I don't have any interest in "gravel grinding" as per the Rapha catalogue but if I was in the market for a road bike I'd almost certainly be looking at a gravel bike. Race aspirations notwithstanding they simply do everything a road bike can do - better, and more comfortably.
I also don't have any interest in trying to ride "real" mtb trails on a gravel bike. I see the newer gravel riders white knuckling their way down the Fromme access road, and some of the better ones dropping in to mtb trails. Power to them, but that's not my bag.
For what you're doing it makes perfect sense as the appropriate tool for the job.
I do like drop bar bikes. My touring bike is one of my favourtie bikes and has taken me on many adventures, great and small. I'll happily ride it on gravel and dirt roads (though fully loaded panniers can suck when the roads get really bad) and it eats up tarmac nearly as quickly as a "pure" roadie - and far more comfortably. I've done some very long days with a full tour load (bike + bags weighing ~120lbs) and averaged ~25kph for ~8000km, fully loaded. If I could change one thing about it I'd opt for some nice mechanical disc brakes, like a set of [Paul Klampers](https://www.paulcomp.com/shop/components/brakes/disc-brakes/i-s-klamper/).
Checkit Coop - a **_TRIPLE_** chainring!!!
March 22, 2022, 1:46 p.m. - khai
I don't have any interest in "gravel grinding" as per the Rapha catalogue but if I was in the market for a road bike I'd almost certainly be looking at a gravel bike. Race aspirations notwithstanding they simply do everything a road bike can do - better, and more comfortably. I also don't have any interest in trying to ride "real" mtb trails on a gravel bike. I see the newer gravel riders white knuckling their way down the Fromme access road, and some of the better ones dropping in to mtb trails. Power to them, but that's not my bag. For what you're doing it makes perfect sense as the appropriate tool for the job. I do like drop bar bikes. My touring bike is one of my favourtie bikes and has taken me on many adventures, great and small. I'll happily ride it on gravel and dirt roads (though fully loaded panniers can suck when the roads get really bad) and it eats up tarmac nearly as quickly as a "pure" roadie - and far more comfortably. I've done some very long days with a full tour load (bike + bags weighing ~120lbs) and averaged ~25kph for ~8000km, fully loaded. If I could change one thing about it I'd opt for some nice mechanical disc brakes, like a set of [Paul Klampers](https://www.paulcomp.com/shop/components/brakes/disc-brakes/i-s-klamper/). Checkit Coop - a **_TRIPLE_** chainring!!! 