

It's no surprise for the prototype hunting hawks online that there was a new



What we weren't expecting was a smaller-wheeled 27.5" Trigger to come along for the ride, new travel adjusting rear shock technology and to say goodbye to the Lefty in its long travel guise after 19 years of service.



It's no surprise for the prototype hunting hawks online that there was a new Cannondale Jekyll platform on the horizon. Jerome Clementz was racing an unbadged green machine for most of the 2016 season, his vocal cords tired of repeating "no photo" to the smartphone camera sneaks trying to get a snap.What we weren't expecting was a smaller-wheeled 27.5" Trigger to come along for the ride, new travel adjusting rear shock technology and to say goodbye to the Lefty in its long travel guise after 19 years of service.



Gemini Technology

Do you want to Flow or Hustle? The Jekyll has 165mm of wide open travel, or cut it down to 130mm for an agile ride. The remote lever is the same as is used DOSS seatpost and Float X compression adjusters.

Ai, Si, and Frame Details

Ai: It's boost Jim, but not as we know it. The asymmetric swingarm moves the hub over 3mm towards the drive side for an improved wheel build. Si: Cannondale uses the System Integration tag for various technologies. On the Jekyll and Trigger, this relates to the internal mount for a Shimano Di2 battery.

A carbon link is found on all models of Jekyll and Trigger.

Plenty of tire clearance and short 420mm chainstays Full internal cable routing is found on both the Jekyll and Trigger.

A carbon downtube protector is fitted for added insurance.

Lefty out in the Cold?

Cannondale Jekyll Details





• Wheel size: 27.5"

• Gemini suspension system

• Rear wheel travel: 165mm / 130mm in Hustle mode

• 65º head angle

• Frame material: carbon and alloy versions

• Metric shock sizing

• Boost hub spacing

• MSRP: $3199 - $7749USD (complete bikes)

• www.cannondale.com • Intended use: enduro• Wheel size: 27.5"• Gemini suspension system• Rear wheel travel: 165mm / 130mm in Hustle mode• 65º head angle• Frame material: carbon and alloy versions• Metric shock sizing• Boost hub spacing• MSRP: $3199 - $7749USD (complete bikes)

Jekyll Geometry

Cannondale Trigger Details





• Wheel size: 27.5"

• Rear wheel travel: 145mm / 115mm in Hustle mode

• 65º head angle

• Frame material: carbon and alloy versions

• Metric shock sizing

• Boost hub spacing

• MSRP: $3999 - $7749 USD (complete bikes)

• www.cannondale.com • Intended use: trail / all mountain• Wheel size: 27.5"• Rear wheel travel: 145mm / 115mm in Hustle mode• 65º head angle• Frame material: carbon and alloy versions• Metric shock sizing• Boost hub spacing• MSRP: $3999 - $7749 USD (complete bikes)

Trigger Geometry

Of course, we are also looking at longer, lower, lighter, slacker, stiffer, steeper and wider – the same as every bike coming fresh from the mold recently. Both Jekyll and Trigger models share very similar DNA, with plenty of new features and changes over the previous bikes.Cannondale have long been fans of adjustable travel/geometry systems. Gone is the Fox Dyad shock of old, replaced by another Cannondale/Fox collaboration – the new Gemini system. Gemini allows the use of an almost standard shock and all of its damping and tuning options, it can be swapped out for any other metric-sized shock on the market, unlike the proprietary Dyad.Pressing the handlebar mounted remote simply cuts down of the shock's air volume, basically like adding a huge volume spacer into the air can at the flick of a switch. This means that the travel is reduced by 20% by making the air spring so progressive that you can't push any further through the travel, but the damping control and sensitivity remains similar. This differs to compression adjust levers found on many shocks which adjust the oil flow inside the shock to provide a firmer feeling.Tuning options are as per normal on a Fox Float X: air pressure, low-speed compression, and rebound. Two 'Ramp Rings' can be added or removed from the supplied two, to the green Gemini head to adjust the air spring curve. The frame kinematic is a 'linear progressive' ratio which is said to give a predictable but supporting feeling.One major benefit of the Gemini system is that no body movement is required to change between the two modes. Some systems, like Canyon's ShapeShifter, require the rider to compress the suspension at the same time as the remote lever to change the setting. The Gemini is controlled purely by the handlebar remote.Cannondale were keen to point out that Gemini is a riding feature, not only a climb feature. Riding in 'Hustle Mode' will give more playful and responsive feeling, but when charging downhill the 'Flow Mode' will take on the rough stuff. The Float X shock still has the compression adjust lever if you want to really firm up the ride for those long climbs.When Cannondale launched the F-Si cross country racer, they were vocal about the lack of need for boost spacing when a 142mm hub could simply be shifted across 6mm, gaining the same benefits of spoke symmetry, tire clearance and keeping options open for front derailleurs. The Ai asymmetric design is found on the new Jekyll and Trigger platforms, this time combined with a 148mm boost hub. The rear triangle is again offset, this time by 3mm to give symmetrical spoke angles for a stronger, more reliable wheel. Cannondale say this also helped them to create plentiful mud clearance, 2x drivetrain compatibility, and super-short 420mm chainstays.What happened to the Lefty? The single-sided stanchion is still featured on most of the Cannondale range and will be in the future, but these two new machines see a standard fork installed. Cannondale says that the weight and stiffness gains become less significant as the travel increases, so when the fork is bumped up to 160 -170mm there isn't much to gain between having one or two legs. Plus, the extra abuse that a long travel bike takes, and trying to squish all of that elongated spring and damper tech into one leg was leading to some reliability issues. Goodbye my Lefty, goodbye my friend, you have been the one...There are four models of Jekyll to choose from. Starting with the alloy framed Jekyll 4 at $3199 which is fitted with Fox Performance series suspension, 1x11-speed Shimano SLX and all the parts you require to go actual mountain biking: wide bars, short stem, and a dropper post. As we move up the range carbon starts to take over, the Jekyll 2 and 3 have a carbon front triangle combined with alloy rear. The top of the range Jekyll 1 is loaded with a full carbon frame, Kashima coated Fox Suspension, SRAM Eagle and Cannondale's Hollowtech carbon wheels.The Jekyll boasts a slightly above enduro-standard 165mm of travel, which drops to 130mm in Hustle Mode. Cannondale haven't gone to the extremes of geometry land, but the boat has been pushed a fair way out into the ocean. A 65º head angle with the 170mm travel fork, 420mm chainstays and a reach range of 425 - 494mm over four sizes. All Jekyll frames are designed to be used with a short 35mm stem.Gone are the 29" wheels of the previous Trigger. Cannondale woudn't say if there was a big-wheeler on the horizon, but at the moment were interested in keeping the range simple and cutting down on consumers confusion. Only three models of Trigger are available, compared to four Jekyll's. The full carbon Trigger 1, and the carbon front mixed with alloy rear Trigger 2 and 3 sharing similar build kits and prices to the Jekyll, ranging from $3999 - $7749 USD.The Trigger is very close in terms of geometry compared to its bigger brother, in fact, only a degree here and there separates them. Rear wheel travel begins at 145mm and drops to around 115mm when you get your Hustle on. The head angle sits at 66º, the seat angle is slightly slacker than the Jekyll and 74.5 and the reach figures 10mm shorter. The Trigger is designed to be used with a slightly longer 45mm stem.Finale Ligure, Italy, was chosen for the launch as one of the original homes of enduro racing. Rocky and rugged limestone combined with superb flowing dirt lines was a great test bed to see what this bike could handle.Out onto the trails, both bikes were stiff and lively. Initially, reaching the remote to adjust the Gemini was awkward even after playing around with various setups, but this will become easier with habit. There is a noticeable difference between Hustle and Flow modes. The Hustle really does do as it promises by making the back of the bike super responsive and agile, letting it ride higher in the travel, but still maintaining a true action in terms of grip and tracking. Although the static geometry doesn't change between modes, the dynamic ride is quite different. My personal taste in downward predominating trails in Finale was to set the bike to my preference in Flow Mode, switching to Hustle for short climbs. If I was riding UK trails centers or more undulating terrain, I would set it to my liking in Hustle mode for general shredding, and save the Flow mode for the occasional extreme circumstances per ride.In Flow mode, the suspension was predictable and balanced well with the fork. The geometry is ready for attack on both bikes, the Jekyll's numbers point it towards the sharp end of the pack. The sizing has a wide range for nearly all riders, and the other angles are in check with their desired purpose. I'm still not a short chainstay fan, but many people are, and these are about as short as you can get. The 35mm stem is a welcome addition for me on an off-the-shelf bike, as it is what I use most of the time.As always, a few hours on two fresh bikes isn't enough to get a real feeling for the bike, so expect a full review of the Jekyll in the future.