Shorter chainstays and a slightly steeper seat tube would get me interested. This would probably reduce the top tube length by a bit as well.
Exactly.
73.2 deg of seat tube angle in size 540 ... the trend in both road and mtb is going in the 75-78 deg range now (and something like 70.5-71-71.5 deg in the steerer), so I would not even consider buying another of these 73-73.5 deg (SA) / 72 deg (HA) frames. It is just super obsolete in my opinion. Having a more upright seat tube brings your weight to the front to gain traction, improves efficiency and, in my case, reduces lower back pain (confirmed with a bikefit). In fact, this is the direction I went with my titanium frame, and I think the geo I designed for that bike is sublime.
Not that I'm in the market for a gravel frame as I just built one up, are you saying its too race oriented geometry wise? I've been on the hunt for a gravel race bike that clears 50s.
I just don't get this, honestly, but I acknowledge it is becoming super popular. 50mm tires is sluggish as hell. For bikepacking and doing lots of off-road it is a blessing because it just eats anything, absorbs anything. But if you want something road-oriented, aero maybe? 50mm tires just brights the opposite. For racing I would honestly go in the direction of CX frames/wheels ... something around 30-40mm tires, maybe more knobby if the terrain is very muddy/broken.
What I really want to see is one of these types of frames with bigger brake rotor options and a suspension-corrected fork/geometry that works well with 40-50mm travel. I need a very upright cockpit to prevent drop bars from destroying my already damaged spine, and would like something at the leading edge of current trail-capable gravel bikes without crossing over into an XC flat bar hardtail.
Why not something like the Lexon reverse and building a monstercross with it? Cheap as hell, can take up to a 40T chainring, 70.5 deg steerer (even more vertical if you take lets say a Rockshox SID, a Fox 32 and reduce the travel to 80mm, or a lauf trail racer ... also would bring the seat tube angle up). I have that frame (and I think it is excellent) and if it was not for the 3 gravel frames I already have (
) I would go for a monstercross conversion. I think it is really asking for it