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Cannondale Lefty Ocho suspension fork grows to 120mm, only for EU Scalpel SE LTD for now

Written by Zach Overholt
2021 cannondale scalpel left fork
12 Comments
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Seemingly keeping with tradition, Cannondale just quietly introduced a new version of the Lefty fork. Just like with the 2019 Scalpel SI, the 2021 Scalpel SE LTD popped up with an all new fork. This time with longer travel.

Cannondale Lefty Ocho suspension fork

At the moment, details are still limited, but this was a part of a soft launch in Europe. Therefore, for now, this is limited to European Scalpel SE LTD models only.

As for the fork, the single sided suspension picks up where the last Ocho left off and boosts it to 120mm of travel with a carbon upper. We’re told that it will be for 29″ wheels with a 50mm offset, and checks in at 1550g in weight. Adjustments will include air pressure, rebound, lockout, and low speed compression.

Cannondale Lefty Ocho suspension fork on scalpel se ltd

Scalpel SE LTD geometry 2021

If you live in one of the countries where the Scalpel Carbon SE LTD Lefty is currently available, the pricing varies by country, but is £7,000 in the UK. The frame gets a matching 120mm of travel from a RockShox SIDLuxe Ultimate rear shock, and the bike includes a SRAM X01 Eagle 1×12 drivetrain, Level TLM brakes, and Cannondale HollowGram carbon wheels.

cannondale.com
Zach Overholt
5,730 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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Hamjam
Hamjam
3 years ago

Even if you believe this fork is better than the other comparable offerings from Fox or Rockshox, it is a terrible value. According to my local dealer, you have to send it to Cannondale for anything after the 50hr service, which is just a quick inspection. The service is expensive and very slow. I really regret getting a Scalpel.

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Oggie
Oggie
3 years ago
Reply to  Hamjam

Can not agree with above sentiment. Been on a few Cannondales, including last 3 versions of Scalpel. Lefty OCHO is next level performance and stiffness. Shop can do regular maintenance and it ain’t any more expensive than other brands

OCHO beats them all with stiffness/smoothness ratio. Hands down

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Tim
Tim
3 years ago

Cannondale for around twenty years, c.1992- c.2012: “Suspension forks should not flex, and should use smooth roller bearings instead of sticky bushings.”
Cannondale 2013: “We’re moving to a sticky bushing in the lower part of our fork.”
Cannondale 2018: “We’re going to make our forks flexier than a SID now.”
Cannondale 2021: “We’re going to add travel to our already flexy forks.”
Boo.

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Allen
Allen
2 years ago
Reply to  Tim

I tire of biases pretending to be facts…numerous reviews confirm the Ocho to be stiffer than SID, 32, etc.

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Alan
Alan
3 years ago

Your dealer could do the service, they are choosing not to. Look into other Cannondale dealers close to you and see if they can do it.

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Hamjam
Hamjam
3 years ago
Reply to  Alan

Maybe another dealer would do it, but I also called Cannondale to ask if there were any suspension shops that could do it. They told me that a dealer must ship it to them. I bet most people will have to ship it in.

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Tony
Tony
3 years ago

Alan, you are mistaken. Cannondale has 0 support for their own fork. They won’t/can’t sell us (cannondale dealer) the kits and tools to do it in house. It’s pretty deflating honestly

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Keith
Keith
3 years ago
Reply to  Tony

https://www.mendoncyclesmith.com/

Craig is awesome

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Tim
Tim
3 years ago

Love them or hate them, Cannondale once was a force for innovation, or at least for the bringing of innovations to a much wider market: oversized aluminum tubes, Headshok, Force 40 cable hanger, Lefty, lockout switches in extremely convenient spots.
What do they offer now that differs in any major way from the Trek, Giant or Specialized, besides a proprietary rear wheel standard and a sabotaged version of their once great Lefty fork? The only thing special about Cannondale is the price, which is still premium.
The torch of innovation has long since passed to other brands- Surly (experiments with wheel size), Trek (short stays with big tires), and lots of smaller brands (Canfield, Druid, Structure…).

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None Given
None Given
3 years ago

Also, do not forget that the “forward thinking” of Can-O-Ale or Crackandfail or what ever name you prefer…not only is your Lefty front wheel not compatible with 99.9% of the spares, loaner and extra wheels out there…well, the “special’ dish on the rear where screws you there too if you need a wheel in a pinch.

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Tim
Tim
3 years ago
Reply to  None Given

Well, if ability to use loaner wheels is a major priority for you, then yes, the Lefty is out. But the Lefty does provide a lot of benefits, like better stiffness and smoother suspension action. Wait- the Lefty DID provide those things till they sabotaged their own design.
Now, the rear wheel’s silly proprietary dish, that’s something else. It’s proprietary without much appreciable benefit, not the kind most people would ever notice while riding. Total waste.

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Stiff Lefty
Stiff Lefty
3 years ago

To the anti-hybrid purists: what to do if one wants to ride a Lefty with the bars slammed? How does one do that with a booted Lefty to remain pure and use “independent” old Lefty mechanics that have all the old tools and knowledge from days of yore. The simple answer is one cannot, so one must buy an Ocho and move into the future (or find a frame with HT short enough to fit the stem under the top crown).

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