Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

So just buy the endurance/ultra audax thing now then, right?

(Yes, exactly 🙃)

One of my clubmates does the one bike to rule them all thing on a Factor LS. He just has two sets of wheels and uses GRX 2X so it's alright for club runs too. Seems to work well for him but I guess it comes with compromises. I personally don't like 2X off road but then I like to ride in Epping treacle all winter and used to trash front derailleurs constantly so YMMV.

Endurance bike feel like an armchair anyway, with 650b and 38mm, it decrease the trail a bit resulting in it a little more responsive in handling.

Also gravel bike ironically got the right gearing for audaxes, I’m talking double 46/30 type chainset.

You can run a 11-40t on a double if you like.

I personally don't like 2X off road

You and every other sane person on earth

Epping treacle

Lived there all my life*, and that's the first time I've heard this. It's probably the best description I've heard too!

*with exceptions

It all depends on how off-road we're talking.

Most of my gravel riding is on 2x. All of my MTBing and some gravel is on 1x.

How much is a decent e-mtb? Asking for a friend.

I did say 'sane'

Good point. Well made.

Might be moon on a stick but I am after a gravel bike that meets the following and I'm hoping the collective may be able to help.

Steel frame and fork
Steeper seat angle ideally 76 or steeper
clearance for 700 x 50 with guards and 650B
Ideally off the shelf and not custom as I'm not made of money ha.

What are my options?
Cheers

Steeper seat angle ideally 76 or steeper

nothing

You and every other sane person on earth

Proof I am clearly insane.

But also what Hippy and Amey have previously said, gravel is lovely with 2x.

I think the key component here is what @returnofthestaff referred to as 'Epping treacle' as that stuff gives you chainsuck for days

2x is still generally good for all but the worst SFAB

Some good thoughts R.E. the Diverge, thanks all. I'm going to pick it up tomorrow. I will report back on how it fares on Audax first then see what it looks like on gnar grav. Hoping to do Pure Peak Grit and Bryan Chapman 600 on it in June (road), then possibly Further East (grav) in Sept.

The gearing does seem suitable for lots of hills! I have a 'fast' road bike (A supersix Evo) that will remain for faster rides - just looking for something a bit more comfortable for things longer than 4hr

If it's muddy, send a buddy

I've had two Diverge E5's for the last three years and love them for gravel which is 90% of my riding.

However when I jump on my carbon road bike it's a different world. So much easier to pedal and get up to speed #horsesforcourses

Aye, I've no beef with 2x on actual gravel, I'd love to have a comfortable cadence at all times haha. But my usual loop is probably about 50% thick clay based mud. The kind of mud that only comes off when you pull it off or blast it with a hose.

I did ride 2x on my CX bike for years but got tired of my FD failing every other ride in winter. Although, maybe that's more a comment on SRAM Force than 2x as a whole haha.

i'v never experienced a fd fail. maybe i'm not gravelling hard enough?!
in what way are they failing?

Filling full of mud, I presume.

1x has an advantage in sticky mud conditions. But then again, if it's properly shite, you'll be walking any bike you have anyway if you want to keep any paint on it.

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Precisely. Filling full of mud and refusing to shift again until throughly cleaned at home. I used to regularly have to get off and pull it over onto whatever ring it was supposed to be on. Always found the same in occasional CX races too. Not that it would've made me place any better haha, but still a bit annoying.

gravel is lovely with 2x.

electronic shifting is mandatory in this thinking

Derailleurs eh. Can't live with em, can't live without...

electronic shifting is mandatory