Originally Posted by
westrid_dad
They both secure the wheel to the frame, yes. For me, this lever-less axle makes it easier to install/remove the wheel as I don't have to perform the "manual ratcheting" procedure you've accurately described with the stock through axle. Aesthetics aside, that's about it for me.
Thanks for the photos too! In my post above I speculated that flat mounting points on the rack might let the stock skewer clear, but given that your Salsa rack looks to have those, it seems like the tolerances are pretty tight, and that most racks won't work.
So yeah, anyone wanting to install a rack on a Topstone, prepare for ratcheting or a new axle! I wish Cannondale would have designed the bike with this in mind, given the mounting points were a pretty solid selling point for me, but so it goes. Perhaps that would have blurred the lines between touring and endurance geometry even more. As it is, I'm still happy with the ability to put panniers on the back for commuting, or ride it more like a road bike without the load.