Around ten years ago, the Cannondale Jekyll was considered one of the best marathon fullys on the market. Now it is being revitalised in a new category. It wants to be the best all-mountain trail bike there is. Developer Peter Denk and his team have had "two sleepless years" (quote Denk) behind them.
Hollow axles for more rigidity
The frame is made of carbon and has a very rigid design. For example, Denk uses a wide rocker with 15 mm hollow axles and the bearings above the dropout are also double, ensuring a very rigid connection. Added to this is the 1.5 inch thick head tube. The centrepiece, however, is the DYAD shock developed together with Fox. It has two chambers and therefore two spring travels, which can be activated via a handlebar lever. In Flow mode, 150 mm is available at the rear, in Elevate mode it is only a sporty 90 mm.
Similarity to Scott Genius?
Now you could say: the Scott Genius already realised an idea like this two years ago! That's right, you can't deny certain similarities with the Genius. However, the big difference, says Peter Denk, is that the Fox shock with its two air chambers works like two separate shocks and their damping can be adjusted completely independently.
High price for a lot of technology
The fork on the Jekyll is the Fox 32 Talas with travel that can be lowered from 150 to 120 mm. The steep seat angle makes climbing easier. Cannondale specifies 11.6 kilos for the top model, but the price is steep: probably around 7500 euros. The frame with shock should weigh around 2.6 kilos.
First ride test of the Cannondale Jekyll
At the Cannondale presentation in Park City, the colourful Jekyll 1 model (approx. 5499 euros) was ready for test rides. The riding position and cockpit fit perfectly, the stiffness of the construction is immediately noticeable. The bike manoeuvres precisely through turns, no flex disturbs the targeted line, which promotes confidence in the bike and in your own abilities. Uphill, you switch to Elevate mode via the rather stiff handlebar lever. This closes an air chamber in the shock and reduces the negative suspension travel by 40 per cent, meaning that the rear end doesn't dip as much on steep climbs.
The result: very good first impression
You don't have to shift your body weight forwards as much as would otherwise be necessary on 150cc bikes, and the seat angle remains steep enough for good power transfer. This feels pleasant; the Jekyll develops an agility on the climbs that is rarely felt on 150 cc bikes.
You only need to lower the fork on really steep ramps, the new Fox Talas pleases with its only two-stage lowering from 150 to 120 mm - the intermediate stage was rarely needed anyway. In downhill - flow mode - the smoothness benefits from the one centimetre lower bottom bracket and the one degree slacker angles. The rear suspension is plush, works over a long travel and matches the fork, but the playful handling remains the same.
After two and a half hours of hammering singletrack, the conclusion is that the Jekyll is undoubtedly one of the best all-mountain bikes on the market because it combines the variability of the suspension with high stiffness, new ideas and great looks. Nobody needs to be afraid of suspension travel here. The bike would also be conceivable with a 160 mm fork, for example a Fox 36 Talas 160. The ideal tuning for the all-in-one Jekyll has also already been decided, it would be a second wheelset - a light, fast and robust one with fat tyres.
