Gravel Performance

Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty 3 $5,300

The new Lefty Oliver fork gives the Topstone 30 mm of front suspension, adding to the leaf-spring-like 30 mm of rear suspension thanks to Cannondale’s Kingpin pivot in the frame’s seat tube. With a mixture of Shimano grx 800 and 600 components (and grx 400 brakes), the full-suspension gravel bike keeps traction with 650 x 47c wtb tires. The Topstone is offered with 700c wheels, but doesn’t feature the more off-road capable Oliver fork. Along with hidden fender mounts and routing for a dropper post, the Topstone is designed for comfortable road riding as much as it is built for singletrack. ( cannondale.com)

Tommasini Fire Gravel Disc $6,790

The Fire Gravel is the latest bike from the long-established Italian brand. Irio Tommasini started his framebuilding business shortly after the Second World War, in the Tuscan city of Grosseto. All frames, including the new Fire Gravel bike, continue to be made by hand in the same facility. This tig-welded frame features a lugged seat tube, and custom geometry by request. The classic steel frame is paired with a modern gravel groupset, Shimano’s grx 600, along with Vision Team 30 Disc wheels. ( tommasini.ca)

3T Exploro Max $5,900

The new 3T Exploro Max is an aero gravel bike with big clearance and versatility. The frameset, officially called the Exploro Racemax, is available in both Race spec (700c wheels) or Max spec (650b wheels). Additionally, the brand has taken a holistic approach on clearance, using the term wam (width as measured) to take into account tire widths on different rims. As with the previous Exploro, the frame maintains its rearwheel cutout, adds double-dropped chainstays for more stiffness and shortens the fork crown for less drag and better handling. The Max spec will clear a whopping 61-mm wam tire with the Shimano grx 1-by drivetrain and wtb Serra wheels. ( 3t.bike)—jw