Originally Posted by rsbob

Am being sincere. Being a long term roadie, I really love smooth as glass pavement and find rough pavement over many miles wearing and annoying. I have been mountain biking for at least 25 years and expect to bump and jump and go over rough terrain. Getting a bit beat up is part of the game and exciting mastering technique to fly down a single track. With the MTB I can go just about anywhere off road and since it is full suspension, soak up the roughness.

I remember when cross bikes first came out and the sentiment was a bike which couldn’t do road or off road well, but was good enough. I know current gravel bikes are much further evolved but are they that much more evolved? Is gravel a fad? Is it for people who want to ride off road but not commit to single track, so single track lite? Can’t afford two bikes?

Not a hater, just want to understand the fascination.