New Cannondale Topstone

[R3awak3n]

I know some will hate this thing. I kind of like it, don't think I would buy one but would love to ride it. I am curious as how the lefty is compared to say a lauf. I think it looks MUCH better... I don't think I could ever have a lauf because its just too hideous.

[Elefantino]

CyclingTips review here.

[AngryScientist]

cool bike.

i would not own one because it is not for my "home turf" - but it would be fantastic if these show up in shops for rental purposes. i have a few rides in mind that this would be pretty perfect for. i guess this is the successor to the slate?

i tell you, the combination of 650B wheels and that pie plate of a cassette sure do look crazy. how big is that large cog??

[dpdan93]

Looks rowdy, into it

[hummus_aquinas]

Really wish they'd quit it with that freaking fork already.

[kytyree]

Maybe the 50T cassette?

Yeah, some of these bikes like this are pretty cool but I don't live somewhere that I'd get to use it enough. If I can get back to living near some mountains though...

[old_fat_and_slow]

Why does there appear to be a shift lever on the left side? I see only one chain ring.

[Toddykins]

I run a Lefty Oliver on my gravel bike. Do I think its strictly ‘necessary’ from a performance perspective, no. The most concrete performance benefit seems to be better tracking through rough corners. On the flipside, you do get some bob when thrashing the bike around. Do I think it is more ‘fun’, yes.

[GOTHBROOKS]

brake cables dont look very tidy in the front. and whats with the two diff sized holes on the driveside? for cable actuated front/rear ders? or a dropper? why is one bigger than the other if those all use the same diameter housing?

[batman1425]

Originally Posted by old_fat_and_slow

Why does there appear to be a shift lever on the left side? I see only one chain ring.

Etap. Right paddle downshift, left paddle upshift shift.

[batman1425]

Originally Posted by GOTHBROOKS

brake cables dont look very tidy in the front. and whats with the two diff sized holes on the driveside? for cable actuated front/rear ders? or a dropper? why is one bigger than the other if those all use the same diameter housing?

One is probably a Di2 port.

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

cool bike.

i would not own one because it is not for my "home turf" - but it would be fantastic if these show up in shops for rental purposes. i have a few rides in mind that this would be pretty perfect for. i guess this is the successor to the slate?

i tell you, the combination of 650B wheels and that pie plate of a cassette sure do look crazy. how big is that large cog??

Originally Posted by kytyree

Maybe the 50T cassette?

Yeah, some of these bikes like this are pretty cool but I don't live somewhere that I'd get to use it enough. If I can get back to living near some mountains though...

Its a 50T. 10-50 cassette from the mtb groupset.

[Jaybee]

Bless Cannondale for making weird Cannondale ****. Not everything they do is a hit, but they aren't afraid to try either.

[scoobydrew]

Pretty cool to see the Outer Shell saddle bag being strapped to this bike.

[yinzerniner]

This thing looks like a hoot to ride, and the cables aren't quite clean as a whistle, but anyone that rode the original Slate had a riotous time on it.

One thing to note is if the lefty Oliver fork (and matching front wheel) would work as an aftermarket replacement on other frames. As stated in the CT article the fork seems achieve the goals many other front suspensions have so far failed at in the gravel realm.

Also it looks like a fighting mantis in the side profile pic.