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New Topstone Carbon 2 Lefty Gravel Machine Seems To Be Full of Magical Capabilities

People come in all shapes and sizes, which dictates their bodily limits and what they can physically achieve. Well, the same holds true for bicycles, but the Fresh Topstone Carbon 2 Lefty can be compared to an athlete in peak form.
Topstone Carbon 2 Lefty 12 photos
Photo: Cannondale
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One thing you need to consider whenever you take a closer look at a bicycle is that it's tuned for a particular type of riding. This is why you don't see road bikes smashing down wicked downhill trails. Nonetheless, Cannondale seems to be one of the crews blurring the lines between terrains.

Folks, Cannondale has been building bikes since some of us were even born, 1971 to be precise. They started by focusing on breaking away from traditional bicycle manufacturing and design, and years later, they're still doing the same thing. Heck, once you've gotten to know a bit more about the Carbon 2 Lefty, you may agree that innovation is still the name of the game.

Earlier I mentioned that Cannondale seems to be blurring the lines between terrains and landscapes with this trinket, which really seems to be the case. Heck, scrolling through the manufacturer's website, we're shown countless images of the new Topstone bikes riding through just about any terrain where you can make out a line wide enough to fit your tires. However, it is a gravel bike by design, geometry, and function.

Topstone Kingpin Suspension
Photo: Cannondale
A few things really seem to make this bike special, and one of those features is the Kingpin suspension found integrated into the rear triangle - actually a bit further than just the rear triangle. The way this tech function is by activating the mechanical dynamics of the carbon fiber layup the team uses. Located where the seat tube and seat stay, Cannondale introduced a pivot point. Well, when the rear wheel takes a hit, the rear triangle flexes and pushes up into the pivot. That pressure causes the seat tube and top tube to bend, reducing vibrations and smoothening out rocky motions.

To further your level of comfort, thus improving how far your ride, Cannondale also throws on a Lefty Oliver fork that allows for 30 mm (1.2 in) of travel. Since the Lefty tends to be rather stiff, that travel should be enough to just dampen bumps and vibrations while still offering precise control over your front wheel. Furthermore, this little bugger is dropper post-ready, helping you manage shifting terrains more efficiently.

Now, I want you to imagine what it may be like riding this trinket. You wake up in the morning, have a light breakfast, hydrate, and meet your riding buddies near a local park. From here, you ride on tarmac, barely feeling any cracks in the road. Once you've reached the end of the asphalt, you can start to hear gravel crunching underneath your tires, but this is where the 2 Lefty will shine. You hit some bigger bumps at one point, but the Kingpin suspension and Lefty fork take care of that. With faith at full blast, you start riding off the beaten track. Don't worry; you should be fine as long as you keep things within the bike's limits.

Oliver Lefty Fork
Photo: Cannondale
Maybe you've planned a long-distance trip. If that's the case, you can look forward to countless mounts for things like water bottles, tool kits, gear racks, and even Cannondale's SmartSense system. Suppose you've never heard of this electronic system yet. In that case, it's an integrated lighting and rear-facing radar system meant to keep riders safe while sharing roads with cars, motorcycles, and even other cyclists.

Want an idea as to how you'll fit on this trinket? Overall, the head tube is set at 70.5 degrees for the medium-size bike, and the actual seat tube is at 71.1 degrees. Reach is set for 37.3 cm (14.6 in) and stack at 57.9 cm (22.8 in). While these digits help you to get some idea of how you'll be sitting on the Topstone, you should still head to a local dealer and test it in person. But, be warned, you may be leaving without a minus of $4,200 (€3,893 at current exchange rates) in your bank account.

You know, tech has really come a long way since I was a kid, and by the looks of things, it doesn't seem to be slowing down in any way. What about you? Would you buy a bike with this sort of magic?
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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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