Exp. with Primarily XC App: Looking at C-Dale, Fisher
 

OK, I've got it bad...started road biking again 8-10 weeks ago and purschased a nice ride to get back into it. Hate it when work and family duties get in the way of riding but my wife is very understanding.

After a good lap on my road bike today my LBS let me take a C-Dale Scalpel 2000 for a spin and I had a blast! Until I saw the price tag. :eek:

But....I'd rather spend a little more to get a good bike. And I want to try a Fisher with 29" wheels and Genesis frame, he let me take his personal SuperCaliber 29er hardtail for a short ride, nice but it was a Large frame and I'm a Medium frame-size guy. So he contacted someone he knows to let me try out their Fisher Sugar 293, also with 29" wheels in the next week or two. So I'll also get to test ride a Fisher with modest rear suspension like the Scalpel.

Don't know much about mountain bikes except what I've recently read. Looking for more of a XC-style ride rather than hardcore mountain with 4"-5" of suspension. And I need all the help I can get when it comes to climbing so I'm thinking a hardtail might actually be fine, but the Scalpel DID feel nice taking out some of the shock from crossing over small ruts in the field where I tested it out.

Those of you who ride or have ridden the Scalpel and Fisher 29'ers (hardtail and with suspension), I'd be interested in your feedback...positive and negative. I've looked at MTB Review site and it's OK but I'd like to hear from some of you. My LBS is a Fisher fan so he stocks the 29" tires, that won't be a problem.

I really liked the Scalpel but want to try out the Fisher, maybe some others.

Thanks in advance!

My uncle has a scalpel 800 and I like it fine for what you describe, light XC. My uncle is alot more gentle with his bikes. It's got enough suspension to soak up the small stuff, light and climbs like crazy.

BTW The scalpel has lockout on the rear shock so you can use that to "lockout" the rear shock. This will make the shock stiff and the bike will handle like a hardtail.

Some other companies to check out:

Kona
Trek
Giant
Specialized


My one gripe about cannondale bikes is the headshock. Since it has a 1.5" headtube cdales can only take standard 1 1/8" forks with the use of spacers or special headsets.

Appreciate the feedback! The Scalpel was much fun to ride but I really don't have anything to compare it to except my Ibex 450 hardtail which I got as a general beater. I'm also interested in the Specialized Epic, will see if my LBS knows how to get hold of one even though he's technically not a dealer.

Thanks.

A 29" wheel gives you much more rolling speed and rollover ability off road & on rails to trails, but it is not as good on technical trails. It you want to cover tons of ground, and don't need technical bike, the 29er is an excellent choice.

I'm a big fan of Specialized too but didn't someone just recently mention that they've been seeing evidence of Specialized's QC getting a little behind the game? Was that a short blip or is this still an ongoing problem?

My Father LOVES his Blur, but if you don't feel like shelling out $3K, that's probably not an option.

I love my Jekyll.

GO C-DALE!!!! please?

I have a Scalpel 900, i love it to death... and i beat the crap out of it aswell, This weekend i was doing some very technical rock trails with it its a great bike.

Raiyne.... guess what, i hate to admit it, but when i cranked going up onto a 2-3 foot rock... it failed :(

Other then me beating the crap out of it... its a great bike. Perfect for fast and responsive XC riding. I would sugest trying out some other bikes like a trek and a Kona. Although I'm not a trek fan, i would have gotten a Trek Fuel if i didnt try the cannondale.

Also... Think about 28lbs

Another thing to think about... Rear Lockout for climbs (locks rear shock)

what do you mean it failed?

Chain fell off

haha
I think Rayin was talking about frame failure.
Even though in fatigue tests, cannondales always score in the top.

how in the world does a frame fail?!?! does it just decied to go limp and bend!? lol, i find that interesting. Or are you talking about the BB (bottom bracket)

It could bend, or litterally develop a crack. Usually from a hard impact or years of hard impacts.

ahh, gotcha... now i understand the crank and fail... i guess my front derailer is off

They have been pretty awful this year. The MTB's designs, IMHO got a completely un-needed redesign to add a few curves and bends in the tubes, which while to someone looking for shiny objects (joe schmoe consumer) to me look like extra weight and unncessary bends. I can't speak on the frames failing or anything like that, but most of the Manitou forks we have gotten on Specialized have been bent, or uneven, which may be a Manitou problem. The vast majority of actual frame issues have been on the roadbikes, though I've built 5 or 6 since the initial problems with no real issue, other than they have the worst decal/paint scheme I have ever seen in my life. :rolleyes:

That being said, I LOVE my 2004 Stumpjumper Comp hardtail. It was $1630 to the mere mortal, much less for a shop monkey like myself :p and has been an outstanding bike, at about 24lbs out of the box. I don't think the 2005 Stumpjumper hardtail really changed, so if you want a HT, or even a FS, check out the Stumpjumpers. Very good bikes with a LONG history of winning designs.

I love my jekyll too...

I am also thinking of changing the front fork and I have to use reducers to do the job...

I rode the scapel too and loved it before choosing the jekyll...

http://www.ablbaseball.org/Other/jekyll4.jpg