

Suspension
 

Are we talking front suspension on XC (with lock-out)? None on gravel? Handlebar diff?[/QUOTE]

Definitely gotta have some sort of give out front. My dad has a diverge with the future shock and its really nice.

They're actually the same bead diameter. ;)

Xc
 

Lael wilson won the womens unbound xl in 2021 on a specialized epic hardtail with drop bars.
If a pro on an xc bike can beat most others on gravel bikes thats fast enough for me

I'm fairly sure that was his point.

Lael Wilcox rides a gravel bike with 29" wheels.
Lael Wilson rides a XC bike with 700c wheels.

PS: Lael is paid by Specialized to ride that thing.

It all depends on what you want, where you intend to ride, and your skill set. If my route is all/mostly dirt, and includes significantly rough/technical sections, I will ride my hardtail MTB (I don't have a FS MTB). When I ride my gravel bike, I tend to pick a route that includes multiple dirt sections (fire roads and moderate singletrack) linked by pavement. My gravel bike rolls efficiently enough on pavement that I don't feel like I'm trying to push a pig, and has gearing that allows me to pedal at higher speeds than my MTB. There is a lot of overlap between the two, and there are sometimes I ride my gravel bike and MTB on the same routes, because being "under-biked" is fun. Since I have a very nice road bike in my stable, it's very rare that I would ride my gravel bike on an all-pavement route. If I could only have one bike?...I don't know. Probably a gravel bike, with a 2x drivetrain, and a couple of wheelsets set up for road (28mm road tires, 11-28 cassette) and dirt (40mm gravel tires, 11-40/42 cassette). There's not one bike that excels at everything. Figure out what you're willing to compromise, and what you're not.

Last year, Chris Blevins rode a MTB at the Rock Cobbler, and lost to Pete Stetina on a gravel bike. This year, Blevins rode a gravel bike, and won the Rock Cobbler. Both of them could beat most people, regardless of what bike they're on, because they are really good at riding bikes.

Okay. I wasn't sure. I've found that lots of folks aren't aware.

yeah they’re the same bread diameter, but one is for gravel bikes and one is for mountain bikes.
:)

I think the pros of an xc bike would outweigh a gravel bike. I havent ridden a lot on road but Ive done maybe 2000 or 3000 miles total and it was enough to convince me I want to stay off pavement for fear of getting hit by a car. therefore if a gravel bike is only good if I ride on road AND off road in the same ride and a xc bike is good if i stay off roads completely then I think i will take the xc.

P.S. my dad actually did get hit so please don’t try to change my mind on this.

29er's typically have wider rims to accommodate wide tires. Although they are the same bead seat diameter, 622 mm.

Though I'm sure that some can point to specific examples of exceptions to that statement.

I am not a big fan of front suspension or drop bars or frames with very limited tire clearance so I would go with a rigid fork all terrain bike. Something like Surly Bridge Club or Surly Ogre. It's nice to have options to run some big tires if you ever choose to.

Yeah but you can put narrower gravel tires on an 29er MTB but you can't put anything bigger than 38mm on most gravel bikes, so tire clearance alone makes MTBs more versatile.

Or you could get a Canyon GRIZL with the front suspension fork. Might be less hassle, but also the front travel is probably less than most XC bikes.

If you only plan to ride in the dirt, then a MTB is probably a good choice for you. If your dirt is pretty mild and non-technical, a gravel bike might also serve you well, but might limit you if you want to tackle more challenging terrain. That said, it sounds like you're already justifying why a MTB is the better choice for your needs, so just go with it. Pick tires that suit your riding, and go have fun!

Sorry to hear about your dad getting hit. Mine was hit on the road twice (a long time apart), I have friends who have been hit, and I've had some close calls. I still ride on the road, regularly, but I would never try to tell you that you should ride somewhere you aren't comfortable. Scared riding is not a good time.

I concede. You were/are right.

40-42mm is a pretty common minimum for newer gravel bikes. Even bikes that claim 38mm as a max size will often take 40s with no issues. I agree 100% that a MTB will give you more tire width options. If that's important to the way you use your bike, it should be a major part of the decision-making.