Calling a bike a “scalpel” is a well-worn way to say that it’s a fast and sharp handling ride, which is sorta the definition of a cross-country bike. But Cannondale has been offering the real Scalpel since way back in 2001 when it debuted as a focused, sharp bike made for, you guessed it, cross-country racing. The newest 100mm-travel Scalpel continues to fill that role, but the version I tested gets a bump up to 120mm on both ends, a dropper post, and more relaxed geometry.
There are only two Scalpel SE models to choose from, the $4,000 SE 2 and my grey test bike, the $5,500 USD SE 1. That gets you an XT drivetrain, RockShox’s SID Select+ RL fork and SIDluxe shock, as well as Cannondale’s alloy Hollowgram cranks and carbon fiber rims.