Xc hardtail for bikepacking? Scalpel/ Trail/ Epic/ Chisel

I’ve been looking at modern XC hardtails, and started buying a few parts here and there to build one up when I decide on a frame. I’m conscious of weight and spec but not looking for anything too pricey or flash, because it will be used as a bikepacker.

I usually ride trails so had next to no clue on new XC bits until I started looking (currently bikepacking on a 26” kona hoss…..). Specialized Chisels looked about right weight and geo, but not coming across many used – and no pannier mounts (currently liking them), so still looking at other options.

Scalpels and epics are tickling my fancy too, if I would have to change my mounting set up anyway, then maybe they could be a goer.  But, then had a look at the Cannondale trail SE/SL and wondering if anyone would recommend? For the price I could pick up an entry level complete, I might actually pull off a budget friendly build.

Managed to pick up a 12 speed XT/ SLX groupset for under £100 on a couple of poorly listed eBay auctions, Dt Swiss 350 wheels for £250, looking at Sid’s/ Rebas, and the rest of the bits I have lying about.

So, do I persevere with the chisel, think about carbon, or go for the cheap and easy Cannondale?

I can’t find much online but a medium trail SE frame weighs just under 2kg with axle, headset and seatclamp, vs the chisels 1.4kg claimed weight – probably in a small and bare. Can anyone confirm?

<p>Holt from Fairlight</p>

I use an on one scandal and rigid fork but I guess it depends on what type of off road bike packing you want to do.

I am using an roabert axle project skewer and old man mountain rack mounted to the skewer as the scandal doesn’t have eyelets. Bomb proof and cheaper than a tailfin but heavy.

Have you considered a boardman pro hardtail? My brother in law bought one who knows nothing about cycling and I thought it was pretty nice for the money. It also has eyelets and they are cheap 2nd hand.

The sonder frontier is also cheap and has all the eyelets you need

Chisel is a nice looking frame. I’ve been considering one, but the one thing (it’s very petty) that would put me off is that there’s only one cable routing hole on the right side. So if you want to run a dropper, a cable/hose has to go in the left side of the frame from the left side of the bar. Can’t abide by that! 😂

Scalpel is the same. Plus I’m very wary (probably without reason) of carbon for bike packing frames. But the geo of the new scalpel HT does look great.

A bit more trail oriented perhaps, but what about the new Solaris?

I use a Scandal as per damascus, but with soft luggage and I got an Alpkit custom full-frame bag made for longer trips.  Run a Pike on mine.

Did the Badger Divide last year, much prefer the Scandal to my gravel bike when fully loaded.

The holt looks nice, but 2.2kg frame and £1k.  At that price I’d be looking at a used scalpel.

Scandal looks decent, maybe a little more trail oriented than I was looking at though. And that’s also my concern with the budget cannondale.

I’ll be using it for multi day trips on gravel/ bridleway. But also for fun xc loops for training.

I’m getting more into endurance over the years, but realistically if I’m spending over £1.5k that should be going on my enduro.

Maybe wishfully thinking that the trail se/sl is to the scalpel as the chisel is to the epic, at a fair fraction of the cost.

😂 it’s the little details. I doubt I’d run a dropper tbh, got another bike for that.

Yeah probably similar concern to you. But through axle mounted racks on alloy rims should be sweet. Chisel was my first thought but that scalpel does look tasty

Having seen how much of a battering my bike gets on short trips, and how much more of a battering longer bikepacking trips dish out, one of my concerns would be being durable enough.

True! You see epics/ scalpels surviving the tour divide but, with endorsements and that, that might be the bikes only trip?

Agree with Matt on that point, they do take a battering. I’d not go too lightweight.

I prefer to use my Cotic Solaris Max for bike packing /touring duties. Although I have a gravel bike I could use, the solarismax just feels a lot sturdier/stable when loaded up.

I might even get some rack and guard mounts brazed onto it over the winter so I can use a proper bolted rack on it. (Presently using a Thule pack and pedal strap on  rack if I need to lug a lot of gear, but it always seems slightly shonky and a bit of a worry if carrying a bit of weight)

current bikepacker for reference, started off a casual cheap build just to get out. But after doing a fair few multi days, working hard to keep up with mates on 12 speed 29ers, I’m gonna upgrade.

the bikes done me well tbf and weighs about 14kg with racks. But the upgrade needs to be lighter and faster

In true recommend-what-you-have style, have a look at the Sonder Frontier. I built a frame up last year and it’s a cracking budget build. I have run it rigid and with Reba forks and been happy with both set ups.

Not the lightest frame at 1.9kg in Large but well thought out with rack mounts and dropper routing.

I doubt I’d run a dropper tbh, got another bike for that.

You’ll miss it then…

My Scandal has a 200mm dropper but I use a Wolftooth Valais to make sure my seat pack doesn’t drop onto the rear wheel, have about 100mm of drop when loaded – bloody useful when loaded up.

I’ve got a Trek X-Caliber that I have set up for this. It’s a decent weight, certainly lighter than the Hoss. It has rack mounts. The rear wheel spacing is weird (141mm QR, which will work with Hope hubs and I suspect DTs with the right end caps) but it’s the same on the cheap Cannondale Trails. Frame weight is 2.17kg which I’d struggle to believe is heavier than the burlier Trail frame. Mine weights roughly 25lb but it does have lightweight wheels and forks.

IMG_20230528_183211 by Luke Bradley[/url], on Flickr

We actually have some of the frames for sale at the charity I volunteer at – £100 a piece plus postage if that would interest you. Definitely XC geometry – I really have it as a spare race bike.

I’m normally all for lightweight bikes but if you’re keen to use panniers for touring something like a Chisel, and in particular a Scalpel with its wafer thin stays, may not be the best choice unless you get an axle mounted rack that also attaches to the seatclamp.

Scandal looks decent, maybe a little more trail oriented than I was looking at though.

It’s pretty good at the long trail/XC thing. I found it uncomfy after a while though.

Scandal is good. Chisel is great! I have a few mates who use them and swap them between xc racing and ultra distance bikepacking races. The tend to use them with tailfin bags.

If I was buying again I’d certainly consider one! The thing that stopped me was I was singlespeed curious.

Cotic Cascade, or new Solaris?

Bit more of a budget option but the Vitus Rapide VR caught my attention last weekend when CRC had another 10% off. full Deore, SID forks and decent tyres for just over £800.

The xcaliber is a great bike for the price you can get them. My girlfriend has the 8 and likes it, I’m put off by the QR axle personally.

The trail SL and SE both have 12×148 through axles, and I’ve seen an SE4 for £400 complete locally.

The xcaliber being a 2kg frame gives me hope though cos her bike standard feels light enough and the trail weighs no more.

I’m really tempted to grab the trail for that price and swap out the upgrades. I can always keep looking for a chisel/ scalpel long term, but I might be content.

A Scandal yesterday evening:

People overthink this. Get a competent frame (my preference is for light-ish al), position the saddle and bars where you want them, strap on some bags and go for a ride. Gotta go, sun’s out.

As chestrockwell said the vitus rapide vr. I got one for £810 with a sid, deore, wtb wheels. It excellent for the money and plan to do some bikepacking xc on it.

Im just looking at pack options for it now

Not sure quibbling over 0.5kg of frame weight makes any sense when in use whatever frame will have many more kgs of stuff loaded on it. Like others a few of those choices would worry me about robustness for being fully loaded. Some are very xc race and perhaps not built for loading panniers etc. cannon sales in the past had a rep for frame failures.

I mean I’m not swapping all the bolts out for TI  or anything, it’s not gonna be a race weight bike. But shaving off where you can does count on long days. Plus I plan to use it unloaded as much if not more than loaded.

If I’m loading a race ish frame it would be with an axle mounted tail fin or something, and my pack weight is light atm and getting lighter.

Vitus is a good suggestion, looks right in the sweet spot all things considered – which leads onto the next…. Sid/ SL/ Reba

What generation, model, spec is the best value for money. Anything overkill, or not up to scratch?

Geo of the trail SL (100mm fork version) vs the spec chisel. Think I’m sold on the cannondale after a while if thinking it would be a chisel.

couple of hundred grams heavier, but pannier mounts, and about £500 lighter.

trash parts on the lowest spec, but one on marketplace for £400, surely the sum of the parts once stripped is worth half of that

I use a Chisel for this. Can’t fault it, it’s my go-to bike for local riding, all-day epics and bikepacking. I previously used a Sounder Frontier (still have it), which was also very competent. Chisel is lighter, but Frontier is awesome for your intended use, if a little agricultural.