just about to pull the trigger on a new moots but am undecided which model routt. Anyone on here ridden both for a comparison or could leg me know how the longer chainstay will effect the ride?

Not ridden either, but:

Longer chainstays should lead to a bit more stable feeling at speed when weighted, but less snappy turning.

Frankly, not something I’d be worried about with either of these.

It’d be the Routt45 for me – as it’s pretty close to what I already ride a bike like that for 🙂