Cannondale’s Topstone Lefty has always lived in its own category; part gravel bike, part very specific race bike, part drop-bar MTB experiment. Up until now, it’s taken me a long time to understand it. It reminds me of a favorite Aqua Teen Hunger Force line: “Who bothered to spawn you, and why?”
Now, after months of riding this beautiful beast, I know exactly what it’s for. It’s not just for one thing. The bike has been refined from its original idea, becoming less rough around the edges. It’s capable everywhere, on the road, in gravel, and on singletrack. However, it’s truly at home eating up chunky gravel, seldom-seen fire roads, and letting off the brakes on the descents. In other words, it’s fun, and the faster you go, the more fun it gets.
The Topstone Lefty has finally settled into its identity. It’s straight-up one of the most capable race-leaning suspension gravel bikes out there and Cannondale’s most dialed interpretation of gravel suspension yet.
The Topstone Lefty is the rare gravel bike that makes rougher, faster, and longer rides feel easier — without turning itself into a mountain bike.
Let the Lefty Cook
Love it or leave it – those are your two options with the Cannondale Lefty. It’s a polarizing design, primarily because of the commitment required when you become a Lefty owner. Your wheels must be Lefty-specific; you have to forgo some of the newest offerings.
What you get in return is a wildly stiff, light, and responsive fork. One’s best application might be in the world of gravel, in its 40mm offering. Side note: If you’re Lefty-curious, listen to our Lefty deep dive with the Cannondale Factory Team here.
What’s New?
In the updated Left design, you still get 40 mm of travel, but the new damper tune smooths out the chatter rather than bouncing you through it. It’s stiffer laterally, calmer in corners, and far less “look at me” than previous generations.
Pair that with the updated Cannondale Kingpin rear suspension that offers a claimed 30 mm of pivotless flex, and you get a two-suspension system that feels cohesive. Suspension isn’t the only thing the bike has to overcome; it enhances the overall ride for the rider, not like two mismatched ideas competing for attention.
Gravel Race – Not Drop-Bar MTB
Many full-suspension gravel bikes are hitting the market lately. They don’t do it for me. They look like a hastily thrown-together production short-travel XC mountain bike with drop bars. I’m sure they perform well for those competing in the Life Time Grand Prix, but they don’t look like a bike I would ride year-round. On the other hand, the Cannondale Topstone Lefly is.
The bike is purposeful. Cannondale resisted the urge to slacken things into MTB territory. Instead, the Topstone Lefty keeps a traditional gravel-race silhouette.
This restraint is what makes the bike work. It allows the suspension to add control without changing how a gravel race bike should behave. If you’ve ever felt “too tall” or “too far back” on suspended gravel rigs, this bike fixes that.
That means the Cannondale Topstone delivers a responsive front end that feels sharp and controlled. It gives riders quick, confident handling on tight singletrack. Yet, it feels planted and stable on longer descents. On sustained climbs, the Topstone’s seated position strikes a sweet spot; efficient and powerful rather than overly upright.
The Specs: Cannondale Topstone Carbon 1 AXS
The component spec on the Topstone Carbon 1 AXS is a nice blend of practical and some luxury. The shifters are SRAM’s wireless Rival AXS (not the newest iteration) and a SRAM GX AXS 12-speed rear derailleur. The spec is fine, but after experiencing the latest SRAM road offerings, it slightly dulled the Topstone’s punch.
The brakes feel notably spongy compared to the updated Rival released earlier this year, but shifting performance is the same. It’s worth noting that the new Topstone model was released before the new SRAM line, and I expect the 2026+ offerings will feature the latest from SRAM and Shimano.
The spec is sound, the SRAM GX gearing offers a wide range, and the drivetrain is as versatile as it is reliable. I swapped out the Rival crankset for my personal SRAM Red XPLR crankset to see the power and get a larger front ring.
Wheels and Hubs
The wheels are Reserve’s light, durable, and aero 40 I 44 GR carbon wheels with DT Swiss 350 hubs. They are paired with WTB Raddler 44c tires for a do-it-most setup.
The Reserve 40 I 44 GR wheels are a nice upgrade to the bike, but the DT-350 hub lacks the engagement most riders expect on modern gravel bikes. The hub came stock with an 18T star ratchet, and I updated it with a 36T from my personal stash.
The spec was slightly off: most DT-Swiss 350 hubs now ship with 36T as the baseline, but it could be a transitional year. Again, nothing significant, but minor tweaks that improved the ride.
Rounding out the comfort equation are a SAVE carbon seatpost and Cannondale flared handlebars, both of which serve the Topstone well. However, I swapped the stock 100mm stem for a slightly longer 110mm stem to achieve the best fit. The Cannondale stem looked better and indeed hid the cables well, but the swapped stem posed no issues and played nicely with the Topstones routing. A refreshing change from the “ours only” mantra that companies most often use to frame things internally these days.
What About Tire Clearance?
Cannondale gives you the freedom to push tire size depending on fork choice:
- Up to 47 mm with the Lefty Oliver (I’ve fit 50mm tires, but it’s not advised)
- Up to ~52 mm with a standard Cannondale rigid fork and a single-ring setup.
That 47 mm limit feels like a sweet spot for a suspended gravel rig. However, I tend to gravitate to the narrower tires. But paired with a modern rim, you can easily fine-tune pressure and volume to match the terrain.
Where the Bike Earns Its Entire Identity
Months of testing revealed the same pattern: this bike performs better the worse the road is.
With the fork locked out, acceleration is surprisingly crisp. The bike doesn’t pogo or wallow; the suspension disappears until you need it. On loose climbs, the Kingpin rear end keeps traction glued.
High-speed gravel is where the Topstone excels; this is the bike’s sweet spot. The Lefty feels like it extends your “comfort window”. Meaning you can push harder, brake later, and pick cleaner lines, not because you have to, but because the bike gives you control to spare.
Is the Suspension Faster?
Yes and no… On the blazingly fast eyeballs out efforts on hard chipped up gravel – yes. The front end calms down, and the upper body relaxes. You can push more into the effort and ride over the heavy gravel instead of through it.
The same goes for descents. I loved attacking downhill on the Topstone. Once you dial it in, the Lefty feels more second-nature than a spongy suspension fork. The 40mm of travel doesn’t ramp up too quickly and takes most of the rough edges off the ride. If you do, however, encounter a drop, ledge, or crater, you can bottom it out with a huge thunk and still feel confident.
Where does it lack? Well… out of the saddle climbing, but there’s a lockout for that. Seated climbing, the Lefty holds its own against the best suspension I’ve ridden. It’s stiff and floats, but it doesn’t dive when you encounter multiple rumble sections.
No, it’s not an XC bike. Tight, awkward switchbacks remind you of that. But in fast singletrack, the Lefty Oliver turns rough sections into momentum preservation; you stay off the brakes and on the gas.
Where the Edges Are Still Rough
- Weight: The suspension hardware adds grams. You’ll notice it next to a lightweight, rigid race bike.
- Proprietary bits: Lefty forks still require specific hubs and slightly more prep when traveling.
- Storage limitations: “Internal storage” is generous in name only.
If you want the simplest possible race machine, the Topstone Lefty isn’t that. It’s a more complex bike — but one with a tangible payoff.
Cannondale Topstone Carbon 1 AXS Full Specs:
- Frame: Topstone Carbon with Kingpin suspension, Proportional Response construction, downtube StashPort, internal cable routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, 27.2 dropper-ready, UDH, BSA 68mm threaded BB, flat-mount disc, removable fender bridge, multiple gear/bottle mounts
- Fork: Lefty Oliver, 40mm travel, lockout, Gen 2 Chamber Damper with All-Over tune, ISO High-Ride air spring, tapered steerer, 700c, 55mm offset
- Headset: Acros IS52/40 ICR
- Rear Derailleur: SRAM GX Eagle AXS T-Type
- Shifters: SRAM Rival AXS, 12-speed
- Chain: SRAM GX Eagle Transmission, 12-speed
- Crank: SRAM Rival DUB Wide, 42T
- Cassette: SRAM GX XS-1275, 10–52T, T-Type, 12-speed
- Bottom Bracket: SRAM DUB BSA Road 68 Wide
- Brakes: SRAM Rival hydraulic disc, 160/160mm CenterLine X (6-bolt front, centerlock rear)
- Brake Levers: SRAM Rival AXS hydraulic disc
- Weight: 20.03lbs
- Price: $6,999
The Verdict: Gravel’s “Controlled Chaos” Race Weapon
The Cannondale Topstone Lefty has matured into a genuinely complete gravel race bike. It smooths rough terrain without overwhelming it. The suspension enhances ride quality without diluting the race feel and delivers tangible benefits in speed, control, and fatigue management. This bike is a weapon for race day, not just the ONE race in the calendar that requires it.
The Topstone is not trying to be a mountain bike. It’s not trying to be a traditional gravel bike. It’s playing in the space between, and doing it better than ever.
If nothing is off-limits for your gravel rides, and you live for fire-road mayhem, or long-course events like Unbound, Big Sugar, or the RIFT gravel, this bike is for you. It’s an advantage.
