Most comfort on a gravel bike?
 

Hi. I'm looking to get a really comfortable gravel bike that I can take through rocky terrain with the least impact going through me as possible. How do people achieve this?

With full suspension mountain bikes.

For gravel bikes, the best bet is wide tires at low pressure. There are also some suspension stems and seat posts, like Redshift, and some forks, like Lauf and gravel-specific shock forks.

Wide tires and low air pressure.

after this, most would be in your legs or arms, filled by perhaps a redshift stem?

not sure how much “rocky terrain” or how often, but maybe a gravel bike may not be enough bike,

My Canyon Grizl came equipped with 700 x 45 tires which are pretty big for a gravel bike. On unpaved roads and mild single track it rides like a charm, but on more difficult terrain you can really feel the bumps. This bike also comes in a version with a suspension fork that I would have chosen if I didn't already have a full suspension mountain bike

There are newer design carbon "suspension" seatposts that are designed to not really move like spring posts but instead have more flex to them, they will help with some, otherwise my gravel bike comfortably runs 29x2.1 tires, it does help a lot with the bumps.

Many newer gravel bikes allow really wide (> 2") 650b tires, which would be more comfortable through rocky or very rough terrain.

I’ve had 5 or so gravel bikes last 10 years. Got a mountain bike recently. For me, it’s way more fun on slightly technical terrain (where I live) and I feel better after (my body) and find myself smiling more. YMMV

After you go the widest tubeless tire route, you deal with handling issues on drop bars. Flat and wide mt. bike bars are better for control. The biggest issue I get on my gravel is hanging on to the drop bars.

Polaris's answer of a full suspension has merit.

agree with many comments above - including wide tires and related etc ... most times wider tires with sufficient volume can be sufficient

I’m not a fan of suspension unless you really need it ... can be PITA (of course that has not stopped me from having bikes with suspension ... grin)

however - given that - there are some ‘gravel’ bikes that feature front and / or rear suspension (sorta/kinda) ... including

Specialized ... Specialized has the ‘future shock’ or something (?) ... funky head tube / headset mounted sorta / kinda suspension thing (?)

Cannondale has a Topstone with a lefty short travel fork - and a Topstone model also with the rear ‘kingpin’ suspension (?) ... before that Cannondale had the Slate with the lefty suspension fork (disclaimer: I have a Slate)

Yes, a MTB will be better/faster on that kind of terrain, and that can be a ton of fun (part of my regular cycling diet). However, I also get a lot of enjoyment from the challenge of riding my gravel bike on a lot of those same trails, and having to be more purposeful with control of the machine.

Steel is real my dude....for me a steel grav grav bike will always be more comfortable than a comparable aluminum bike.

Salsa Fargo steel frame is my Gravel bike. I have 2 separate wheel sets, both 29”. One set has 2” for more pavement and light gravel rides, the other 2.8” for rougher off-road stuff, . Run them tubeless and lower pressure.

I also put a Redshift stem and seat post suspension on my Fargo. Most comfortable bike I own. I ride it pretty much everywhere on every type of surface.

wide carbon wheels, 50c tire and carbon seatpost that flexes. I use the Roval Terra w/ setback. Feels so good.

Good call on the flexing seatpost. Other candidates include the Syntace P6 HiFlex (on my gravel bike), Cannondale Save (on my road bike), and Canyon VCLS (may be the flexiest of them all). 50c tire rides nice but is heavy.

Yep, steel FTW. I have a 650B gravel rig and a 700c, both steel. Nothing beats a lively, compliant steel frame. Then put the biggest tires you can fit, tubeless, low pressure (I run as low as 18-19 psi on my 650B for gnarly rocky SoCal singletrack). The rest as stated above is in your arms and legs. And possibly above all, learn how to pick really good lines!

If you can afford N + 1 bikes get a full suspension MTB bike. By the time you put huge heavy tires and low psi you are going so slow you don't need the aero drop bars might as well just be on a flat bar MTB bike.

If you really want a huge gravel bike get a poseidon. They accommodate huge tires and gearing.
https://www.poseidonbike.com/

from their site
Wheels
12mm Thru-Axle 32h Tubeless Compatible Rims Laced to Sealed Cartridge Hubs. Internal Rim Width: 26mm. We Recommend 30mm Tubeless Tape. Hub Spacing: 100mm front, 142mm rear. Minimum tire recommendation 650b x 42, Max tire recommendation 27.5 x 2.6. Max tire size can range based on the tread of the tire.

2.6 inches is a lot on a gravel bike.




My friend seems to like his.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b03424d40d.jpg

in short XC Mtb stuff on a Gravel frame.

longer version 650b wheel with 50-584 or 52-584 XC tyres rather than gravel. The XCs are more supple and have better/lower rolling resistance as far as I'm concerned. The larger tyres deal with biggest stuffs and then the vibrations need to be dampened like on a cobble bike (Paris Roubaix thingy):
1. redshift stem works well
2. double handle bar tape or thick silicone tap
3. Canyon/ergo Seatpost or Swork CGR Seatpost
4. good saddle which is a personal thing.

me too
 

Just got one myself. With 2.6" tires at low pressure, this is as capable and comfortable as most cross country hardtails with skinnier tires imho. I'm loving this bike - excellent platform to customize for your needs.

A Topstone Lefty with 650b wheels and wide tires will do the trick..

and I can unequivocally say that my new Topstone Lefty Carbon 1 is the most comfortable gravel bike I have ever ridden...period!


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...620d403afb.jpg