Gravel bike loaded with luggage - Travel

Dear all,

I am new on this forum and thinking to buy a Gravel bike. Before, I would like your opinion about the capacity to tolerate loaded travel with new generation gravel bike (entry-mid range, 10-11 kg). Those are examples type of bike I am thinking about : Journey from Salsa or Diverge from Specialized. 

My goal by choosing a gravel is to have a polyvalent bike from road to moderate forest track.
Importantly, I also want to travel some weeks by year in autonomy with racks (rear and front), bag, camping tent... a practice nearer to touring bike and I am doubting about the real (non marketing idealisation) capacity of a relatively light gravel to carry confortably me and my luggages (80+25 kg)

So my questions are: Does someone has experience with loaded gravel bike (for example with 20 kg loaded material) for travel ? If yes what was your bike, feeling and would you recommend this practice with that kind of bike ?

NB : I renovated an old road from 90s into gravel/travel bike and finally got trouble with a bent fork last summer ! Now i do prevention 🙂
Hope my english is OK for you and I am looking forward your answer.

Julien

I have a touring bike (Lynskey Backroad) which works well as a gravel bike.  For touring on a gravel bike I'd look for strength, stability, and ease of repair rather than light weight and quick handling.

I bikepack easily on my Kona Sutra LTD and several friend load their Trek Checkpoint ALR for the same trips. I don't use a rack, but could add one if I wanted to and the Trek accommodates a rack as well.

Just look for a gravel bike with plenty of mounts and you will be fine.

Wheels will most likely be the weak link in the chain.  You might want to budget for an upgrade, particularly if you intend to tour off-road several weeks a year.

The Kona Sutra mentioned above or a Salsa Vaya would be ideal, it might be worth looking for one of those secondhand.

Thanks for your reply, I understand your opinion however I was more looking for Aluminium frame (instead of steel) such as for example Rove for Kona.
Trek is too expensive in my opinion.

I want to keep a sportive light bike for weekend by choosing an aluminium.
I don't find that much review about loaded Aluminium gravel (near 11kg), I think I will try 😄

Jule wrote:Thanks for your reply, I understand your opinion however I was more looking for Aluminium frame (instead of steel) such as for example Rove for Kona.
Trek is too expensive in my opinion.

I want to keep a sportive light bike for weekend by choosing an aluminium.
I don't find that much review about loaded Aluminium gravel (near 11kg), I think I will try 😄

The Trek I listed above is Aluminum (I understand it's out of your budget).  The Rove AL has braze-ons for racks so it's clearly meant to carry luggage.  You will be right fine with that bike.