Rider-Focused, Race-Proven

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The championship-winning Cannondale Factory Racing cross-country
team made their needs clear: give us more. So we did. The new Scalpel
brings more travel, more aggressive geometry, and more capable spec to
dominate the XC courses of today, and your favorite trails tomorrow.

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Overview
Travel Advisory
Not just more travel – better travel. Thanks to the magic of our
FlexPivot kinematics and Proportional Response suspension,
Scalpel’s 120mm of travel delivers unreal traction, more
control, and a hell of a lot more fun – with all the efficiency
and responsiveness you’d expect from a World Cup race rig.
It’s OK to Stare
No other fork looks like Lefty, and no other fork does what
Lefty does, landing riders on countless podiums since its
introduction nearly 20 years ago. Unmatched stiffness,
smoothness, and responsiveness result from that wild design,
so when it’s showtime, Lefty keeps you at the front of the line.

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The Beauty of Speed
This ain’t no fashion statement. This is pure, purposeful
design. Every element of the Scalpel’s form is driven by
function above all – kinematics, weight, stiffness, and
capability. Features drive the shape, instead of the shape
constraining the features. And fast looks good.
The Devil’s in the Details
Speed starts with the geometry, and Scalpel’s got the hole shot.
The slack 66.6º head tube angle and frame geo that is customized
by size to keep the rider more balanced between the wheels.
The result? More power and traction on the climbs, more pinpoint
control in the corners, and a whole new level of confidence at speed.

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System Overhaul
The SystemBar XC-One is a one-piece carbon cockpit that’s both
lighter and stiffer than most two-piece cockpits. Ergonomically shaped,
internally cabled, and packing a full 760mm of width, it gives you ultimate
control over the trail. Available on SystemBar Models only.

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Geometric Advantage
Full size-specific customization keeps you balanced in the sweet spot. A wicked
slack 66.6º head tube angle delivers confidence at speed. Steeper 75.5º seat
tube angle and longer reach keeps you in the perfect position for power and
traction on the climbs. Hurt ‘em on the ups, drop ‘em on the downs.

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FlexPivot
FlexPivot stays are key to Scalpel’s incredible suspension performance and low weight.
These patented carbon sections act as virtual Horst link pivots, creating a true four-bar
link suspension that allows our engineers to precisely tailor how the suspension responds
to pedaling, braking, and bump forces, without the weight or maintenance of bearings.

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Proportional Response Suspension
How a suspension system responds to inputs is heavily influenced by the rider’s
center of gravity, yet most designs on the market use the exact same suspension
layout across all the sizes. With Proportional Response, we customize the kinematics
by size to deliver the absolute best traction, braking, and pedaling performance.

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Fly Low
The cat’s out of the bag: A dropper post’s ability to instantly raise or
lower a bike’s saddle for technical sections or steep descents is a secret
to speed that XC riders can’t ignore anymore. It’s why you’ll find them
on any Scalpel – so you can command any terrain, and fast.

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