The Scalpel is an iconic marathon bike that’s been around for years. 

In 2024, the designers gave the bike a refresh – they increased suspension travel, updated geometry and created a new suspension linkage that’s more progressive. In short, they made a more capable spec that was also lighter and more aggressive than the previous version.

There have been no other major updates to the Scalpel platform since then. Which is fine, because the 2024 reboot was already so good. Interestingly, buyers also have the option of getting their Scalpel with a RockShox SID fork instead of Cannondale’s proprietary Lefty fork, which defined this bike in previous years. It’s a good call. The Lefty is undoubtably a great fork – the single-stanchion design makes it one of the stiffest around – but it’s a tricky piece of tech that’s not the easiest to service and repair. With a SID on the front, you’re not losing out on performance, but it’s a much friendlier fork to own. Plus, you’re saving a few bucks on the purchase price of the bike.

In keeping with XC trends, the Scalpel has a more relaxed head-tube angle (66.6° compared to 68° on the previous model) and a lower bottom bracket. As mentioned, suspension travel has been boosted from 100mm to 120mm, and the bike ships standard with a dropper post. The flex pivot in the rear triangle has also been refined, further increasing compliance and shaving off a few grams. 

The Scalpel is available as a very expensive LAB71 model, but we like the Scalpel 2 spec, which offers a good mix of performance and value. In stealth black, it’s a bit boring (for some), but you can’t deny it’s a very pretty bike. And given the HollowGram XC-S 27 carbon wheels, the latest SRAM GX AXS drivetrain and RockShox SID Select+/SIDLuxe Select+ suspension, there’s not much here you’ll need (or want) to upgrade. 

R120 000 / cannondale.com

This bike was featured in the 2026 Bike Buyer’s Guide. 

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