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If you look back over the last two decades of MTB development, the Cannondale Jekyll one of the most influential models in mountain bike history. The suspension travel and geometry adjustment, which the Americans had already introduced with the first Jekyll in 2000 was presented, numerous manufacturers copied it and literally revolutionised biking at the time.
Here's a first BIKE test of the Cannondale Jekyll 2022 in the video.
Jekyll 2022: High-pivot design, idler pulley and hidden damper
21 years later, the developers have found other ways to combine good downhill riding characteristics with good climbing abilities. Geometry adjustments such as the U-turn forks from Rockshox or the Bionicon suspension adjustment are no longer the order of the day. It's more about optimising the rear triangle function for increasingly technical trails and higher speeds. To this end, Cannondale is the first major manufacturer to install an additional pulley for the chain - a so-called high-pivot rear triangle design. As with the Enduro bike Kavenz VHP 16 the high pivot point in combination with the idler pulley is intended to minimise the influence of the drive when pedalling, but above all to minimise pedal kickback on the downhill. At the same time, this system enables an extremely high main pivot point of the rear swingarm. When the rear suspension compresses, the distance between the bottom bracket and the rear wheel axle increases, which means that the rear wheel is less likely to get stuck on obstacles and the downhill ride is not slowed down.
The design with the shock hidden in the split down tube has been tested by Cannondale with prototypes in the Downhill World Cup in recent years. It gives the bike an extremely low centre of gravity.
Jekyll 2022: Prices, weights and models
For the time being, there will be two models of the new Jekyll. Both with the same carbon frame, 29-inch wheels and 170-millimetre suspension fork as well as 165 millimetres of travel at the rear. According to Cannondale, the frame weight should be 4195 grams, including shock, thru-axle, pulley and frame guard. The naked frame weighs 3350 grams.
- Jekyll 1 / 15.83 kilos / 6499 euros >> available here
- Jekyll 2 / 16.44 kilos / 4599 euros >> available here
- Frameset / 3499 Euro / Sizes SM, MD, LG, XL
