The Review | Cannondale Jekyll Carbon 1 – Enduro Group Test
The Cannondale Jekyll certainly attracts a lot of attention, as running just one fork leg is an instant conversation starter. A radically different design that raises eyebrows and has people wondering how on earth it can work, but it does.
This article is part of our Enduro Bike Group Test 2015.
The Supermax Lefty fork is still unique enough to stop every walker in their tracks, so this is the perfect bike if you enjoy a good yarn with random people. The unique technology continues with the Attitude Adjust, an adjustable suspension system that allows you to reduce the suspension travel for efficient climbing and sprints.
The unique Fox Dyad RT2 pull-shock is the heart of the bike; with two high-pressure chambers to charge (you have to use the supplied pump), you can adjust the rebound independently for each of the 95mm or 160mm attitude adjust settings. The initial setup is a little more complex than most bikes, but it comes with easy-to-follow instructions and we found the recommended settings worked well. The 160mm Supermax fork with the enduro damper is Cannondale’s flagship Lefty and looks burly and tough, running on needle bearings for a smooth action.
For 2015 the Jekyll now has a longer top tube (458 mm reach) and steeper seat angle (74.8o) to improve pedalling performance, and the military-inspired Ballistec Hi-Mod Carbon frame oozes quality. We loved the smooth lines, and the 15mm thru-axle pivot hardware looks like it will survive some serious abuse. Looking at the build kit on the team-issue bike, there is not much to complain about: the SRAM XX1/XO1 drivetrain and excellent Magura MT7 brakes are accomplished performers. The Schwalbe Hans Dampf tyres are a good fit for a bike with such all-around aspirations, riding well in most conditions. We would like to see wider bars than the 740 mm Cannondale C1 Carbon risers provided, especially on a large bike. The WTB Team Issue i23 rims are solid performers, but the 23mm internal width is now considered skinny by today’s fat trend.
The Attitude Adjust can be switched on the fly with a bar-mounted lever (not quite as slick as Jerome’s modified grip-shift controller), and when in the 95mm ELEVATE mode the bike becomes a nimble and deft climber, finding far more traction than a platform-assisted or locked-out bike. Living up to its “over mountain” aspirations, the Jekyll punches uphill rapidly, and at 12.68 kg it’s the lightest bike in the test. The words stiff, taut, and light were used frequently and excitedly. The Jekyll is a lively bike and acceleration was blistering when stomping on the pedals, skipping up the hill while the Supermax fork tracked beautifully. The sensible bottom bracket (7 mm drop) allows you to pedal through rough terrain without fear of banging a pedal.
Switching to FLOW mode opens up the full 160mm of travel, slackening out the bike as it drops deeper into its travel. The 670 head angle keeps the front end stable at speed, and the long 1208 mm wheelbase keeps the bike planted. When we engaged FLOW we were hoping for a Jekyll and Hyde moment, but were left a little underwhelmed. We know it can be ridden fast, as proven in the Enduro World Series, but it is not a bike that normal riders can exploit easily on demanding trails. Rather than sitting deep and low into its travel, the Jekyll feels more perched and tall, riding more like a very confident trail bike, and we would have liked to be able to adjust the compression damping on the Lefty. Even though it’s very fast through tight turns and over flowing trails, it takes a good rider to hold the Jekyll at full speed over rocks.
Details
Specification: Cannondale Jekyll Carbon 1 2015
- Fork: Lefty Supermax 2.0 Carbon 160mm
- Rear Shock: Fox Dyad RT2 160/95mm
- Drivetrain: Cannondale SI / SRAM XX1
- Brakes: Magura MT7 180/180mm
- Seatpost: RockShox Reverb Stealth
- Stem: FSA Gravity Light
- Handlebar: Cannondale C1 Carbon 740mm
- Tyres: Schwalbe Hans Dampf Trailstar
- Wheelsize: 27.5″
- Hubs: Lefty / DT Swiss 350
- Rims: WTB Team Issue I23
- Price: € 7,499
Strengths
- Efficient on big rides
- Excellent climbing traction
Weaknesses
- No fork compression adjustment
- Tricky wheel removal [/emaillocker]
Conclusion
The Jekyll is described by Cannondale as an ‘overmountain’ bike, but we don’t need another category to describe this long-legged trail bike. Once you get over the loss of a limb, the Lefty Supermax is a great performer. The Jekyll is a formidable mountain climber, but when it comes to the descents there was too much Jekyll and not enough Hyde.
For more information on the Cannondale Jekyll visit the Cannondale website.
All bikes in test: Canyon Strive CF 9.0 Race | Giant Reign 2 | Rose Uncle Jimbo 3 | Santa Cruz Nomad C X01 | Trek Slash 9 | Vitus Sommet VRX | Yeti SB6C X01 | YT Capra CF Pro Race.
This article is part of our Enduro Bike Group Test 2015.
Words & Photos: Trevor Worsey
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