While the wider pedal stance width is noticeable, it’s important to remember that narrower isn’t always better, and in fact, plenty of riders need to go wider for proper pedaling mechanics. Cannondale also debuted its new app at the Topstone launch. Q-factor is noticeably wider with the 83mm-wide bottom bracket. We’ve heard for years that Cannondale was playing catchup in the gravel bike scene, all the way to the release of the 2019 Cannondale Topstone. More go ... HollowGram 22 Carbon Wheelset / Integrated Cannondale App connectivity; I'm 6'1.5" (187 cm) in height, and according to Cannondale's Topstone sizing chart right in the middle of their "L" sizing bracket (which extends from 5'10"-6'4"). Cannondale was one of the first manufacturers to jump on the gravel bandwagon a few years ago with the Slate model. There are mounts for that, too. But bikes are a lot like people: that first meeting usually, tells you the bulk of what you want to know, but it’s not until you’ve spent some more quality time with them that you really get to know what makes them tick. Cannondale Topstone Carbon Ultegra RX Level 4 expert With a change of tyres the Topstone Carbon is capable of becoming as close to a one bike ‘quiver killer’ as I thought possible. 2020 Cannondale Topstone 105 // US $1750 – £1500 The mid-range Topstone model is the pick of the bunch for someone wanting 11-speed shifting components but without the high price tag. With a carbon cyclocross bike in the SuperX that has proven capable of winning the Dirty Kanza 200 gravel race, Cannondale has been a bit slower in releasing a dedicated carbon gravel race bike than many other bike companies.. CyclingTips presents: De Stig, the must-see cycling documentary of the year, The 10 weirdest moments of the 2020 cycling season, Van der Poel and Brand win in Namur: Daily News Digest, New Challenge Getaway gravel tire bucks the trend with harder rubber, Another award for Van Aert, new kits, roster reveals: Daily News Digest, Redshift Sports releases lighter-weight version of ShockStop suspension stem, L39ION of Los Angeles unveils 2021 rosters. It’s an easier spec to maintain than a pressfit bearing and should help keep maintenance tasks under control. Hidden fender mounts add all-weather versatility. Sure, the creaking can be fixed, but new buyers shouldn’t have to deal with it, either. THE RIDE. It’s well-established at this point that small-diameter seatposts with lots of exposed shaft contribute greatly to ride comfort, and it’s no different here. 2020 Mark Gunter Photographer of the Year Awards: Showcase 1, AG2R’s new kit, Van Aert wins Kristallen Fiets award: Daily News Digest, Add a two-speed gearbox to your bike with Classified’s new wheelsets, Pridham ‘relishing the opportunity’ as she joins Israel Start-Up Nation as DS, These are the best (and most surprising) places to get a draft in a bike race, Product picks of 2020: the best of the best, Russia banned from using flag, anthem at Olympics for 2 years, Cervelo Aspero first-ride review: The go-fast gravel bike, Thesis OB1 long-term review: Good performance, lots of custom options, Trek Checkpoint dives headfirst into the red-hot gravel bike market, Allied Alfa Allroad long-term review: The antidote to the N+1 rule, Moots Routt RSL long-term review: The titanium gravel forever bike, perfected. Cable routing is internal through the front triangle, but everything exits at the bottom bracket. There’s some special hardware required if you want to run fenders out back, but it’s not a deal breaker by any means. The down tube is a massive rectangular thing. It shines in … The ultralight Cannondale Hollowgram hollow bonded aluminum crankarms are fitted with a 46/30T one-piece machined Spidering chainring, which is matched to a Shimano 11-34T cassette. The insanely big down tube, the wide-and-flat seat tube, and the broad spaced chainstays all suggest a stout backbone when you start mashing the pedals, and in this case, looks aren’t at all deceiving. Cannondale nailed it with the 46/30T gearing here. The Cannondale Topstone Carbon Ultegra RX2 is the same as the Ultegra RX model, but with aluminum wheels from WTB instead of the carbon Hollowgram ones. 0 reviews. Cue the cursing, again. The WTB Riddler is one of my favorite gravel tires for the Front Range of Colorado, with a fast-rolling center tread and a squared-off shoulder that grabs well on loose-over-hardpack. Cannondale Synapse Review (Updated, 2020) – Facts You Need to Know. Cannondale uses its OutFront geometry on the Topstone. Ultegra RX Version STAYING CONNECTED. Also boasting the new Shimano gravel groupset is the Topstone Carbon Ultegra RX 2, offered in a men’s and women’s version (women’s version available in XS, S, M) for $3,250. FULL REVIEW: Cannondale Topstone. The most off-road capable and on-road comfortable bike Cannondale have made, the Cannondale Topstone Ultegra RX 2 delivers an incredible performance everytime. Home / Blog / Gear / Cannondale Topstone Apex 1 Review: Expect the Expected. There always is one, after all, and the Topstone Carbon is no different. In their heyday, the fat-tubed Cannondale’s were never known for being compliant. Condition: New Model: Topstone Carbon. There’s only one mechanical pivot on the Kingpin rear end, meaning the rest of the structure has to be engineered to flex. The Cannondale Topstone Apex1 Is a Gravel Bike That’s Ready to Get Rowdy Start your adventure today on a drop-bar bike that is ready for anything. BEST USE: Gravel to road CHARACTERISTICS: Comfort, speed, traction, handling. I wouldn’t quite characterize the ride quality up front as harsh — the bike still rides on 37c tires, mind you — but that huge down tube and head tube area flex about as much as you’d expect. Now, if you’re hoping to swap wheelsets between the Topstone Carbon and your current disc-equipped road bike … well, that’s another story. But had I wanted one that day, all I would have needed to do is install some narrower and faster-rolling rubber — and, indeed, when I did on the Topstone Carbon, its handling and overall feel rivaled plenty of high-end carbon road bikes I’ve ridden in recent years. I’d say that the alloy Cannondale Topstone provides a good alternative to the pricier Topstone Carbon range, if you’re looking for a gravel bike that won’t break the bank. The dramatically dropped seatstays require the rear brake caliper to be mounted up high, instead of on the chainstays. With its high-volume tires, confident rider position, and sporty handling, it is ready to smash out big miles on the backroads, explore routes less traveled, or smooth out the chop on your morning commute. “That said, the behavior of the frame and seatpost can’t be completely separated from one another.”. The Cannondale Topstone Carbon is a superb all-around carbon gravel bike, but it’s not without a few compromises. I tested the Topstone AL 105 on both smooth and rough gravel roads, as well as trails, pavement, and granite rock, sand, and dirt. 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