Best 2021 Gravel Bikes
Best 2021 Gravel Bikes
The Cannondale Topstone has been an extremely popular gravel bike these last three years. Even if you don't know a great deal about bikes. Scratch the surface of Cannondale, and it's easy to see why they are so popular. Renowned for their innovation. You don't create something like the CAAD13, The Lefty, SAVE suspension or the kingpin (to name a few) without pushing limits.
Whats New?
The latest offerings to the Topstone range are just as daring in design as ever. The genre-blurring Topstone Lefty comes in several models.
The Lefty Oliver provides 30mm of smooth bump taming suspension. An incredibly stiff precise handling structure that makes your ride faster more controlled and more fun.
On a single gravel ride, a rider can experience the most diverse set of surfaces from any bike ride. So you can imaging engineering an excellent gravel suspension is a challenge. The surfaces all demand different things from the suspension. The Lefty Oliver's Allover damper tune is designed to make the most of 30mm travel. By keeping you riding at near full extension until you hit a bump.
When you do the all over damper tune's spring curve produces a supple and bottomless feel. Keeping you in control while you float above impact. The Lefty is also designed to fit flat-mount callipers meaning it's compatible with almost all road disc breaks. The lockout feature means you can turn the suspension off completely say if you were riding only on the road. Setting up the Lefty is also straightforward. The Lefty comes with the Cannondale wheel sensor. So download your Cannondale app put in your weight it will tell you the pressure and rebound adjuster.
Innovative Suspension
The kingpin was introduced to the Carbon Topstone 2020 model. It was hailed as the most innovative suspension design ever developed for a road bike. Kingpin is characterised by a pivot at the seat stay and seat tube junction. As well as flex zones in the rear of the top tube, lower seat tube and the chainstays. This gives the average rider around 30 mm of smooth, progressive compliance. Without the additional weight and complexity of using a traditional rear shock suspension. The frame manages to maintain its rigidity for fast road riding via the Kingpin's LockR thru-axle pivot. Which locks the left and right seat stays together, preventing independent rotation for a solid feel and instantaneous response.
The result of the Lefty Oliver and kingpin essentially give you a full-suspension Gravel bike without compromising on weight. 650 (27.5) wheel and internal cable routing to ease the fitting of a dropper post should you want one! It's every cyclist dream come true the beauty of a road bike with plenty of trail capabilities. Not to mention the comfort that level of suspension achieves when off-road. We have to agree this genre-blurring bike has got to be one of the most exciting Gravel bikes available.
2021 Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty 1
2021 Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty 3
If that wasn't enough for you. 2021 see's the Topstone go electric with power assistance from Bosch's latest integrated battery and motor
system, the most advanced electric-assist units in the world. A mid-motor drive unit for balanced weight, giving you a natural feeling ride with excellent handling. Drive units provide incredible torque and power for effortlessly climbing hills and easily changing gear. The huge 500 Wh battery gives you the speed you need, with the juice to go the distance.
2021 Cannondale Topstone Neo Carbon Lefty 1
2021 Cannondale Topstone Neo Carbon Lefty 3
If you like the idea of going electric but don't feel you need the extra suspension of the Lefty. You can get the Topstone Neo Carbon which features a Full Carbon Fork
2021 Cannondale Topstone Neo Carbon 2
2021 Cannondale Topstone Neo Carbon 4
