Cannondale Scalpel HT 2023 – the outlaw among race bikes
Cannondale is pushing the limits of the race bike genre with its Scalpel HT. We clarify how the hardtail performs off-road and whether the world needs a new approach for race hardtails.
It’s impossible to talk about the Cannondale Scalpel HT without first taking a peek into the world of the mountain bike industry. The bike industry is a wonderful, colourful bunch. With a lot of creativity in product development, design and marketing, it is becoming increasingly difficult to attract interest to your own products. Because the customer is constantly bombarded with awesome content. Some companies try it a bit clumsily with brightly painted frames, others dig deep into their pockets to achieve omnipresence in the media on all channels. However, these attempts by the competition should not elicit more than a weary smile from the Americans at Cannondale. When it comes to attracting attention, the boys & girls from the states know how to do it right. Since 1971, they have combined the courage to do things differently with technical innovations and authentic athletes. And this is exactly where the big mountain bike universe comes full circle to our test bike, the Cannondale Scalpel HT Hi MOD 1. Because it doesn’t matter whether you’re at the marathon starting block, on the single trail or in front of the ice cream van: this bike is bound to attract attention. If you think the one-legged Lefty fork is the only unique selling point of the Scalpel HT, you should read on.
Check out our in-depth Cannondale Scalpel HT video
Cannondale Lefty Ocho- fewer fork legs- more travel- more fun?
The single arm concept of the Lefty fork has divided the bike community into two camps for decades. There are those who adore this extravagant concept and of course there are the doubters. Can one arm withstand the stresses of biking? With a good dose of self-mockery, Cannondale launched the new Lefty Ocho with the marketing slogan “Suspension of disbelief”. But behind the concept of the Lefty fork is more than a funny marketing slogan. Leaving aside self-mockery and the courage to be different, there are many reasons for this concept from a technical point of view.
The Lefty Ocho is more rigid than conventional forks due to its design
Like a branch that gets thicker toward the trunk of the tree, the Lefty “gets thicker” toward the frame of the bike. A major weakness of classic cross-country forks is their low rigidity. Because, according to the laws of physics, the highest forces act when riding, braking and steering, normal cross-country forks are very delicately dimensioned. The usually installed 32 millimeter stanchions and the slender fork crowns squeal, especially under the load that occurs when you step on the brakes hard. Thanks to the upside-down concept, the Lefty fork is constructed most voluminously when braking (because of the lever arm of the fork). And you can feel that. Cannondale came up with something special for the torsion that cannot be avoided in the lower part of the fork.
The Lefty Ocho uses needle bearings
With normal forks (especially when braking), the fixed upper part (stanchion tubes) with the movable lower part (casting/slider tubes) can slightly jam up. This significantly increases the friction when compressing. Unlike usual these sliding surfaces on the Lefty are equipped with needle bearings. This means that the friction of the fork remains constant even under load. On the trail the Lefty Ocho responds very sensitively, even under extreme loads. To get away from technical jargon, the Lefty felt super fluffy during our field test.
Many options and good instructions speak for the Lefty Ocho
The handlebar lockout blocks the fork completely, and the recommended settings via the app or the table printed on it were perfect for us. The setup of the Lefty fork can also be adapted to individual preferences via the separately adjustable compression level. And with 110 millimeters of spring travel, it also offers a little more reserves than the standard 100 millimeter cross country forks. But does more travel actually fit into the Cross Country concept of the Scalpel HT?
Cannondale shows great sensitivity when it comes to the geometry and alignment of the Scalpel HT
How much of a different approach can a cross-country hardtail take? With 110 millimeters of travel on the fork and a flat 67 degree steering angle, Cannondale is clearly redefining the limits in the endurance segment. Striking: When it comes to reach or top tube length, the Americans tend to be on the conservative side. Bikes like the recently presented Scott Scale or the Cervelo ZHT-5 are significantly longer here and thus convey a sportier seating position. What doesn’t go together at first glance turns out to be a well thought-out concept when riding the Scalpel HT.
The Scalpel HT feels like slipping into your house shoes
The first thing you notice is that the Scalpel HT’s seating position has a touch of comfort. The pressure on the hands and wrists is significantly lower than with other current racing hardtails. In test mode, we change bikes almost every day. And every time we swung back onto the Scalpel HT, it felt a little as if we were slipping into our house shoes. You don’t have to have core muscles like a professional athlete to sit on and feel comfortable with this bike. This fact also reveals the actual character of this bike. The Scalpel HT can win races, but it’s not a“die-hard racer” of the old school. It caters more to casual racers with a confident handling on singletrack to sweeten the after-work ride or extended trail tour. The good but not excellent weight of 9.6 kilos (without pedals in size L) and the chainstays that grow with the bike also match our impression that riding fun is an important development goal for the Cannondale Scalpel was.
Chain stays that grow with the size ensure a homogeneous load distribution in all sizes
Chainstays that grow with the frame size are not a given in the bike industry. The individual rear triangles for each frame size significantly increase the effort involved in the construction and production of carbon frames. But they improve the riding experience, especially for tall bikers. Because if the rear end grows with the main frame, the weight distribution between the front and rear wheel remains balanced even in sizes L and XL. If the rear stays the same, the handling of a bike – especially for tall riders – feels very rear-heavy. We definitely didn’t have that feeling with the Scalpel HT. In combination with the ample 110 millimeters of spring travel and the slack steering angle, the Scalpel HT conveys a safer driving experience than many of its competitors, even on rougher terrain. Does that mean, it is actually looking into the target group of scalpel fully riders?
Fully VS. Hardtail – Which Cannondale Scalpel is the better?
The comparison between hardtail and fully comes to mind since they both have the same name. And a closer look at the geometry tables of both bikes reveals: yes, the Scalpel Fully was definitely a role model during the development of the hardtail. The Scalpel Fully (without the addition SE) is a bit more sporty. The seating position and equipment of the Fully are aimed at regular racing use. And under the butts of Henrique Avancini, Alan Hatherly and Manuel Fumic, it’s also proven to be extremely good at it. The Scalpel Hardtail, on the other hand, wants to appeal more to those bikers who are put off by the additional weight and higher service volume of a fully. It wants to be a bike that you can swing your leg over at any time, with the certainty of a carefree ride, having a good time on the trails. The equipment on our test bike also fits into this approach.
High-end hardtail without electronics – well, almost without
The mechanical Shimano XTR 1×12 gears and the Shimano XT brakes with 180 mm brake discs not only worked very well during our test, but also had a pleasant side effect. Because with the gear cable routed inside, the hour before the ride is simply much more relaxed. We enjoyed not having to worry about the battery level of the gears. And the Shimano XT brakes simply do what you expect them to do. They decelerate first class and relax the hand with thought-out ergonomics. The rigid seat post fits into the carefree, low-maintenance image of this bike. But the Scalpel HT can’t do without electronics either. The inconspicuous Cannondale Wheel Sensor in the front wheel is proof that the Americans are not opposed to the trend towards electronics on bikes on principle.
