Cannondale  Topstone 2 Bike

I am a Cannondale fan in general so when I wanted a gravel bike I naturally looked at Cannondale first. I loved the fit of the bike but the components were low end and not as responsive as I would have liked. I did a bit more research(yes I should have done this before I bought this bike) on the component levels and you get a better deal for the components on the Topstone 1. The Topstone 2 is a very affordable bike and would be great to ride to work or for getting around the city, but for hard gravel riding or racing I would go with a higher end Cannondale model.

I just bought a topstone 2 and have taken it out for a few rides. This is a really good bike. It feels fast and agile, it climbs pretty well, it’s good on gravel and on roads. The 37mm tires feel pretty fast, they do well on gravel, however they do slip a little on very loose technical uphill climes. The carbon fork works well and absorbs a lot. The brakes are great. The gearing is good for gravel. The bike is comfortable with well thought out geometry like every other cannonade bike I have ever been on. REI service and fitting was also really good. I could not be happier with the purchase.

Very fast and smooth. Great components and wheels come tubeless ready. Highly recommend

I liked this bike but didn't end up keeping it because it has a 2-by drivechain which requires "trim shifting". It's a hassle and there is cross chaining and redundant gears. I have a mountain bike with a single chainring that is so much simpler. So, I returned the Topstone and bought a used Marin with a single chainring. Otherwise, the Topstone is great. Comfortable. Very stable screaming down steep hills. Wide gear range to get back up them. It felt a little heavy in terms of acceleration. Once you ride a single chainring bike, it feels so cumbersome, inefficient, time consuming, and just annoying to use 2 chainrings.

I love this bike. I initially bought the Topstone 4 but after a week of riding it I realized I needed to upgrade. I decided to go with the Topstone 2 and I couldn’t be happier.

My first Cannondale - and I wanted to be more excited. Within the first week of riding, the gears started shifting on their own. I brought it in to have it looked at, and after the guy took it outside to ride - came back in and of course he didn't "notice anything." When I left to ride back home, I didn't even make it off the property and the chain was on the frame. I brought it right back in and the guy said there was this tiny pin that is by the rear derailer that came loose. He tightened it, and it worked like the dream bike I imagined. It's been about a month, and the gears are starting to shift on their own again. I just expected more from the price-point and the reputation. I'm sticking it out, but reviews like this always help me when before I make an investment. I bought silver fenders to match the drive train and I get compliments all the time.

Love geometry (similar to my Trek tour bike) and bought for gravel capability. Had same issue as Bikeman... gears didn't shift due to very minor slip. Saddle very uncomfortable for just 50 miles so put my women's Terry Butterfly on it.