My answers are:
- Hydraulic brakes don't require anymore maintenance than mechanical brakes, maybe even less since there is no cables to get dirty and sticky, no pad wear to conpensate as hydros auto-adjust as the pads wear. I find most hydaulics to provide better modulation than cable disc brakes, which is much more important to me, you control the braking with more precision.
- Travel needs depend a lot on the terrain you'll ride, smoother trails are fine on the excellent Headshok system but as trails get rougher, you'll benefit from the even better Lefty. I think it's worth it. Pitfalls? Well, you are more limited to front hub/wheel choice if you ever want to change and if you already have a fork mount type rack on your car, you'll need to change it or use a Hurrican fork-mount adaptor that requires you to take the front wheel off. Not a big deal but I think it's annoying since you have to unbolt the front brake and pull it up to take off the wheel. I much prefer a rack like a Thule Big Mouth or something similar.
- Some people don't like tubeless. I love it. Once you understand how to mount and unmount UST tires, it's just as easy to put tires on, you can't get pinch flats so you don't have to over inflate. I haven't had a flat in two years now! There is not much weight difference between a UST rim/tire combo versus a regular rim/tire/tube/rimstrip combo.
I would get the Scalpel if I were you. It's an excellent bike that's light, fast and likes to be pushed. I don't like Specialized offerings as much, I hate the Fisher Genesis geometry (that's just me though, everyone don't fit the same on bikes) and Fishers tend to chainsuck a lot with their super short chainstays and Bianchi... I don't see any Bianchi mountain bikes over here so I wouldn't know. What I do know is, Headshoks and Leftys are only available on Cannondales and they are truly in a class of their own, way above other forks out there. They are so stiff laterally and torsionnally that I feel I'm on a Jell-O fork every time I ride something else.
But don't just listen to me or anybody over here, try as many bikes as you can before you decide and pick the one that fits you best. Good luck with your decision.
- Hydraulic brakes don't require anymore maintenance than mechanical brakes, maybe even less since there is no cables to get dirty and sticky, no pad wear to conpensate as hydros auto-adjust as the pads wear. I find most hydaulics to provide better modulation than cable disc brakes, which is much more important to me, you control the braking with more precision.
- Travel needs depend a lot on the terrain you'll ride, smoother trails are fine on the excellent Headshok system but as trails get rougher, you'll benefit from the even better Lefty. I think it's worth it. Pitfalls? Well, you are more limited to front hub/wheel choice if you ever want to change and if you already have a fork mount type rack on your car, you'll need to change it or use a Hurrican fork-mount adaptor that requires you to take the front wheel off. Not a big deal but I think it's annoying since you have to unbolt the front brake and pull it up to take off the wheel. I much prefer a rack like a Thule Big Mouth or something similar.
- Some people don't like tubeless. I love it. Once you understand how to mount and unmount UST tires, it's just as easy to put tires on, you can't get pinch flats so you don't have to over inflate. I haven't had a flat in two years now! There is not much weight difference between a UST rim/tire combo versus a regular rim/tire/tube/rimstrip combo.
I would get the Scalpel if I were you. It's an excellent bike that's light, fast and likes to be pushed. I don't like Specialized offerings as much, I hate the Fisher Genesis geometry (that's just me though, everyone don't fit the same on bikes) and Fishers tend to chainsuck a lot with their super short chainstays and Bianchi... I don't see any Bianchi mountain bikes over here so I wouldn't know. What I do know is, Headshoks and Leftys are only available on Cannondales and they are truly in a class of their own, way above other forks out there. They are so stiff laterally and torsionnally that I feel I'm on a Jell-O fork every time I ride something else.
But don't just listen to me or anybody over here, try as many bikes as you can before you decide and pick the one that fits you best. Good luck with your decision.
