Cyclist
New Cannondale Topstone has more clearance, integrated cables and in-frame storage
Cannondale has launched the third generation of its Topstone Carbon gravel bike, which adopts all the main trends in gravel bike design in the last few years. The 30mm travel KingPin rear suspension is still there, but the new bike features integrated cabling and in-frame storage. Tyre clearance gets a rise and is now 52mm for the frame and 56mm for the rigid fork.
The new Topstone Carbon is available in six specs, one with a Lefty Oliver carbon suspension fork with 40mm of travel, the rest with a rigid carbon fork. There’s a mix of 1x and 2x 12-speed groupsets from SRAM and Shimano, including 1x GX Eagle Transmission options.
Prices range from $3,400 / €3,299 to $7,300 / €7,499 and claimed weights from 8.9kg to 10.3kg. UK prices are TBA.
More integration
Changes to the new Topstone are modest. First up, there’s now integrated cabling through the Conceal alloy stem and into the top of the headset. It makes for a tidier look and also makes fitting a bar bag easier.
As with integration, internal storage is a feature of many newer gravel bikes – see for example the updated Giant Revolt – as well as many of the latest all-road bikes and endurance bikes. The new Topstone is no exception, with what Cannondale calls a StashPort in the down tube under the water bottle mounts. All specs come with a StashBag to fit.
Many of the details of the new Topstone Carbon are carried over from the previous bike, including the OutFront frame geometry, KingPin 30mm travel rear suspension and the option to fit a Lefty Oliver carbon suspension fork. This now has 40mm of tuneable travel, increased from the previous generation’s 30mm and matching the longer travel version of the Rockshox Rudy XPLR suspension fork.
Cannondale has swapped to a UDH rear derailleur hanger. This allows it to offer SRAM 1x builds with Transmission Full Mount rear derailleurs. It’s not chosen to spec Red XPLR AXS 13-speed, although there are two specs equipped with SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed T-Type derailleurs.
The clearance for the rigid fork is now a generous 56mm, while for the Lefty suspension fork it’s 47mm. Frame clearance is 52mm, up from 45mm for the last generation Topstone, although chainstay length remains a relatively tight 42mm. In all cases, Cannondale measures with 4mm around the tyre.
Cannondale has tweaked other aspects of the geometry, with a lower bottom bracket and lower standover.
All the design details
As usual with a gravel bike, there’s a host of details that are flaunted by the maker to prove the design’s versatility, which we’ll run through next.
The new Topstone continues to offer a BSA threaded bottom bracket. Shimano users can fit a maximum 1x44T or 2×40/31T crankset, while SRAM users can fit a 1x44T or 2×43/30T.
There’s the usual complement of three bottle cage mounts, with extra luggage/cage bosses on the rigid fork. You can fit mudguards, reducing clearance, although there are no rack mounts.
While the new SuperX, launched last month, adopts Cannondale’s Delta Steerer also found on the SuperSix Evo, the Topstone Carbon retains a round steerer, for compatibility with the Lefty Oliver fork and other suspension forks, and so that the Lefty fork can be fitted to bikes from other brands.
Although the frame is dropper post compatible, none of the specs come with one fitted, even the Topstone Carbon 1 Lefty AXS spec bike with front and rear suspension.
Finally, while some specs of the last generation Topstone Carbon, including the Topstone Carbon 2 L that we reviewed, came with SmartSense lighting, Cannondale isn’t offering the system on any specs of the new Topstone Carbon. The frame is still compatible, although Cannondale says it doesn’t now sell SmartSense 2 aftermarket. It looks like adieu to another Cannondale spec experiment.
Cannondale Topstone Carbon specs, weights and prices
Cannondale will sell the Topstone Carbon in six specs at launch, all with 700c wheels and in six sizes: 48, 51, 54, 56, 58 and 61.
It uses its Proportional Response Construction, where geometry and carbon lay-up, as well as the KingPin suspension tuning, are designed to give a similar ride feel across frame sizes.
At launch, Cannondale will sell the Topstone Carbon with one frame grade; the last generation Topstone was available as a LAB71 frameset, but there’s currently no equivalent for the third generation bike.
Topstone Carbon LTD Di2
- Frame: Topstone Carbon
- Fork: Topstone Carbon rigid
- Groupset: Shimano GRX RX825 Di2 48/31T / 11-34T, 12-speed
- Wheels: Reserve 40|44 GR carbon rims on DT Swiss 240 hubs
- Tyres: Vittoria Terreno Dry 45mm
- Bars: Easton EC90 AX carbon
- Stem: Cannondale C1 Conceal alloy
- Saddle: Fizik Terra Argo X3
- Seatpost: SAVE Carbon
- Claimed weight: 8.9kg (size 56)
- Price: $7,300 / €7,499
Topstone Carbon 1 Lefty AXS
- Frame: Topstone Carbon
- Fork: Lefty Oliver Carbon, 40mm travel
- Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS/GX Eagle T-Type, 42T / 10-52T, 12-speed
- Wheels: Reserve 40|44 GR carbon rims on Lefty 50 (F), DT Swiss 370 (R) hubs
- Tyres: WTB Raddler TCS Light 44mm
- Bars: Easton EC70 AX carbon
- Stem: Cannondale C1 Conceal alloy
- Saddle: Fizik Terra Argo X5
- Seatpost: SAVE Carbon
- Claimed weight: 9.8kg (size 56)
- Price: $6,500 / €6,999
Topstone Carbon 2 AXS – 1x
- Frame: Topstone Carbon
- Fork: Topstone Carbon rigid
- Groupset: SRAM Apex AXS/GX Eagle T-Type, 42T / 10-52T, 12-speed
- Wheels: WTB KOM Team i25 TCS on Formula hubs
- Tyres: WTB Riddler TCS Light 45mm
- Bars: Cannondale 2 ShortDrop alloy
- Stem: Cannondale C1 Conceal alloy
- Saddle: Fizik Terra Argo X7
- Seatpost: Cannondale 2 carbon
- Claimed weight: 9.9kg (size 56)
- Price: $4,300 / €4,299
Topstone Carbon 2 GRX – 2x
- Frame: Topstone Carbon
- Fork: Topstone Carbon rigid
- Groupset: Shimano GRX RX820, 48/31T / 11-34T, 12-speed
- Wheels: WTB KOM Team i25 TCS on Shimano TC500 hubs
- Tyres: WTB Riddler TCS Light 45mm
- Bars: Cannondale 2 ShortDrop alloy
- Stem: Cannondale C1 Conceal alloy
- Saddle: Fizik Terra Argo X7
- Seatpost: Cannondale 2 carbon
- Claimed weight: 9.9kg (size 56)
- Price: $4,000 / €3,999
Topstone Carbon 3 GRX – 1x
- Frame: Topstone Carbon
- Fork: Topstone Carbon rigid
- Groupset: Shimano GRX RX820/610, 40T / 10-51T, 12-speed
- Wheels: WTB ST i25 TCS on Shimano TC500 hubs
- Tyres: WTB Riddler TCS Light 45mm
- Bars: Cannondale 3 alloy
- Stem: Cannondale C1 Conceal alloy
- Saddle: Selle Royal SRX Open
- Seatpost: Cannondale 3 alloy
- Claimed weight: 10.3kg (size 56)
- Price: $3,400 / €3,299
Topstone Carbon 3 GRX – 2x
- Frame: Topstone Carbon
- Fork: Topstone Carbon rigid
- Groupset: Shimano GRX RX820/610, 46/30T / 11-36T, 12-speed
- Wheels: WTB ST i25 TCS on Shimano TC500 hubs
- Tyres: WTB Resolute TCS Light 42mm
- Bars: Cannondale 3 alloy
- Stem: Cannondale C1 Conceal alloy
- Saddle: Selle Royal SRX Open
- Seatpost: Cannondale 3 alloy
- Claimed weight: 10.2kg (size 56)
- Price: $3,400 / €3,299
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