Difference between modern Rigid MTB and Gravel

[ibbz]

I have been looking at a modern bike to get - I don’t like riding with dropped bars so was looking at Rigid MTB along with Gravel
I can’t really tell, apart from the drop bars, the difference between a rigid MTB such as this


And a Gravel bike such as this


I guess the wheel size perhaps ? Or the forks ? But in theory the forks of the type from the bike top could seamlessly fit on the gravel bottom without any adverse affects?

Apart from the dropped bars the bottom bike looks like a MTB to me - is “Gravel” just a marketing ploy? Then again some “Gravel” look and resemble CX bikes so a broad spectrum

 

[fguki]

To me, one very significant characteristic of a "gravel" is the 700c (28") wheels. People call every piece of bullshit they build "gravel" these days. It has become this vegan woke hipster marketing joke.

No, the 26" retro MTB you have converted with drop bars and some hipster bar tape and ugly as **** Billy Bonkers is NOT a gravel! To me ...

 

[ibbz]

To me, one very significant characteristic of a "gravel" is the 700c (28") wheels. People call every piece of bullshit they build "gravel" these days. It has become this vegan woke hipster marketing joke.

No, the 26" retro MTB you have converted with drop bars and some hipster bar tape and ugly as **** Billy Bonkers is NOT a gravel! To me ...

all true !
So 700c wheels and racer drop bars are the difference
As I thought, a hipster vegan woke marketing joke !

The FRM one is called a “Gravel adventure”!

 

[ibbz]

I noticed many years back that ATB ceased to be used and MTB used exclusively

 

[retroJIM]

But loads of Gravel bikes are 650b...

 

[ibbz]

But loads of Gravel bikes are 650b...

Is 650b 26”?
And 27 - is that the same size as on my 1983 Raleigh Clubman?

 

[fguki]

By now, there is everything and everywhere. I am old fashioned ... 700c, road bike with a little wider frame design to fit slightly thicker wheels, cantilever and/or disc brake. THAT is a gravel to me. Nothing else

 

[retroJIM]

650b is 27.5"

 

[slackboy]

I think it depends on what gravel means to you - i.e. what mix of surfaces you are biased toward.
For me I want a bike that is more capable off road & has plenty of mounting points but still moves OK on tarmac, so I've gone for a more "ATB" type bike - basically a rigid mountain bike and i'm using flat bars.

If "gravel" for you means long US style unpaved surfaces then a skinnier tyred drop bar bike makes a lot of sense.

Drop bars are useful for the variety of hand positions and the more efficient aero position. You can get something similar with Jones bars or bar ends.

This is designed to be a drop bar mountain bike, but with a slightly longer stem it works fine with flat bars. the 69" head angle makes it well out of date for mountain biking but is a nice compromise for bimbling over moors and around back roads.

 

[ibbz]

69" head angle makes it well out of date for mountain biking

I’m curious - the top two I showed above (one a 2019 MTB and the other a 2022 “Gravel” ) what’s the angle likely on the MTB compared to the G?