Help with bike decision

[Hooter19]

Hi - I?m new to Bikepacking somewhat. I have a high end 90s mountain bike (95 Cannondale F2000) and a very nice 2007 Lynskey Custom titanium road bike with SRAM Red. So you can see I love quality lightweight gear......it certainly helps compensate for my lack of talent. Anyhow in the past I?ve loaded up a seat pack and handlebar bag on both these rigs for short hauls......but obviously one pure road and one pure trail. I love the idea of a ?do it all? bike. I think I?d like to do some nice bikepacking and my ?guess? at this point is something like 70% dirt and 30% trail but I?m really not sure. I?d like a bike I can do anything on, is pretty high quality but I?m on a budget. My other bikes are both made is the USA and I?d really like to do that but I guess an American company and design might suffice.

So the big question: I think I?ve narrowed it down to the new Salsa Cutthroat V2 Apex 1 of the Litespeed Gravel GRX 400. Both are $2699 and obviously upgradable.  Other possibilities are a Lynskey GX300 or a Chumba steel Terlingua but both of those are really above my price point but still possible. I?m old so won?t be doing huge air, boulders or logs but yes some single track is possible. On the flip side I might wanna just jump on the bike and go for a couple hours road ride.....but who knows might see some interesting dirt, trail, fire road on that road ride too.  I want lightweight, comfort and pretty good handling. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

[Iowagriz]

Give me more info on your definition of road VS trail.

I also like the idea of the Cutthroat and when I lived in the Midwest it would have been perfect. Now that I'm back in Montana I think I'll prefer more of a mtb as a base for the bike. But that is only because of my access to more singletrack.

I've ridden the Tour Divide Route from Banff to Helena and the Cutthroat is perfect for those fire roads and pavement.

What types of routes are in your future?

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[Hooter19]

Hi - thanks for replying. I live in the CA desert with access to mountains, fire roads and trails. I still want to be able to go for a road ride without either the harshness of my Cannondale mountain bike and without being stuck with beach cruiser speeds. If on a road ride line I was today and I see a nice fire road or trail I wanna be able to do it. I?d like to plan some Bikepacking trips From Owens valley over the pass to Saline valley, Alabama hills as well as some organized rides. Someday when time allows I?d love to ride the Divide or at least sections of it. I love the custom feel of my Lynskey road bike as well as the awesome look of bare titanium. Having said that I also like the raw carbon look of the Cutthroat Apex 1 and the Cutthroat seems to be more engineered for Bikepacking. I?m sure I could make the Lynskey GR300 or Litespeed Gravel work fine but they don?t have as many attachment options and seem to be more engineered for shorter gravel races. Like I said they do look awesome and American made!  They?d be perfect for the road/fire road/trail rides I mentioned but I just wonder if they?d do as well on endurance Bikepacking? I?m getting up there so at 61 I?m not likely to race my mountain bike anymore, get a lot of air, ride on logs or boulder hop. So I wonder about comfort. My Ti road bike is pretty comfortable. I really have no experience on carbon. I remember trying out one of the early Trek carbon racing bikes and it was a very stiff and harsh ride. I know carbon has come a long way and all of the reviews talk about how comfortable the Cutthroat V2 is but that is another concern of mine. Any suggestions/thoughts would be appreciated. Also if I do get the Cutthroat it will be the Apex version not only for cost but mainly color (I know that?s silly). Given that, what upgrades should I do first? Wheels, handlebars, seatpost, or drivetrain?  Thanks!

[Iowagriz]

Tough call between those bikes. I also ride a ti bike. The original  El Mariachi Ti, made by Lynskey.  I know what you mean about the ride.

Looking at the gr300, do some good research on tire sizes. I think the Cutthroat will take a bigger tire than the 300. I haven't ridden the Cutthroat,  but I've been on very long gravel rides behind several friends that ride them,  I can see the seatstays move,  so I believe that design really works. It is definitely on my short list.

Probably can't go wrong with either one. 

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[Hooter19]

Yeah the 300 comes with 700 x 38c (which I read somewhere is really 40mm). It can take up to a 700 x 45 or 27.5 x 2.1. Whatcha think - Is 38c a big enough tire? In contrast is the 2.2? on the Cutthroat too fat for some road? My mountain bike is 2.1 and I don?t care for it on the road but I think it?s just the harsh ride I don?t like on longer road rides on the mountain bike. I think I?m leaning towards the Cutthroat but the lure of that beautiful Ti constantly confuses me.

[Hooter19]

Actually Lynskey is 700 x 40c. Litespeed is 700 x 38c