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Seems the lines between XC and gravel bikes get more and more blurry. From my experiences thus far I think it comes down to the (primary) surface you’re riding and your comfort level. I’ve only done 1 true (smooth) gravel ride (50 miler) with this set up. For me, I didn’t miss the drop bars at all but I sure as sh!t missed riding clipless (I forgot to swap the pedals so I had to ride flats. Ugh!) Even with the suspension “closed” you still get a much more comfortable ride, albeit it probably comes with some loss of efficiency. And although it adds additional weight I also prefer having the dropper as you can really let loose on the downs and it’s of obvious benefit if you ride singletrack. The versatility of the XC w/ gravel tires really allows you to ride anything from pavement to (less technical) singletrack. It’s the latter that has me the most intrigued and how I’ve been riding this set up. What’s cool is that if you want to ride something more technical it’s just a quick swap of the tires.