Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty 1 Review | Full Suspension Gravel Superbike
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- čas přidán 15. 06. 2024
- The Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty 1 has been re-imagined in 2021 as a full-suspension gravel bike with an all-new Lefty Oliver fork with 30mm of travel, and 650b wheels.
A big thanks to our sponsors for helping us make this year's Bike of The Year a reality: Muc-Off, Lazer, 100%, Q36.5 and Garmin. The video contains product placement from our sponsors but rest assured our reviews will always remain impartial, backed up by our expert test team.
Last year’s Cannondale Topstone - with its innovative Kingpin suspension frame - was one of our favourite gravel bikes and a finalist in our Bike of the Year award. This year Cannondale has gone one better, adding front suspension into the mix and taking the Gravel Bike of the Year crown for 2021.
While the bike has its quirks, it's an immensely enjoyable bike to ride, and pushes the boundary beyond what many “gravel bikes” are capable of.
But as always, let us know what you think of the Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty 1 in the comments. Is the lefty fork pushing it towards mountain bike territory? Comment below, we'd love to hear your thoughts👇
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#CannondaleTopstone #BikeofTheYear #LeftyFork - Sport
Is the lefty fork pushing it towards mountain bike territory? Comment below, we'd love to hear your thoughts👇
Just buy a bloody mountain bike at this point...lol seriously
No since it's only 30mm of travel and geo is still gravel; unlike a bike like the Fargo or Cutthroat with a 100mm mtb fork.
This bike winning the best gravel bike, re-evaluates the gravel bike definition. It was only a matter of time.
Scott spark (XC thoroughbred) has just gone 120/120mm F/R. We obviously all want to ride gnarlier terrain roadies include!! 🤟🏻
I wish at least the fork's crown were symmetric (and had a LED front lamp, in order not to just add an extra weight). ;)
Definitely heading in the mountain bike direction especially at that absurd price come on guys £7500 for a gravel bike and £6500 for the endurance bike winner during a pandemic!! seems far to much money to me.
There are production xc race bikes more than 2kg lighter. I’m not sure that comparison actually justifies the weight for the price.
My friend. Bike industry has gone crazy a long time ago. Just search for top end bikes and top end motorcycles (with much more tecnology). They are the same price
The lefty on this bike, which I have been riding for 4 months, is nothing like any suspension fork on a mountain bike. The fork operates with no sag. It offers big blow protection but otherwise stays out of the way. I find myself really leaning into the bars as I power over rough terrain and the rear on this bike is matched really well to the front. Again, nothing like any full suspension mountain bike out there, this bike is a bump attenuator, not a bump eater, especially with lower tire pressure to soften the high frequency stuff. There really isn’t much similar to this bike being manufactured today but I fully expect that to change as these bikes replace mountain bikes for people like me. People saying “just go get a xc mtb and put drop bars on it” are missing it. I have both, and 100mm travel is just overkill for road, 30mm is almost invisible on road. This is a road bike that goes off-road.
These days I can stand about ten seconds of someone rambling off a script that's mostly pasted manufacturer copy, before completely zoning out. Bike looks cool I guess.
annoying agreed. they should give me bikes that i will actually review without bias.
@@Timtimzi if you could do it better what’s stopping you?
AMEN, it folks that are simply the chief critics of all. Miserable, lonely, and insecure. I would know.... being a therapist. All signs are evident. Lasy folks complain opposed to reading and cross referencing. Most have bikes from say THE BIG T , WALLYWORLD ECT LOL. HAPPY SAFE RIDING GOOD MAN. !!!!! WONDER WHAT HOG ROLLS OUT ON. GREAT BATTERY SKATEBOARDS .SIMPLE AMAZING!@hogdog567
There are increasingly two types of gravel bike ranges…..
1. A road bike that does some off-road
2. an off-road bike that does some road
I think there is a strong argument the second segment is already well served by XC mountain bikes.
Yea i see that too. But CX bikes are the ones right in the middle.
Beautiful bike. That price though... That was the choice I was facing when getting my gravel bike. Ended up with a Grail, £2000 with axs... Really hard to see the value in spending another £5000.
My thoughts exactly.
Nice bike, but silly money.
I'm buying a new-old stock CX1 build Slate I found looking lonely and unloved in a bike shop for more or less what you paid for your rig. It doesnt have electric gears, but it does have a lefty. And the frame is alloy - I like metal!
If you want a xc mountain bike just go and buy one. They are lighter, more capable and definitely cheaper. May be stick some drop bars on. DK XL has just been won on such a bike in the women's category. Just wait two or three years and the manufacturers will get to the same conclusion. I use a gravel bike for ... well, riding gravel (and some road). Not trails. If I ride trails I will use my mountain bike. Both are good bikes. Perfectly suited to do their respective jobs. Best of all, their combined prices are cheaper than that ugly thing...
the idea of gravel bike is simplicity wasn’t it? and underbike to make ride a bit more challenging?
Maybe for some people. For me my idea of a gravel bike is just a drop bar bike with larger tire clearance and closer-to road gearing. I really don't care about whatever else gets added for comfort.
That's why I have a gravel bike as my main road bike, and a drop bar XC hardtail as my "gravel bike"
I've done some long gravel rides that beat me up. Some suspension would have been great and I wouldn't have tired out as soon.
Carbon hardtail 29er would be lighter and cheaper.....and I'm a gravel bike rider.....I can't really see the point of this bike. I'd love to have a go on it though to change my mind perhaps ?
At this point, just buy an XC bike and put a dropbar on it instead.
Good review mate 💪👍
I have a topstone that I converted to a lefty and 1x11 with clutch derailer and dropper post. I own several bikes of different disciplines 15 in all. Without a doubt my topstone is my go to. I love this bike. Anything less than a road club ride all the way to just short of the downhill park.
Top class review, sir 😀
mans wearing Clutch!! Knows what's good so listen good! And gorgeous bike, omg
Yes, I notice is the second time he wear one of their shirts. Own back in the days their first "cassette" (yes, I'm old)😣
@@C.Medina ha, no worries. Music is timeless, my first ever show I saw was clutch live downtown toronto and loved them, I hope to see them again when covid is over. Happy to see a fellow clutch fan!
@@unfixedgears since you live up north and close to buffalo make sure to go to one of snapcase reunion shows, if they ever do another. Great band in the hardcore scene back in the 90's. Take care brother!
Clutch t-shirt. Nice!
Clutch 👍. Cheers from Poland
Again we love you from Iraq
Being underbiked is great fun. I use it to test my skills but also go further more efficiently than I would on my MTB. Being off road is much nicer than pure road and I can play off road still
the bike market is going nowhere next year Im gonna have to decide whether to buy a Toyota Highlander or a new gravel bike
new bike of course, why bother asking?
I agree with a lot of the other comments. Why wouldn't someone go hardtail carbon XC bike?
Drop Bars and Body position makes longer road or straight gravel section more fun / way faster
@@Cryr213 3
Why would they? What’s the benefit?
@@hogdog567 weight and price
Great review… I’m surprised they haven’t done anything with the fatty ultra for their gravel bikes.
Me too. They should reintroduce a Headshok for their lower end gravel bikes (in 30mm travel, slim looking and with through axle)
@@mrtnknrr I think that would be really good..
Hi Bike Radar!
How much reduction in the overall flex of the kingpin system (30 mm) should i expect if i decide to go for a dropper post?
What sort of depreciation rate is expected for such a high-end bike? I think if you have a dropper post you'd be riding terrain where you would want a flat bar also. Then you are in mountain bike territory. I see such a bike being used for day long adventures and therefore light storage is a need. What options are there for this?
It be great to see this comparison shootout with Niner MCR & Salsa Cutthroat with 100mm travel.
I'm not a fan of the lefty fork or even a customer at that price, but I like the direction they're heading, and look forward to the trickle down tech.
Why are you not a fan. It supposedly is lighter, stiffer, and has less stiction than a regular suspension fork.
@@DaveCM
I don't like propriety gear when it's not necessary.
Need an axle, gotta be lefty. Need a hub, gotta be lefty etc...
Dangerholm made a lighter 150/140mm mtb 😂
That’s a mountain bike baby!
I have been thinking for a long time that I would like to have something like this lefty fork or the old cannondale headshock on my road bike. If the sailing is smooth, just lock it. But I do really feel battered by the roads one has to ride too often and just a few centimeters of suspension would go a long way there. Same point for fast decends.
Maintenance free Bearing:
Bike Shop Customer: hey I’m hearing a creak coming from somewhere on my bike.
Maintenance free bearing? You didn’t ride it long enough. The Oliver is absolutely fantastic.
7:02 10kg is nowhere near a superlightweight MTB hardtail (this topstone of yours is a hardtail, not a full sus - some flex of carbon will never replace a shock with a damping unit, anyone who rode a full sus bike will tell you). And it is not even in a same league in terms of offroad capabilities comparing to XC mountain bikes. Stop telling people this nonsense. And no, MTB does not suddenly come to a halt when it sees a glimpse of tarmac, it is just not fun for an MTBer to ride it.
Wait? It's already here, Salsa's been offering for a long while now with the Fargo & Cutthroat. Kona Sutra ULTD is getting close there too.
I have a Cannondale Slate 2017 model and have changed it try to get what the Topstone now offers - dropper post/compact chainrings/42t cassette/tires with reasonable tread. The Slate should have had all of these from the start, and the Topstone at its elevated price should include 700c wheels + 650b wheels and a dropper post. The Slate is a great bike, and like the Topstone doesn’t feel as heavy as it is while riding, especially after I put appropriate gearing on it.
Ive got a Slate too. I found a new old stock CX1 build on sale for a song and jumped at it.
It weighs in at 9kg on the dot. That's a full 1kg lighter than the topstone carbon. If I need a softer rear end, I can fit my Redshift shockstop seatpost ... and still come in under 10kg.
Lefties are cool. I'd be afraid to see what happens when you bottom out the rear. They should have made the rear triangle swappable for ones for specific rider weights (or replacements when you bottom it out)
I'd would really love to see bike industry practise fair prices and make good bikes like this for the masses.
How many mtb categories is too many mtb categories?
I feel like there were too many when the concept of standard gravel bikes came along
Offset rear wheel, fiddly dedicated front hub, weirdo fork, niche wheel size, bearings in the frame, integrated stem. Too much weird in one bike for my taste.
Cannondale has pushed technology on bikes much more than any other bike brand. You call it "weird", I call it innovation. Without these we would still be riding 25kg bikes without a freewheel.
Every review I see of this bike the upper brake cable holder on the lefty comes unstuck! It did this on mine too. Other than that I LOVE my top stone lefty, so much so I sold my MTB. The topstone is super capable and I regularly ride it on MTB trails. I should add that I got the "cheaper" Lefty 3. It is a super all around-er. Oh I added a dropper to mine.
Ide say comparison against niner MCR 9 RDO may be interesting
Can someone please explain to me why they didnt go for the normal suspension
Cannondale developped their Lefty fork two decades ago now. They claid this design as lighter and stiffer than a standard two legs fork. They just adapted their Lefty for gravel
what happened to slate?
Is this mountain bike gone too far down the road bike territory? Let us know and comment below. We'd love to hear your thoughts.
I have a gravel bike and we ride it because it is the do it all bike. Fast on gravel and road. This bike is to far toward mountain bike territory for me. I like a road bike that can go down gravel roads. So I am on the other end of the spectrum.
Eventually Gravel bikes will soon again look exactly like a mountain bike with... a flat bar and rear suspention.
Today all off-road style bikes are blurs from each other. From gravel, XC, all-trail, flow, etc are all on a scale. Some are just on one side of the scale. While I don’t understand “Gravel” and would choose a XC 29’er with 100mm travel. Who am I to hate on two wheel love?!?!?
Can't you just put thinner tyres on a light xc bike?
Sure, but why?
@@hogdog567 There is a point where they cross over and maybe this is it. An XC bike will always be better value
I’m enjoying the bike so far czcams.com/users/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA My only real complaints are the brakes and the pedals. I feel like a bike designed for bigger people should have much larger pedals and more heavy duty brakes. I’ve only gotten two really good rides out of it, minimal downhill action, and the brakes feel like they’re already going out. A larger person has more momentum, so I think this wasn’t thought through very well. Also, I wear size 13-14 wide shoes. My feet cramp up on these pedals that are clearly made for smaller feet. Since I’m not a pro rider (and I don’t think many are who purchase this bike) I don’t think that the straps on the pedal are necessary at all. None of this takes away from the enjoyment I get from riding, however. I’ll just head to a bike shop to improve on a few things.
I guess I’m just a way of feeling o
6:49 was that a snake??!!
the lines are far too blurry now...
all this tech and in the end of the day it only resembles more and more the xc bikes from the 90´s
we got 5 Gravel Bikes....... an than this picture...... out of all pictures that you possible have..... Sometimes it fails in the absolut beginning.....
7k for a bike that weighs 10kg... A Scott scale 900 WC costs 5700, weighs almost a kilo less and with its larger wheels I rekon would be near as makes no difference as fast on road and with propper suspension and flat bars would defiantly be alot faster off road, gravel bikes do not combine on road and off road they compromise at both, there may be some riders that makes sense for but I just don't get it!!
What's next, a flat and wider steering wheel? 😅. That starts to look a lot like a MTB
But why…
Because they're scared of being called a mountain biker 🙄
@@nebnollock5198 It's clearly not a mountain bike (and yes I own an MTB). The geometry and suspension are way different. Why is it so hard to understand? Gravel bikes are all-road bikes. They're road bikes that can be ridden on all surfaces. No one in their right mind is sending them on downhill trails and rock gardens.
Why not?
Does it still weigh 22 lbs? lolz.
Cannondale doing their own thing again… not in a good way!
Unless sorcery is involved, 10kg is 10kg...
so xc bike with drop bars . Got it. 🤦
I put some woodchipper drop bars on my old 29er lefty hardtail. more capable and lighter than this bike. and only cost me $750....
Errrm get a xc bike. I got a gravel bike for when I'm not on my trail bike plus the maintenance is easy. This just makes no sense to me.
Just buy a mountain bike? And not to be too negative but does anyone ride a lefty???????
A bike that ran over a mine and lost it's right leg....an acquired taste...
Its just stupid..
You know what's better than this bike... is the cheapest Topstone carbon with a SR suntour gvx fork for about 1/3 of the price and ridiculous proprietary pain the lefty fork comes with. But that's just my opinion. And yes I have the the topstone carbon.
Inguardabile, una schifezza …
so, why? Just buy a hardtail MTB
Suspension, 650b wheels... Just get a cross country bike.
Bike for the attention seekers.
🤢
It’s just plain ugly, heavy and overly complex. I’m a gravel bike advocate, but not this one!
22 lb🐷🤮
What an absolutely pointless bike
Very ugly bike