Pro Bike: Tim Johnson’s Cannondale Scalpel 29. In the past, Tim Johnson has moonlighted as a professional road racer during the spring and summer months. But this year – his first as a full-time cyclo-cross-only racer for Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com – the American has had a less-than-conventional off-season, taking on epic rides both on and off road, using his cyclo-cross bike and Flash 29er hardtail mountain bike. For his last bit of competitive training in Colorado’s high country, which includes the Leadville 100 and Breck Epic off-road stage race, Johnson is aboard Cannondale’s 2012 Scalpel 29, which is hot out of the carbon mold. The fact that he didn’t even get the bike until the evening before heading to Colorado illustrates just how hot-off-the-press it is.
Before this trip, Johnson's only experience of the Scalpel 29 was roughly three hours' riding on pre-production versions. “I rode a demo [version] at Tour of California and then again at dealer camp, which is also our Cannondale sales meeting,” he told BikeRadar. SCALPEL 29'ER 3. Sneak Peek: Cannondale’s Scalpel 29. Cannondale showed us its brand-new carbon full-squish wagon wheeler. Words by: Kevin Rouse and Ryan LaBar Photo and Video by: Ryan LaBar One of the bigger sneak-peeks at this year’s Sea Otter Classic, the new Cannondale Scalpel 29 marks Cannondale’s entry into the full-squish 29er market.
In typical Cannondale fashion, the bike is no burden on the scales. Featuring 100 millimeters of travel front–which is new for the Lefty 29–and rear, the bike takes cues from both the 26-inch Scalpel and the new Jekyll. It borrows the pivot-less rear dropouts from its small-wheeled sibling, while the two 15-milimeter through-axles found at the pivots are a design feature pilfered from the Jekyll. The bike also features a 142×12 rear end like its longer-travel stable mate. Hitting the scales at 21.7 pounds fully-built (sans pedals), the frame and shock run around 1900 grams, a respectable fighting weight for a size large. The Scalpel 29er will be available later this year as 2012 model. Related Posts: