Cannondale's Scalpel-Si Carbon Women's 2 ascends like an angel and descends like a fiend. The super-stiff Ballistec carbon frame and oversize bottom bracket on the Scalpel come into their own when you need to step on the gas. Rocks and roots are no big deal with 100mm of RockShox Monarch travel in the rear. Up front, the 1.5-inch head tube and Cannondale's 100mm-travel Lefty 2.0 Carbon XLR fork chew up rocks and roots, transforming techy trail sections into a magic carpet ride. Stan's ZTR Rapid rims and tubeless-ready Schwalbe tires track through buffed singletrack and chunky gnar with equal aplomb. Cannondale optimized the Scalpel-Si for women with shorter HollowGram Si cranks, and paired them with a 2 x 11-speed Shimano XT drivetrain that has the smooth shifting, wide gear range, and pedigree to carry you to the front of the pack, or at least ahead of your friends. Shimano XT brakes keep the party under control with power and unbelievably controlled modulation. A handlebar, seatpost, and stem from Cannondale, and a Fizik women's-specific saddle offer comfortable, lightweight contact points. When it's time to claim that Queen of the Mountain title, you need a Scalpel-Si
