CANNONDALE SCALPEL-SI RACE
Surgically Precise XC Weapon
Cross-country racers are always looking for an edge on the competition, and over the last decade, the Scalpel has been one of them. The Scalpel has always had a radical and somewhat polarizing design that has enticed many riders and made them lifetime Scalpel fans. With the changing landscape of modern cross-country racing, the Scalpel got a complete overhaul to keep up with the advancements in cross-country racing and stay at the forefront of design. With riders like Manuel Fumic and Marco Fontana giving input along the way, Cannondale has developed a machine that is more than ready to tackle the daunting features of the modern XC racecourse, yet is also able to handle the rigors of the more aggressive trails that riders want to ride when they’re not racing against the clock.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The aggressive frame geometry and minimal suspension travel have always put the Scalpel into the cross-country race category. The bike is designed for riders who want the most efficient machine possible. The Scalpel-Si takes cues from years past and puts them into a modern design that still leans heavily towards XC racing, but with handling and descending capabilities that rival most trailbikes. The Scalpel still uses Cannondale’s own Lefty suspension up front, which will either draw riders in out of curiosity or push them away. Either way, the Scalpel has always been a mountain bike for the ultra bike nerd who revels in proprietary technology.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
Make it a habit: Cannondale released the Habit featuring a new suspension linkage called Lockr. The Scalpel-Si uses the same carbon fiber link with collet-style hardware that can be serviced if you’re out on the trail.
Cannondale is known for doing its own thing when it comes to research and design, and the Scalpel-Si has plenty of proprietary technology. The frame and rear triangle are a full carbon fiber construction with internal cable routing and a Press-Fit 30 bottom bracket shell. Another major change for the Si was adding a second water bottle cage. Cannondale uses Zero Pivot seatstays and designed an integrated battery holder into the top tube so riders can run Di2 and a stealth-routed dropper post.
The head tube is an oversized 1.5-inch diameter with a 69.5-degree angle. The Lefty uses a 55-millimeter offset along with the Asymmetric Integration (Ai) offset in the rear. Ai is Cannondale’s answer to Boost spacing. It moves the hub over 6 millimeters to the right to allow for more tire clearance and to shorten up the chainstays. Our test bike retails for $9060, but riders can get into the aluminum version for $3000 and the carbon for $4200.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
Top-shelf shifting: Shimano XTR has been one of the most reliable high-end component groups on the trail for over a decade. Our test bike came stock with an XTR M9000 drivetrain and Race brakes.
Keep it light: The rear spacing is 12×142 with Cannondale’s Ai offset. This offset pushes the drivetrain and hub 6 mm. to the right to allow for more tire clearance and the ability to run a front derailleur.
There was plenty to admire with the spec of our test bike. The XTR drivetrain shifted flawlessly, and the ENVE M50 wheels were stiff and fast. The Lefty was possibly the biggest standout with a 55-millimeter offset that made the Scalpel feel like a worthy trail- bike on rowdy descents.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
A couple of our test riders have spent plenty of time on the Scalpel over the years and are very familiar with the handling and fit. The Scalpel-Si felt like a completely different bike from what we were used to, with the wide 760-mm bars and long, low geometry, it felt as though Cannondale wanted to beef up the trail-worthiness of this bike with these tweaks.
Something custom: RockShox produced a custom banjo for the tight, tricky cable routing for the Full Sprint remote. This banjo helps keep the cables routed internally for a clean overall look.
Suspension setup:
We tinkered with the suspension setup often throughout our testing. We started with 20-percent sag in the shock and 15-percent sag in the Lefty fork, both with the rebound set in the middle. After a couple rides, we softened the shock to 25 percent for general trail riding but kept the Lefty at 15 percent while speeding up the rebound a couple clicks. Basically, this bike requires some fine-tuning that should not be done on the trail. It should be done in the garage before or after some initial shake-out rides. The shock uses a custom banjo to attach the hose for the remote lockout. Some of our test riders had a difficult time turning the rebound knob on the trail—another reason to do the tweaking at home.
Point and shoot: The new Scalpel-Si boasts more capability than many other XC race bikes that we have tested. At high speeds, the Scalpel felt stable and inspired plenty of confidence in our test riders.
Cornering:
The Scalpel-Si doesn’t feel like your typical XC race bike in the corners. The wide bars and slack geometry allowed our test riders to push harder in corners than they normally would have on other XC rigs. In tight switchbacks and banked turns, the Si could be whipped through with ease, demonstrating a very playful side that is not common in these types of machines.
Climbing:
Cross-country races are often won on the climbs, and cross-country race bikes need to be able to respond when the trail points up. The Si comes stock with a Sprint Remote for the front and rear suspension. With the suspension locked out, the Scalpel transforms into a fully rigid bike that motors uphill. During hard efforts out of the saddle, the Scalpel responds quickly, reminding us of its XC racing roots. The Scalpel isn’t a bike that just spins up hills; the aggressive geometry encourages riders to push harder and charge any rise.
Hey Lefty: For 2017 Cannondale spec’d the Lefty with their new 2Spring internals. This design uses less parts and increases the overall durability and performance of the Lefty.
Descending:
This isn’t normally a category that XC bikes excel in, but the Scalpel-Si can rip descents. The combination of the progressive geometry and off- set on the fork gave our riders a very balanced and stable feel at high speeds and over technical sections of trail. At times, our test riders didn’t feel like they were riding a bike with only 100 millimeters of travel. The aggressive geometry had our weight centered and back behind the bars, and the wide bars gave us solid leverage. Occasionally, the Lefty felt a little too stiff over rocky bits of trail, but it held its own overall with plush travel.
TRICKS, TIPS AND UPGRADES?
Early on in our testing, we had some issues with a bearing in the suspension linkage. It took some time, but after performing some surgery and replacing all of the linkage, we didn’t have any more issues.
The bike comes stock with Schwalbe Racing Ralph tires for a fast-rolling ride. We did opt for a slightly more aggressive pair of Rocket Rons for a little extra traction for XC and trail riding. Some riders might want to add a dropper post and even a more aggressive tread if they plan to do more trail riding.
![Scalpel-3]()
BUYING ADVICE?
BUYING ADVICE?Cannondale has an incredibly loyal following that has stayed with the brand through thick and thin. Our test bike is near the top when it comes to price, but riders can get into the aluminum version for $3000 or the entry-level carbon for $4200. If you are an XC racer looking for your advantage, the Scalpel-Si shows plenty of potential. Even though the Scalpel-Si is all business, it has a very playful side that blurs the lines between modern XC and trail riding. www.cannondale.com
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