Cannondale’s full suspension Scalpel 2 carbon fiber bikes are near perfect for the enthusiast cross country rider. Ultra light, and made with great componentry, these bikes handle beautifully on the trail. If you’re a hobbyist with a love for speeding across the trail, you might just be looking for a Scalpel 2.
Cannondale has a proud history in the bicycle manufacturing industry, and it’s easy to see why. Time and time again they produce trail eaters of the likes of the Cannondale Scalpel 2. We tried these bikes out on some rough and tumble trails, and they were scary good.
With the right amount of travel, lightweight carbon frames, and 29er wheelsets, these bikes gave up some insane speeds on the trail. The midrangers and enthusiast level models come with some choice SRAM X01 and race level Shimano derailleurs to die for.
The only real flaw, if any, was that it takes a while to pick up speed and you can’t take a very twisty trail without feeling the wheels dragging you down a bit. This shouldn’t be much of an issue unless you’re a racer or an adrenaline junkie though.
+Pros:
Amazing speeds
Excellent componentry for the price
Lightweight carbon frames and components
29ers eat up the trail
Perfect for the cross country enthusiast
-Cons:
Not ideal for cross country races
The Verdict
A brilliant series of bikes for cross country hobbyists and regular trail riding with some serious money for value.
We certainly loved the Cannondale Scalpelbikes on the rough trails. While they left a little to be desired on the rougher, more complicated trails, they handled well overall. The components are better than you’d expect for this price range, and the lightweight carbon fiber frames look amazing. Thumbs up from us.
