Cannondale Scalpel 1 Lefty: First Ride Review

I posted this on Pinkbike, but it's also relevant here.  Is there anywhere that reviews XC bikes these days with someone that actually races XC regularly? Riding around in baggy trousers and an enduro helmet and shoes on flat pedals, riding this thing with a stack of spacers a mile high under the stem all undermine the review and mean it's not relevant to the people who will use the bike for what it's meant for.

How easy is it to ride when you can barely see from effort? Does it forgive your mistakes when you've spent four hours riding on the rivet? How does it sprint? How easy is it to work on trackside when your full toolkit is at home (I know it's going to be awful, but just how awful?)? That's what the target market for this bike wants to know, and I don't think anyone on the major sites is providing that, they're just sending out someone who normally rides a trail or enduro bike and letting them see how it feels.

That’s what the target market for this bike wants to know

My years working at a Cannondale dealer tell me that the target market for this bike are middle aged guys looking for a light weight trail bike. They probably already have a burlier Cannondale trail bike at home next to their Synapse or Super Six.

I wonder how many of single tracks readership are riding on the rivet for 4 hours then going for a sprint finish?

There do seem to be some racy types on here. But not that many. More trail riders with flat pedals.

(Ex Cannondale scalpel owner and current owner of two synapses, non Cannondale hardtail and a non Cannondale burly trail bike)

This was a media camp launch, not a race. Ergo the ‘first ride review’ label. A fuller, more comprehensive review comes later when they send us a test bike.

middle aged guys looking for a light weight trail bike.

Well, I bought a Scalpel HT and I'm an elderly weight weenie, so not so far off. I have no intention of racing, I don't live near any gnarr, so a lightweight, racy bike is ideal for much of my riding.

Everyone will want to talk to you about the Lefty

Usually along the lines of " 'ere mate half your fork is missing!" It can pall over the course of a couple of laps. I'm no longer fit enough to race but like @onewheelgood it's ideal in my part of the country for some long distance XC rides.

EDIT May Ialso be the first to say "How much?"

Are the bars really only 600mm wide?

Loved the 1st gen Scalpels with the flexy chain stays, owned and races a couple.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/181/454571489_50f3bce7a4.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/181/454571489_50f3bce7a4.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/GaNgt ]My latest Scalpel[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr

This bike was reviewed in the way that cannondale intended. I would love a bike with a lefty thig although I’d not do justice too it

I'm curious who Singletrack would send to a DH bike launch (if they ever got asked). Someone who doesn't ride downhill bikes much and all they can say is "not ridden themselves much but this seemed nice"? Or would they put they put the error in and find someone who rode DH and can say even on a launch "this was good for its intended purpose for these reasons compared to the other ones I've ridden on proper DH trails"?

Just because you can ride an XC bike doesn't mean this first ride review is useful. And it's an industry wide problem, not just for Singletrack. Where can an XC racer go for reliable reviews of XC race bikes by XC racers? It's still mountain biking so you'd assume a mountain bike website but apparently not, you have to go to Escape Collective, a road site.

We wouldn’t generally get asked to a DH launch, but we would likely send George Thompson. This bike launch was two bikes in one - the Scalpel and the Moterra SL. And I was specifically asked to go on it by Cannondale, who would know what they were would likely be getting from me.