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I've loved the look of these for years and years, but was busy paying for boring things. Now funds are a bit more available, got my mind set on one of these as a second bike.
Are they shite? Had alu carbon bikes before, loved em but noticed the socket used to creak a bit.
Talk me out of this idea, deep down I know its only going to end in tears.
I've had two, they were brilliant bikes!
Super fast, very comfortable.
First one
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/8/8349197_f0244b1db6_3k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/8/8349197_f0244b1db6_3k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/JMVF ]Cannondale Scalpel 2000[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
second one
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/181/454571489_27ed0e737e_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/181/454571489_27ed0e737e_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/GaNgt ]My latest Scalpel[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
Only problem I had was a shock bolt snapped, 25p from a local HW store for a replacement.
Forks will be a ball ache.
Happy to help
They have 1.5" headtubes and you can get reducing cups to run any combo of 1 1/8" / 1.5" so tapered should be fine. I'd hunt for a lefty fork though, goes with the frame....
Loved mine, would have another in a flash.
How old school is old school? I had the ball-burnished one in footflaps top picture and By the Gods it was a fine bike. Softtail design superb for XC at that time - also found it really comfy which was at odds with its razor XC race remit.
But it's an optimistic person who buys a headshok bike in 2020 and expects it to ride reliably or well. Lefty is a better bet - they are complicated, need servicing, but I had a couple that were very robust (altho you do hear the opposite from some folk, where they are a perpetual headache).
@Garry_Lager
The softail frame is the one I always wanted, always had concerns about the skinny CF chainstays though. I'd be looking for a Lefty 9 times out of 10, but I'd settle for a headshock too. I'm not that good of a rider to appreciate the differences to be honest, this desire for a Scalpel is based solely on lust, and the fact that I could never afford one when they were cutting edge.
Been a few tidy looking ones up on fleabay recently. Any issues getting replacement shocks for the soft tail frame? They look as though they might be proprietary to this frame, however happy to be proven wrong.
They have 1.5″ headtubes and you can get reducing cups to run any combo of 1 1/8″ / 1.5″ so tapered should be fine
Yep totally forgotted the cannondale factor.
I would like to withdraw my previous reply and resubmit.
Buy it, buy it, but it.
I broke one of them at the chainstay dropping off a 1m high wall. 2011 model of that helps. . Was working for a hire place that had Cannondales.
There were several headshot models over the years, the best of them had a Magura rebound module in the top which gave you some rebound adjustability. Early ones had a dial on the top which I'm pretty sure just span freely and wasn't actually connected to anything.
The biggest problem they had was rust of the roller bearings, which needed changing if you didn't keep them greased up properly. Very few places could strip and rebuild them.
I stripped one once but realised without the right tools I couldn't re-assemble it as you needed sleeves to keep o-rings on when it all slid back together.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/1380/819581357_ce878af6a4.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/1380/819581357_ce878af6a4.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2fqyZ4 ]Curiosity killed the Headshok[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
In the end I just fitted reduced cups and used a proper fork - the Fox F100X was a good complement for the frame.
The softail frame is the one I always wanted, always had concerns about the skinny CF chainstays though. I’d be looking for a Lefty 9 times out of 10, but I’d settle for a headshock too. I’m not that good of a rider to appreciate the differences to be honest, this desire for a Scalpel is based solely on lust, and the fact that I could never afford one when they were cutting edge.
Been a few tidy looking ones up on fleabay recently. Any issues getting replacement shocks for the soft tail frame? They look as though they might be proprietary to this frame, however happy to be proven wrong.
The stays were rock solid at the time - great design. But you're now talking about a 15 yo carbon component designed to flex, bonded into the frame. Honestly no idea how that would be expected to hold up - in addition to here you might take a look on the CDale forum on mtbreview, that was always a knowledgeable place, and there will be guys prob still running old scalpels.
Thanks for all the tips people!
A guy I used to ride with back in the day had one, it gave me endless enjoyment flicking the shock to locked out as we entered a descent, he'd rattle down unaware as I chuckled away behind 🤣