I found out decades ago that I don't like to ride distance on flat bars. I'm good for 10 - 12 miles. I'm much more comfortable on drop bars as there are many more positions for my hands. My gravel bike allows 45mm tires thus and at much lower tire pressures than what I run on my skinny tired road bike, is more comfortable on dirt roads. and a 45mm tire isn't that terrible on the shorter segments of pavement I might do as part of a gravel oriented ride. It's just a good in-between alternate to a mt. bike or road bike.