Cannondale Scalpel Si HI-MOD World Cup

The Scalpel Si is Cannondale's range-topping XC bike, and the "World Cup" in the name is no exaggeration, this is essentially the same bike that gets ridden in World Cup races.

So this is a no-holds-barred build, designed to perform at the highest level. World Cup XC courses have changed in recent years, the ups have become faster and more technical and the downs have become more extreme. Bikes have evolved to suit, and the Scalpel is no exception, with a slacker front end geometry and shorter stem giving added stability and precise control, whilst a shorter rear triangle keeps things responsive and allows more weight to be over the rear wheel for better power transfer when climbing.

Of course the star here is the Lefty Ocho fork, the distinctive monostay design is not just for looks. This is an incredibly stiff fork that remains remarkably light, and is particularly notable for its small-bump damping, whilst handling the bigger stuff with aplomb.

There's a useful 100mm of travel front and rear, with Fox providing the rear suspension from their super slick Kashima-coated Float Factory series. ENVE carbon rims and bar keep things suitably lightweight without compromising on strength. Again following the trend for increased versatility and more technical routes this build features an internally-routed dropper post.

SRAM XX1 Eagle rounds out the build, the ultimate in light and precise XC shifting, with that massive range 10-50 cassette providing a whopping 500% gear range in a 1x system.

photos by Bence Bujaki