Topstone Alloy vs Domane AL???
12-03-20, 08:35 AM
#1
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Topstone Alloy vs Domane AL???
I've got a Topstone Alloy Sora. I want to go to 11 speed drivetrain so I've been considering a 105 swap onto this bike. My one dislike about the Topstone is the amount of flex in the bottom bracket during hard pedaling. Now the Domane AL5 has caught my eye.
Have any of you riden both? Or if you've riden the Domane AL could you comment on the bottom bracket flex/stiffness? Any opinions on upgrading the Topstone vs replacing it with the Domane?
Have any of you riden both? Or if you've riden the Domane AL could you comment on the bottom bracket flex/stiffness? Any opinions on upgrading the Topstone vs replacing it with the Domane?
12-03-20, 09:09 AM
#2
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The bottom bracket shell of an aluminum Topstone frame is flexing?
...or the square taper bottom bracket and crank arms flex?
Big difference there. I can see #2 happening. If #1 is an issue, you should look into racing.
I've ridden a topstone 105 and also ridden a domane...both were 2019 models and these were 3 min around the street rides. What didn't cross my mind was 'this topstone frame has a soft bottom bracket shell.'
If its just the crank and square taper that is annoying you, that issue is resolved with the upgrade you want to do.
...or the square taper bottom bracket and crank arms flex?
Big difference there. I can see #2 happening. If #1 is an issue, you should look into racing.
I've ridden a topstone 105 and also ridden a domane...both were 2019 models and these were 3 min around the street rides. What didn't cross my mind was 'this topstone frame has a soft bottom bracket shell.'
If its just the crank and square taper that is annoying you, that issue is resolved with the upgrade you want to do.
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12-03-20, 09:10 AM
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Opinions will depend on what you are doing with the bike and what you want out of it…
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12-03-20, 09:35 AM
#4
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The bottom bracket shell of an aluminum Topstone frame is flexing?
...or the square taper bottom bracket and crank arms flex?
Big difference there. I can see #2 happening. If #1 is an issue, you should look into racing.
I've ridden a topstone 105 and also ridden a domane...both were 2019 models and these were 3 min around the street rides. What didn't cross my mind was 'this topstone frame has a soft bottom bracket shell.'
If its just the crank and square taper that is annoying you, that issue is resolved with the upgrade you want to do.
...or the square taper bottom bracket and crank arms flex?
Big difference there. I can see #2 happening. If #1 is an issue, you should look into racing.
I've ridden a topstone 105 and also ridden a domane...both were 2019 models and these were 3 min around the street rides. What didn't cross my mind was 'this topstone frame has a soft bottom bracket shell.'
If its just the crank and square taper that is annoying you, that issue is resolved with the upgrade you want to do.
Do you remember any of the take-aways you had from your test rides? With the stock situation at my LBS they're basically just taking pre-orders.
12-03-20, 09:39 AM
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12-03-20, 09:59 AM
#6
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The bottom of the triangle flexes. When I look down I can see it moving side to side and the chainring angle changes enough to watch the chain sway from one side of the front derailleur to the other. I might not have noticed it on the road but it's noticeable on the trainer when pushing a bunch of watts.
Do you remember any of the take-aways you had from your test rides? With the stock situation at my LBS they're basically just taking pre-orders.
Do you remember any of the take-aways you had from your test rides? With the stock situation at my LBS they're basically just taking pre-orders.
The bottom bracket sway is just noticable on a trainer since you can safely stare at the BB junction for minutes on end if you want.
I dont get chainring rub on a trainer, even though i have a thin tubed steel frame set up, so I cant be of any help for solutions there.
As for riding both bikes, I did it because I was working on them for maintenance and tested them out once adjusted. So they were short rides- one to check rear shifting and one to check the front end after a stem swap. Looking back, I found both to be very generic and stiff aluminum frame bikes. That isnt meant as an insult- it means nothing stuck out as bad, which is really good at the entry price category. Both had Shimano cranksets though- so obviously the Cdale had been changed.
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12-03-20, 10:01 AM
#7
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Oh, yeah my bottom bracket shell moves laterally on a trainer too- it happens on my older steel road bikes(i use one as a dedicated trainer bike each year), it happens on my modern OS steel road bike, my OS steel gravel bike, and it happened when I used a 90s Cannondale road bike(they were notoriously stiff and unforgiving.
The bottom bracket sway is just noticable on a trainer since you can safely stare at the BB junction for minutes on end if you want.
I dont get chainring rub on a trainer, even though i have a thin tubed steel frame set up, so I cant be of any help for solutions there.
As for riding both bikes, I did it because I was working on them for maintenance and tested them out once adjusted. So they were short rides- one to check rear shifting and one to check the front end after a stem swap. Looking back, I found both to be very generic and stiff aluminum frame bikes. That isnt meant as an insult- it means nothing stuck out as bad, which is really good at the entry price category. Both had Shimano cranksets though- so obviously the Cdale had been changed.
The bottom bracket sway is just noticable on a trainer since you can safely stare at the BB junction for minutes on end if you want.
I dont get chainring rub on a trainer, even though i have a thin tubed steel frame set up, so I cant be of any help for solutions there.
As for riding both bikes, I did it because I was working on them for maintenance and tested them out once adjusted. So they were short rides- one to check rear shifting and one to check the front end after a stem swap. Looking back, I found both to be very generic and stiff aluminum frame bikes. That isnt meant as an insult- it means nothing stuck out as bad, which is really good at the entry price category. Both had Shimano cranksets though- so obviously the Cdale had been changed.
12-03-20, 01:12 PM
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This might be a problem with the crank. I'd be really surprised if the actual shell/frame flexes. I'm a clyde and have never seen or felt flex but the FaceBook Topstone page has had occasional unkind comments about the crank on a Sora model (My 105 model uses an FSA Omega 46/30 crank)
I could see swapping whatever crank is on there for a Shimano. If you want a 46 or 48 /30 or 31 crank it would be a GRX PLUS a front derailer. Or if you want to use the 34/50 crank use a 105 and you can keep the front derailer. You would need a new b-bracket for either option.
As an alternative to the Topstone, also look at the Trek Checkpoint. I believe it went to GRX this year.
I could see swapping whatever crank is on there for a Shimano. If you want a 46 or 48 /30 or 31 crank it would be a GRX PLUS a front derailer. Or if you want to use the 34/50 crank use a 105 and you can keep the front derailer. You would need a new b-bracket for either option.
As an alternative to the Topstone, also look at the Trek Checkpoint. I believe it went to GRX this year.
Last edited by Steve B.; 12-03-20 at 01:15 PM.
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12-03-20, 02:18 PM
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I got an alloy Topstone 105 myself, and the main "annoyance" I have discovered (that I can't change) is that the derailleur hanger is held in place by a single tiny M3 allan bolt, doesn't feel well designed to me, but maybe I am overthinking it.
12-03-20, 03:03 PM
#10
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...I could see swapping whatever crank is on there for a Shimano. If you want a 46 or 48 /30 or 31 crank it would be a GRX PLUS a front derailer. Or if you want to use the 34/50 crank use a 105 and you can keep the front derailer. You would need a new b-bracket for either option.
...
...
12-04-20, 06:23 AM
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I like that idea. So, I could swap the bottom bracket and crankset and still use the 9 speed chain and Sora front derailleur without issue? I'm looking at the Ultegra BBR60 and the 105 r7000 50-34. If that would work I could spread the rest of the upgrades out a bit which is always helpful.
But I thought your original idea was to go 11 spd ?.
12-04-20, 07:08 AM
#12
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Right. I don't mind the idea of eliminating a potential issue with the cheap crank before dropping another big chunk of money on the conversion. I'll consider it some more though.
12-04-20, 05:12 PM
#13
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The flex will seem more dramatic in a trainer since it's completely static, whereas a hard sprint outside has a lot of lateral movement. I've never heard of the alloy Topstone alloy being overly flexy, but the compliance everyone wants built into gravel bikes for comfort does come at the expense of stiffness somewhere.
Another consideration you may want to make with bikes like the Domane AL and Content AR is that those are endurance road bikes that take wide tires, where the Topstone is a gravel bike (longer, slacker, bigger tire clearance, smaller crank). By the time it's all said and done though, converting your Topstone to 105 hydraulic would cost close to as much as selling it, and buying the Trek or Giant though if that's the type of bike you really want.
Another consideration you may want to make with bikes like the Domane AL and Content AR is that those are endurance road bikes that take wide tires, where the Topstone is a gravel bike (longer, slacker, bigger tire clearance, smaller crank). By the time it's all said and done though, converting your Topstone to 105 hydraulic would cost close to as much as selling it, and buying the Trek or Giant though if that's the type of bike you really want.
12-04-20, 06:26 PM
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Not seeing that math. A new soup to nuts 105 group is under $700 ?. A new Topstone or similar bike is going to be $1700 or so.
Last edited by cb400bill; 12-06-20 at 01:03 PM.
12-04-20, 08:39 PM
#15
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Just depends on which kinda of bike he actually wants I'd say; the Topstone and Domane can both be ridden on all roads, but are not direct competitors.
12-05-20, 03:57 PM
#17
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