Review: Cannondale Jekyll 27.5 Carbon Team

Review: Cannondale Jekyll 27.5 Carbon Team
By: PinkBike
Published: October 20, 2014
Reviewing a proven winner is no easy task. In the hands of mild-mannered
Jérôme Clémentz, the 160-millimeter-travel carbon-fiber Jekyll has proven to be one
of the most successful race bikes on the Enduro World Series. The SRAM -sponsored
shredder races with a two-legged RockShox Pike fork, but enduro racers here in
North America have had no problems racking up wins running the single -sided
SuperMax Lefty that Cannondale specs on the bike, and what’s more,
WTB/Cannondale sponsored Marco Osborne recently trounced all comers at the
Mammoth Mountain US ProGRT national DH race on his SuperMax -equipped Jekyll
27.5 Carbon Team. Proven performances earned in the exact realms for which
Cannondale’s designers intended the bike to excel makes it tough for a reviewer,
armed only with riding impressions and objective criticism, to beat it down to size.
Cannondale developed its Dyad RT2 in partnership with Fox
Racing Shox. The pull-shock configuration keeps the moving
bits bathed in oil and simplifies the rear suspension.
Few components are more recognizable than Cannondale's Lefty
single-sided suspension strut. The 160-millimeter-stroke, carbon
fiber SuperMax has new, gravity-specific damping circuits.
Different Can Be a Good Thing
Criticism is one thing that Cannondale’s most successful trailbike has had plenty of – and very
little of it is bounded in the realities of handling and performance. Most detractors point at
Cannondale’s extensive use of non-standard components as their source of ire. Forget the
fact that its 160-millimeter-stroke single-sided “fork” is lighter than any of its two -legged
competitors and stiffer than many DH forks: “It just looks wrong.” Overlook that Cannondale’s
headset never needs adjustment: “I can’t adjus t it!” Neglect to admonish that Cannondale
perfected the 30-millimeter aluminum BB standard with oversized, pressed -in bearings years
before major players considered the concept: “It doesn’t have threads.” Forget that the Dyad RT2 pull-shock turns a supple long-travel suspension bike into a sharp-pedaling short-stroke
climber with a flick of a lever: “I can’t bolt a coil shock on that.” And, of course there is that
one-sided front hub that allows the rider to change a tube or a tire without removing the whe el
from the bike: “So, now I have a wheel that won’t fit on my DH or dirt -jump bikes?” For the
record, the Jekyll is not the bike for those who dream that all production bikes and their
associated parts will someday be globally cross -compatible, so customers can creatively mix
and match parts like a Lego mountain bike builder’s kit.
For the open minded, Cannondale’s Jekyll is one of the few truly integrated bicycle designs –
a well-appointed, carbon-framed, 160-millimeter-travel technical trail shredder that delivers
race-winning performance and handling. The Jekyll’s non -standard parts were developed by
Cannondale to permanently resolve nagging problems related to performance, efficiency and
reliability that contemporary bike and component makers were eith er patching up or ignoring
entirely. For example: Rather than providing a compromise shock tune with a lockout or
traction option, the Fox-made Dyad RT2 shock provides two separate shock systems, each
with its own damping and spring rate – a 160 millimeter circuit, tuned for technical sections
and descending and a 95-millimeter option with a stiffer spring rate and slower rebound for
pedaling and climbing.
That said, Cannondale is not fixated upon using dedicated components merely for the sake of
differentiating its products. Look beyond the Jekyll’s dedicated shock, “fork” and headset
arrangement, and the remainder of its components are items that most would expect to find on
a premier enduro racing bike: WTB i23 rims, DT Swiss hubs, Schwalbe Hans Dampf ti res, a
SRAM XX1 drivetrain, a RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper post, Magura MT -7 brakes and a
Gravity 740-millimeter carbon handlebar and 50-millimeter aluminum stem combo. Built
accordingly, the complete medium -sized Jekyll Team, at only 26.86 pounds (12.21kg) ready to
rock, is lighter than most trailbikes with much less suspension travel. MSRP for the top -drawer
Carbon Team reviewed here runs $7580 USD, with and sizes offered in small, medium. Large
and X-large. More affordable models range from the $6170 C arbon 2, to a pair of aluminum framed models: the $3900 Jekyll 3 and the $3250 Jekyll 4.
Jekyll 27.5 Carbon Team Details:
• Frame: Impact-resistant ballistic-type carbon construction, 160/95mm travel, single-pivot
swingarm suspension, X-12 through-axle system, external cable routing, ISCG 03 tabs.
• Wheel diameter: 27.5-inch
• Fork: Lefty SuperMax, 160mm stroke, Carbon upper, aluminum lower, external rebound and
lockout
• Shock: Dyad-2, Air-sprung, two chamber, remote-controlled pull-shock, 160mm or 95mm
travel options with separate low-speed rebound controls. “Enduro” high-speed compression
tune.
• Headset: Cannondale integrated 1.5-inch pressed-in type
• Bottom bracket: Cannondale BB30 press-in type
• Drivetrain: SRAM XX1 eleven-speed with Cannondale Hollowgram BB 30 aluminum
crankset, 30-tooth XX1 chainring.
• Brakes: Magura MT6 with 180mm rotors (MT7 four-piston brakesare the current spec)
• Wheels: WTB i23 Team rims, DT Swiss 305 hubs, and DT Swiss Competition spokes.
•
•
•
•
•
Seatpost: RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper post, 100mm stroke.
Weight: (Medium size tested) 26.86 pounds (12.21kg)
Sizes: Small, medium, large. X-large.
MSRP: $7580 USD
Contact: Cannondale USA
Construction
Cannondale says that it makes the Jekyll’s carbon chassis using a special high -modulus
material that is used by armed forces where armor protection is necessary – which implies
that it has a higher degree of impact resistance than more commonly used high -strength
carbon. With two decades of carbon fiber bicycles under their belts, Cannondale’s designers
are not afraid to profile the Jekyll’s frame tubes as narrow or as wide as required. Up front,
the frame’s oversized head tube contains Cannondale’s tried-and-true press-fit 1.5-inch
headset system which requires no periodic maintenance or adjustments. The massive top tube
tapers quickly to meet the slender seat tube, while the downtube widens dramatically to 85
millimeters midway to the bottom bracket to support the suspension’s carbon fiber pull -shock
rocker link. Elsewhere, the single-pivot swingarm and seatstays are crafted in semi rectangular shapes to maximize stiffness and strength without taking up val uable real estate
where drivetrain components and DH-width tires must pass.
(Clockwise) The Dyad RT2 pull shock may appear complex, but the tradeoff is that the
suspension linkage needed to operate it is remarkably simple. The tubular axles for the
suspension pivots are clamped in place. Cannondale has long been a supporter of the 1.5inch steerer tube and oversized, press-in headset bearings. The Jekyll's brake caliper
mount is molded into stiff, hollow carbon dropouts. A top -down view of the carbon rocker
link shows the ovalized downtube and wide bearing placements.
Hollow, 15-millimeter-diameter axles are used throughout the Jekyll’s rear suspension and the
sealed ball bearings are widely spaced to maximize lateral stiffness and minimize the effects
of free play, however miniscule, that naturally occurs as all bearin gs wear over time. The
axles are clamped to the outer segments of the suspension rocker link and swingarm to
further secure the system against unwanted flex and also to simplify disassembly and
maintenance.
At the rear of the bike, Cannondale designed massive, hollow carbon dropouts that house a
pair of sealed ball bearings at each seatstay pivot, where clevis -type seatstay attachments
further strengthen the pivot junctions. The aluminum derailleur hanger also attaches to the
carbon dropout with a sturdy clevis mount. Cannondale employs the Syntace X -12 throughaxle system which is secured with a six-millimeter Allen key. Threads on the drive side and a
tapered collet on the left side lock the axle securely to the swingarm.
Practicality and ease of maintenance may have been the motivations for Cannondale to
choose (with one exception) to route the Jekyll’s shift housings and brake hoses externally on
the frame. Clean looking screw-in aluminum guides collect the two hoses and one housing
that run to the bottom bracket on the underside of the downtube, where a tough rubber frame
guard does double-duty, protecting the control conduits from injury. The remote hose for the
bike’s RockShox reverb Stealth dropper post tucks into the seat tube though a rubber
grommet. Oddly, even though there is an empty, fourth slot in the downtube guides, the
remote cable that operates the Dyad-RT2 shock is internally routed through the downtube.
The only explanation is that Cannondale’s design team were not committed to a one -by
drivetrain and made the call to leave a spot for a future front derailleur housing.
Geometry tweaks to make the Jekyll 27.5 a more capable AM/enduro bike include a longer
wheelbase and a slacker, 67-degree steering angle for high speed stability; slightl y longer top
tubes across the sizing range to compensate for its 50 -millimeter stem, and a steeper seat
tube angle to enhance climbing ergonomics. The offset of the Jekyll’s Lefty SuperMax has
also been increased to 50 millimeters to match the bike’s steer ing geometry with its mid-sized,
27.5-inch wheels.
Detail oriented riders may appreciate that the simple profile of the Jekyll allows room inside
the frame for a full-sized water bottle, and that the right chainstay has a large molded
silencer/protector. Near the bottom bracket, a bonded stainless steel grind -guard prevents a
derailed chain from destroying the carbon swingarm. Strangely, Cannondale chose the earlier,
ISCG-03 mounting pattern for its dedicated chainguide tabs – but it’s there, nonetheless, for
those who want the added security. Finally, if you absolutely need a front derailleur,
Cannondale sells a direct-mount adaptor that fits threaded mounts on the right swingarm pivot
– a handy item for any racer with a drivetrain sponsor that is keen on front mechs.
y
Dyad RT2 Pull-Shock
Cannondale worked out a new, high-flow compression circuit and tuned the Jekyll’s Dyad RT2
shock to work especially well on fast, technical descents that are typical of European enduro
courses. As previously mentioned, in lieu of a l ockout or a low-speed compression boosting
circuit like Fox and RockShox use, the Dyad’s remote handlebar lever can switch the pull shock between two fully functional 95-millimeter or 160-millmeter-travel modes.
Those who want to check out the inner worki ngs of Cannondale’s Dyad RT2 pull shock should
check out Matt Wragg's Q&A on the subject. The short version is that the Dyad offers two
separate damping and spring-rate functions in one shock mechanism. The pull-shock
arrangement is not necessary to make the Dyad function properly, but it simplifies the
suspension’s mechanical design and the damper benefits greatly by having all but one of its
seals continuously lubricated. Dyad shocks have three chambers: the central pull -shock is
basically a pump. When the suspension pulls on the pump shaft, depending upon where the
remote lever is located, the pump forces shock fluid into one or both of the adjoining
chambers.
Two chambers, each with its own red rebound dial are the secret of the Dyad shock's
dual-rate suspension action. Two Schrader air valves appear near the bottom of the shock.
the left fills the positive air springs in both chambers and the right valve pressuri zes the
negative chamber beneath the central "pull-shock" pumping piston. The thin mast between
the two chambers is a sag and travel indicator.
Each of the side chambers has an internal floating piston (IFP) and the air space that the
floating pistons create functions as the shock’s air spring. In the long -travel mode, the pump
fills both chambers and because the combined volume of the air springs is at its maximum,
the Dyad shock’s spring rate is very linear. In short-travel mode, one chamber is closed off,
which causes the pump to push a larger volume of fluid into a smaller air space. The
combined effects create firmer damping, a sharply rising spring rate, and about a 50 -percent
reduction in the shock’s travel. Separate low-speed rebound circuits allow riders to fine -tune
their rear suspensions for both short and long-travel modes. Small-bump sensitivity is tuned
by adjusting the pressure of the Dyad’s negative air spring – an IFP located in the lower
section of the pump.
While deciphering the Dyad’s workings can make many readers dizzy, the damping controls
are all the same bits that one finds in conventional shocks Fox Racing Shox partnered with
Cannondale to engineer the Dyad RT2 and it has proven to be a reliable system. Cannondale
also has done diligence by opening authorized service centers that can maintain and tune
them. Two important Dyad RT2 facts that prospective Jekyll owners should know is that it
should be run with at least 30-percent sag in the longer-stroke position and that you’ll need to
bring the special high-pressure shock pump that Cannondale provides if you want to do
trailside adjustments. Dyad shock’s normal pressures begin at 300psi (about 20.7 bar), which
is the top of the red zone for a standard shock pump.
Three Things to Know About the Lefty SuperMax
How it manages to be torsionally rigid: The Lefty’s inverted tubular stanchion tube is
necessary to provide a sealing surface. Inside, the stanchion is rectangular and instead of
sliding on bushings, it rolls on four rows of needle bearings trapped between the stanchion
and matching tracks in the Lefty’s carbon fiber upper. Unlike sliding surfaces like conventional
fork bushings, the Lefty’s needle bearings roll freely with minimal lubrication. Additionally, its
four-sided tracks arrest torsional flex far more effectively than the wimpy arches an d
oversized axles that are used to prop up the stiffness of conventional forks.
Conventional damper: Inside the Lefty is a pretty conventional damping cartridge, similar to
what you may find in many 160-millimeter forks. The 2015 SuperMax on our test bik e has a
new high-flow compression piston and both its compression and rebound valve stacks are
tuned for higher speeds and proper descending. Two -legged forks typically use one side for
hydraulics and the other for the air spring. The Lefty, however, split s the real estate inside the
strut, with the damping cartridge occupying the upper section and the air spring housed in the
lower, stanchion end. The damping cartridge requires only one special tool and is easily
removed from the top for tuning or service.
Removing the wheel: The Lefty’s aluminum front axle is tapered, so it requires a matching
hub. Many top wheel makers offer Lefty-compatible front wheels and hubs so Jekyll owners
need not be concerned about future upgrades. There is no need to remove the wheel to
change tires or fix a flat, but when you do have to remove the Lefty wheel, you’ll first need to
unscrew the two fine-threaded 8mm screws that fix the brake caliper to the Lefty’s stanchion
about two revolutions. The caliper mount will then lift off the screws and the brake rotor, which
will in turn, allows the hub to move off of the axle. Unscrew the hub from the end of the axle
with a five-millimeter Allen key and be sure to keep the hub and the exposed axle squeaky
clean, because the bearings will be exposed and their inner races are a precision fit over the
axle. After you reinstall the front wheel, replace the caliper mount. As long as you didn’t
squeeze the front brake lever, the counter-sunk heads of the caliper retention screws should
re-center the brake pads where you left them.
(Left) Loosen the two screws on the bottom end of the Lefty's caliper mount and the entire
assembly will lift off the rotor. The Lefty's hub is remo ved with a 5mm Allen key and the screw
remains in place on the hub to make reassembly easier. Push the big red rebound dial down
to unlock the "fork." Push the blue button and the dial pops up and locks -out the Lefty.
Specifications
Release Date
2015
Price
$7580
Travel
160mm
Rear Shock
Dyad RT2 pull-shock
Fork
Lefty SuperMax 160mm
Headset
Cannondale HeadShok Si
Cassette
SRAM XG-1199, 10-42, 11-speed
Crankarms
Cannondale Hollowgram, SRAM XX1, 30T chainring
Chainguide
NA
Bottom Bracket
Cannondale BB30
Pedals
NA
Rear Derailleur
SRAM XX1
Chain
SRAM XX1, 11-speed
Front Derailleur
NA
Shifter Pods
SRAM XX1
Handlebar
Cannondale C1 riser, carbon, 740x15mm
Stem
FSA Gravity Light, 1.5", 31.8, 50mm
Grips
Cannondale lock-on
Brakes
Magura MT6 (Tested), MT7 (spec'ed)
Wheelset
Cannondale custom
Hubs
DT Swiss 350 rear, Lefty front
Spokes
DT Swiss Competition
Rim
WTB i23 team
Tires
Hans Dampf, Snakeskin Trailstar, 27.5x2.35" tubeless ready
Seat
WTB Silverado Team Volt, CroMo
Seatpost
RockShox Reverb Stealth
ON TRAIL:
Jekyll 27.5
Carbon Team
Those unaccustomed to riding a mountain bike with half a fork should
probably throw on some lights and make their first outing on the Jekyll at
night.
Those unaccustomed to riding a mountain bike with half a fork should probably throw on some
lights and make their first outing on the Jekyll at night. Both of the riders who participat ed in
this review admitted that it took three or more rides to stop looking down at the Lefty
SuperMax and imagining that it was acting in ways that in reality, it doesn’t or simply can’t do.
In truth, the Jekyll’s front suspension requires a break -in period before its needle bearings
start to run freely and its low-speed damping falls into step with its two -legged competitors –
about seven hours, says Cannondale, before the Lefty really starts to impress. Seven hours of
riding is well beyond the scope of a parking lot test, so prospective clients may be put off by
the initial harshness of the one-sided strut if they throw a leg over a fresh one for a first ride.
True to their statement, though, the Lefty smoothed out considerably after the first few rides
and we found that we needed to increase the air -spring pressure five to ten psi to compensate
for the new-found suppleness.
Dialing in the Suspension: Setting up the Jekyll’s Dyad RT2 shock was made easier by the
printed guide that was pasted to the frame, and also by the fixed sag gauge on the side of the
pull-shock chamber. Because a pull shock relaxes in the completely retracted position, an O ring on the shock shaft is not an option.
Beginning with Cannondale’s rider weight/shock pressure guidelines (320psi for the positive
spring and 280psi for the negative side), the sag gauge measured 30 percent. At that setting,
the Jekyll’s rear ride height felt a touch tall on steep descents unless the Lefty’s spring
pressure was set higher than necessary. Dropping the spring pressure to get the shock to sag
at least to the 35-percent mark and running the Lefty’s sag a little higher at 25 -percent
achieved a good balance for descending and technical trail work. Lesson learned during
suspension setups was to be mindf ul of the negative spring pressure. Too low and the Dyad’s
rebound circuit gets overwhelmed and the Jekyll will bounce when it lands a jump or bangs
through square-edged hits. We learned to err on the high side of the negative spring chart and
to set the long-travel side of the Jekyll’s suspension downhill soft – because we quickly
discovered that we could rely on the super firm, short -travel mode for any substantial stretch
of pedaling.
The Jekyll felt a bit sluggish when climbing until the shock was switched
to short-travel mode. At this moment, the tail of the Jekyll rises slightly,
the bike's geometry feels a tiny bit steeper, the rear suspension wakes up
and the bike accelerates with more ease and a snappier feel at the pedals.
Climbing and acceleration: With a suspension tune that was admittedly biased for the
downs, it should come as no surprise that the Jekyll felt a bit sluggish when climbing until the
shock was switched to short-travel mode. At this moment, the tail of the Jekyll rises slightly,
the bike’s geometry feels a tiny bit steeper, the rear suspension wakes up and the bike
accelerates with more ease and a snappier feel at the pedals. The difference is not subtle.
Some designs in the Enduro/All-mountain category, like the Pivot Mach 6 or Intens e Tracer
275c, feel reasonably efficient while climbing or sprinting with the pedaling aids switched off.
The Jekyll is not among them. It will accelerate and climb in the 160 -millimeter mode if called
upon, but beyond short stints to top rough climbs or t o gap a jump, most riders will be
reaching for the remote lever. That said, the lever is both easy and intuitive to operate – push
the thumb-lever forward for climbing and simply tap the button at the end of the lever with any
part of the hand to release it to full-travel mode. Cannondale designed the lever so it can be
reversed and used on either side of the handlebar.
Technical skills: The Jekyll’s lateral and torsional rigidity up front makes short work of
boulder drops and dicey descents where line cho ices are measured in inches. That said, there
is enough handling in reserve to cover a multitude of sins should you blow your line and have
to bounce and skid to safety. Cannondale’s choice of tires was a good one, with the 2.3 -inch
Schwalbe Hans Dampf knobbies able to find grip on a variety of surfaces, from dust to slick
rock. Braking and climbing traction were definitely enhanced by the tires, but much of the
credit is due to the Jekyll’s roomy feeling front center, which allowed test riders to keep
pressure on the front tire while descending steeps and also to weight the rear wheel while
climbing technical stints without the need for excessive fore and aft body movements. The
Jekyll feels long and with the medium sized bike’s wheelbase at 46.4 inches (118cm), it is, so
it feels much more balanced at speed than it does poking around at a tourist pace in the
rough.
The Jekyll rider can push the front or slide the back tire with a degree of
confidence, without dropping a foot...
Cornering: With a tallish, 14.3-inch bottom bracket, one would imagine that the Jekyll would
be less than smooth around the bends, but its length and weight -balance may override that
aspect. Once riders learned to trust the Jekyll at speed and push it into the turns, our
apprehensions melted. The Jekyll rider can push the front or slide the back tire with a degree
of confidence, without dropping a foot – although I must admit to a few low-sides due to
overconfidence and not dropping my foot. The downside was that in t wo months we nearly
ripped all the edging blocks off both tires – which says a bit for the bike. To reach those sweet
blocks of tacky rubber, we had to lean the bike pretty far over, because the narrow, WTB i23
Team rims further rounded out the profile of the already round Schwalbe tread pattern. Note
to Cannondale: “Please spec wider rims, maybe the i25s, and add a rear tire with sturdier
edging blocks like the Rock Razor.”
Descending: Part of the reason for the untimely demise of the Hans Dampfs may have been
the hours spent riding the local DH trails. Riding what is essentially a 160 -millimeter, mini DH
bike that weighs under 27 pounds and climbs with relative ease means that is possib le to
double the number of downhill trails that can normally be ridden in an afternoon session on a
big bike, so the Jekyll got a lot of extra credit laps on trails that pushed it close to the edges
of its design envelope. Pushing the Cannondale hard into rock gardens and skipping down
stepped drops showcased the Lefty SuperMax's big-hit smoothness and steering precision.
Riding at full volume plays well to the Jekyll's long wheelbase and DH rear -suspension tune.
With the rider more or less centered between the wheels and a "fork" that stays up in its
travel, the bike feels calm and controllable down the steeps. Turns out that the Jekyll also
jumps pretty well and its suspension can shake off some pretty hard landings too.
Riding DH trails also highlighted the fact that the Jekyll was under braked for its capabilities.
Our test bike was equipped with Magura’s lightweight MT6 brakes, which feature two -piston
calipers and are normally used on lighter weight XC/trail machines. Cannondale indicates in
its published specifications, that the Jekyll Carbon Team should have had Magura’s much
more powerful MT7 brakes with four -piston calipers, which would have been the better choice.
A phone call to Cannondale revealed that in fact, Magura did not have the MT7 brakes when
our first-production test bike was built, so the MT6 brakes were substituted. All subsequent
Jekyll Team Carbon models have the more powerful four -piston calipers and upgraded levers.
Oddly, the MT6 brakes may have assisted us in keeping the Jekyll’ s rear wheel in control
down the steeps. Like most single-pivot-swingarm suspensions, the Cannondale’s tail end
tends to stiffen up under braking. The softer bite and ease of modulation of the Magura’s MT6
brakes helped us to keep both wheels rolling and i n control. We never ran short of power
stopping the bike with the Magura MT6 brakes, but we had to use two fingers and squeeze
harder than we wanted.
Turns out that the Jekyll also jumps pretty well and its suspension can
shake off some pretty hard landings too.
Component Report
Reverb Stealth dropper post: Good – still the one all droppers are measured by. Bad – only
100 millimeters of travel is not enough for a bike that descends as well as this one.
WTB i23 Team rims: Good – tubeless aired up with a floor pump, still running straight and
well-tensioned. Bad – i23 is the new width for cross-country, not all-mountain.
Dyad RT2 shock: Good – full-time rear suspension, exactly what I want, exac tly when I want
it.
Magura MT6 brakes: Good - Lighter than stink, good modulation on slippery terrain. Bad –
lack of power and the direct-mount perch for SRAM shift lever needs more angular adjustment
range to get the levers closer to the thumb. Note: Can nondale sent us a set of MT7s, and we
will report back later.
Lefty SuperMax strut: Good - Best Lefty ever, not as good as a RockShox Pike is for
damping quality, but it kicks ass at speed, especially in the steering department. We could be
happy with it.
Cockpit: Good - Comfortable WTB saddle, just-right 740mm handlebar width, and we liked
the 50mm Gravity Light stem. Bad - Cannondale's lock-on grips spun on carbon bars.
Hollowgram BB30 crankset: Good – Competitive weight with carbon cranks and it can be
trusted to take a beating - and it's outfitted with a SRAM XXI 30t chainring.
Hans Dampf tires: Good - One of the best all-purpose technical trail tires. Bad - Jekyll needs
a better edging tire on the rear.
Pinkbike's take:
The Jekyll 27.5 Carbon Team is the package deal that most would consider to be a competitive
enduro racing bike. Look no further than Cannondale's Overmountain enduro team to find proof. It is
lightweight enough to challenge any superbike with similar travel and its dual-range rear suspension
lets the rider decide when energy conservation takes precedence over traction and control. Its singlepivot-swingarm suspension, while not sophisticated, is rugged and simple, with performance that is
tough to beat on the downs where it matters most. On paper, the bottom bracket is too tall and its
steering angle is too steep, but the Jekyll burns up corners and inspires confidence when smashing
technical trails. Its chassis is long enough to hold a line at speed and while the Jekyll's stability may
take away a measure of its singletrack appeal, most enduro racers or all-mountain shredders would
happily sacrifice some low-speed nimbleness for the extra shot of confidence that the Cannondale
offers up on the opposite end of the spectrum.
The Jekyll's downsides are not deal breakers either. Its suspension takes a while to achieve the correct
balance before the bike can deliver the full measure of performance it is capable of. Its skinny rims
are outdated in the realm of AM/enduro and, if the Magura MT6 stoppers are the correct spec, it is a
under-gunned in the brake department. That said, step back a couple of paces, view the Jekyll Carbon
Team as an entire package and the truth is that, without changing a thing, it has everything a good
rider needs to crush some stages at the local enduro races, or knock out some infamous lines on the
home trails. What the Jekyll can't do is answer all the questions you are sure to get about its unusual
looks. That is, unless you let the trail do the talking. - RC
Original Link: http://www.pinkbike.com/news/cannondale-jekyll-275-carbon-team-review-2014.html