The new Cannondale Scalpel HT is revealed: a race hardtail, for riding as fast as you can between the tape. This replaces the Scalpel F-Si, but is a c …

By stwhannah

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Hello Cannondale Scalpel HT, Goodbye F-Si

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Always liked the look of a Scalpel but the extent to which I would not do it justice is enormous.

I wonder how much tinkering was involved to make the changes.

That is a rather purdy looking thing.
The line between trail HT and flat out race bike seems more and more about weight & durability than geometry these days.

Bit odd calling it a Scalpel as that was always a soft-tail…

Bit odd calling it a Scalpel rather than Scale as that was always their race HT.

Maybe Scott were upset with them stealing their bike?

Edit: I see the lawyers got to you fast 😉

The Cannondale graphic design is awful.

It’s as if they now have the approach of:

Cannondale: “please do a graphic design for us”
Random 16 year old with a computer about 5 seconds later: “here you go – I wrote your company name on it using a block font”
Cannondale: “whoa, that’s so cool, we love it and will use it everywhere”

What happened to the edgy / ballsy / exciting colourways and graphics they used to be famous for?

I like the look of it. I’ve owned an F-Si in the past and currently own a 2019 Scalpel Si. Not sure i’d own a hardtail again in all fairness. Not sure i’d have another Cannondale either. I’ve cracked 2 Scalpel frames so far and the Cannondale specific parts and overpriced tools needed to maintain it are a pain. I’m sure the WC racers that have to race on them are glad that they don’t have to maintain them themselves!

@cheddarchallenged these new logos are actually not a million miles off of Cannondales old logo. Its a ‘new old’ if you like and you might be surprised to hear all this new ‘look and feel’ is coming out of the UK under the watchful eye of Nick Larsen who was behind Charge Bikes and Fabric saddles/components.

What happened to the edgy / ballsy / exciting colourways and graphics they used to be famous for?

They have regularly done quite calm as well – this is mrs_oab’s old F900SL

I don’t mind the aesthetic, there’s a slight splatter in the white paint that reminds of early Kona Explosif paint jobs in an understated way, and thats ok. Seeing a head angle that slack on a race hardtail is radical for sure if you’ve come all the way back from a ‘proper’ pin sharp Norba race geometry.

I’m sure its no coincidence that the riders shorts in the promo shots closely mimic the design and logos from their early 90’s wear. Had some just like that. “Golden’ days are coming back in…

gossa
Full Member

@cheddarchallenged these new logos are actually not a million miles off of Cannondales old logo. Its a ‘new old’ if you like …

Yeap This

I wonder how much tinkering was involved to make the changes.

Post deserved more recognition.

YEP!

One of the best looking of the new Cannondale branded mtbs imo. I’m biased because I loved the look of the 88-90 SM series bikes. A lot of bike graphics were pretty crazy back then, Cannondale’s big tubes and light lower case logo looked great.

Thumb-shifters & Toe Clips Cool. My first Cannondale had that frame with Pepperoni forks, probably a year or two later an M800. Then another year or so I upgraded to a M2000

Got to say though the Cannondale wheel sensor (and closed software) is a waste of time. Got one with My Gravel bike, use it on My old turbo-trainer bike linked to Garmin now. Would rather the price of it was knocked of the bike.