Some names and model designations harbour a certain danger. They are associated with expectations, historical events or heroic deeds. The model name Jekyll carries such a heavy legacy. At the turn of the millennium, the Cannondale Jekyll was groundbreaking, a milestone. First with 100 millimetres of suspension travel, later with 135 and geometry adjustment. I rode the Transalp Challenge on a Jekyll in 2000, because the bike was more versatile than most fullys - suitable for racing and at the same time super downhill. But a lot has happened in the last decade. The Cannondale brand has sailed through choppy waters and now, with the new Jekyll, is launching a superbike that is rightly the flagship of a new self-confidence.
The Cannondale Jekyll heralds a new era
The developers led by Peter Denk have paid attention to every detail of the suspension and packed it into a desirable design. A low shock position, wide rocker with hollow axles, thru-axles front and rear and the 1.5 inch thick head tube result in a maximally rigid construction that you can feel immediately. The centrepiece of the bike is the Fox DYAD shock with two air chambers and two suspension travel settings, which can be selected via a handlebar lever. The L-chassis did not reach the 2.6 kilos promised at the presentation in our laboratory, but 2.9 kilos is still a good value for the carbon chassis, the aluminium version will probably be a few hundred grams heavier. According to Cannondale, the Jekyll should appeal to 120 mm customers because it is similarly light, climbs better and offers huge advantages downhill. Nobody needs to be afraid of suspension travel and drivetrain influences here.
Efficiency measurement attests to the good work of the Cannondale developers
The Jekyll suspension earns four out of six points in Flow mode and even five in the firm Elevate mode. The Elevate mode, which is reduced to 90 millimetres of suspension travel, closes one of the two damper air chambers. It has a decidedly firm, sporty characteristic and prevents the rear end from dipping and thus the body weight from shifting to the rear when travelling uphill. You therefore don't have to work as hard as with other softly tuned 150cc all-mountain bikes. Conversely, the concept allows you to set the long travel with enough sag to utilise the 155 millimetres. A look at the characteristic curve confirms the expectations.
The Cannondale Jekyll in a practical test
In practice, this means that if you lower the forks and switch the suspension to Elevate mode with your right thumb, the bike flexes its muscles. Compared to a car, this would be the equivalent of pressing the Sport button on a Porsche 911: the bike becomes more aggressive, the suspension firmer, the throttle response more aggressive. If the Jekyll had a sports exhaust, it would also open its flaps. As with the Jekyll in 2000, nothing stands in the way of a Transalp race. The Ultimate's 11.7 kilos include a telescopic seat post with remote control and 2.4-inch tyres. I would prepare a second set of wheels with fast, light 2.2-inch tyres and latex milk instead of a tube. If you're not into marathons but love tough terrain, you could even fit a 160 mm Fox Talas and even fatter tyres. This would give you a versatile, 13-kilo mini enduro bike.
The double cranks fitted to the Ultimate are a matter of taste - I always feel like I'm missing something with a double. What is certain is that you have to shift gears more often with a double than with a triple, where you can cover almost any topography with the 32 (middle) chainring and the 11-36 cassette. The 740 handlebars are also a little too wide for me personally. But the problem can be solved with the saw.
Well, there's one more thing to talk about, of course: 7499 euros for a bike defies all reason, allowing comparisons with motorbikes and even cars. On the other hand, it is at least more reasonable than 8499 euros for the Scalpel Team. What is certain is that the top models, such as the Jekyll Ultimate, have become much more expensive from 2010 to 2011. In the case of the Jekyll, we have been waiting for months for the delivery of the reasonable Jekyll 3 model for 3299 euros. So far, however, only Jekyll 1 (see BIKE 3/11->) and the Ultimate are available.
Conclusion on the Cannondale Jekyll Ultimate
At 138.25, the Jekyll Ultimate scored the most points ever awarded in the BIKE test. It has no weaknesses, is more universal than any other bike, but extremely expensive. It's a good thing that the cheaper Jekylls are equipped with basically the same genes.
Web: www.cannondale.com
¹) The BIKE judgement is independent of price. BIKE judgements: super, very good, good, satisfactory, with weaknesses, unsatisfactory.
The characteristic curve clearly shows how firm the Jekyll rear is in the short 98 mm suspension travel (Elevate mode). A sports suspension for climbing. In Flow mode, the fork and rear suspension characteristics are almost congruent, the harmony is noticeable, yet the suspension provides good feedback on the terrain.
JEKYLL & THE COMPETITION
The Jekyll chassis stands up very well to the direct competition.
1) Frame with shock, 2) STW = Stiffness-to-weight factor, 3) Theor. drive influences calculated with Igorion software, points for bobbing/pedal kickback, 4) Basis: BIKE frame rating
BUYING ADVICE: Cannondale's Jekyll is available from 2499 euros:
