Gravel bikes with front shocks.

Trying desperately to find a 20lb-ish gravel bike but with a front shock you can easily lockout on the fly.
Yes, there are a few gravel races out there that this would help keep me upright on the downlows....if you catch my drift. (No pun)

So far the best advice is a long travel mountain bike with drop bars and only a front shock.

Any actual sucess at this kind of tinkering out there?

K-Dogg

I saw a cannondale carbon cyclocross bike outfitted with one of those single sided front shocks. The owner said it was his gravel bike and that that type of shock didn't weigh much.

Thanks Walt.
I don't suppose you got the model number or name of the bike and the fork.
Thanks!
K-Dogg

Thanks!
Best lead yet!
K-Dogg

K-Dogg, 

I can't remember if they did a Quick CX in carbon previously. I'm not sure if this headshock locks out. It's been a while since I rode one.
http://www.cannondale.com/nam_en/2015/bikes/fitness-urban/fitness/quick-cx/quick-cx-1

-Ben

Thanks again.

K-Dogg, \nCall the Cannondale corporate store in Natick Mass. Ask for Chuck, it was his bike. He's the manager there. He does a lot of gravel riding.

Thanks, I'll give him a call. \nK-Dogg

Your not going to find a Fargo with a suspension fork at "20 #s" or with out one(shock) at "20 #'s" for that matter?

Cannonade use to have some road bike with head shocks that are likely about 23 #'s but tire width will be limited.

Here is a thought for you -  get a monster cross bike and put a cushy 2" , 29er tire up front at 30-35 psi = done ........and save a lot of weight.

Other wise your left with the lowly 29er and 29er lite MTB's that just aren't politically savvy nor suave enough for riding gravel, dirt roads in baggy shorts amongst the pig & cattle farms these days................girly tights,down bars,butts high and skinny tires are the requirement's ........pretty soon they will be shaving their legs in the name of speed in the land of pig farm grinding races too.....a las if only Lance Armstrong would show up and ring the cow bell (and share some blood dope tips) for a start some day........gone are the days of balloon tire cruisers 

Thankfully,  my local dirt roads have not changed 

In the last month I've crossed paths with two elite level XC riders who were sporting a http://laufforks.com/lauf-trail-racer/

The pundits all seemed concerned about the lack of damping control. Both guys say it is just a different feel -and WAAAY better than riding a rigid fork especially on longer races. Both admitted that this fork would NOT be a good choice for rocky descents or massive drops.  The trails that I met them on were much more aggressive than any gravel road I've seen.  One had a weight wienie 29'r hardtail and the other put it on his cross bike used for fire road rides.

From an MTBR gear review - "Okay, so we’ve figured out the target market for the Lauf TR 29—an XC/marathon racer who has $990 to spend on a suspension fork that works really well on smooth and semi-bumpy surfaces"

So, if 60mm of travel in a 990g package works for you.......

Again, thanks for your advice. I am no weight weenie but a jug of milk weights about 7 pounds---so most mountain bikes come with a---free gallon of milk
when you add front shocks. Think about that next time you climb 12 mile Springer Moutain at Southern Cross.
And yet shocks would help my skinny 60 year old arms not turn into useless weenies on the descent AND make me feel safer on the steep washboard other side.
At 60 me bones heal slowly. I don't mind throwing some money at a comfort bike.

Still lookin' Dogg

Was Chuck any help?

I never did . \nI hate to intrude by phone.......only by e-mail. \nThanks though.

You can email the shop