I like it!
You missed the most important difference of the 2022 vs 2021-- The 2021 is in-hand! In the current supply chain environment, that is a huge benefit, one in the hand is definitely worth 2 in the bush!
1) A wide gear ratio is definitely an asset. What is considered as a wide ratio for a gravel bike? (I'm thinking of mountain bikes where the rear is typically 11-42 or 46 or even up to 51 to be considered as wide ratio)
2) I've never heard of a "strangle-hold", but from the pics, that looks similar to what would be called a "sliding dropout" in the mountain bike world. I could be wrong, but I suspect the real benefit of that is to allow it to run wider tires (wider tires allow for lower pressures, better traction, and more comfort). Of course, a longer wheelbase should make it feel more stable too.
I think you made a good choice! To me personally, road bikes are just a little too limited. What happens when you have some mud or sand on the road or tarmac and you have skinny 25mm tires, it is not fun at all. I do have a real road bike, mostly for the days that trails are too wet to ride, and it gets the least miles of any of my bikes. You can always ride this bike on the tarmac, but you can't easily ride a road bike on gravel.
Edit--Also, disc brakes are nice! Just a note, this is not what we consider a "trail bike". Trail bike is meant as a mountain bike that is a little more capable than a Cross Country Bike. A cross country bike is quite a bit more capable than a gravel bike. In the grand scheme of things, gravel bikes have a lot in common with the mountain bikes of the late 80s and maybe early 90s.
