2022 Cannondale Scalpel HT Review | A Mostly Contemporary XC Rocket Ship

[@heninphilippe]

Bought this exact same bike recently. It really is a super machine and I love it. Compared to my old aluminum Canyon, it has a lot less rolling resistance, and is much more efficient. Thanks for the great review!

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Glad you enjoyed the review and great to hear you're digging your new bike! [Wil]

[@markgeorge2200]

what model was your canyon?

[@heninphilippe]

@@markgeorge2200 Hi. It was a Canyon Grand Canyon AL6.9 2015. Also a very cool bike but older technology and alu so the Cannondale is a big improvement.

[@markgeorge2200]

@@heninphilippe hey thanks, I'm currently looking at bikes in the 1500-2500 dollar range so that info was pretty useful for me

[@johnsmithers284]

@@heninphilippe It probably just needed fresh grease

[@hdoan7167]

Love to see a review of the Norco Revolver HT1 , can’t find any written or YT reviews at all! looks a nice XC/Trail hardtail, and how it compares to the Scapel, Epic and Lux . Great reviews

[@youling1997]

One thing, if we are comparing bikes' reach when the fork is not sagged in then we should stick with it. Mentioning reach getting longer after it sagged in made it an apple to orange comparison.

[@patrikmikusiak6800]

Can you please compare it to Specialized Epic HT at ascending and descending? Which feels more comfortable ? Thank you.

[@DanielSauter]

I ordered a HT4 for a good price. Can't wait

[@joshjenner1]

Seriously considering the 4 , how have you found it ? If you don't mind me asking

[@markgeorge2200]

Do any of you guys know the max chainring clearance on this bike? I know it fits a 34 chainring by default but could it fit a 36 or 38 or something like that?

[@curtisamos1615]

I own a 1988 cannondale sm 800...great hillclimbing unit...short seat stays awesome tracking...recently I had my bearings repacked and new rubber....slight chipping on the bottom bracket....

[@RomeroLins]

Hi, if you had 176cm would you go for the L or keep the M? Cannondale says on its site L for those with 172cm and up, so confusing the size advice for this bike. I do not have a lot of flexibility, iam 44 years old please help me to decide.

[@jernest3321]

I'm 55 yrs old 175cm tall and went for the M Perfect fit with 80cm stem!. Tried the L at the shop and felt too long and tall at the top tube.

[@Bread_Garlichouse]

I'm 1.75-1.76ish or 5'9 for those not metrically inclined. Have a f3000sl from back in 02, an FSI in the vintage volvo blue and recently purchased a HT1. M all day,everyday for me.

[@RomeroLins]

Thank you ​@@jernest3321

[@AntonioFernandez-hm9pu]

Also I got the M. Being 176. It is in between both sizes, but I think it is more suitable the M

[@maxMax-ns9pg]

Another banger review!!!!! Good job Wil!

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Thanks Max!

[@christine3515]

Another great review Wil, thanks for it! I consider to buy this bike. I currently own the Canyon Exceed CFR Hardtail and would like to hear how is your comparison between these two bikes in terms of frame-flex and comfort?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Cheers Christine! I found the Scalpel HT frame to be more compliant than the Exceed CFR, and more comfortable overall on longer rides. That said, the VCLS seatpost on the Exceed CFR that I tested gave it fantastic seated comfort, and would be a worthy addition to any hardtail assuming you didn't want a dropper post. [Wil]

[@fetiljosh]

Hi guys can you compare it with the specialized chisel

[@edibjb]

I just picked up one of these. It has an “A.I. Integration” sticker on the chainstay right out of the box. Maybe Cannondale has changed this since your review

[@cyrilnobody2064]

So, how is the bike in climbing on the 51 teeth ? he 's back on previous gear ?

[@edibjb]

It’s climbs insanely well. Better than my previous 2021 Epic HT

[@mr.d7429]

What’s is the size of the crankset arms it comes with?

[@alexpoke]

Thanks for the review. I watched it several times. :) I would have a question related to size. You mention you tested the M version while being 175. That is more or less in between sizes. May I as why you chose to size down? Specially since you are mentioning the reach is on the low end. You could have picked the L. The reason I am asking is that i got the XL, as suggested by Cannondale for my height of 186. However the top tube is definitely close to my crotch (sorry for the details). Otherwise, testing in store and sitting on it in the house it feels right and the position is spot on the same as on my previous 26er. Now i dont know if I should keep the XL or go for the L.

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Glad you enjoyed the review Alex! Cannondale recommends a Medium size for a rider of my height, though of course there's always flexibility with sizing depending on your build and personal preferences. Generally I ride a Medium size in all of the XC bikes we test here at Flow. In the case of the Scalpel HT, I actually found the overall riding position to be quite long, so I ended up fitting a shorter stem. This means if I went for the Large, I would have had to fit a very short stem, which would have made the steering twitchy. I also have short-ish legs for my height, so I would have struggled with standover clearance on the size Large. I think at your height, the XL is going to offer a more comfortable fit and better handling. Perhaps if you are very flexible and racing at a high level, sizing down to the Large would allow you to achieve a lower cockpit with a longer stem to provide a more aggressive climbing position (at the expense of stability on the descents). But I think this would be a pretty extreme move, given you are quite tall at 186cm. Hope that helps! [Wil]

[@Nahduge]

Really old comment im replying too but im also 186cm tall with 84cm in seam and wondering if L or XL will be better for me. May I know what you did in the end?

[@alexest2665]

@@Nahduge What bike did you end up getting? I'm 183 cm and also debating between the L and XL

[@Nahduge]

@alexest2665 went for a Specialized Epic Hardtail Comp in Large as they were going for a huge discount at my area.

[@Aimedhasanzaghlul]

Excelente análise! Obrigado!

[@jpspider]

Is this frame much more stiffer than the Trek´s Procaliber? I had a procaliber that got stolen, wich i found extremely confortable and now i´m thinking of buying one of this Scalpel, but i don´t want to loose too much confort. Thank you

[@Kocur86]

hi, can any of the owners of this bike advise me what size would be best for a height of 178 cm? M or already L?

[@billrose2339]

I am seriously thinking about this bike to replace my ancient steel hardtail. Everything about it sounds good minus the smallish diameter dropper post and brakes. Could these brakes be enhanced by installing the Shimano SM-RT86 Ice Tech rotors?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Definitely - I believe the cheaper rotors are stamped, so the edges are a little rounder and less pronounced. You'll get a nice sharp edge on the machined RT86 rotors that'll offer more braking bite. [Wil]

[@eo1830]

Glad they didn't go down the AI route. Would not consider it if it had. Now it's my preferred HT option for new bike

[@kcchai2522]

any plan to review the Polygon Syncline?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

No plans at this point mate, though it's a pretty impressive looking bike for the money! [Wil]

[@pawelbu4672]

hi Guys, can I use this bike as long distance bike with bags? I am lookinmg for solid bike with carbon frame.

[@ronkiali7560]

hey waht is your height and waht size of bike you rode in the video

[@iffy_too4289]

1:12 by how much? Im genuinely interested.

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

It depends on fork sag (and travel), but it can be around 5-10mm on an XC hardtail. On my personal hardtail that has a 140mm travel fork, the reach increases by 16mm when the fork is at sag. [Wil]

[@mariomenega]

Previously Cannondale set their XC bikes with Lefty since cheaper aluminium frames, starting on 5 th model, so they had an affordable policy for Lefty enthusiasts. It receded with the New FSi, and now are met just on high end Scalpel's HT. If it's the best ever made XC fork, why not make it present in all Cannondale's portifolio?

[@michiganstate149]

Cost. Too expensive to run on lower models.

[@veroride5744]

Can you please confirm wheelset weight at 1940g? Without disc / tyres? Thanks

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

That's correct. We always weigh wheels without tyres, rotors or the cassette. The only extras are the tubeless rim tape and valves. Hope that helps! [Wil]

[@yengsabio5315]

Wow! That is a good-lookin' HT MTB! I had to pause it for a while just to stare at it with awe! Lots'a love, cheers, & Mabuhay, from tropical Philippines! #KeepBiking

[@btewb]

Would it be stupid to put a gravel wheelset on this frame? Id like to ride this on road and trail as my commuter but unsure about the geo

[@PsychopathyInArabic]

A very good question. I am thinking to buy it as a commuter bike. But let me ask you, why would not you think that this bike with its original wheel set, is not capable of road biking ?. I mean it is already very light and probably much more fun on the road than a road bike especially that it is a race bike after all.

[@timrice5342]

I missed my hard tail, I don't want another xc geo. I was seriously looking at the kona Unit x, but this HT Scalpel. Has me rethinking everything

[@mariztheaantiporda5702]

im 5'9... what size would you recommend... thanks

[@veroride5744]

Medium

[@richcole3931]

Looks good. But too bad about the proprietary chainrings. Good luck finding one of those. Cannondale's had my chainring on backorder forever, rendering my crankset useless. They dropped the proprietary cranks all together on their 12 speed road bikes.

[@nostaku]

At least Absolute Black and Garbaruk make chainrings for Cannondale cranks, you actually have other options.

[@richcole3931]

@@nostaku Actually, both of those brands you mention don't do round 2X road chainrings. They only do 1X or oval. The worst part is that Cannondale hyped their proprietary cranksets. Now they've stopped installing them on their road bikes. So I had a powermeter installed on the crank arm -- also now useless. Burned by marketing. Can't trust 'em.

[@nostaku]

@@richcole3931 my bad, I had assumed that you were on 1X since this video was for a modern MTB. Yeah, it would indeed suck for 2X drivetrains...

[@bigdiesel6912]

why does it look like the csnnonfale F5

[@stefanogiuffra3248]

Non esiste una front migliore di questa.. è nata x correre e esserne pedalata in tutte le situazioni..la posseggo identica ed è eccezionale.. saluti a tutti da Italia ciao.

[@gianpietrorodari3798]

Ciao, ho preso la stessa bici, ma ho un fastidio quando utilizzo il pignone piu grande. Tutta la trasmissione tende a vibrare. Anche tu noti questo problema? grazie

[@stefanogiuffra3248]

@@gianpietrorodari3798 Ciao...no probabilmente hai la corona che tiene la cassetta ferma un po' lenta...se non hai la chiave apposita per stringerla vai dal tuo venditore che la controlla... è un'operazione di 5 minuti. Anch'io dopo circa 500 km l'ho dovuta un po' stringere...buone pedalate.

[@DYL4N92]

@@gianpietrorodari3798 controlla il guida catena, se non e' ben regolato tocca proprio quando usi il 51

[@alves81]

Dude scalpel ht vs epic ht

[@bigdiesel6912]

why does it look like the cannondale F5

[@sergiohenrique9694]

The bike is solid and my Ebike conversion went great. kzbin.infoUgkxHL1v1R3NE5x4KiYfyt8dnQmyNYz7qi5L Very smooth ride at 30mph with no problems (135 miles ridden so far). The picture is a bit deceiving - there is WAY less space in the center of the frame than it shows. The suspension connection takes up the entire thing. So I needed to attach my battery on the bottom of the frame and my controller on the top. Instructions for assembly were lacking but honestly it wasn't too hard to figure out even though I have very little bike knowledge. Watched some youtube videos on adjusting the disk brakes but that was it. Still, I am loving it and very happy with the purchase.

[@kihealthandwellness]

All I heard was this review was 50/50... besides who wants to drop over $4000 and then have to change or upgrade parts to bring it inline with where other brands/bikes are at...!

[@Jacob99174]

Howdy, Will!

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Howdy Tim!

[@tmizzy1000]

How long it takes to assemble?

[@joshjenner1]

Great stuff here , but please review the bike you can buy , don't be throwing wheels and tyres on , things we should all know that will improve a bike , but not all will be allowed to buy (pockets arnt all that deep) , I've been looking at the ht 4 , zero reviews of this model , I know throwing more money at it in the shape of wheels and tyres would prove it but knowing what the bike is like in stock form is really where a review should start and finish .

[@ericbacker1205]

This is not a lazy bike.

[@AaBb-jr4du]

Mam rower dla Lecha Wałęsy, gdyby oczywiście nie umarł w najbliższym czasie i chciał zagrać na gulu Kaczyńskiemu. Taki MTB w agresywnym , dynamicznym żółtym kolorze pasowałby do świetnie wyprofilowanych wąsów i bokobrodów , okularów oraz koszulki Konstytucja. Oczywiście przed pokazem dla Kaczyńskiego przydałby się trening utrzymania równowagi.

[@Hansie_]

I got to ride one and now i hate my own bike

[@tuco0x]

Say "mass" in lieu of weight when referencing the unit gram or kilogram. Welcome to the 21st Century. What is torque? That's right, newton-meter. Torque = weight x distance. Given torque and distance, solve for weight and you get a Newton. Mass is constant, static weight is the product mass and gravity and given the name Newton in case you were sleeping in your science classes.

[@danielhill9080]

"Stan's M K 4 rims..." Mark 4 dude, lol.

[@hardmtnbiker]

I love the new Geo but 2.4” tire max is very limiting.

[@oskarstaudte]

Its an xc bike. You wont need 2.6 tyres on this

[@hardmtnbiker]

@@oskarstaudte limited to XC racing or to XC trail riding then.

[@dvoob]

@@hardmtnbiker You'd be surprised. I ride enduro trails in AZ on a Pivot LES with 2.1s. It's not as fast as a full sus but it's still fun.

[@hardmtnbiker]

@@dvoob my trails are too loose for 2.1” tires but I just bought some 700x50c gravel tires. They remind of some of those light casing XC racing tires. I’m running the Gravel CushCore tire inserts too.

[@aneczka2114]

No mountain bike should come with out a dropper

[@JB-mo8rs]

Haigcht-tee.

[@Smegma_pirate]

Brits talk funny .. haighche ? It’s pronounced h

[@alexandersu4940]

It's not British English..

[@Foxtrottangoabc]

Australian?