Just about to pull the trigger on a 2012 Fargo 2 with less than 100 miles on the clock...
Before I do, whats the feeling on the Fargo V El Mariachi?
It will be for mostly for bikepacking duties, HT550, Cairngorm Loop etc
I have ridden drop bars off-road on my CX and had no issue.
Just that I have spotted a bargain new El Mariachi which has the Alternator drop outs..I doubt that I would ever run singlespeed but the emergency option and choice is a good thought.
I cant afford a new 2014 Fargo which does have the Alternator drops.
Max spend £800

I've ridden on Woodchippers for a while and I find them great but I don't think I would commit to them for a "bikepacking" bike in Scotland. If nothing else, the gap between the drops limits the size of any luggage you might put there.

I've only ridden the El Mar so I'm not going to pretend to be able to compare the frame choice. What I would say is that I believe you will find a far bigger difference in experience because of component choice than you would with frame. In other words, the right bar, gear system, even saddle will be what you remember or appreciate after a day in the saddle. So If I was you I would imagine they were both the same frame and make a choice based on the rest of the bits.

I am assuming the frames are the same size. If they aren't then you must get the right size frame. What are minor comfort issues over four hours become the only thing you think about by hour ten.

I certainly appreciate the straight bar which enables a lot of choice of luggage attachment. I have bar ends to provide hand position choices. It is totaly a matter of opinion but for terrain where the going gets tough I appreciate having wider bars and MTB style brakes.

ScotRoutes wrote:I've ridden on Woodchippers for a while and I find them great but I don't think I would commit to them for a "bikepacking" bike in Scotland. If nothing else, the gap between the drops limits the size of any luggage you might put there.

The overall shape of them is good I found, but - and perhaps it's just me - I find that when I've got the height right for general seated riding, when I move out of the saddle (which I often do, it being singlespeed), the hoods position feels too high, and the drops too low (and weird) for climbing.

As far as luggage is concerned, there's a pic in here that shows an 8 litre dry bag sitting comfortably between the drops of some 46cm Woodchippers

Might also be worth considering the gearing?
The Fargo 2 is a 2x10 whereas the El Mar is a 3x10?

Theres also the suspension and braze on aspect. I don't miss suspension since having the Fargo but I'm not bashing down rocky outcrops much here in Suffolk so the occasional Welsh battering is fine. I use a full frame bag so the bottle cages on the forks are essential for me. You could of course use a Monkii cage or similar to replicate that.

If you do go Fargo then I'd opt for a Wildcat harness & dry bag for the bars. I've got a Bikepack.eu luggage roll (on a 2013 fargo 3) and its a pain to repack it without removing it.You only realise that when you're out in the field covered in mud not packing it in the garage!

I can get a 13ltr dry bag containing a pipedream 400 and some spare clothes on my 42 cm woodchippers, no problem, doesn't get in the way at all.

Might put wider ones on at some point and put these on my Pompino though, mainly because I think it will be nice to have wider bars on the Fargo.

Find them pretty comfortable, in and out of the saddle, on and off the drops, tend to climb on the hoods.

I really like riding the Fargo, but I miss suspension, and am thinking about putting a Reba on for the gravel and WRT rides, but there again I ride with three people who are a) better riders than me b) are on full sussers, so I struggle to keep up (Cli-machx Tony the Tiger on TnB springs to mind...).

The gearing is all wrong on the 2x10 though, (close your ears Ian) not low enough for off-road, not high enough on road.