The new hardtail model follows in the footsteps of the full-suspension version with aggressive modern geometry

Cannondale has introduced the Scalpel HT hardtail in its Scalpel off-road mountain bike series, which previously consisted only of full suspension models.

The latest product in the series follows in the footsteps of its full suspension brother 2021 Cannondale Scalpel, with a loose, off-road-focused mountain bike geometry.

The headline of these numbers is 65.5 degrees of head tube angle and proportional chainstay length, each size of Scalpel HT will increase by 5 mm.

It also has a new drop-down seat fork design, which is said to make riding more stable, and is similar to the brand's SAVE micro suspension seen on the Cannondale F-Si, which will replace this model.

Unsurprisingly, the front and rear wheels of the Scalpel HT are 29 inches, but now depending on the model, the front wheel travel ranges from 100 mm to 110 mm.

2022 Scalpel HT will provide four configurations.

The most expensive Scalpel HT Hi-MOD 1 uses the brand's lightest carbon material, and claims a frame weight of 895 grams. It is equipped with Shimano's XTR M9100 mountain bike kit and is priced at 6,200 pounds / 5,000 US dollars / 6,999 euros.

The cheapest version is Scalpel HT Carbon 4, which retails at £2,600/2,200 USD/2,499 Euros and uses Shimano Deore M6100.

The focus of the 2022 Scalpel HT design is lightweight, and Cannondale claims that the flagship frame weighs 895 grams. This is a medium-sized Hi-MOD version, painted in the lightest black, without axles, seat clips, earphones, etc.

The lack of weight is impressive and should appeal to the target audience of bikes; riders who want to be on the top of the podium or (repeatedly) uphill.

The internal gear cable uses a full-length external cable as the standard, as in the case of internally wired bicycles, but it can also be modified to use an interrupt cable to further reduce weight.

Any weight loss is minimal, but in the final stages of the XC game, the incremental increase may add up. This feature may appeal to riders who want to minimize weight and don't worry about the need to replace gear cables regularly.

Although the news materials did not mention Cannondale’s SAVE microsuspension, on the old scalpel, according to the name, the new chainstay did have "sculpted flexible areas" to match the drooping seatstays to avoid noise. Provides back-end flexibility on the terrain.

I tested the Cannondale Trail SE 4, it put down a seatstay similar to the new Scalpel HT, and noticed how smooth it feels on trails. Hope Scalpel inherits some of the calmness inherent in this model.

Elsewhere, Hi-MOD and standard carbon fiber frames share the same PF30-83 press-fit bottom bracket standard and tapered head tube. They are equipped with SRAM UDH, and use 55 mm chain line.

The frame is also compatible with invisible lifting seatposts with cable routing options, but no stock models are equipped with lifting seatposts at the factory.

The front wheel is equipped with a sensor that can be connected to Cannondale’s smartphone app to provide information such as current speed, route, and distance traveled. In addition, it can register your bike and alert you when it needs repairs, among other things Function.

Although the exact specifications of the sensor are not listed, it is co-branded and jointly developed with Garmin.

This sensor is suitable for all Scalpel HT bicycle series from the most affordable to the most expensive.

Only a few years ago, all the geometric features of the four sizes of scalpels (from small to oversized) would not look out of place on the harder core, trail-focused hard tail.

However, only the most expensive Hi-MOD 1 bikes are equipped with 110 mm travel forks when they leave the factory. The extra travel raises the front end and pushes the XC hardtail geometry into new territory with a 66.5-degree head tube angle.

Hi-MOD bicycles have a range of travel from 404 mm to 465 mm. Due to the use of a longer-stroke front fork, it is slightly shorter than a 100 mm touring bicycle. On the 100 mm stroke model, the stroke number starts from 410 mm and rises to 470 mm.

The length of the chainstays of the two travel versions increase with the size of the bicycle, which Cannondale calls proportional response. The chainstay length starts from 430 mm to 445 mm, and increases in 5 mm increments as the size increases.

The effective and actual seat tube angle remains almost the same in the size and stroke of the scalpel, while the long-distance bike angle is more slack, again thanks to the increased front end height. The number hovers around the 74.5 degree mark.

The latest Scalpel HT has four different configurations, the highest specification bike using Hi-MOD carbon fiber frame, instead of the standard Cannondale Carbon seen on other models.

The most important is the Scalpel HT Hi-MOD 1, equipped with a Lefty Ocho 120 carbon fiber fork with 110 mm travel and a 50 mm offset, Shimano's 12-speed M9100 transmission system and an ultra-light carbon fiber Cannondale finishing kit. Its cost is 6,200 GBP / 5,000 USD / 6,999 Euro.

The lowest specification Scalpel HT Carbon 4 is equipped with a RockShox SID SL 100mm travel fork with 44mm offset, Shimano's Deore M6100 12-speed transmission system and a series of Cannondale aluminum parts to complete the construction, priced at 2,600 pounds / 2,200 US dollars / 2,499 Euros.

Alex Evans is BikeRadar's Mountain Bike Technical Editor. He started downhill racing at the age of 11 and then continued to participate in competitions across Europe. At the age of 19, Alex moved to Morzine in the French Alps to work as a bicycle tramp and did a lot of cycling. For eight years, he rode those famous tracks day after day, and he broke more bikes than he remembered. Alex then moved back to the UK, where he took full advantage of his extensive knowledge of mountain biking by working as a feature editor for MBUK magazine. Since working for MBUK, Alex's focus has shifted to bicycle technology. He is one of BikeRadar's chief testers, knows how to push bicycles and products to the limit, and hopes to find the best value-for-money equipment. Alex is also a frequent visitor to BikeRadar Youtube channel and BikeRadar podcast.

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