XC Marathon Fully with... Drops? Advice?

[MovinMamba]

dengue makes a full suspension gravel frame.  built around a 100/100mm travel.  http://m.dengfubikes.com/index.php?s=/229.html

Ive been trying to get in touch with dengfu and still waiting for them to get back to me but it doesnt seem like anyone on here has built up one of these? Another thing i sorta dont like is the max tire clearance, i was hoping to fir proper mtb 2.2 inch tires

[FullCarbonAlchemist]

Ive been trying to get in touch with dengfu and still waiting for them to get back to me but it doesnt seem like anyone on here has built up one of these? Another thing i sorta dont like is the max tire clearance, i was hoping to fir proper mtb 2.2 inch tires

No, I’m not aware of anyone here building one. I would definitely have taken notice.

I think I’m about to take the title for most overkill gravel build here and all I’m doing is slapping a very upright cockpit and suspension fork on a CFR707.

[BruceJR]

I just started another thread in the gravel section about the Yishun G1055-D Adventure Gravel frame. It has 50mm rear suspension that is just a pivot the Topstone but has clearance for 700x50mm.  This with a Rudy or Lauf is very intriguing to me.

[Tijoe]

The SPCycle carbon frame I purchased a couple years ago doubles as my 2nd Gravel bike.  In less than 1/2 and hour I can swap between a rigid carbon 29er fork or my Rockshox SID Ultimate, and configure either with flat bars or H bars.   
When the bike is in rigid fork configuration with H bars, and I run a set of narrow width carbon wheels with 50mm low rolling resistance tires, this bike weighs less than my dedicated gravel bike.   The wider 50s versus my 38s on the gravel bike, handle descents and technical terrain far better than my gravel bike.   I run 1 X 12 gearing, and the only issue I have encountered is that the steps are often too big for pack riding on smooth gravel roads or asphalt. 
With the higher BB clearance, I often find myself taking this bike on singletracks.  It handles amazingly well versus my gravel bike on the same mtb trails I ride.

Why do you want rear suspension on a gravel type bike?   

[MovinMamba]

Why do you want rear suspension on a gravel type bike?

I want to do long distances, and I'm hoping the suspension can take the edge off of the vibration fatigue, especially on washboard gravel and rooty terrain which I have where I ride.
Hard tail with front sus fork starts to look promising but considering I want maximum comfort for long distance I'm thinking a fully for washboard gravel makes most sense?
This is why I'm asking for advice because maybe I'm mislead in that regard but from what I gather sus is slower but comfier.

Realistically this will be one of many bikes I'll own so lets see how it goes

[Tijoe]

Define long distances?  50+ miles? 100+?  Multi day grinders?
What type of terrain/elevation changes are you riding?

I went through similar issues with my bikes.
1.  I am getting arthritis in my hands and wrists, so washboard and washouts can be very painful on faster descents.
2.  After my gravel bike was beating the heck out of me on 85 to 100 mile gravel grinders with 30+K climbing, I installed shock absorbing padding
 on my bars then wrapped with bar tape. This helped a lot for general vibrations. Then I installed a PNW Coast "suspension" dropper post.   This helped a bit more.
3.  I still hated washboard and washouts on descents because I couldn't ride over them at speed and had to slow down too much.  I thought about adding short travel suspension on the front, but changed my mind and went the 29er hardtail route based on the bike I posted pics of.
4.  On the 29er, I put purchased both a carbon rigid fork, a Rockshox SID Ultimate 100mm travel fork and another PNW Coastal suspension seat post.   With the rigid fork, I quickly discovered that having 50mm to 2.2 low rolling resistance tires on this bike made a lot of difference in comfort and the bike's ability to handle washboard and small washouts. This bike descends so much faster than my gravel bike, yet still climbs quickly. 
5.  For the 29er, with the SID on front, I found that I could start riding the bike on trails with some rock fields, roots and smaller drops.  The suspension seat post sucks up a lot of the jack-hammering on the back end when you are sitting down, but I find that I am off the seat when I am riding over roots and rocks, so most of the pounding is transferred to the bars.  The SID fork gobbles up almost all the roughness of washboard and washouts.  With the bike set up with "H" bars it still handles well and the bike rides well for 100 mile rides.  - The bike, set up with the SID and tires that handles more rocky trails adds several pounds, so it rolls and climbs slower.
6.  I ride a hardtail these days for probably 70% of my off-road trail/gravel road riding.  The rest is on my XC FS bike.  Full suspension bikes add a lot more weight, climb slower, and to me, really aren't any more comfortable on washboard and washouts.   They do shine on single-tracks with diverse terrain, but I usually only ride 30+- miles on FS bikes and I expect to get beat up and tired anyways.

[MovinMamba]

Define long distances?  50+ miles? 100+?  Multi day grinders?
What type of terrain/elevation changes are you riding?

Long distance is usually around the 100 mile mark. in the saddle rolling time around 6-10 hours on the weekend per ride if it allow.

As for the terrain anything from fine gravel on long flat rolling hills to rooty single track on steep hills, (I got it all in in my area), elevation gain around 2000m or 6000ft per ride.

I actually don't mind the bike being slower up hills, I'm not after the fastest and lightest machine possible, definitely more about comfort. However I don't want to completely sacrifice handling  because of weight

[Crash217]

Perhaps a Niner MCR RDO to split the difference?  The framesets were on sale for cheap recently with option of getting it with the fork or the rear shock.

A couple people have turned the Specialized S-Works Epic World Cup in gravel bikes....  https://youtu.be/rmniD7M9j8w?si=cDlMReyhqC7hCyC2

Maybe TanTan/Seraph's FM080 http://tantancycling.com/index.php?_m=mod_product&_a=view&p_id=1118

[Kactusdog]

No, I’m not aware of anyone here building one. I would definitely have taken notice.

I think I’m about to take the title for most overkill gravel build here and all I’m doing is slapping a very upright cockpit and suspension fork on a CFR707.

Please share pictures when you can.

[Kactusdog]

I have ridden 420mm flared gravel bars but tbh i was more in aw of the comfort of the grx hoods…

but Yea i think the reality is setting in that im probably gonna need both a fully XC and a gravel bike … was hoping i could combine the two but here we are

n+1 afterall

Have I got 2 resources for you.

This is my contribution to this topic, but the post near the start from user Upcountry was what inspired my build. https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/drop-bar-mtb-geo/87495/167?u=kactusdog


And then, read the essays on this written by Torsten Frank. See here: https://torstenfrank.wordpress.com/2023/03/26/dropbar-mtb-teil-1-warum-gravel-immer-mehr-zu-mtb-offroad-wird-und-welches-rad-ich-mir-dafur-gebaut-habe/

Let me know what you think!

Here’s my build in progress. Size medium spcycle Epic clone running XPLR mechanical from my previous gravel bike, dub wide cranks with an AXS road 8 bolt 40t chainring (8mm offset). Flared bars, 40cm on the tops, 48mm in the drops.