Cannondale Topstone 1 - 2022 - Mercury

The new alloy Topstone from Cannondale is a thing of beauty. It has classic Topstone gravel geometry that provides comfort and control on long rides and rough roads with a bunch of great updates passed down from the carbon fibre big brother for 2022. The seatstays have been moved lower down the seat tube to increase vertical compliance at the rear of the bike. This means more vertical flex in the frame for better traction and comfort without sacrificing any lateral stiffness. Tyre clearance has been bumped up to 45mm from 42mm so you can fit chunkier rubber or mudguards. Lastly, the fork has been updated with three bottle bosses on each leg. This will be music to the ears of bikepackers or any fans of fork cages. The Topstone has always been a versatile bike but these most recent updates mean you can take it further, faster and in greater comfort than ever before.

The Topstone 1 sits atop of the range of alloy bikes and comes equipped with a 2x11 Shimano GRX 600/800 groupset. This is a robust groupset designed for the rigours of off-road riding. It has a clutch rear mech to keep the chain on and keep it from rattling. The gearing is slightly lower than on road bikes for winching up steep technical climbs whiles still being able to eek speed out of dirt road descents. The hydraulic disc brakes pack plenty of power and perform no matter the conditions. 37c WTB Riddler tyres offer a great balance of grip and low rolling resistance, so they won't hold you back on the tarmac but they still hook up on rough corners. These are mounted on WTB ST i23 rims laced to dependable, sealed cartridge-bearing Formula hubs. Touch points are well thought out too, with a Fizik saddle and comfortable flared drop bars. This spec choice gives top-end performance with crisp shifting, powerful braking and low weight. Combine this with the excellent alloy frame, you dodge the carbon price tag for an excellent value bike.

The Topstone can be a commuting workhorse, a winter training bike, or a gravel adventure machine. However you use your Topstone, it's guaranteed to deliver fun and excitement all the way from the start of your ride to the finish.