mstateglfr 

https://bikerumor.com/cannondale-int...rting-at-1350/
Cannondale spec'd it with a threaded bottom bracket and normal dished rear wheel.
45mm clearance, relatively quick steering for a gravel bike, and relaxed head tube.

Nice to see this, since the Topstone morphed quickly from competitive quality value bikes to goofy niche expensive options.

dwmckee

Yeah, they were lost for a while to the goofy side.

Rolla

I hate those seatstays, although to be fair, Cannondale is hardly the only ones doing them like that. Funny that a threaded BB is newsworthy…

dwmckee

softreset

It's interesting that the Topstone 1, 3 & 4 have the old rear triangle but the 2 does not. Is it just old & new blending on the website?

bald1der

The updated Cannondale website shows all the new frames are updated.

softreset

https://www.cannondale.com/en-us/bik...loy/topstone-1
https://www.cannondale.com/en-us/bik...loy/topstone-3

Those load up on my browser with the old rear triangle. The Topstone 3 even says "new"

bald1der

You’re correct. I’m sorry I was thinking of an article I read that had pictures of all the frames being updated.

https://bikerumor.com/cannondale-int...rting-at-1350/

Steve B.

FWIW, the aluminum Topstones never had re-dished rear wheels, that was only the carbon that had suspension. My 2019 aluminum has a BSA b-bracket as well.

StarBiker

Local REI had one for $2300, to lazy to look for the model. No way would I pay $2300 for that bike!

mstateglfr 

Based on what you list for bikes, you havent purchased one in over a decade. Bike costs are crazy right now and value is tough to find, but at the same time, your view of things is clearly skewed and pretty moot.

msu2001la

I think all carbon Topstones (even the non-lefty models) previously had the Ai offset frame design that required a re-dished rear wheel. Cannondale introduced a new carbon Topstone in April that has a standard rear triangle and a threaded BB. They still make the SuperSix Evo CX/SE with offset rear and pressfit BB's though it seems likely that those bikes will follow a similar path and go with threaded/standard geo.

That said, I own a 2020 SuperX with the offset rear and it's not really that big of a deal. I bought a new set of Zipp 303S wheels earlier this year - the shop I ordered them from was not a Cannondale dealer, and made a big deal about not wanting to dish them, so I took them to another shop (the one where I bought my Cannondale) and they did it in like 10 minutes and didn't even charge me. The main downside to Cannondale's Ai geometry is that you can't swap wheels between bikes, which is a fairly specific situation.

Steve B.

My reply was based on the thread title which indicated the AL - or Aluminum models, not the carbon. Did the early Carbon models with rear suspension use an aluminum rear triangle ?, I was not aware of that.

msu2001la

Sorry for the confusion. When you said "with suspension" I assumed you were talking about the model with the lefty fork, hence why I clarified that it was "all carbon models". To clarify, all carbon topstone frames had/have the Kingpin setup, which allows the rear triangle to flex and provides some suspension travel. The design relies on flexy carbon chain stays and I don't think would work with aluminum, which is why the aluminum models are rigid.

The new Carbon topstone no longer has the Ai Offset, but still has the same Kingpin setup.