Top 10 Best Canondale Mountain Bikes

You might be struggling with a particular bike while there is a specific mountain bike that will perfectly fit your terrain, weather condition, and speed. We are here to inform you of the availability of these top performers on the road and off the road. After an extensive research, we have come up with the 10 best Cannondale mountain bikes that every bike enthusiast should love.

In this article, we will describe details of the best Cannondale mountain bikes based on their features, functionality, and affordability. Before you purchase a mountain bike, you should definitely read this article for the unbiased opinion offered.

Cannondale Mountain Bike FAQ

1. What Are Cannondale Mountain Bikes?

These are mountain bikes with wide offerings and they cover all cycling disciplines but specializing in road and mountain terrain.

2. What Makes Cannondale Mountain Bikes Among the Best?

This brand is particularly known for its use of aluminum and over the years, the company has made huge innovations to the bikes.

3. How Do Cannondale Mountain Bikes Work?

They are designed differently according to the diverse preferences of riders. Some come with full suspension, others have long-travel suspension, and others come with less pronounced suspension.

4. Where Can You Buy Them?

Cannondale mountain bikes can be bought at a sports shop near you or you can order one on their website.

5. Where are Cannondale Mountain Bikes Made?

The Cannondale bikes are made in the United States by Dorel industries since 1980. The company has its headquarters in Wilton, Connecticut with manufacturing and assembly facilities in China.

How We Reviewed

The following products were reviewed based on the following parameters: Features, Pros & Cons, Price, and Where to Buy.

Overall Price Range of This Product

The price of the best Cannondale Mountain bikes ranges from $3,500 to $10,500 depending on the bike’s features and functionality. The most expensive bikes have additional features like dual-mode, dual-travel shock, all-mountain attack geometry, and Ai-driven.  

What We Reviewed

• Trigger 1
• Trigger 2
• Trigger 3
• Scalpel-SI HI-MOD World Cup
• Scalpel-SI HI-MOD 1
• Scalpel-SI Carbon 2
• Scalpel-SI Carbon 3
• Scalpel-SI Carbon SE
• Scalpel- SI Carbon 4
• F-SI HI-MOD 1

Trigger 1

Features

If you want to experience big ups and big downs and are ready to go all-out and all-in, then this is for you. It comes with a new dual-travel shock, is Ai-driven, dual-mode, and all-mountain attack geometry.  In addition, this Cannondale mountain bike comes with two rider positions. The flow mode will slacken the head and seat angles to place your body a bit further back which is perfect for descents. If you are riding in big mountains, you should definitely get yourself this Trigger bike.

Pros

• It comes in four different sizes
• Has fabric scoop shallow race with titanium rails saddle
• Reach adjust brakes
• Comes with a sealed angular headset
• Cannondale locking grips

Cons

• Setting it up is complex

Price

This product can be found on Cannondale’s website for around $7,750.

Where to Buy

https://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ProductDeetail?Id=7de71cc2-5f31-4633-bbbc-a5c5a29f38b1

Trigger 2

Features

This bike was built around the idea that you could have two bikes in one and switch between the two with the flip of a switch. Furthermore, the bike is built to handle big rides on trails that have big climbs and deliver big rewards on the descent.

The bike comes with a slack head angle that can handle the gnarly stuff on the backside and has two different modes dubbed hustle and flow. The front triangle is built from their proprietary ballistic carbon top to bottom, with aluminum chain and seat stays and a full-carbon link.

Pros

• Special shock called Gemini
• 148-millimeter Boost rear axle
• ISCGO5 mounts with a PF30 bottom bracket
• Tapered internal head tube
• Fox suspension works flawlessly

Cons

• Setting up the Trigger is complex
• The top tube is not that low-slung

Price

This product can be bought on their website for around $5,500.

Where to Buy

https://www.cannondale.come/en/USA/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=18b3b3f6-3ea2-4965-a873-17bf6d88661b

Trigger 3

Features

If you are after an all-rounder for the trails, then this Cannondale mountain bike is the best for you. It looks similar to the Jekyll enduro bike but the head tube box is shorter and the tube shapes of the BallisTec carbon mainframe are subtly different too.

The mid-frame carbon linkage now drives a conventional shock hence there’s room for a bottle where the old Trigger’s pull shock used to be.

Pros

• Good agro-geometry
• Unique remote control travel shift
• Impressive big-hit performance

Cons

• ‘On top’ ride feel unless carefully tuned
• Front end feels vague when pushed hard

Price

This product can be bought on the Cannondale website for around $3,675.

Where to Buy

https://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=10872498-75de-4b36-b933-ba2ac6f60ef9

Scalpel-SI HI-MOD World Cup

Features

This bike comes sporting Cannondale’s all new and highly distinctive single crown Lefty Ocho. The left crank arm also features a stage power meter, and the bikes are fitted with a super-light chain guide from Leonardi. It tracks precisely through hard corners and remains active in chunky terrain while still offering that legendary excellent small-bump sensitivity.

This Cannondale mountain bike comes 80g light and is built around the XX1 Eagle group set, ENVE wheels, and much fancy carbon finishing. The kit comes in at a seriously impressive claimed 8.4kg/ 18.5lb.

Pros

• It is more comfortable
• It comes with progressive geometry
• Comes with Ai-offset
• Fancy new thru-axle makes wheel changes super-fast
• Comes in seven different builds

Cons

• Doesn’t come with a dropper lever
• The tire is only suitable for fast, dry summer riding

Price

This product can be bought on Cannondale’s website for around $10,500.

Where to Buy

https://www.cannondale.come/en/USA/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=33616693-67d9-4519-a5e5-3a5e93f2ab09

Scalpel-SI HI-MOD 1

Features

This unisex Cannondale mountain bike is the ultimate race bike for the rough and tumble realities of modern XC. It kills the ups and thrills on the downs with a class dominating lightness, has the stiffest XC dually on the planet with radical new XC geometry to own the climbs and rule the descents and decimate the competition.

The bike comes in a variety of colors giving the rider various options to choose from. You get the best of both worlds through the out-front steering geometry: slack and stable on hectic descents, yet quick and nimble everywhere else.

Pros

• Unbelievably rigid and precise
• Lefty out-corners
• Comes with a custom extra-long fork
• Comes in a variety of sizes

Cons

• Pedals are sold separately

Price

This bike can be found on the company’s website for around $7,900.

Where to Buy

https://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=10aa592a-d955-4973-b79e-26adf8d60ca7

Scalpel-SI Carbon 2

Features

If you love speed, then this bike is definitely for you. It comes in five different sizes: extra small (women’s models only), small, medium, large and extra-large. The extra small and small sizes use 27.5-inch wheels while the larger sizes use 29-inch wheels. Its steering geometry is aggressive, but it stretches the wheelbase for more stability.

This is is an efficient climbing bike with added crispness provided by locking out the suspension, allowing you to pick your way up gravel fire roads quickly.
As lightweight as it is, it does not throw you around and you can cut smooth lines through rockier sections. It scoots cleanly through light turns with its signature Lefty fork, lighter and smoother than ever.

Pros

• It is front-derailleur compatible
• Comes with a 1x drivetrain
• It is built to go very fast
• A fox float DPS performance
• Has Elite EVOL shock in the rear

Cons

• The dropper post was shorter

Price

This bike can be found on the company’s website for around $7,150.

Where to Buy

https://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=a8746f1e-754a-4ef1-be2b-bf0e7c92a35c

Scalpel-SI Carbon 3

Features

With this bike, Cannondale has applied system integration to create a complete package that works seamlessly. They have tailored the set up across the size curve including 650b wheels on the extra small and small and women’s sizes. It brings the design up to date with straighter lines and a refined look. The bike has one of the lightest dual suspension Cannondale mountain bike frames in the world with a frame weight of just 2,118g including the shock, hardware, and axle on the Hi-MOD version.

While the bike looks a lot like the old Scalpel, the geometry has experienced a complete overhaul with several changes resembling what we have seen happening on trail bikes.

Pros

• Comes with a stiff and efficient frame

Cons

• Unbalanced suspension
• Mismatched suspension response
• Scalpel handle is good enough but nowhere near some of its competitors

Price

This product can be bought on their website for around $5,775.

Where to Buy

https://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=34a13ed8-07e1-46cf-8fe9-47ffa5fcb60a

Scalpel-SI Carbon SE

Features

This country bike combines superb rigidity with light weight and full suspension comfort. It comes with a thoughtful systems integration design, making it not only a cross-country bike but also a well-oiled machine for screaming descents and crazy climbs too.

The bike comes with a BallisTec Carbon frame. In addition, the bike is built light and stiff.  It is available in four different sizes to choose from and for comfort. These are small, medium, large, and extra-large. They also come in different colors.

Pros

• Ai design made possible by the bike’s shorter chainstays
• Pure modern XC low flat back rider’s position

Cons

• Pedals are sold separately

Price

This product can be bought on their website for around $ 4,725.

Where to Buy

https://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=b89859ab-bead-4d7f-b994-8229b4200fae

Scalpel-SI Carbon 4

Features

Kill on the ups and thrill on the downs with the class–dominating weight and stiffness, mountain goat traction and insanely confident handling of the world’s best XC race machine. Its weight is approximately 11.6kg, making it easy for the rider to handle.

The bike comes with a Truvativ Stylo 6k crank with Stan’s NoTubes Crest S1, 28h, tubeless ready rims, and the drivetrain is made of SRAM GX/NX Eagle. It comes in different sizes: small, medium, large, and extra-large, and different colors depending on the rider’s preference.

Pros

• The saddle is fabric scoop flat elite
• It comes with a Cannondale HeadShok Si headset

Cons

• You purchase the pedals separately

Price

This product can be found on their website for around $4,400.

Where to Buy

https://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=575c7014-9c71-4131-9f86-91746e72f396

F-SI HI-MOD 1

Features

This Cannondale mountain bike packs an XC punch thanks to its top-level components and the attention to details that Cannondale has shown in honing this bike’s versatile geometry. Their Ai use allows them to create systems with chainstays which are ultra-short. The chainstays handle traction and stiffness with none of the usual compromises in clearance or limited chainring options. The frame is constructed from BallisTec Hi-MOD carbon, making it ultra-stiff, strong, and responsive.

Shimano’s XTR Di2 11-speed groupset provides XC riding which is more responsive than most and at the highest level. If you want a bike that can climb fast, sprint better than most hardtails out there, and descends harder, then this should definitely be your top choice. It comes in different sizes thus you are free to choose a bike in which you are comfortable. The bikes come in a variety of colors for those with different tastes.

Pros

• Optimized low weight and stiffness
• Its geometry makes it easy to tackle tough XC courses
• Light, fast and agile CZero SL Carbon wheels
• Very comfortable to sit on

Cons

• You purchase the pedals separately

Price

This bike is available on the company’s website for around $7,350.

Where to Buy

https://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=b88fbdf4-efb7-4ffa-b373-e5ab2ed17fc4

The Verdict: The Best Cannondale Mountain Bikes

While all the Cannondale mountain bikes above are great, many people have different preferences, mostly due to where you are going to ride it and the weather condition of the place. In the list that we have come up with, some mountain bikes do a lot better when ridden in dry, summer weather, like the Scalpel-SI HI-MOD World Cup. Some bikes, like the Trigger 1, Trigger 2 and Trigger 3, are good for any weather.

Although all the bikes reviewed in this article are fast, there are some that faster than others like the Scalpel-SI Carbon 2. If you are a bike lover then you should definitely own one of the bikes above for your own great personal experience. We recommend that you start with the Trigger series and work your way down the list.