Cannondale’s second-generation Scalpel race bike has been winning World Cup cross-country races since it first appeared, and this uncompromising speed machine is a real race special. But can Cannondale’s purist racer do the job for everyday trail use?
It’s certainly light for an alloy full-suspension bike, but the actual suspension benefits are so limited that Cannondale’s excellent race hardtails seem a much better option.
Ride & handling: Light and fast, but stiff suspension and whippy back end reduce control
With arse up high and pushed forward on the steep seat tube and hands right down on the narrow flat bars, the Scalpel is a proper ‘old skool’ racer.
The cockpit and relatively slack head angle also create a stable, straight line favouring steering character designed for flat-out riding, not singletracking.
Despite the very low weight, the head-down position actually feels surprisingly sluggish to begin with, and high pressures are essential to cut irritating pedal bounce from the springy rear stays.
Set up like this, neither the 1.5in stroke rear end nor the Lefty fork feel remotely plush, with the notchy fork causing noticeable chatter and skip over the small stuff.
They do take the sting out of bigger lumps and keep you on line off small drops but overall control certainly doesn’t match the Scalpel's Fox or RockShox forked rivals.
Twangy 24-spoke wheels and the whippy back end undermine the phenomenally stiff front end tracking too, although a naturally more cautious feel meant we rarely actually crashed.
Frame: Neat looking alloy chassis for race whippets
It’s the carbon fibre Scalpel that’s got the medals and the full featherweight upgrade potential, but this alloy chassis is still unique in many ways.
There’s a massive headtube to handle the single legged own-brand Lefty fork and the down tube swells gradually towards an oversized BB30 bottom bracket (although you only get a conventional chainset on this version).
Unbridged seatstays mean masses of mud clearance and the flat carbon chainstays flex vertically to replace a rear pivot.
Scooped dropouts, smoothed welds and symmetrical cable clips complete a neat looking race whippet frame.
Equipment: Frame deserves better – especially at this price
The 23in shimmed flat bar definitely dominates the handling but even with a riser bar, the Scalpel isn't a trail bike by any means.
The super-narrow 2.1in Continental tyres are proper mud cutters, but at the expense of comfort.
Avid Elixir brakes and Shimano SLX/SRAM stop/go kit are workable, but the whole setup seems low-rent when it’s hanging on the alloy – rather than carbon – frame.
