So, these gravel bikes ...

[Venod]

This one doesn't tick all your boxes but its my favourite at the moment, being out on it today a bit of road a lot of off road, I got lost in a wood I had never been in before, ended up riding stuff normally reserved for MTB, I run it with tubeless 32mm tyres 40psi front 50 psi back, its fantastic on rough roads.

http://www.on-one.co.uk/c/q/bikes/cyclocross-bikes/on-one-pickenflick

 

[tribanjules]

This one doesn't tick all your boxes but its my favourite at the moment, being out on it today a bit of road a lot of off road, I got lost in a wood I had never been in before, ended up riding stuff normally reserved for MTB, I run it with tubeless 32mm tyres 40psi front 50 psi back, it fantastic on rough roads.

http://www.on-one.co.uk/c/q/bikes/cyclocross-bikes/on-one-pickenflick

I ride with the 35 rubinos at 60psi. Comfort grip and still speedy. Also happy on loose stuff

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Unfortunately none of your choices have TA mounts on on the fork. I just don't understand why new gravel bikes designed for disc brakes still have QR mounts.

Otherwise, I think those frames are nice.

Have a look at this bike that definitely ticks every single box.

www.rosebikes.co.uk/products/bikes/trekking/travel/team-dx-cross-randonneur/

I've no idea either. Similarly I've no idea why some cyclists are anti-TA.

I find mine much faster to use than QR's - simply slide the wheel into the frame locating 'lugs', insert axle and spin a few turns until tight, then flip the lever to whatever position floats your boat and job done.

Simply pulling the wheel up and into position makes the whole TA inserting and tightening process a single handed operation. No trying to work out when to flip the QR lever to get the tension right nonsense either.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I've no idea either. Similarly I've no idea why some cyclists are anti-TA.

It is a retro-grouch thing. It's all about the good old days and how stuff was so much better way back then when men were men and bikes were scared and all that.

 

[Venod]

I am not anti TA, I have had MTB,s with it on the front and quite liked it, but I also have no problem with QR, they both do the job adequately, I wouldn't let the lack of it put me off buying.

 

[KneesUp]

Aren't '42' viable, sure one test stated that they are, but mine has '28' Schwalbe Durano
They're the widest I've used on the road, in probably 25 years (Tioga 1.25" slicks, on the Pace)
The Schwalbes were fine here, albeit on a totally dry surface, on Sundays ride on the old pre-TurnPike road, near Tadcaster, but I did write;
It started off, as just a gap in the hedge, with a steady descent, changing to rock-steps, as it was seemingly at the bed-rock (it is in limestone quarry territory)
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1871049

I'd not call it a full blown 'Hollow-Way', but it was on the verge
The steps would have been an issue, on the 'blue' Ribble, with its '23' section tyres,

The 'blue' is a lot lighter, & feels sprightly in comparison, especially on the hills
the CGR is possibly a better all-rounder, due to the hydraulic discs (for bad weather, 'modulation'/;feel' is superb!!!), & the fatter tyres are better for it as a commuter

I've not long built up my 'blue' - I bought the frame off the lovely @vernon mainly to use the chainset, but in the end I built it up from the parts bin because the chainset didn't fit anything else, and forks were cheap, as you do ...

Anyway, it's the sprightliness of it (relative) that I like, even in this mega-budget cobbled together state so maybe I'd miss that - the reviews I've read of the Mango make it sound like it is also quite sprightly though - http://grit.cx/reviews/gravel-under-a-grand-three-bikes-tested I think if I were building myself I'd go for TRP Hy:rd cable hydraulics, because I like bar end shifters and the hydraulic SIS units are ugly and expensive.

If I'm going to get another bike, it needs to be n=n i.e. one in, one out. I'm quite attached to the MTB conversion, so I guess it'd be ol' blue frame that'd be for the chop (although I do have another MTB in the back of the shed I could, er, shed to appease the bike-counters)

Anyway, here's the Audax in ' it's Scotland and I'm not fit, so low gears' mode, on a path that was more overgrown that I expected.

A lot of the suggestions here are a long way outside the amount I'd be prepared to spend but thank you for them all - it's good to look around and see the options.

The PlanetX London Road is one that I had thought of, but I'd dismissed it because they're dead common around here. I sometimes ride on the eponymous London Road and I thought they only came in that horrid green, but it turns out they do have other colours. I think they look a bit bulky though.

Keep the ideas and suggestions coming - thanks all so far.

 

[KneesUp]

Have started planning loops from home that take in roads and bridleways in order to justify this now