tFUnK

Well if you're thinking about a fully rigid MTB then that's basically an adventure-oriented gravel bike so figure out where your typical rides are on the spectrum from clean tarmac to technical chunky off-road and just pick one. I still think a gravel bike will be faster albeit maybe not 4mph faster, and certainly less comfortable for chunky terrain but that's because when I'm on my XC bike my emphasis is not on speed (that's what my road bikes and gravel bikes are for).

I can tell you that I wished I had my gravel bike instead of my XC bike when I rode Bizz Johnson. I can also tell you that I'm faster on the climbing segments at Alum Rock and Calero on my gravel bike but the lower gearing of my XC bike gets me up steeper stuff whereas I'd be hiking with my gravel bike. XC bike is faster on downhills.

KalinDrew

hey thats great you mentioned bizz johnson as I rode it on a trail bike a few years ago. it was really slow and definitely wish i would’ve had a gravel or xc bike

Calsun

In terms of bike weight the full suspension will be the heaviest (and most expensive) and the gravel bike will be the lightest (and often have drop handlebars). The hardtail is in between and well suited to gravel and dirt trails. The full suspension is better suited for trails that are twisty and have incline sections as the rear tire can provide better traction.

It is purely subjective but I own a hardtail (with dropper post) and a full suspension mountain bike. I tried out a Specialized gravel bike but for riding on the pavement it lacked the feel of a regular road bike and the dropper seat post rattled quite a bit. If I lived in an area with miles of gravel or dirt roads or trails that were mostly level as with the bike paths on former railbeds, it would be different and a gravel bike would be a good choice.

If you have areas where you plan to ride it would be worthwhile to go to the parking area and talk to the bicyclists and learn why they chose the bike they are riding.

KalinDrew

Hey guys thanks a ton for all the responses really appreciate the help. 90 or even 95 percent of my rides are flat gravel doubletrack road. its really hard to make up my mind because I dream of riding singletrack mountainous terrain but i just don’t do that very often.

sean.hwy

I have both. My gravel bike is an Ibis hakka. I use it for road and gravel. I have several wheel sets for it. If I could only own one bike it would be a gravel bike with several wheel sets. I get 10x more miles out it vs the xc bike.

xc bike is better for step technical descents. It's more fun if I drive my xc bike to the mtb park with lot's of single track and just ride there.

gravel/road bike better every where else.

Kapusta

Really comes down to drop bar vs flat bar.

For me that comes down to how technical the riding it. If it is technical I want a flat bar XC bike. If not, a drop bar bike.

But technical and rough don’t always mean the same thing. Some gravel/dirt roads can be pretty rough, but are not technical in the sense that you are moving around the bike a lot. For that I want a drop bar bike with bigger tires, maybe some suspension (generally not).

If things are really rough, but still not particularly technical, there are some mtbs designed around drop bars (e.g., Salsa Fargo).

Be careful about plans to convert an XC bike to a drop bar. Modern MTBs have MUCH longer frame reach numbers than drop bar gravel bikes. Might work out for some folks, but I would not count on it.

john m flores 

Sounds like a gravel bike is the right tool for now. You'll be faster than an XC on the terrain you currently ride.

Robert7659

Drop bars are better most of the time. Flat bars are better on surfaces so bad I’d rather not cycle there at all. Personally I enjoy any bike as long as the handlebar is well below the seat.

FML123

On smooth dirt roads you don’t really need any give, but you could fit a RedShift ShockStop stem, which will absorb high-frequency vibration. I mounted one on my cyclocross bike that I use on dirt roads.

KalinDrew

I bought a lauf seigla. It does quite well on smoother gravel roads and Imperfect road conditions but definitely not as smooth as my mountain bike on the levee I usually ride on. I still believe a specialized epic with drop bars wouldve been a better choice but I only paid $2780 for the seigla (not including taxes or shipping) Cant find an epic for that much and I do love the seigla dont get me wrong. close to 300 miles on it and I love how it irons out road conditions and is still pretty quick and it also looks really good imo.

KalinDrew

the seigla is a VERY comfortable bike. I have not tried bigger tires yet so if i do I think that might negate the benefits of a specialized epic or chisel.

tFUnK

Glad we talked you into getting a gravel bike 😉

Calsun

There is a great deal of difference in the riding posture for someone on a mountain bike as compared to a gravel or road bike. It shows with the visors on the bike helmets meant for use by mountain bike riders where forward visibility depends on sitting upright or not sitting at all.

A key aspect of most mountain bikes is the use of a dropper post. This is found on most mountain bikes and even on some gravel bikes. My lower end hardtail did not have a dropper seat post but I had one added along with a control lever on the handlebar.

With disc brakes the rim and tire width is not as contraining as it was with caliper type brakes. But wider rims and tires make a bike much heavier and take more energy to get up to speed. On a mountain bike were speeds are mostly in the single digits it does not matter and the emphasis is on the ability to slow the bike on downhil trail sections and traction through the corners and traction going uphill.

Dirt trails through woods, gravel roads, and paved roads, are three very different environments and there is no bike that is best for all three conditions. Going on steep dirt trails I would not want to be on a road bike or a gravel bike. That is why I have full suspension and hardtail and road bikes.

An e-bike can blur the lines as the motor assist can compenate for a heavier frame and wheels and tires.

Erzulis Boat 

This is one of my XC bikes. It's really "fast", but a Gravel bike is definitely faster on dirt roads. I posted this bike, because it is really tight geometry-wise and is the most similar to a Gravel setup. XC and Gravel are very different (to me anyway).

Eric F 

This varies significantly on the setup of the bikes. My MTB is a light hardtail setup for fast XC riding. My torso angle on my MTB is not a lot different than when I am on the hoods of my gravel bike. My road bike is slightly more aggressive. That said, a MTB designed for DH or enduro riding might be very different, indeed.

prj71

New gravel bikes are accepting 45 and 50 mm tires right now.

Salsa Cutthroat comes with 2.2" tires.