Cannondale Topstone 105: Checkpoint – by MG
Back in May, we introduced you to the Cannondale Topstone 105 we have in for testing (see that post here), and today it’s time to update you on our experience with the bike so far.
To refresh your memory, the Topstone 105 is the middle offering in Cannondale’s three-bike 2019 Topstone line-up, all of which feature the same alloy frame and carbon fork. This makes the entry-level Topstone Sora ($1,050 MSRP) a particularly good deal, but in reality, each Topstone model packs a ton of value for the asking price.
At $1,750 MSRP, the Topstone 105 is one of the more affordable gravel bikes available with Shimano’s excellent R7000 series 105 2×11-speed drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes. Cannondale substitutes an FSA Omega crank/BB, with its wide-range 30/46t 2x chainrings. The increased gear range offers a lower “low” gear than traditional compact cranks, which typically use a 34t small ring.
Unfortunately, the 172.5mm length of the stock cranks is 2.5mm shorter than I typically ride, so I swapped the FSA crank and BB for an older 175mm Shimano 105 compact crankset (34/46t) I had in the parts bin. The swap dropped more than 200g from the weight of the bike, which quite frankly surprised me. I didn’t expect the FSA crank to weigh so much!
That said, since crank length has more to do with personal preference than actual performance, I can’t complain too much. Plenty of cyclists my height (6’1″ tall, 33″ inseam) ride 172.5mm cranks, particularly those from a road background.
On the Road
The Topstone is a fun, capable bike that instills confidence in its rider. Cannondale’s OutFront geometry uses a relatively slack 71-degree head tube angle and long 55mm fork offset to achieve an impressive combination of stability and agility in a wide variety of gravel conditions. It’s a handling package that works equally well for beginning gravel riders as it does for experienced cyclists.
Cannondale used its popular Synapse endurance road frame as the template for Topstone’s rider position, and it works really well for me. While I did need to replace the stem, seatpost and crank to achieve a totally dialed fit, the stack and reach of my large/58cm sample is right in the ballpark, so getting it set was relatively easy.
The Topstone’s alloy frame and carbon fork deliver a ride quality that’s very good, particularly considering the bike’s price. Tire clearance is good for tires up to about 44c (actual width). Cannondale says the Topstone is capable of running tires of up to 42c, but I’ve found their rating is pretty conservative.
The frameset is very responsive to upgrades, so it’s not a bike most riders will quickly grow out of as their skills and miles increase.
Upgrades We Made
Aside from the fit items (stem, seatpost and crank), my most urgent upgrade to the Topstone 105 was the wheels. It’s not that the stock wheels are bad – in fact it’s quite the opposite. They’re strong, reliable and easy to set up tubeless, but there’s no denying their weight, at more than 2,000 grams. The wheel weight seemed to put a damper on the acceleration and responsiveness hidden in the alloy Topstone frame.
Fortunately, I still have the excellent Cantu Rova wheelset we reviewed a while back, and they were super easy to set up for duty on the Topstone. Once installed, the Cantu wheels made an immediate improvement in the bike’s acceleration and overall feel on the road.
I noticed the wheels most on fast group rides, when quick accelerations were necessary to close a gap. I never felt like I was at a disadvantage to other riders on much more expensive bikes. Of course, the $1,595 wheelset almost doubles the overall cost of the bike, but for gravel riders and racers on a budget, it’s an option worth considering.
Here’s why: Say you have an overall budget of $3,500 to $4,000 for a new gravel bike. Do you go for a more expensive carbon framed bike with a lower level drivetrain, components and wheels? Or, is it better to go for a less expensive alloy bike that gives you more budget to make selective upgrades, particularly to the wheels and touch points?
The performance of the alloy Topstone 105 with the Cantu wheels makes a compelling argument for the latter option, particularly for folks who want a bike they won’t feel guilty riding hard and putting away dirty. The Topstone 105 thrives in that environment, and despite my best efforts, the Cantu wheels are still rolling smooth and true after more than a year of riding.
In Summary
Cannondale’s Topstone 105 is an impressive bike, particularly for one retailing for less than $2,000. It checks all the boxes, with solid handling, competitive spec and an understated, high-quality look and feel. Whether you’re a new gravel rider looking for adventure, or an experienced cyclist on a budget, the Topstone 105 is well worth a look.
Next week, we’ll wrap up our Topstone 105 review, and give you a sneak peek at Cannondale’s exciting new 2020 gravel line up. Be sure to check back for the scoop!
Please note: Cannondale sent the Topstone 105 for test and review at no charge to Riding Gravel. We are not being paid or bribed for these posts and will give our honest thoughts and opinions throughout.
I ride Topstone 105 and thinking about new wheels. How you find the clearance on the front with those wider Cantu rims? There’s plenty of space in the back but I find the front fairly tight even with the stock tires and rims.
@huhuguy: Sorry I didn’t see your question earlier. The clearance is just fine with the Cantu wheels. The rims are only 1mm wider (internal), so it’s basically the same as with the stock wheels in that respect. I’d definitely recommend the upgrade though. It’s well worth the money, and it totally wakes the bike up.
Have a great weekend!
Hi, can you expand on your reasons and experience dialing up the Topstone 105? Specifically seat post and stem?
I’m short at 1.62m or 5.3 Feet and I’m trying still to find my fit on the Small Size Topstone 105 gravel bike, coming for a Cannondale Evo six 50cm road. I tried the XS frame but was too small and reach issue was similar. I’m very confortable with my hands on the main handle bar and when I’m on the lower aero position but my reach feels stretched when placing my hands on top of the brake position. I would like to hear ideas to enhance the fit and ride of this beautiful bike. Thanks.
@Oblaph: It’s hard to make a specific recommendation to you without seeing you on the bike, however what you describe suggests to me that you’d be well served by a slightly shorter stem. I’d try one that’s 10mm shorter, with a similar rise, and see how that goes.
As for the seatpost, I go with zero-offset models simply because my body works better pedaling, in particular climbing, in a more forward position. If you find yourself often riding on the nose of the saddle, it might be worth trying a zero-offset post as a way to let you ride in the body of the saddle more often. Over the long haul, it’s much more comfortable. But this is just my experience… Your mileage may vary, as they say.
Good luck!
thanks for the review. I just bought a 2019 105 for $1400 from REI and I’ll be able to upgrade with the $$ I saved.
Nice… That’s a fantastic deal, and congrats on the new bike! Cheers!
Hi MG,
Swapping from FSA crankset to the Shimano crankset, did it involve changing the bottom bracket also? Or is the FSA BB compatible with all the shimano cranksets?
Hey @Tom – The crank swap did require switching bottom brackets, as the stock FSA crank uses a smaller diameter spindle than the 24mm Shimano spindle. It’s worth the swap though, as from my experience, Shimano BBs spin smoother and last longer than the FSA BBs I’ve used.
@MG Thanks for all your in depth knowledge – it’s a huge help to those starting out like myself.
2 weeks ago got hold of a 105 Topstone in the UK. Loving it – using primarily for road use / bike packing / with a couple of rough environments thrown in. But – I’m finding there is sometimes not enough power in the highest gear configuration.
To get a bit more power on desents I’m thinking of swapping out the FSA 46/30 crankset for a Shimano 105 50/34 R7000 11 Speed crankset.
Would this work with the other stock Topstone 105 components on the bike – would changing the rings up front work fine with the 11-34t or throw the whole bike into chaos?!
Thanks!
@JM – Thanks for your question and congratulations on your new bike. You should have no problem running the Shimano R7000 crank you’re considering, but you’ll need to swap out the bottom bracket as well. The stock FSA crank uses a smaller spindle diameter than Shimano’s 24mm spindle, but the upside is you’ll have the gears you need and you’ll save a good deal of weight with the switch as well.
One thing to look closely at is chain length when you’re in your big chainring and the larger gears on the cassette. Once you’ve fitted the crank, carefully shift through the gears and ensure your chain is long enough that you’re not going to pull the derailleur off in the big/big combination. Even though that’s not a combo you want to use regularly, you don’t want the penalty of a broken derailleur… or worse, for inadvertently going into it. If the stock chain is too short, I’d advise installing a new chain when you swap in the crank.
Best of luck to you, and thanks for reading.
Cheers!
Thanks for the insight MG! Brilliant.
My local shop is setting to work on this as per your instructions. Looks like the chain will need to be a few teeth longer so replacing.
Cheers!
JM
Will a 27.5×2.0 mountain bike tire fit the topstone?
I know this is an older post, but I am looking into a similar Shimano swap as my FSA has started to give out. Which bottom bracket did you use to replace the stock FSA equipment?
I know this was long ago but the author is my size. What size frame did you test??? How could you leave that out?
Nobody stocks the bikes and I want to order the right size. At 6’1″ and 33-34″ inseam, I seem to fall between M & L on the recommended size. I lean towards M, but would love to have someone’s feedback that has actually rode the bike.
@Glen – MG rides a Size Large. At 6’1″ with a similar inseam as yours I would choose the Size large myself. But I’m not you and you may not like that. Unfortunately you are probably going to have some risk in ordering regardless of anyone’s advice.
Thanks for bringing this question up Glen and thanks for the feedback Ted.
I actually just purchased a used Topstone yesterday and am concerned that I may have made a bit of a hasty decision and bought a size too large (there is a huge bike shortage where I am and most places for that matter). For reference, I have some freakish body proportions (super long limbs and quite a short torso) – I am 6’1 with a 36.5″ inseam and a 75″ wingspan. I would consider myself on the more flexible side but not a gymnast by any means.
I bought an XL frame thinking I could make it work, but after the first day of riding, the top tube does seem a bit long (no soreness during or post-ride just yet but I’ve only done 30k on the bike). I’ve slammed the stock saddle all the way forward and that did help. I suppose the only other change i can make is the stem. I did a gravel descent trying to go as quickly as I could and didn’t feel as in control of the bike as I am on my road bike.
Would anyone be able to share what the stock stem length is on the XL 2019 topstone 105? I actually can’t find that information anywhere. I am guessing it’s 120 mm? I am thinking of changing it to a 95mm with maybe a +6 degree offset as that may help.
Any feedback on what I can do the make the bit a less aggressive ride would help. The other alternative would be to sell it which I would hate to do since I love the way the bike rides and it would be real tough to find another topstone at a decent price and in decent condition in an L.
For reference, I ride a 59 cm 2011 Masi Evoluzione but I am having a hard time finding the geometry specs anywhere.
Thank you in advance!
Thanks for bringing this question up Glen and thanks for the feedback Ted.
I actually just purchased a used Topstone yesterday and am concerned that I may have made a bit of a hasty decision and bought a size too large (there is a huge bike shortage where I am and most places for that matter). For reference, I have some freakish body proportions (super long limbs and quite a short torso) – I am 6’1 with a 36.5″ inseam and a 75″ wingspan. I would consider myself on the more flexible side but not a gymnast by any means.
I bought an XL frame thinking I could make it work, but after the first day of riding, the top tube does seem a bit long (no soreness during or post-ride just yet but I’ve only done 30k on the bike). I’ve slammed the stock saddle all the way forward and that did help. I suppose the only other change i can make is the stem. I did a gravel descent trying to go as quickly as I could and didn’t feel as in control of the bike as I am on my road bike.
Would anyone be able to share what the stock stem length is on the XL 2019 topstone 105? I actually can’t find that information anywhere. I am guessing it’s 120 mm? I am thinking of changing it to a 95mm with maybe a +6 degree offset as that may help.
Any feedback on what I can do the make the bit a less aggressive ride would help. The other alternative would be to sell it which I would hate to do since I love the way the bike rides and it would be real tough to find another Topstone at a decent price and in decent condition in an L.
For reference, I ride a 59 cm 2011 Masi Evoluzione but I am having a hard time finding the geometry specs anywhere.
Thank you in advance!
Which saddle is this?
The saddle in the photos is a Brooks C17 Cambium. It’s a very comfy perch.
Thanks for bringing this question up Glen and thanks for the feedback Ted.
I actually just purchased a used Topstone yesterday and am concerned that I may have made a bit of a hasty decision and bought a size too large (there is a huge bike shortage where I am and most places for that matter). For reference, I have some freakish body proportions (super long limbs and quite a short torso) – I am 6’1 with a 36.5″ inseam and a 75″ wingspan. I would consider myself on the more flexible side but not a gymnast by any means.
I bought an XL frame thinking I could make it work, but after the first day of riding, the top tube does seem a bit long (no soreness during or post-ride just yet but I’ve only done 30k on the bike). I’ve slammed the stock saddle all the way forward and that did help. I suppose the only other change i can make is the stem. I did a gravel descent trying to go as quickly as I could and didn’t feel as in control of the bike as I am on my road bike.
Would anyone be able to share what the stock stem length is on the XL 2019 topstone 105? I actually can’t find that information anywhere. I am guessing it’s 120 mm? I am thinking of changing it to a 95mm with maybe a +6 degree offset as that may help.
Any feedback on what I can do the make the bit a less aggressive ride would help. The other alternative would be to sell it which I would hate to do since I love the way the bike rides and it would be real tough to find another topstone at a decent price and in decent condition in an L.
For reference, I ride a 59 cm 2011 Masi Evoluzione but I am having a hard time finding the geometry specs anywhere.
Thank you in advance!
Strange.. my comment wasn’t getting posted in response to Glen’s post about the frame size MG tested.. here’s another try
Thanks for bringing this question up Glen and thanks for the feedback Ted.
I actually just purchased a used Topstone yesterday and am concerned that I may have made a bit of a hasty decision and bought a size too large (there is a huge bike shortage where I am and most places for that matter). For reference, I have some freakish body proportions (super long limbs and quite a short torso) – I am 6’1 with a 36.5″ inseam and a 75″ wingspan. I would consider myself on the more flexible side but not a gymnast by any means.
I bought an XL frame thinking I could make it work, but after the first day of riding, the top tube does seem a bit long (no soreness during or post-ride just yet but I’ve only done 30k on the bike). I’ve slammed the stock saddle all the way forward and that did help. I suppose the only other change i can make is the stem. I did a gravel descent trying to go as quickly as I could and didn’t feel as in control of the bike as I am on my road bike.
Would anyone be able to share what the stock stem length is on the XL 2019 topstone 105? I actually can’t find that information anywhere. I am guessing it’s 120 mm? I am thinking of changing it to a 95mm with maybe a +6 degree offset as that may help.
Any feedback on what I can do the make the bit a less aggressive ride would help. The other alternative would be to sell it which I would hate to do since I love the way the bike rides and it would be real tough to find another Topstone at a decent price and in decent condition in an L.
For reference, I ride a 59 cm 2011 Masi Evoluzione but I am having a hard time finding the geometry specs anywhere.
Thank you in advance!
I actually just purchased a used Topstone yesterday and am concerned that I may have made a bit of a hasty decision and bought a size too large (there is a huge bike shortage where I am and most places for that matter). For reference, I have some freakish body proportions (super long limbs and quite a short torso) – I am 6’1 with a 36.5″ inseam and a 75″ wingspan. I would consider myself on the more flexible side but not a gymnast by any means.
I bought an XL frame thinking I could make it work, but after the first day of riding, the top tube does seem a bit long (no soreness during or post-ride just yet but I’ve only done 30k on the bike). I’ve slammed the stock saddle all the way forward and that did help. I suppose the only other change i can make is the stem. I did a gravel descent trying to go as quickly as I could and didn’t feel as in control of the bike as I am on my road bike.
Would anyone be able to share what the stock stem length is on the XL 2019 topstone 105? I actually can’t find that information anywhere. I am guessing it’s 120 mm? I am thinking of changing it to a 95mm with maybe a +6 degree offset as that may help.
Any feedback on what I can do the make the bit a less aggressive ride would help. The other alternative would be to sell it which I would hate to do since I love the way the bike rides and it would be real tough to find another Topstone at a decent price and in decent condition in an L.
For reference, I ride a 59 cm 2011 Masi Evoluzione but I am having a hard time finding the geometry specs anywhere. Thank you in advance!
Sorry about the spam! Maybe a moderator can delete all of my duplicate posts. Apologies
Aaron – Just a bit of advice- You would likely get a better response to this question of yours by posing it in our forum- https://www.ridinggravel.com/forum
Great, thanks Ted!
Hi, I just came across your post. The BB shell is a 68mm threated? its compatible with shimano hollowtech BBs?
Hey @Rodolfo – Yes to both questions. That’s the setup I’m running.