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What’s The Best Suspension Type For Gravel Bikes?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ส.ค. 2024
- If you’ve got a gravel bike but want to upgrade for more comfort and ability to tackle gnarly terrain, suspension is something you may be considering. Suspension stems and suspension forks are two options but each come with their pros and cons. Alex compares these two different methods of smoothing out your ride as well as weighing up the advantages of each system to help you decide what’s best for you.
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00:00 Intro
00:53 Suspension on gravel bikes
01:37 Suspension stem: overview
02:16 Suspension fork: overview
03:16 Sprung/unsprung mass
05:40 Weight
06:38 Suspension stem: more details
07:26 Suspension fork: more details
08:07 Compatibility
09:30 Tunability
10:18 Other options
11:34 What is right for you?
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What do you make of suspension for gravel bikes? Let us know in the comments below! 👇
A suspension seat-post is a better option IMHO. I have been riding with one the past year on my gravel bike, and I could not be happier. If i was going for a front suspension I'd pick the stem option. Making the front of the bike heavy with a suspension fork is not worth it. If someone would want that kind of thing, he should get an 28" wheel cross bike. I always felt like those bikes are too heavy in the front and have unresponsive, heavy steering feel due to the suspension fork.
a 29er 100 mm xc hardtail
This video should have been titled 'Comfort Device vs Suspension'.
Lower pressure in tires.
In my converted 26" wheels MTB gravel bike, it is fitted with a 100 millimeter travel suspension fork. I never replace it since I build that bike from scratch.
A reliable platform for adventure riders like me who likes some gravel cross country adventure ride. By the way my tires are 26" x 1.75. Makes gravel, road and urban riding so much fun.
Problem with the suspension stem are the polymers. They don't work on too hot or too cold weather. That is my thoughts.
For me, things like suspension stem or seatposts are mainly about rider comfort, but suspension forks or frames also improves traction and grip when it gets rough.
absolutely! on a motorcycle(closest thing to a bicycle), the key point of suspension is to keep that tire connected to the surface, yes comfort matters but hard tails do not stick to the surface so become less effective.
Does that really apply on a limited travel suspension system, like these?
@@apuldram Yes absolutely. You have to consider that in the very light terrain of a gravel bike, a suspension fork works very little anyway. It doesn't matter if it's 80 or 170mm. you only use a few mm. But this small movement can make a very significant difference in handling. I myself have an old XC bike with 80mm and once on a rocky road I forget to unlock the front fork. I had to stop at 15kmh because the bike was very difficult to control. With the suspension, I was able to ride the same section at 30 km/h without any problems.The effect on the driving characteristics is always there. Sometimes more sometimes less strong. Suspension stems are purely for long-term hand comfort.
With old age (73), carpal tunnel and bad shoulders I went with Lauf Seigla and Grit fork. After 2,000 miles I'm happy, comfortable and pain-free.
This video is like others around this area where you don’t spend enough time talking about feel/comfort. Sharing those details are key in this area. I would like to have known more about the comfort level differences between the two over different terrain where in the video it simply says “more comfortable”.
Yeah. All I know is Ted King won Unbound on a lefty and said it was the suspension that allowed him the stamina to ride tucked most of the 200miles. From that point, suspension on gravel bikes was here to stay.
Yeah he did not go into details. I converted my MTB to gravel and kept the front suspension. I was riding a friends gravel bike before without any suspension. The suspension makes a big difference in long rides. You don’t get as tired from the vibration and you stop less and go faster. In my case my speed improved 30% on average. Yes the bike is heavier; but on gravel you want less vibration and more comfort which makes you more efficient.
because it is an ad and it's not allowed to say something negative
The Redshift stem is a game changer,run it on my road bike and gravel. It makes a 28c tyre ride like a 35c without the aero and rolling resistance penalty.
Suspension stems are here to stay.
Cane Creek eeSilk Stem is better because you can lock it. Useful on flat roads.
@@stevemuzak8526 They don't have a stem for internal cables
I've had their seatpost for a few hundred miles now and I love it.
It feels like it's 1991 in the world of mountainbiking watching this video, suspension stems and front forks with 60mmm of travel.
Those SR forks reminded me of the Rock Shox Paris-Roubaix SL fork, from 30 years ago.
I thought the exact same thing!
They pulled the old tooling and molds from the parts bin and, presto, a new stream of products using old tech!
Rockshox to launch 2023 Judy for gravel bikes? Tricky to blame the manufacturers, UCI design philosophy is limiting areas for innovation.
Same.
It even has elastomers… 🤦♀️
I use suspension stems (redshift) on bike touring, they’re great for bombing down a country road and absorbing vibrations over a 500 miles of riding. I do have one on my gravel bike for the same reason. Also used one on the last RAGBRAI as the Iowa roads were often full of odd bumps and grooves.
Im glad I went through all this 30 years ago. I tried all the suspension stems before suspension forks came out. I was a sponsored Mtb racer. Needless to say my gravel bike is more than comfortable with my carbon seatpost and no padding carbon saddle. Running 700 x 45 tubeless at 30 psi is plenty of cush.
What do you think of suspension seat posts? Personally I cycle same as you, carbon fork and non padded carbon saddle but with a suspension seat post. It eats big bumps very nicely
Except you didn't* go through all this 30 years ago, as technology has moved on.
Why not just ride a 650b at around 20psi
Alex, I have never heard the concept of sprung and unstrung mass described so succinctly. Great work. 👍
Great trails in this video. And the prop handover at 10:58 was smooooth. 😊
Love my Specialized Future Shock - great hand relief on the very rough roads I ride. Tubeless tires also help a lot.
Agreed. Future shock is nice.
Rumor has it Future Shock was developed in collaboration with Herbie Hancock
Agree, don't need other, it's a gravel keep it simple.
Concur! It may not be as good as the Fox Shocks I had on my previous bike, but Future Shock is all I need for probably 98% of all the riding I do now.
Excellent video. Cinematography is very well done. Content is exceptional. Thanks GCN.
I have mounted a redshift suspension stem on my gravelbike. It's not complicated at all and works pretty nice. I think it is a little bit cheaper than the parallelogram design stem, that you have.
I’ve never seen a suspension stem before and now I need one.
That stem would be awesome on my TT bike. When you're on the skis you don't have a bent elbow to absorb the pot holes and bumps.
I use a Redshift suspension stem and seatpost on my gravel bike. Together it's about a 350 gram weight penalty but it's more than offset by gains in comfort and control on rough terrain. When it's set up properly, it's transparent in its operation. Still can't send it too hard downhill in that setup, though. A suspension fork may help with that but I think that's too big of a change and would compromise the performance on the road. I often use the gravel bike for road things.
Love it, great show. I’m running the Rock Shock Rudy and love it
How good was this intro?! 👍👍 great job
Reminds me of an article I read in MBUK around 1998. We'll be looking ay downhill gravel bikes next, with 150mm of suspension.
For me on my Trek Checkpoint with rear end Iso Speed Decoupler I found the bumps and corrugations on the front end pretty annoying, and a Red Shift Suspension Stem helped with comfort and enjoyment and is great for isolating my forearms from the worst bumps when riding in the puppy paws position which I do a lot of when the road allows. I changed lengths after a few years and had a spare one so I put it on my Cannondale Synapse for a 455km road ride and it was so good with no downsides I have left it on. I was still sore in the upper body after 455kms from holding an aero position for so long but without the suspension stem I'm sure I would have suffered much more.
Bertrand did great job in explaining how mountain bikes work
As per usual, horses for courses. Stem will make the rider more comfort, forks will increase traction AND increase comfort. Great video. Thanks for the work.
Camera Pivot Sequencing @4.15 is really tasty, exceptional production quality GCN 👏
Love the steadycam work!
Wow, Alex! You nailed it again!
Love how people get so butt hurt about mtb tech making the transition to gravel bikes but surely if this makes riding more fun and efficient this should be applauded not frowned upon 🤔 I have a Canyon gravel bike all rigid and it’s brilliant and fast on road and capable enough off road too. However there are times when the trail and gravel road gets a bit too hardcore and it’s just jarring. I’d defo consider suspension providing that it does not add too much weight. Makes the bike more comfortable and therefore one can ride for longer periods without fatigue. Win win in my book.
The videography in this video is elite 🔥 Keep it up!
5:38 - it looks like taken from a drone, doesn't it?
Thanks very much!
Todays 55 km ride with 44mm tyres and 30mm suspension on tarmac and gravelcovered tarmac was smooth. I am not tired in hands and neck like I suppose I would have been on my rigid cyclocross bike. Actually I am not tired at all, except for some slight burning feeling in my legs.
I have a Redshift stem and I have found that you really need to experiment with the elastomers, not just rely on the chart for your body weight.I sit fairly upright and have found even though my weight is just over 100kilos I use the setting for an 80kilo rider
I also sprang for the RedShift ShockStop stem (and seat post). The seat post has a bit of variability, depending on whether I preferred a softer or firmer suspension. The stem didn't have a similar footnote, but judging from several rides, it feels like it has similar variability.
I have the Meroca handlebar shock and switched to the lightest rated (yellow) spring for the best results just like you did with your Redshift. It just feels better when it takes the small bumps out too.
Thanks for the video. I just learned suspension stems are a thing, and my next bike is primarily going to be roadgoing, so i want sure if i needed a front suspension for comfort against potholes and curbs. The stem seems like a nice lightweight and easy way to take the edge off, especially with the right tire choice
Just think, after a couple more years of development, gravel bikes will be as good as hardtail mountain bikes.
And maybe, by then, you boomers will have moved on to something else to bitch about
Yep, they just need to add a bit more clearance for 2.4 tyres, a 100mm fork (just about there already) and flat bars for better control.
Please don't, drop bars are awesome for a hybrid like the gravel bike is
Way more aero and way more comfortable
@@flosa1995 I've been using the surley moloko handlebars, horns to get tucked in, width for control, upright positions are awesome...love the thing
@@JimKJeffries Looks like an awesome option coming from a normal flat bar, no components need replacing with that
After trying suspension fork/suspension sterm /suspension seapost in different set up, i eventually choose rockshox suspension fork with a redshift suspension seatpost, real comfortable and can still ride pretty quick to me personally
How about combining suspension fork + suspension stem? Have you tried it before?
@@AnyTutorialsdid tried that on my Revolt before installing the Rudy. Suspension sterm feel more agile due to lightweight. but when on a quick descent, that high frequency micro-movement of sterm sometimes make me nervious, especially in corners, so i choose the fork eventually; if on a flat terrain gravel, the sterm works just great.
I converted my MTB to a gravel bike and inherited the front suspension. I find it easier to maneuver (maybe because of the front wheel being heavier) and for sure more comfortable. My speed improved 30% on average compared to the borrowed gravel bike I was riding.
Great video - gave me deja vu late 80's early 90s
Add the Lauf Cycling fork to this comparison.
Lovely vlog ❤❤
Thanks for the Video. I'm in for a 50mm front 50mm rear gravel bike. The purist wave will eventually bow to the sensible wave. I'd rather lose 2kg of myself-mass than starting to chip off comfort and speed on the paths i ride. Wanting to go out for a ride is the first contact point 😊 i have never seen a smiling ridgid fork & ridgid rear cyclist.
Love Gravel tech vids :)
Thank for this video!
By the way, you looks great in this, Giuseppe!
Awesome & Thanks :) I haven't really thought of a suspension on a gravel bike yet :)
Thanks! You reckon you'll be getting any? 😉
@@gcntech If I get to go for a gravel ride more often , I could definitely have one. They're definitely useful 😀
Good video, well explained. As a rider who prefers a mtb for gravel and trails, the itch I'm wanting to scratch is a gravel/touring bike that is closer to a mtb than a road bike. The forks do not need to be air or oil damped, or have rebound control, as you say, that's for hard core mtb junkies. An adjustable dry spring fork with lock-out that can take a 50mm tyre.is all that's needed.
Can you recommend such a fork?
@@osafoca Still looking and learning myself. I've got entry level suntour SR which has all I want but they don't have the build quality and stiffness I want. A stronger Suntour SR type fork is all need but I'll probably end up having to accept a RockShox fork with all the bells and whistles just to get the better build quality and stiffness.
Whoa, rebound is that insignificant?
I use both a handlebar shock and front fork shock as well as a seat post shock. Each shock is adjustable, and the ride is very smooth and prevents nearly all hand numbness on longer rides. With all these shocks I think a titanium frame might be overkill, but I intend to find out with a test ride later this year.
Love my cannondale lefty Oliver on my Topstone awesome ❤👍😀🚴
I'm wondering why futureshock was left out. A third type of suspension would have been interesting to add to this video.
Mmmm futureshock and a 120mm bouncy stem: can't wait.
Not to mention the Lauf Grit fork. In addition to taking the edge off the hits, being undamped, these have an unheralded rebound quality that makes bunnyhops a treat. As the video suggests, it depends where you ride; it’s rough as guts where I ride so we’re jumping all the time. The Lauf fork means I almost always land rear wheel first. Smooth as. 👌
Blown away with the combination of Redshift suspension stem and Seatpost.
Terrific camera work in this one!
What should I search for if I wanted to adapt tapered fork to my 1 1/4" headset like you did? Before this video I didn't even know it is possible and I cannot find anything on google so far.
I picked a (carbon) gravel bike over a road bike for compliance. But that means also low weight a easy serviceability for me, so I also went for Redshift Stem suspension as I think that is the fine line balancing all my needs and wants from a bike. If I wanted even more of a suspension, I would have gone all the way for a MTB. But this is highly subjective, obviously.
This video has some pretty phenomenal camera work.
I bought the FreeQUENCE stem for my trip to Kenya and the Migration Gravel Race. It saved my arms and hands during four days of 8+ hrs on the harshest roads I've ever encountered. Other riders had deep blisters on their hands after two stages. Meanwhile, I felt pretty fresh each day since I wasn't getting jack hammered. I also use a Cane Creek eSilk seatpost to keep my lower back from locking up after 5+ hours of riding dirt. My front tire has significantly better grip on rough surfaces and my eyes no longer bounce around in their sockets. Before purchasing, my biggest concern was how it felt while standing since I am out of the saddle a lot. Yet, I never notice the stem moving while standing. Now, I'll never build up a gravel bike without one.
Do you set it to your weight or softer/harder ?
Can't wait for rear suspension on gravel bikes.
Specialized already got this covered. Just need to take out a mortgage to buy one😂
I have a tandem bike, and I plan on adding:
A suspension fork
A suspension stem
A suspension seatpost
A suspension saddle
A super soft and comfy leather saddle
A super comfy drop bar with custom bullhorn horns for multiple hand positions
And the bike is close enough for me to sit almost straight up
It's supposed to be a bikepacking tank
Tell me your opinions
I use both methods on my bikes for years. On a gravel bike or ridgid fork bike, a suspension stem will pogo little during out of the saddle climbing. Unlike suspension forks which pogo unless locked out; rendering the suspension fork useless when impacting obstacles during a climb. A suspension stem will remain operational and active in such situations. A stem will not interfere with bicycle geometry unlike the suspension fork will due to the increase in height from the forks travel. You'll most likely need to replace a stem to offset the increase in handlebar height anyway. So get the suspension stem 😂
A flexible stem is not suspension. It's a comfort device.
Suspension is all about keeping the contact patch as stable as possible by supporting the vertical load (rider/ bike mass) and using a damper control the spring movement to prevent hysteresis/overshoot/lack of movement.
A stem does none of this.
Great video Andrew 😂. I ride a Cannondale Slate with a lefty fork (is it proper to call it a “fork” when there’s only 1 leg? Maybe it’s a chopstick). That bike loves to party and doesn’t care what I point it at.
His name's Alex I think
@@Deepak19944 no one really knows. I think it’s Arthur.
It's a tooth pick.
@@aaroncushing ya that's true, Arnold.
Thanks Aaron!
I feel like once you go suspension fork you're really starting to get into mtb territory. I get that the geometry is different but the lines are starting to blur a little too much and eventually too much to buy a separate gravel and mtb.
That might be true when comparing gravel to an XC bike. With a MTB there are two significant differences: 1) fork travel and 2) tire width (ie, rolling resistance). I bought my gravel bike primarily for touring and bike packing, and the lower rolling resistance of a narrower tire(s) was a primary consideration. I'm adding a suspension fork primarily for comfort. A solid fork can be quite jarring when I'm off the tarmac on my gravel bike. Riding my MTB on the chunky stuff lets me go where a gravel bike can't go..
I replaced a rigid alloy fork for a Salsa Cromato and then use a 45c up front. It's noticeably smoother and less tiring to ride. I'm also confident that it will take abuse for longer.
Thanks AKA....does the shock affect bearing loads , would they wear differently ? I think ..horses for courses as always , suspension isn't needed on my gravel rides . I have a MTB as well , and I use it for the really rough and bumpy stuff . I would imagine it would be the balls on cobbles ! { Good }
Great camera work!!
Thanks!
Can understand the stem suspension dampening vibration etc, but isn't a gravel bike with front suspension just a hard tail mountain bike with drop bars?
Conceptually sorta’. But a lot of older MTB frames have a much longer Reach, so not a direct comparison, unless you have a long torso and or long arms.
So, which was the most comfortable?
I do think gravel bikes will move into having some sort of suspension because yes it is fun and engaging and so on but is not great feel having so stiff bike all the time even less when you have options to adjust your ride while you move, instead of playing with tire pressures. IMO I would try the stem suspension and I do run a seat post kinetic one which is awesome. Improves comfort while leaving the characteristics of the bike almost untouched as shown here. Having the rider not bouncing all over helps with focus and enjoyment in my view.
Some chunky tyres will do. Under-biking is fun
How about looking at the different types of Stem suspension for gravel bikes that is out there and compare them Alex - I have a Specialized Diverge (Future Shock). I really like it, its adjustable and takes the edge off some of the gravel roads.
Sorry to say that I found this particular video unhelpful in guiding me to a choice. Would have liked to see direct comparison between the two suspensions with a description of the experience on multiple terrain types. I've been considering both of these options for quite some time and was hoping this would guide me to a choice, but the final advice was "choose the one that suits you"...I wanted you to help me figure out which one suits me.
At what point does a gravel bike become a mountain bike?
Sir Alex Moulton said "a suspension headtube".
I have a Moulton. Minimal weight gain.
Cannondale adapted the design.
i usually just walk bc i am 120kg and dont wanna break my carbon
Great video. What tyre were used please.
I am thinking of getting the Lauf Seigla wth their Grit fork I think it will be ideal for where I live and also save on servicing
Just get an XC mountainbike if you need the supension in my view.
Gravelbikes need to be efficient. in my opinion max 47mm tyres. carbon fork. Some flex in the rear diamond for additional comfort. Done
You know what would fit into gravel in this category? A remake of the Rockshox RS-1 or some similar fork, limited to half of the travel of the original. The aesthetics match a lot more with the traditional road forks, it is more sensitive to small bumps which is also the focus on gravel, and the fact is shorter travel along with the fact you don't ride as hard or as fast as a MTB may help reduce or neglect the downsides of an inverted fork in a MTB.
You didn't talk at all about how it changes the ride feel, both in and out of saddle. Which is what I was watching the video for.
Please try again, and include Lauf type suspension forks as well, since they are radically different than a mtn style fork.
You also need to have a control with no suspension for comparison.
But what if we use Suspension Fork + Suspension Stem on a single bike? Will the 2 suspensions cancel each other out? Or will the ride be Extra Squishy?
I used red shift Stemp for long Tours riding but now i feel i didnt need that compfort and speed is more important to me. Its difficult to put gravelbike in a specific type of bike. It try to fit for every Terrain and it depent on the rider what type of gravelbike to choose
LOL you should have tried installing both on one bike and share the feel. I think the main idea of the suspension fork is more like giving you better traction by allowing the wheel to better follow the terrain and the comfort is rather a side effect. The suspension stem, just like the suspension seat post and suspension grips, is more like a comfort item and doesn't add much to the grip just because of the moment of that unsprung mass you talked about is order of magnitude bigger so all the traction comes only from your tires and the frame compliance.
Interesting video and Barry is a great presenter, however I seem to recall going through this stage with my mountain bikes about thirty years ago, firstly with the Girvin Flex Stem and then the Alsop beam stem. Has elastomer technology changed enough that the weather does not effect spring rate or is the stem still harder to compress on cold days?
Using a suspension fork, even a short travel one like this, will make a tiny change to the head angle of the bike when at maximum compression, which can be noticeable if the frame has not been designed to allow for it. My first hardtail (a 1993 Orange Clockwork) handled dreadfully with only a 50mm fork, but my current XC bike is a beast even with 100mm of fork travel.
I wish Barry here the very best of luck navigating his way through the dusty trails of old MTB tech. My modern air sprung/oil damped forks are a marvel in the rough stuff, not sure I would want to go back to 1990's bouncy stem tech! 😉
The issue is that the application is very different in this case. In gravel riding we want to eliminate small bumps for comfort, not eliminate large bumps from roots, rocks, and drops to maintain traction (and comfort). These require different technology. This is why the specialized future shock works well.
Does the future shock have any rebound damper, the main issue with susp. stems.
@Marc Pikas the base model future shock does not. I believe the one that comes on pro and sworks level is damped. However I don't really think damping is necessary in this case.
@@mitchellsteindler I would concur with your opinion. Small road/trail induced vibrations are not bad enough to require damping. I had a Softride stem on my mtb in the 90’s at the outset of sprung forks and my wrists and elbow joints ached after epic trail rides from the downward jolts. Rides did improve with susp. fork evolution in spite of their heavier weight.
it has nothing to do with this video, but i didnt know where to ask this.
i dont think i ever heard you guys talking about those gate carbon drive. i know its not the top choice for performance, but its still a very intriguing tech that i didnt find much deep dive info like you guys like to do.
the low maintenance side of it makes it very appealing, i wonder if they can eventually evolve into a game changing tech.
Can you put Suspension Fork on a 650b gravel bike?
Could you use both mthods on one bike?
The difference is the forks suspend and dampen the wheel, while the stem only suspends the handlebar.
The fork is a performance (and comfort) component, whereas the stem is just for comfort.
Much like the difference between a suspension seatpost and a shock suspended swing arm.
Ps Wrists, elbows, shoulders, ankles, knees and hips are also great shock absorbers
What's the word on suspension seat posts?
For me. It’s Giant Revolt X. It’s really fits in my Country stony area..
Thanks god bless
I’m running both a suspension fork and a suspension stem.
Fork for me. For the adjustment and maturity of the technology.
My suspension seat post has been a night and day difference on my hour-long commute to work... and I ride a hardtail mountain bike.
How did you install 1 1/8 fork on a canyon bike with 1 1/4. I found that only Rock shox Rudy can fit Canyon Grizl
I'd like to see a comparison to head tube suspension
Suspension stems was tested on MTB's around 30 years ago. It was never a hit.
Thank god technology has advanced the past 30 years....
@@lethalhandyman1979technology lol it's a spring with hinges at a massive mark up 😂
One of the things I prefer about a gravel bike over say an XC hardtail is the simplicity and less maintenance.
Suspension forks require on average a lower leg service every 50 hours. Who’s got time for that nonsense on top of everything else that gets consumed through wear on an off road bike? I think most rides that fit into the gravel category include a mix of surfaces, smooth tarmac, fire roads, tow paths and such. Efficiency is important and tubeless tyres set at an appropriate pressure is all the suspension that is needed in most cases. For me at least suspension is redundant.
Leave suspension to the MTBs I say. I switched from MTB to gravel and haven’t missed it at all.
Some good points!
I used my canyon grail for 3 years with great pleasure. However, due to wrist issues after long rides (even with bike fits). Can't stress enough how much I enjoy my grizl cf slx with suspension...
I have a grail but i suffer on Rocky Mountain roads
I wonder whether the the Vecnum stem is equivalent to the FutureShock from Specialized or not...anyone who tried both and can share her/his thoughts?
Why has the SR Suntour GVX been so ignored/unreviewed by bicycle Media?
I'm going for stem and seatpost suspension.
now i want to see a "Stork", stem and fork combined.
The old Hardtail MTB bikes were equipped with 85mm front suspension. It was possible to install 1.75 semi slick tires.
Has the Bike industry come up with this again, just with a bent rudder and add a new name, Gravel?
I had a GT Zaskar with Rockshox 80mm. It was pretty light too. Putting skinny tires on it basically turns it into a gravel bike of sort. 😂
Not a single time I felt I need suspenssion on my gravel bike. If I need suspenssion I brought the wrong bike and I should have taken my fullsusser… 😉
Kinda new to this. Was riding MTB and just now starting with gravel bike. If you want comfort why not take small mtb bike with slim tires? Seems a bit silly from my limited knowledge.
A lil late I bought the Redshift suspension stem about a year ago