koala logs

Longer wheelbase to improve stability and reduce toe strike with fenders present. Gravel bike users are more likely to put on fenders. Improved stability over uneven terrain is an advantage for both safety and speed.

Shorter stem reduces steering effort which is nice for dealing with off-road conditions.....Consequently, a shorter stem may allow narrower drop bar or road bars to be used on a gravel bike to improve aerodynamics. I've personally tried really short stems for a gravel bike, only 35mm long, same kind you see on DH MTB's. It felt a bit twitchy at first but I fully got used to it in just one month. Once you get used to it, it's terrific. The irony is that it feels more stable than a long stem at high speed descents on both smooth and bad, uneven roads. The front wheel doesn't wobble if I change hand position while descending. I've experienced mild wobble before on a much longer stem (110mm). But not on the 35mm stem.

The shorter stem is also more stable when swerving around obstacles at lower speed. I think the "stability" brought by long stems is "faux stability". Only gives you false sense of stability because it's harder to turn the handlebar but actually makes your bike unstable and prone to coupled oscillations with body weight that can lead to speed wobble. It also increase steering effort at low speed. The only problem at the moment is that most road geometry bikes with relatively short wheelbase, short frame is designed to take ~100 mm stems.

But you can risk it and try shorter stems. It should be fine as long as your knees don't hit the handlebar while standing to pedal or getting off the saddle over bumps. And if you try shorter stem, DON'T move your saddle backward to compensate for reach as riding comfort would deteriorate if you do.