I don't mind the smart sense but the battery shouldn't be proprietary and the frame could have used a storage compartment like the Specializaed Diverge. How long will they support the battery for and it really does raise the question about sustainability and waste if you have this bike but the battery needs replacing in 2-3 years and they've already gone in different direction with the battery. Then you have this bike with a dedicated spot for a battery you can't use and while it could be used for a spare tube etc it's a waste of a spot when the battery could have been stored in the down tube along with some tools.
The battery is a deal breaker for me. I just can’t get past it. I would imagine there are many people in the same boat, I can’t imagine this is helping their sales. Otherwise, I really love this bike and it would be a great upgrade from my Topstone 1 alloy.
Love your videos as they are detailed real world reviews and you are a prolific poster. How do you find the time and have you ever reviewed a bike you don’t like? Every review comes across as really positive which is not a complaint but a testimony to your approach to your hobby.
Hi, can you tell us what rack you used and how it worked with the kingpin system? Thanks in advance 🙂. I read in a review that cannodale says you are not supposed to install a rack
Having done this route before on a MTB, I think a gavel bike is a good choice, especially considering that the ride back to the start was on the road. That said, the ride back on the road was quite spectacular too!
I’d recommend the Pirelli Cinturato M in 40 or 45c….much better on my Supersix EVO SE, I found the Riddlers fast on casual rides , but also prone to punctures, slow to seal up, and wear exceedingly fast.
Have been using the Cinturato M for a few months now across all different surfaces and it’s an awesome tyre. Very grippy, confidence inspiring in sand and mud, but still fast rolling on hard surfaces. Love it.
Hi David, I have used your reviews to decide which gravel bike to go for and landed on a Topstone Carbon 2, but I'm struggling with the Smart Sense light at the front and trying to fit it around a handlebar bag. You say in the video that because they are mounted on GoPro mounts you can swap them out - but I can't see a GoPro mount that would work. Can you remember what you used and how you set it up? Many thanks.
My Riddler's on their first run out got killed! Both front and rear ended up 40 miles in with two worms in each! Then the rear side had a cut so bad my finger could go through it! So innertube and a PT boot was needed to complete the ride! And this was only being ridden around the New forest! I ended up running Nano's on my Diverge and Topstone, old design but way way better off road
Hi David, thanks for the great review, love your setup and Wales looks amazing! Do you mind sharing the size you chose and your personal bio-geometry to it. The frame looks small compared to your height when you stand next to it. Thank you!
I am considering upgrading to a Sram AXS groupset and was debating between XPLR and Wide 2x. I thought that the Wide 2x with 30/43t in front and 10-36t in the back offers a better range (and lower climbing gear) that the XPLR with 40t in the front and 10-44t in the back? Looking at a more all-rounder gravel / all-road adventure bike set up, would you still recommend the XPLR over the 2x Wide setup?
I came from the 1x on my old Topstone and Exploro which I both just recently sold for a Supersix EVO SE with Rival AXS. With the 1x I felt it was also a compromise and I spent a lot of time hunting for a gear that gave me a comfortable cadence on long rides. The AXS 2x has a low end of 33t up front and a 36t in the rear which is plenty for most of my climbs. On the top end I have a 46t up front and a 10t in back which keeps me up with most roadie rides.
Cracking bike and lower end is a little more sensible £ although Cannondale seem to struggle in the UK with spec Vs £ compared to some other well known brands.
Would you know if anyone how heavy this bike is? I'm looking at the website and my budget is the topstone 3 or topstone LTD aluminum but there is no mention of weight anywhere.
My Topstone Carbon Rival AXS 2x (43/30 front, 10-36 rear, 12s) weight with Shimano M520 SPD pedals 10.2kg. Frame size S, DT G540 rims, Vittoria Terreno Dry 37mm. So not on the light side but can save on carbon rims and seatpost quite a lot. It's definitely no a race bike, but give a lot of fun thou.
Forgive me if you have already answered this but with the XPLR cassette, what size chainring would you have liked to have used to have the gearing you needed for such a tough ride? And is that what you would normally have on your bike packing/gravel bike? Many thanks and well done on crossing Wales.
43-30 crankset with an 11-36 cassette is the biggest 2x range you can get with SRAM eTap Force. To get more range, he would have to go to a mullet set-up.
@@GerardCantor Yes - but I was asking about the XPLR 1x set up David specifically mentioned in the video. I’m just wondering what chainring he would go with given his comment about having a lighter gear set up than the SRAM wide’s lowest 2x gear (30-36 or 0.83 ratio) he had on this ride. He said in the video he didn’t need a high gear for bikepacking, which makes sense. So I’m wondering if he would go for the 36 chainring 1x that would give him a lower gear (0.75) compared with his lowest 2x gear (0.83), obviously with the consequence of making his highest gear a 3.8 rather than a 4.3 ratio. Anyway, I’m just curious about David’s preference. The mullet set up does of course give bigger range but bigger gaps than the XPLR.
@@HKRoad I think solving the issue would require an after-market cassette (e.g. 11-40 or 42 which may cause free-hub compatibility issues) or chain ring (e.g. 40-28, but again there could be compatibility issues). SRAM does not offer a solve in this 2x set-up that I could find on their web site. A good mechanic may know an easy way to MacGyver this issue.
@@GerardCantor yes but that doesn’t answer my question to David about what chainring he would use with the XPLR cassette he spoke about in the video. So your answer misses the point as I’m not looking for alternative solutions - I am just asking David a question. If you think he is wrong to go with XPLR that’s a completely different subject to my question about chainring size
one year later can somebody give me a feedback about this bike, especialy if the KingPin suspension is really worth it? If I buy this bike it will last, i don't know 10 years if I will ride 90% only on tarmac?
What kind of shoes and pedals do you use when bikepacking? I have noticed that even a daytrip that includes a train trip is kind of annoying because I need to carry ”walkable” shoes with road shoes & pedals. On the other hand I don’t have experience of mtb pedals so no idea how comfortable they are during longer rides.
... Nice bike nice set up nicer challenge overcome, massive KUDOS!! BUT... about some stuff ... personally 2 by not 1 by works better as all-round bike even in stages you probably not use the bigger ring... the lights that is top notch very neat and nice BUT adding more things that need charge for more than 2 days you probably need where to recharge all that stuff lights you computerbike the batteries of the group set... and maybe add weight carrying spare batteries and a powerpack ? las BUT no least... I won't go adding weight in the front if I had room in the middle. just saying will mees the handling if is extreme hard enough when the course is as technical as we saw... anyways MASIVE KUDOS is a very awesome bike and challenge to over come.
I'm sure that's a great $8k bike... You didn't have to buy it. Smart sense is expensive garbage and was NOT needed on this trek my friend ! i.e. if you are doing this sort of gravel or ride, you don't need a pricey proprietary battery and lights and seeing if you are about to be overtaken ... by what ? a sheep ? There are much much better options in gravel for MUCH less money
I agree, the Garmin varia radar setup is really good , I don’t like the implementation that cannondale has done though…at least hide the battery and maybe offer some proper saddle bags that work well with the lights.
Funny how some of the bike industry has gone back to a threaded bottom bracket . Just like the push for EV cars is not as green as you think. Anything to make money in the world !
I don't mind press fit, personally never had any issues with it but seems most consumers now want threaded so that is what more bike brands are now supplying.
EV cars have been around for less than 10 yrs. The technology needs time to mature, that doesn’t mean it should be discarded completely. Think of how shitty and inefficient ICE cars were for the first 80+ years of their existence. Saying we shouldn’t even try to make a switch to EV is just fucking stupid.
I don't mind the smart sense but the battery shouldn't be proprietary and the frame could have used a storage compartment like the Specializaed Diverge. How long will they support the battery for and it really does raise the question about sustainability and waste if you have this bike but the battery needs replacing in 2-3 years and they've already gone in different direction with the battery. Then you have this bike with a dedicated spot for a battery you can't use and while it could be used for a spare tube etc it's a waste of a spot when the battery could have been stored in the down tube along with some tools.
Knowing the bike industry it will *definitely* not be supported anymore in 3-5 years, so you're spot on with that statement.
The battery is a deal breaker for me. I just can’t get past it. I would imagine there are many people in the same boat, I can’t imagine this is helping their sales. Otherwise, I really love this bike and it would be a great upgrade from my Topstone 1 alloy.
@@adrianc6534 most of the topstone carbons bikes don't have it, i definitely would chose one of the others for myself
3D print the container to fit the battery compartment. But your point still stands.
Valid argument... but then too you should abandon carbon frames. Not exactly "sustainable" either
LOVE the review, Sir! And I really appreciated the 80's cut-scene music as well ;-)
Thanks! 🤜
One step forward ditching the AI rear wheel spacing, two steps back adding smart sense.
Love your videos as they are detailed real world reviews and you are a prolific poster. How do you find the time and have you ever reviewed a bike you don’t like? Every review comes across as really positive which is not a complaint but a testimony to your approach to your hobby.
Hi, can you tell us what rack you used and how it worked with the kingpin system? Thanks in advance 🙂. I read in a review that cannodale says you are not supposed to install a rack
Thank you David! Awesome review!
Having done this route before on a MTB, I think a gavel bike is a good choice, especially considering that the ride back to the start was on the road. That said, the ride back on the road was quite spectacular too!
Does the Tailfin rear rack allow the Kingpin system to flex as intended or does it 'lock' the stays?
Hi David, what rack did you use on this bike
I’d recommend the Pirelli Cinturato M in 40 or 45c….much better on my Supersix EVO SE, I found the Riddlers fast on casual rides , but also prone to punctures, slow to seal up, and wear exceedingly fast.
Have been using the Cinturato M for a few months now across all different surfaces and it’s an awesome tyre. Very grippy, confidence inspiring in sand and mud, but still fast rolling on hard surfaces. Love it.
WTB’s in my experience with two different tyres aren’t great at sealing when punctured
Hi David, I have used your reviews to decide which gravel bike to go for and landed on a Topstone Carbon 2, but I'm struggling with the Smart Sense light at the front and trying to fit it around a handlebar bag. You say in the video that because they are mounted on GoPro mounts you can swap them out - but I can't see a GoPro mount that would work. Can you remember what you used and how you set it up? Many thanks.
Hi. Any reviews on the Cannondale Topstone 3gravel?
My Riddler's on their first run out got killed! Both front and rear ended up 40 miles in with two worms in each! Then the rear side had a cut so bad my finger could go through it! So innertube and a PT boot was needed to complete the ride! And this was only being ridden around the New forest! I ended up running Nano's on my Diverge and Topstone, old design but way way better off road
Does your buddy have a video review of his Topstone Lefty variant?
Great review. What kind of mount did you use to place the front light under the handlebar bag?
One that came with the bike 👍
Hi, can you tell us what rack you used and how it worked with the kingpin system? Thanks in advance 🙂.
I used a Tailfin rack :)
So for really rough roads the lefty fork isn't needed? There was a lefty equipped bike as well, what was the difference in how they rode?
Hi David,
thanks for the great review, love your setup and Wales looks amazing!
Do you mind sharing the size you chose and your personal bio-geometry to it. The frame looks small compared to your height when you stand next to it.
Thank you!
@davidathur I would like to buy a topstone. Do you think it is a good bike yet and among the best gravel bikes? Thanks
Love the detailed review, thank you ,btw what tent/sleep mat do you have that fits into those front bags?
Is that the 3 or 5 l Tailfin cage pack on the front?
David Which bar bag was that on there.great videos
Hey! What is the frame size and what is your height?
I am considering upgrading to a Sram AXS groupset and was debating between XPLR and Wide 2x. I thought that the Wide 2x with 30/43t in front and 10-36t in the back offers a better range (and lower climbing gear) that the XPLR with 40t in the front and 10-44t in the back? Looking at a more all-rounder gravel / all-road adventure bike set up, would you still recommend the XPLR over the 2x Wide setup?
I came from the 1x on my old Topstone and Exploro which I both just recently sold for a Supersix EVO SE with Rival AXS.
With the 1x I felt it was also a compromise and I spent a lot of time hunting for a gear that gave me a comfortable cadence on long rides. The AXS 2x has a low end of 33t up front and a 36t in the rear which is plenty for most of my climbs. On the top end I have a 46t up front and a 10t in back which keeps me up with most roadie rides.
Hi! What model of handlebar bag do you use? Thanks!
When will be the new SES 2.3 review?
Coming soon, next couple of weeks :)
What is max kg capacity for this carbon version?
This or the Giant Revolt on double track??
Cracking bike and lower end is a little more sensible £ although Cannondale seem to struggle in the UK with spec Vs £ compared to some other well known brands.
@7 mins what's a hanna barberra bag?
Needs in tube storage like Diverge and Checkpoint have.
Awesome & Thanks :)
How many proprietary parts are there on this Cannondale?
Would you know if anyone how heavy this bike is? I'm looking at the website and my budget is the topstone 3 or topstone LTD aluminum but there is no mention of weight anywhere.
My Topstone Carbon Rival AXS 2x (43/30 front, 10-36 rear, 12s) weight with Shimano M520 SPD pedals 10.2kg. Frame size S, DT G540 rims, Vittoria Terreno Dry 37mm. So not on the light side but can save on carbon rims and seatpost quite a lot. It's definitely no a race bike, but give a lot of fun thou.
With the kingpin the back end moves, does this limit options for a rack ?
Also, how does the Kingpin function with this rack setup vs standard rack vs no rack?
Forgive me if you have already answered this but with the XPLR cassette, what size chainring would you have liked to have used to have the gearing you needed for such a tough ride? And is that what you would normally have on your bike packing/gravel bike? Many thanks and well done on crossing Wales.
43-30 crankset with an 11-36 cassette is the biggest 2x range you can get with SRAM eTap Force. To get more range, he would have to go to a mullet set-up.
@@GerardCantor Yes - but I was asking about the XPLR 1x set up David specifically mentioned in the video. I’m just wondering what chainring he would go with given his comment about having a lighter gear set up than the SRAM wide’s lowest 2x gear (30-36 or 0.83 ratio) he had on this ride. He said in the video he didn’t need a high gear for bikepacking, which makes sense. So I’m wondering if he would go for the 36 chainring 1x that would give him a lower gear (0.75) compared with his lowest 2x gear (0.83), obviously with the consequence of making his highest gear a 3.8 rather than a 4.3 ratio. Anyway, I’m just curious about David’s preference. The mullet set up does of course give bigger range but bigger gaps than the XPLR.
@@HKRoad I think solving the issue would require an after-market cassette (e.g. 11-40 or 42 which may cause free-hub compatibility issues) or chain ring (e.g. 40-28, but again there could be compatibility issues). SRAM does not offer a solve in this 2x set-up that I could find on their web site. A good mechanic may know an easy way to MacGyver this issue.
@@GerardCantor yes but that doesn’t answer my question to David about what chainring he would use with the XPLR cassette he spoke about in the video. So your answer misses the point as I’m not looking for alternative solutions - I am just asking David a question. If you think he is wrong to go with XPLR that’s a completely different subject to my question about chainring size
What size did you ride in the topstone? Seems it runs large?
It states M on the frame, which is a 56.
Normaly 56 is large even in cannondale. But it runs large compared to supersix
one year later can somebody give me a feedback about this bike, especialy if the KingPin suspension is really worth it? If I buy this bike it will last, i don't know 10 years if I will ride 90% only on tarmac?
If you're riding 90% on tarmac would an endurance bike like the Synapse etc be a better choice?
What kind of shoes and pedals do you use when bikepacking? I have noticed that even a daytrip that includes a train trip is kind of annoying because I need to carry ”walkable” shoes with road shoes & pedals. On the other hand I don’t have experience of mtb pedals so no idea how comfortable they are during longer rides.
Mtb pedals and shoes perfect for long distances. I use Giro shoes - all day and at campsite just walk around in them.
I see you have M size. Could you share what is your height?
... Nice bike nice set up nicer challenge overcome, massive KUDOS!! BUT... about some stuff ... personally 2 by not 1 by works better as all-round bike even in stages you probably not use the bigger ring... the lights that is top notch very neat and nice BUT adding more things that need charge for more than 2 days you probably need where to recharge all that stuff lights you computerbike the batteries of the group set... and maybe add weight carrying spare batteries and a powerpack ? las BUT no least... I won't go adding weight in the front if I had room in the middle. just saying will mees the handling if is extreme hard enough when the course is as technical as we saw... anyways MASIVE KUDOS is a very awesome bike and challenge to over come.
What size frame is this?
M
you need to the bufang lolz illegal 🚀
Strange to hear 40psi as a high pressure, bikes have changed alot over the years!
The seatstay mounted brake caliper looks awful. The cable routing is really poorly thought through
I'm sure that's a great $8k bike... You didn't have to buy it. Smart sense is expensive garbage and was NOT needed on this trek my friend !
i.e. if you are doing this sort of gravel or ride, you don't need a pricey proprietary battery and lights and seeing if you are about to be overtaken ... by what ? a sheep ?
There are much much better options in gravel for MUCH less money
Given “Smart sense” uses the Garmin lights and radar I’m going to disagree on calling them garbage. They are very good.
I agree, the Garmin varia radar setup is really good , I don’t like the implementation that cannondale has done though…at least hide the battery and maybe offer some proper saddle bags that work well with the lights.
@@Thomas-fy9yc I can’t argue with the fact it looks a little clunky. The new light in the Scott Foil seat post is a good example of neat integration
Is this guy sponsored by Cannondale? He seems to really like them
No he isn't
An irrelevant bike. Please review the entry level alloy version.
Off-road with radar!? Wtf will be crashing into your arse-end high up on the moor?
WTB tires suck!
Jesus cadale, why smartsense? Another silly proprietary
They do models without it :)
Gravel bikes- for when roadies deadly refuse to ride mtbs.
Cannondale seem determined to ruin all their bikes with this dumb shit system.
Funny how some of the bike industry has gone back to a threaded bottom bracket .
Just like the push for EV cars is not as green as you think.
Anything to make money in the world !
I don't mind press fit, personally never had any issues with it but seems most consumers now want threaded so that is what more bike brands are now supplying.
EV cars have been around for less than 10 yrs. The technology needs time to mature, that doesn’t mean it should be discarded completely. Think of how shitty and inefficient ICE cars were for the first 80+ years of their existence. Saying we shouldn’t even try to make a switch to EV is just fucking stupid.
Love Cannondale but this model is so ugly.