Cannondale Topstone: Full Suspension Gravel Bike?!

[@tombassford7637]

I’m not even in the market for a new bike but gosh dang that was so entertaining

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

My day has been made!

[@dovgoldberg]

@@EverythingsBeenDone perhaps the most fun review I have seen.

[@Halfful]

That was super fun.

[@CameronPriceJ]

same here, I come by curiosity and to be entertained!

[@enzonl]

Agreed! First time in this channel, which came with the search of Topstone Alloy 1. Very nice channel, keep up with the content.... Might have to buy this version instead! 😅

[@jago7735]

Great video, funny clips. I own a Lefty 2, bought it last year (2023). First thing I did, got rid of the wheel set, I know a pro wheel builder, custom carbon (newmen rims, popular in Germany) with DT Swiss 240 hubs (yes, they still manufacture a 240 lefty hub), can't remember the spokes, but now the bike feels much better. I changed the cockpit, bike comes in a L size with a 44 cm handlebar and 9 cm stem, I now have a Ritchey WCS ergomax in 42 cm with a Ritchey WCS stem in 8cm. Next step, keep the 40 T chainring, and go for the new 12-speed Shimano GRX, with 11-51 cassette. All in all, a great frame, great suspension for rough gravel trails, lefty fork and king-pin is awesome, no pain in forearm, elbow, shoulder, back, I can recommend this bike 100% but it needs changes, and they cost! Cheers!

[@BoxCarBoy12]

I’m a practical guy so I say no to anything proprietary, especially if there’s a non-proprietary way to solve the same issue. It doesn’t get more proprietary than this bike’s lefty and wacky rear wheel dish, so this topstone gets a hell no from me

[@matthewshaw3747]

I don’t think the current gen has the weird wheel dish anymore. But the fork is obviously about as proprietary as they come.

[@monguzzle]

As someone who got bent over by SCS on the first Diverge, I hear you.

[@nosegrindv4951]

@@monguzzle wheel dish back to normal for the 2022's

[@MrShermanator]

You wouldn't want anything proprietary. I mean, what if something proprietary became a norm? Like GPS or digital cameras or MTB's with suspension (like those things will ever catch on)? Cannondale has always been an innovator.

[@matigati8]

Got the last year's Topstone Lefty with 650 and it's so much fun. Thank for this video DK and keep on graveli'n!

[@GeekonaBike]

Here's an Ideal, run the 650b 2.1 on the back & a fatter 700c on the front & call it a 659er.

[@JakeLuke308]

You absolutely are the tippy top of the bike/ gear review folks on the interweb. How do you conceive these edits, scenes, voiceovers and your back and forth conversations with yourself? I'm so happy I stumbled onto this channel. Bravo sir!

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Jake I appreciate your positive words and good vibes! 🤜❤️🤛

[@paulbrunner1818]

I liked the lefty on my mtn bike, but the BIG problem was servicing. It typically took a month to have it done. Too much down time. I switched to the Pike.

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

This is Such a great point!! I totally dropped the ball mentioning this. I didn’t even think about it. Massive point. Thank you for mentioning.

[@MrJonas2255]

It can be even longer in certain parts of the world. Cannondale pulled most of the tooling availability support for the lefty so the majority of shops can't even do it anymore. You have to send it back to Cannondale.

[@froggy0162]

Why did it take a month to service it? Should only take you a couple of hours tops, including taking it off the frame.

[@jago7735]

I own a lefty 2, still no service needed, but I am thinking about it, when the time comes, Cannondale's "after service" in Germany is really bad, not even the dealers selling new bikes from Cannondale know about who can service them, but these are things you find out after buying the bike.

[@michaelmcnulty6115]

God dammit how are you doing reviews, and even a commercial in the middle AND STILL MAKING ME LOVE IT?!?!

[@n22pdf]

Love my Topstone Lefty brilliant.. got rid of the dropper.. wheels can be built I've got Carbon wheels on mine with the lefty hub

[@jago7735]

I own a lefty 2, I had custom carbon wheels (newmen, German brand) with DT Swiss 240 hubs made, cost me 1300 euros to make, but the bike now feels fantastic. The WTB KOM wheelset is crap, I still have it in my garage, no one will buy that.

[@the_derpler]

I just bought a 300$ 90s hard tail with cozy bars and it was telling it was just as much fun as my 4000$+ fancy gravel bike.

[@mortenbjoernsvik6550]

A friend got a lefty, He bragged about it until he had to service it, it was more costly than my fox suspension and had to wait for special parts from cannondale not in hold

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

that is the biggest issue!

[@garysladek9110]

Dustin you should write and produce commercials, loved the Pro's Closet break. Cheers.

[@craigtayntor489]

Dustin is da man. Amazing guy. Intelligent, comical, sets his on trends ect ect ect. Go out of my way to see him. Dustin where do you get all your garn, hats, classes ect.... RAD. THE WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE WITH MORE PEPLE LIKE HIM. BELIEVE DA... DUSTIN APPEAL SHOPS 🙏 🎉😂

[@pauljellybeanjones5740]

You can fit a fender(I have one on ) you just need to think outside the box a little 😅

[@mathical]

How?

[@coreyreeder3549]

Agreed. If you’re adding suspension at the fork, just go all in. More Cutthroat and less Warbird.

[@JoeCincotta307]

I had a lefty Hardtail a few years ago before they incorporated the drop out lever to remove the brake caliper. It was a huge pain in the tush to take the tire off because I had to unbolt the brake caliper every time and then realign it every time. Glad to see, they made an improvement there.

[@mikicastan]

You have separate screws for untightening brake caliper that you dont mees aligment

[@High_Octane]

@@mikicastan he knows…

[@petecampbell8697]

You don’t need to take the wheel off to change the tyre though.

[@gabrielleavitt1838]

I’m still a fan of the cheap used MTB to drop bar conversion. I got a $200 Trek Gary Fischer and put a carbon fork and drops on it. Tons of clearance. $800 all in.

[@prostadadaj]

If you try lefty in rainy conditions, you will notice you get much more dirt hitting your face compared to a normal fork

[@alexredhair]

Yeah what's the fender options for the front?

[@prostadadaj]

@@alexredhair none

[@alexredhair]

@@prostadadaj gotta be something :) a plastic stick on?

[@TseiAess]

We had these bikes at a shop I work in, and had the 2x lever as a dropper lever. A bit fiddly to use at first but you get used to it!

[@thepaperclipcc]

"There's only half of a fork" killed me lol

[@jackhammer40k_]

Oh my. Who is that Professional Widow remix by ?! Majorly vibing

[@mxaexm]

Your videos are just getting better and better!

[@CalvinPuah]

love the star wars rebel alliance forest camo look :) You look like you're going for a ride thru Ewok country :P

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Makes my day that you noticed that!

[@Oliver-xz9km]

+1 😊

[@gcolonna]

@@EverythingsBeenDone where did you get that awesome vest??😎

[@philipwatson7883]

I ride the predecessor of the topstone lefty yes the Cannondale slate lefty 30mm travel too, and it sits on 650B’s. Way ahead of its time and in my opinion the topstone offers very little progression

[@Themildcyclist]

I basically have this bike since I built a 27.5 wheelset for my 26er scalpel xc MTB and put some 47 wide tires .

[@jonamcc]

would love to see pics of this

[@Generali087]

Holy cow, your content has really improved. With current bike sales/crashes going on I'm researching gravel bikes and came back to your channel. I've been a subscriber for a little while but man this was a great video.

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Kevin, You have just made my day! Thank you. PS Hope this video helped with your bike purchasing journey

[@David-mj2nx]

I would probably go for a Canyon Grizl the moment they include a passive rear suspension: - No propietary fork + hub technology (which means dynamo hub compatibility, existing wheel sets re usability, like 650b's...) - Better transmission group for a bit less money than the Topstone Carbon 2

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Good call!

[@askmeaboutmattweiner]

This bike always reminds me of when people put a lift kit on a Subaru. It's the bike equivalent of a battle wagon and I love it.

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Im here for the Battle Wagons!

[@coreyreeder3549]

Always wanted a lifted Subie!

[@jamieritter10]

A local dealer had the 1st gen lefty 3 back in 2020 and I grabbed it, which came with 650b's and does have the rear Ai dish thing. One thing I rarely see people mention with this lefty fork though is that it'll fit up to around a 27.5" x 2.4". I use a 2.25" maxxis ardent in front with a WTB sendero 47c rear for single track all the time, silly fun where it's rough...just silly when it's road to get there, though.

[@mikespadafora9077]

I had the first gen version and loved how it rode, best decsending road bike I ever owned. I hated all the proprietary bits😢

[@cocochanel9291]

I had one for about 5 days. They size larger than average. Weird to look down and see just the lefty fork as I rode but it was a decent enough bike.

[@lechprotean]

I thought that the tyre clearance is THE dealbreaker in this bike, but after some time on 50mm GravelKings, I am actually swapping between 38 and 35mm tyres depending on the event and season. That said, I feel like the 10mm travel at the back just saps the power from you for no measurable benefit and the lefty makes sense with lightweight MTBs as it's stiffer for a given weight, but with gravel, you are not supposed to go over super rought terrain where that extra stiffness i necessary. The knee-rubbing wires are something I wasn't aware but the relatively small weight and lack of mounts for bikepacking and the proprietary wheels were just too much to even consider this bike. Like I said I am swapping between two sets of tyres and at one point I also had my road bike wheels installed on my gravel when the gravel ones were in service so proprietary wheels is a hell no from me too.

[@bpfbpf2723]

not sure if anyone mentioned it but the fact that the dropper is not connected to grx brifter is just lazy assembly; the bike comes from cannondale with an adaptor to connect the shifter cable to the brifter. the problem(!) is both dropper and the shifter require the cable anchor, therefor if that's the way you wanna go you need to use the adaptor to connect to open ends of the two shifter cables (one coming from the dropper other from the shifter) inside this silly and relatively bulky adaptor...

[@mattraschke2084]

I initially thought that too. But the separate actuator on the bars allows you to drop the seat with your index finger while keeping a very firm tight grip. This feels safer when descending some sudden steep chunder that you weren’t expecting.

[@DilbertMuc]

I had the same annoying cable-knee problem on my Orbea MX and that was the reason I sold the bike after one summer. I wonder which dork designed this and has never tested it afterwards. 🤔

[@gregschramm8180]

Thanks but it’s got to many parts that you can’t get aftermarket

[@danielbum912]

That bros closet section was hysterical

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Thats whats up!

[@gregoryneal2852]

I have the previous iteration 650 and was thinking of replacing it with 700.

[@driventomadness117]

The algorithm brought me here. Your content us great and I've subscribed!

[@TheMalcolmElliot]

"A little less IPA and a little more Champagne of Beers" was so fucking funny!

[@robbo3132]

who makes the giro de italia cap?

[@Dreamweaver94]

The glasses and camo vest combo goes pretty hard.

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

player!

[@paulbrunner1818]

You CAN get (basic) fenders for the Lefty.

[@MrLoungist]

Um, no right fork. No need to remove wheel to change tire or tube.

[@nilsmack7657]

Great video. What's crazy is that the lefty is still a thing. As Gi Joe use to say, knowing is half the battle 😃

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

So true!

[@B1KER]

Great review. Always entertaining 🤘

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Much appreciated!

[@BradWadeNL]

Having a 1x with a left shifting lever very odd. Maybe it was a "supply chain" hack?

[@BrennanLetkeman]

I think they always come like that? not sure they even make lever-less versions

[@jago7735]

No, they offer the left shift lever if you ever want to change to a 2x crank

[@michaelblurry6559]

As someone who struggled with wheel issues on a Trek Thru Skew, I will glaldy stay away from this. Looks cool and love the ingenuity.

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Very smart move

[@arcadialive4265]

Here’s my honest opinion. I think cannondale is a great quality brand, but… I’ll never feel safe with half a fork, even if my opinion isn’t logical… it’s just how I feel.

[@DaveCM]

Understandable. The lefty is a well proven design and is very dependable. It is kind of hard to convince your brain of that, though.

[@arcadialive4265]

@@DaveCM exactly. We want to feel safe, even if it’s a perceived value.

[@Paul020]

Me too. However, have you ever flown in an airplane ?

[@arcadialive4265]

@@Paul020 flying is much safer than riding a bike 😂.

[@mscm4592]

Prolly not - flying is not logical and doesn't feel safe. (Eye roll)

[@z33r0now3]

Wish I knew the first background song. Seems like a remix of something I just can’t remember

[@JoshRoss]

Fun fact about the topstone lefty. Not only do you have to use a lefty front wheel but the rear wheel uses AI dishing so requires a custom dish as well. Basically the only possibility is building a new wheel set. Also, the 650 frame has a shorter chainstay and no one at Cannondale even knows if you can put 700c wheels on the 650 frame.

[@matthewshaw3747]

They ditched the weird dish of the rear wheel this year.

[@popejbryant]

Interesting my Slate lefty is lighter than the topstone

[@rolffuchs2737]

and much better looking

[@harryc7225]

Best review tempo, it's fun and ravey. How I ride

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

My people!

[@Fixingeverthingwithaengine567]

The gravmtb. Aka gravel mtb 👍

[@vzit1331]

is it possible to route the cables through a third-party stem or something? It just looks awful.

[@JBthePAdashC]

Canyon Grizl review!! The grape aluminum 1by

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

I appreciate the suggestions for bikes to review!

[@erlendsteren9466]

Thanks for fine video. Its a good bike, but I wonder if I should upgrade to two cogs in the front. Maybe 30-46? In stead of single 40 cog. Its a difficult descision because 40 front and 11-42 behind does cover a lot, and its nice to avoid the frontgearing. Any opinions? My bike is a commuting- and trainingbike usually going on asphalt and gravel. 40-11 is ca 35 km/h and 40-42 is ca 8,5 km/h which is comfortcruising at 5 degree climb. The 44 mm tyres feels fine both on gravel and asphalt.

[@jago7735]

I own a lefty 2, I will keep the 40 T front, but will go for a new cassette 11-51, I have to buy a new derailleur GRX 12 speed and the right grip as to be changed too to a new 12 speed GRX 800.

[@fraho6431]

Thanks Dustin for that awesome video! What is your opinion on suspension forks? Should it be on a gravel bike that rides mostly off-tarmac? And are 50 mm tyre width enough to replace a Mountainbike Hardtail that rides no technical trails?

[@alexredhair]

I want this bike. But the mudguard/fender is a issue for me since I live in a place that rains 90% of the time . What are the options? You said rear its possible, but for the front.? Anything can be done? (No GiJoe)

[@hansschotterradler3772]

🤔 Is the lefty still a fork?? For something to be an actual fork, don't you need at least 2 prongs?

[@charliechipster4669]

You the best bro!❤

[@ornotbike]

This video made me smile. All of it.

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Makes my day right there!

[@thomasspotzl4240]

The uncle analogy was pretty good. I don't know if it's true, but it's good.

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

The Trooth is in the Uncle 🤣

[@glbernini0]

If nothing else the bike is a great conversation starter!

[@midwesttreasureandrelicrec7914]

I own the original topstone carbon rx and absolutely love it but cringe at the thought of putting front sus on the bike. It flows down the gravel here in east central Kansas with precision. I can't see slacking the head tube angle and slapping on a lefty it seems at that point your in fast xc mtn. Territory. My large (58) with carbon FSA bars and Xtr pedals is setting in the 18 lb range and can handle all we have in unbound(dirty kanza)land.

[@MW-ud8zp]

I love the paintjob.

[@CaliradoKid]

Hahaha! Yes. We're ALWAYS chasing more stoke! 😂

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Which way did it go?

[@brandony1711]

The roadies did not look amused 😂

[@whuang23888]

so the seat tube dropper is adjustable via the handlebar switch?

[@icebergo6]

What eyeglasses are those…PLEASE tell me I can get them with prescription lenses?!?

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Did you check the description?

[@MrNegrepetit]

what about a topstone with a suspension stem?

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Which stem?

[@stevekelly6544]

My OCD craves symmetry, I just can’t get over the one side thing…..

[@icebergo6]

What glasses are you wearing

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

The answer is in the description of this video just sitting there waiting for you

[@robbo3132]

entertaining and informative review - cannondales look pretty nice, good to know more details thank just the marketing speak

[@1777DK]

Grountain bike it is.

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

yesh

[@m__r1100]

Better than a mounvel.....

[@groverhamann]

Every time I see that lefty fork I shout, "YOUR WHEEL IS FALLING OFF!!!"

[@ecomasterster]

great video! what are those glasses?

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

there's a link in the description stoked you like the video

[@crack0n]

how's creaking going?

[@celluloiding]

Ha, the look on Roadie #2's face was worth a million Baht! Thanks for the lefity/levity and analogy adjustment.

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Glad you liked it!

[@noahgenner1774]

Can anyone tell me which Garmin Varia mount is being used here? I think that is what is mounted at the seatpost collar. Can't get a good look at it.

[@trevorgibney6543]

KOM Cycling Varia Mount

[@johnfarr5415]

Cannondale hasn't had enough clearance on ANY of their gravel bikes since they started making them. THey've been behind the curve by like 2-3 years for sure. I remember Ted King rode the Super X in his Dirty Kanza wins choosing it over the Topstone due to clearance issues. And then if the gravel was light enough for narrower tires he'd ride the Synapse at places like SBT GRVL because you can put 32s on it and fly.

[@pookienumnums]

Champagne of Beers? Downcountry? Tweak??? Did Earl Scapoose write for this episode??

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

hahahaha

[@robbo3132]

are your glasses oakley sub zeros?

[@octodadmtbmartyrichards2862]

Nice review bro 😎

[@marcokalle2452]

The champagne of beers? Are we talking Miller High Life? Man i drank too much of them in Reno when i did a 3 week US tour with my former band in 2008... 🤪🍻

[@Gravelmisfit_]

You should review a rondo bike! :) I love mine :)

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Got any suggestions?

[@Gravelmisfit_]

I have the rondo ruut al 2 it’s around $3000 Canadian they say it’s a “entry” level bike but they be taken this thing everywhere. Including fat bike trails in my harsh Canadian winters. So that one 🤪🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@Gravelmisfit_]

Also I love your videos man. My wife and I where talking about taking a vacation for the Oregon gravel ride you did maybe I’ll see ya one day! Lol

[@AppleJack76]

I had a many ladies commenting on my consumption of the Champagne of Beers in college... Ah, Miller Highlife... Stay classy San Diego.

[@MarchWilliam]

With 650b it's just a Slate, which they don't make anymore.

[@CastleKnight7]

I just can’t get over the lack of symmetry with the front lefty. It looks imbalanced aesthetically, even though from your review it looks like a good bike.

[@RonBalone]

Vest ID?

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

Check! bit.ly/3zEgwNZ

[@RonBalone]

@@EverythingsBeenDone Thank you mon frere - vest is rad!

[@tevemullins8156]

Gimme all the bikes‼️ 😃

[@EpicEvolution]

So, any reason to choose this one over cheaper mtb ht build?

[@mattmacpherson1033]

Weighs the same as my Epic Evo,

[@sergeykartashov994]

Cannondale use magic )))

[@texarama]

I'm still trying to figure out the analogy between the Cutthroat, the Topstone, and the two uncles.

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

cutthroat is raw and real. The topstone is a fancy lad

[@BrianRPaterson]

Hey DK. Ace review. In my own ever-expanding search for stoke, I came across a new-in-box Cannondale CX1 Slate in my LBS for about US$2,800. As the predecessor to the Topstone, it has similar issues to the bike you tested. The official max tire clearance is 42mm, but it'll take 47-48mm rubber on a 650B wheel. And the gearing sucks for hills-- a 44T chainring and a 42-10 cassette. (But I can fix a lot of that for less than US$50 bucks by swapping in a 36T front ring) On the plus side, it has a Lefty Oliver fork with 30mm of travel and only weighs 9KG in a size L alloy frame. True, it's still a hardtail. But I have a Redshift shockstop seatpost that does an excellent job, and would only add a few hundred grams. (545g minus the weight of the existing post). All in all, I reckon it looks like a pretty good deal for an interestingly different bike.

[@pierrehenri2297]

Not sure i understand the design🤪 they could make it cheaper with the suspension at the back and wait for it… an actual fork!!! 🤘🏼🤣

[@lucasalvesjunior300]

Any time, any road. 4fun ever.

[@gregachtem]

When you were talking 650B I was yelling, "what about the Slate and Slate spares?". Looks like the Slate is well and truly gone. That's a shame.

[@EverythingsBeenDone]

I was always curious about that bike!

[@JoshRoss]

Effectively the same but more road bike.

[@eabe60094]

I have a Slate and I love it. But I had to swap the gears and a few other upgrades. It feels like Cannondale was experimenting things there without much of a clue of what that gravel thing would become.

[@JoshRoss]

@@eabe60094 I mean it came out in 2016 when gravel bikes weren't a thing yet. No one really know what it should be and there weren't a lot of components.

[@LaRuta-sk8rr]

Weighs more than my 2017 Trek Top Fuel

[@bmagaziner]

The production value and the fit #grountain

[@mogulmayhem]

Just in an HONEST MAN

[@sb9e]

Great bike , rides smooth kzbin.infoUgkxHL1v1R3NE5x4KiYfyt8dnQmyNYz7qi5L I added a bigger spring loaded seat to it . Takes a bit of adjusting cables to get brakes and shifting to perfect . I've owned quite a few bikes in the past that were absolutely uncomfortable to ride and they always ended up as garage wall decor . I'm not seeing that with this one. It's pretty light I've only ridden it a few miles but I like it . As for the pedals falling off in the other reviews , the pedal arms are aluminum along with the pedal studs look to be also . I would not overtighten them. I can see it would be very easy to overtighten them and strip the threads right off . All in all I think it's pretty good quality besides the aluminum pedal thing .