One Industries was founded in 1997 in San Diego. They started out designing moto graphics and seat covers then quickly expanded their empire into moto clothing. 2012 saw One Industries move into bike clothing and bike helmets, offering a range of cycling gear with a moto twist.

One Industries Sector shorts.

If I happened to be stuck in a elevator with one of those annoying marketing types who insist you describe what One Industries do in a sentence, I’d say “high end, reasonably high quality (some of the basic kit is of questionable quality it has to be said), high cost, biking kit that you shouldn’t lend to your mates”.

Down to business then. The One Industries Sector shorts retail at £69.99.

The colour of these shorts is called Chartreuse, what is that? Lime green? Thankfully I’m colour blind and they still look bright so I can only imagine what they look like in glorious Technicolor.

Maybe I’m too old to appreciate these new wave neon cycling hues, as I like my bike kit plain and subdued, prancing around the trails looking like a candy wrapper isn’t my cup of tea, luckily you can opt for the classic funeral black colour way that’s also available.

The colour is about the only negative I can find with these shorts, as the fit and cut are perfect for my kind of riding; XC to AM via enduro.

Carsick John on a ride in a foreign country. Packed full of features, decent construction and a very good cut make these worth the relatively high price tag.

Made from rip stop, these shorts are both lightweight and tough at the same time. The 32” waist I was trying out matches the length of the shorts perfectly, as they sit just on the knee.

The Sector shorts have two small pockets both zipped, one on the hip and another on the back, which again is perfect for car keys, small change, lift passes, etc. I don’t require my shorts to have a mass of storage.

They do have a dubious and slightly sexy Ann Summer style crotch mesh (for ventilation no doubt), but don’t let this put you off as, unless you’re planning on going commando, nothing gets too exposed.

The washing instructions say ‘hand wash only,’ but that’s not going to happen, I repeatedly exposed them to 40 degrees without issue.

Verdict

The Sector shorts are not overloaded with features, fancy zips or panels here and there, they’re just really well made, great fitting shorts that are well worth the money. Now there’s a sentence I don’t normally associate with mountain bike products.

Upside

- Great fitting and lightweight
- Top quality construction
- Make you feel ‘moto’

Downside

- New rave colourway
- Hand wash only
- Ann Summers sexy crotch mesh

Colours: Chartreuse & Black
Sizes: 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 and 38

More information: One Industries Sector shorts
Price: £70

Features:

- Lightweight and durable with four-way stretch rips top construction
- Extensive ventilation with large, strategically placed mesh panels
- Reduced bulk and irritation with compact pockets
- Versatile with handy optic wipe and media port
- All day comfort with chamois liner short
- Secure fit with dual waist adjusters and snap fly

Words: Carsick John

Brake Force One is the new kid on the block, quite literally as teenage inventor and genius Jakob Lauhoff conceived these brakes when he was a mere 15 years old. Jakob is now 18 and his initial idea to redefine MTB brakes has come of age and is now available in a super slick (but expensive) package.

Brake Force One brakes.

The Brake Force One brakes are a super light and aimed at XC, AM and enduro. They tip the scales at 195grams per set (without rotor).

As with all new shiny products that do their job properly there is a real wow factor that goes with them. The BFO brakes definitely have the James Bond meets stealth fighter look and this visual desire is a good thing because these high-end stoppers are far from cheap.

These babies don’t come cheap – €399 each end and that doesn’t even include the discs..

At €399 per brake excluding rotor and adaptor these brakes are double platinum gold club class, think Vertu phone on your handlebars…

But unlike Vertu’s shallow but appealing good looks, they’re not just pretty; they have some technical innovations hidden inside them that make them a bit special. Well, that is the claim anyway, whether they actually function or not we’ll find out at a later date…

To the science lesson then, quite at the back:

The BFO brakes are a closed system and therefore have no brake fluid reservoir, this is normally is a massive ‘no thanks’ in the world of braking. As with most closed systems, as the brake fluid heats up and expands the pads get forced ever closer to the rotors and stop working properly. This is why almost all brake systems to day are open systems.

So to compensate for the expansion of the brake fluid the BFO callipers are huge thus allowing the pads to be positioned far away from the rotors, so they’re not troubled by expanding fluid.

But when the brakes are required a massive 16mm diameter plunger pushes the fluid into the calliper quickly, and moves the brake onto the pads. This larger gap between pads and the rotor in normal closed systems usually means the stopping power is compromised.

There’s some good theory behind the internal workings of both ends of these brakes, but we’ll have to wait to find out if the theory is backed up by function.

BFO have a secret weapon in the huge calliper, the ‘brake booster’. The calliper piston is stepped, so as the pads make first contact with the rotor the cylinder inside seals off the fluid against the brake pads and compresses it more, thus squeezing more pressure onto the pads and effectively boosting the power in the later part of the lever stroke.

In a nutshell the brakes hide a two-stage booster that allows the pads to travel a greater distance to the rotors and also ramp up the power as they engage to give you (theoretically) serious amounts of stopping power.

In practice this means when you pull the BFO lever your pads actually make contact with the rotor very quickly, then the rest of you lever stroke is all about extracting more/less power and modulating the brakes. This is why the levers are for one-finger only, as BFO believe with their brakes one finger is all you will ever need.

The levers and lever bodies are made from carbon fibre resin, which have a similar feel to Magura brakes about them, except BFO levers feel more solid than their German counterparts.

BFO levers are one finger with a non-slip rubber finger grip. Later in the year a two-finger alloy version will be available for people with more than one finger.

The callipers are aluminium with a powder coat in a variety of colours: black, white, red and polished silver.

Brake Force One brakes with clear hose (Carsick John “is aware that clear isn’t a colour.”

The hose is clear and comes in a 900mm front and 1700mm rear length, they use mineral oil and there are options to use different colours in the clear hose if you fancy a bit of customisation: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, black and clear colours (I am aware clear is not actually a colour).

The rotors are well made and very nice looking, they’re a lot tougher than some of the other high-end rotors that bend at the mere mention of a rock. And they weigh a fairly respectable 104 grams for a 160mm.

Available in sizes 160mm, 180mm and 203mm.

The pads are organic and the adapters are available in all sizes and options.

As with 99% of all new brakes, the hose will be too long for your bike. This is a good thing as too short would be a real pain, so hose cutting and bleeding is required.

Unlike some systems that you can cut and shut without having to bleed, the BFO brakes need to be properly bled after any hose shortening.

The process of shortening the hose is very different to normal brakes, and thankfully there are no fiddly banjos or mind bending micro parts to screw into impossible nano sized tubing.

You can’t ‘cut and shut’ but the process of shortening the hose isn’t all that painful.

The clear plastic hose needs to be cut to length and then the cut part that was attached to the levers removed. Then with heat (hair dryer), the cut hose is removed from the bolt (called a union nut), and then the remaining hose is re-attached to the union nut with a very special tool. I can tell you how to bodge this part but I would recommend using the special tool available from BFO.

After cutting, bleeding is easy. Using syringes and mineral oil the clear hose is a real bonus as you can literally see any air bubbles in the system. Whilst initially the whole cable shortening/bleeding procedure seems a bit odd, once you get into it, it’s a hell of a lot simpler than other systems.

It’s very early days as I’ve only had a handful of rides on the BFO brakes and it’s recommended that they need a serious amount of bedding in. But initially the power and modulation is good, I’m inclined to even go as far as saying ‘exceptional’, and with one finger being all that is needed to bring you to stop on a sixpence the future is looking very positive for these brakes. However, I’ve had the same ‘wow factor’ with other brand-new brakes so perhaps I will be disappointed in the long-term. Time will tell.

Brake €399 each
Rotors €45 each
Adapters €25 each

So for a complete set of brakes you’re looking at an ungodly €938 or £800 or indeed a monthly mortgage payment, I did say sit down.

But before the chants of “how much? You could get 40 sets of Avids for that”, let’s remember these are an innovative new product with initial high production overheads, and that’s the price you pay for being an early adopter with James Bond parts on your bike.

I will be writing a full test review on these brakes in the coming weeks, and letting you know whether the performance benefits do actually justify the cost.

More information: www.brakeforceone.com

Muxu Tempest shorts. Despite the sarcastic mockery, Carsick John does like these from a practical point of view. Whether or not you decide they’d fit in with your riding/wardrobe is up to you.

We ordered in these shorts to see how a range of clothing aimed at ‘around town’ could transfer over to the mountain bike world and, although Carsick John has strong feelings about 3/4 length shorts, if they’re your cup of tea and you commute and ride around town as well as riding off-road then you might well be interested to check out www.muxu.com for similar numbers.

Words: Carsick John

Muxu is a Spanish brand based in Barcelona, ploughing a similar furrow to Rapha, but with more of a focus on clothing you can wear on and off the bike.

The website reveals a statement of intent that reads: “Taking the cyclist seamlessly through the day, Muxu apparel blurs the boundary between what you wear on and off the bike. From a light commute, a game of bike polo, to 100 kilometre messenger days, your Muxu is designed to look and feel amazing, whilst functioning without compromise.” Obviously klaxons sound at the mere mention of ‘bike polo’.

First glance at the Muxu Tempest shorts and they are very Rapha-esque, with minimal branding and subtle styling. A look in the waistband reveals another bold message: “Barcelona inspired cycle wear.”

Having been to Barcelona on numerous occasions from the alco-stag-do to a romantic weekend break, I can honestly say the only ¾ length shorts (Capri shorts) I ever spotted were wrapped around middle aged men desperate to look more yoof. Note to self: maybe I wasn’t in the right hipster spots.

So on a cold, dull and snowy February Monday, I decided to get into character and wear the shorts around the house in the hope they would inspire the sun to come out and bring a Barcelona vibe to my winter depression.

However, the only reaction the Muxu Tempest shorts provoked was from my 4-year-old son who proceeded to mock me using improvised songs mostly based around the chorus “Dude looks like a Lady in Yoga shorts”. They are a tad tight.

However, you can tell the Tempest shorts are well made with quality fabric and neat touches like mobile phone pockets from the first touch. The shorts are made from Swiss Klinger fabric, which has a hi-tech coating and gives the shorts both elasticity and water repellence.

The material – stretchy and yet with a casual look. These could be a good option for those who are bored of the sometimes garish MTB specific alternatives.

My fixie is currently non-existent so I broke out the next best thing and took my ‘cross bike out for an urban to trail combo ride, thinking at least in the woods there are less people to see me looking like Mr Mid-life crisis.

On the bike the ¾ length shorts feel practical and offer well-needed winter warmth to the knees, the water repellent fabric works a treat and they feel like they’re bike shorts not fashion shorts. Top marks.

The Tempest shorts were not in any way restrictive whilst riding as your conventional casual shorts may be, plus the technical fabric helped to deflect water splashes and the odd encounter with the snowy ground. Muxu never set out or claimed to be a top technical short, so I was never expecting them to be, but I have to say that I was impressed by their comfort level, lifespan (as I finish this review I have been riding in these for several weeks with no sign of wear) and practicality on the bike. For the £85 asking price you’d probably expect that though.

- Water repellent fabric
- Custom lockable Muxu X zippers
- 4 pockets – 2 front, 2 zipped rear
- Rear mobile pocket
- Comfortable, tag free waistband
- Higher at the back, lower at the front for comfort and modesty
- Belt loops
- 2-button waist band closure
- Dark navy

Once you get over the look of these shorts they’re actually very comfortable to ride in but they’re probably not for everyone as the slim-fit ¾ length is a very on/off thing and for me it’s an off.

The Muxu Tempest shorts are not cheap either touching cloth at the £85 mark.

Good fit for riding
Well made with some good features such as the ‘modest’ cut
Subtle design good for those who are tired of race kit

Expensive
Probably at their best on a fixie ride around London

More information: Muxu Tempest
Price: £85.00

Words: Carsick John

POW or Prisoner Of Winter is a brand that was well below my radar until recently, especially as I’m not that into ski or snowboarding, so a bit of research through the magic of Google and I found out that a fellow called Dustin Goss started POW in 2002.

Nowadays the company is celebrating its 10^th anniversary and seems to focus mainly on performance gloves for the winter sports industry using high quality production and materials. Apparently, “POW has worked hard to become a legacy brand and achieve a company heritage that can be seen and felt globally.” That was comforting to find out.

POW Photog Gloves. SD card holder on the back? It’s a novel idea that actually is very useful, although not necessarily for its intended purpose.

Despite the ‘legacy brand’ stuff, as soon as you touch the Photog gloves you can feel they’re well made; the material, the stitching even the weight provides this conclusion. They have a quality feel to them that is sadly lacking from a lot of biking gloves on the market.

The Photog glove is aimed at the extreme sport movie/photographer type, so they have some really useful design features built in; a zipped SD card pocket on the back of each glove, and a thumb and forefinger that can be peeled back to expose peep holes for your digits, presumably for when you need to start snapping at the half pipe.

These features cross over very well to mountain biking, both for the intended photographic purpose or alternatively as you can use the SD card pocket for easy access spare change (essential for a mid ride cake or bun) and the finger peep holes are perfect for quick access to your iPhone and Strava.

The material is softshell and neoprene, with a very secure neoprene cuff. The palm is in thin Clarino synthetic leather with a silicon McTartan red printed grip design. Not my favourite design but not that offensive either. They’re also available in a more conservative grey on black design.

Fingers peel back to allow easy access to your camera buttons and SD card..or your phone and the spare change you put in the pocket.

Minus temperatures again on the test ride and whilst these gloves are not as effective a cold barrier as the last gloves I tested (Glacier Glove), they are much better than a conventional glove at keeping your fingers alive.

POW’s Photog glove is not too bulky in your finger gussets when on the grips and feels very similar to a good quality winter MTB glove, in fact better, if you didn’t know the heritage of POW you could easily think it was a MTB specific glove.

Sizing is a little snug for a medium, but I like my gloves to be well fitted. If you have bulbous fingers you probably want to size up and go for a large.

As a cross over product and with the extra features that the Photog glove has these could easily become a glove of choice for bikers who want some innovative good quality gloves in the unpleasant winter months.

Innovative features
Quality construction

Slightly dubious McTartan print

Price: £49.99
More information: POW Photog Glove
UK distributor: Surf Sales

It has 19 functions, it’s a multi-tool, it’s called the Cube Multi Tool 19.

Words: Carsick John

Goggling the Cube Multi Tool 19 for the first time I got: “The stainless steel grey multi tool from Cube bikes”. What, no marketing hyperbole?! That’s way too depressing, I almost felt sorry for this product.

I smashed ‘The Google Button’ a bit harder and got: “Almost a workshop in your pocket!” Brilliant, just what I was after; a wildly exaggerated claim prefixed with a get out clause –  ‘almost’. It’s game on.

There’s only one golden rule to becoming a successful multi tool and that is: ‘you must fix all the important parts on a bike whilst not being too heavy or breaking’.

You can bring aesthetics into the equation and discuss how stylish or shiny a multi tool looks but then you would probably be of questionable stock, and for me the uglier the multi tool is, the less likely it is to be borrowed by your riding friends on a semi permanent basis.

So what does the Cube Multi Tool 19 have in its locker?

Visually it falls on right side of generic but for features it’s well stacked with a massive 19 (hence the name) different tools:

- 2mm hex curved.
- 2,5mm hex curved.
- 3mm hex.
- 4mm hex.
- 5mm hex.
- 6mm hex.
- 8mm hex.
- Screwdriver (cross slot / pan head)
- T25 Torx.
- Chain rivet tool.
- Spoke nipple tool.
- Shimano pin holder tool.
- Ring wrench 1 + 2 + Mavic.
- Bottle opener.
- Tire lever.
- Open-end wrench 8mm.
- Open-end wrench 10mm.

It’s both solid and ‘a workshop in your pocket.’

It weighs 182grams or about the same as a Thompson Stem or an iPhone. So it’s not too light but isn’t any clump either.

There are no fiddly hex parts that need to be detached and re-attached to form different tools, only then get lost. The business ends of the individual tools are tough and I suspect only the clumsiest of man ape will manage to round off the biting points.

The chain breaker is OK, it will get you out of trouble, it’s no workshop chain tool by any means, but I have seen worse, plus it has a bottle opener.

One downside is the two axles are sealed. So you cannot take the whole tool apart. Whilst that seems pretty trivial it can be really useful to access the thin washers found between each tool on the two axles as they prove to be great emergency brake caliper spacers. You can decide whether you think that’s irrelevant or not.

The Cube Multi Tool 19 will thankfully replace my current multi tool, which was made by another large and well-respected bike manufacturer but is a shameless piece of garbage that cost more than the Cube tool.

Only time will tell whether this piece of kit will become the trail lifesaver I’d like it to be, but I’m pretty optimistic with its blend of simplicity and strength and potential to be almost a workshop in my pocket!

Price: £19.99
More info: www.cube.eu

Pros

Not that pricey
Packed with tools
Tough

Cons

Cannot dismantle the tool for spare parts
Slightly on the weighty side

Glacier Glove Super G Race Gloves.

GLACIER GLOVE SUPER G RACE GLOVE REVIEW

Words: Carsick John

It’s rare that something as mundane as a pair of gloves can get you emotional, but the moment I first saw the Super G Race Gloves by Glacier Glove I had a rush of emotions, mostly: hatred, fear and panic.

Most of my mental vitriol was directed at the outrageous look of the gloves which is somewhere between serial killing toxic avenger and fetish scuba diver.

In Glacier Glove’s own words, “This glove is the best race specific glove we have. Good for cold and wet racing or extremely hard efforts in the cold and wet.”  So these gloves are squarely aimed at the racing and endurance set and not your casual trail rider. With this in mind I donned exhibit A & B and headed to the woods.

On the bike the Glacier Gloves have no issues with warmth, but feel on the grips is slightly compromised.

It was minus 10 degrees and 5 minutes into the new Ice Age when I set off on the first (and in my mind only) test ride, safe in the knowledge that with temperatures this cold no one would be outside to see me wearing the gloves.

My riding buddy Edam (not his real name) was the benchmark for the test, wearing a pair of standard long finger gloves and a growing sense of humour, referring to me as ‘Marigold’ for the duration of the ride.

We set about our mission, which was a chilling 10km loop of single track. Once riding, the added wind chill took less than a minute for all of our fingers and thumbs to be completely cold & frozen.

After less than 10 minutes on the bike however, the gloves started to kick in and a small miracle happened, my fingers came back to life and the threat of frostbite disappeared.

OK, they are a little odd looking, but if you suffer with cold hands then you won’t be worried.

Not so for Edam’s fingers in the standard gloves, which remained firmly frozen for the whole ride and which still struggled to hold a pint even after we’d decamped to the warmth of the pub.

I wouldn’t say these gloves are exactly warm in this kind of temperature but the Glacier Glove is definitely effective against the cold and a massive improvement on frozen digits.

There is a slight draw back to the neoprene material however, as even though these gloves are claimed to be super thin they still feel bouncy when you ride, the 2mm thick neoprene making even the thinnest grips feel spongy and big. They also have a tendency to give you a strange sweaty palm feeling, but that’s still a small price to pay if you ride regularly in the cold and wet.

Intrigued by these ugly yet highly effective gloves, I decided to go Eskimo and see what kind of temperatures these gloves could take on.

Finding myself a frozen lake I made a small fishing hole with a hammer and plunged my Glacier Gloved hands into the abyss, whilst timing the whole sorry episode.

The result was quite amazing.

Initially I thought the whole event would be over in 15 minutes, but not so. Even with prolonged plunging into the frozen water my hands never got cold, wet or frozen. They really do work.

Surprisingly, Carsick John had to abort this part of the test not due to frostbite but boredom – his fingers were neither cold nor wet.

For me the conclusion of this test is clear, do not judge a book by its cover. Whilst these gloves will scare passing strangers and get you untold grief from your riding chums they’re highly effective against extreme cold and wet.

The Glacier Gloves are clearly not for everyone, but as they’re aimed at racers, who should be caring more about function than form anyway, they have to score very highly. Of course they would fair well for those who aren’t racing and simply need to keep their hands warm too, it’s just a matter of taste as to whether you’d feel good riding in them regularly.

For me emotions run high with these gloves but after the test I have nothing but warmth, love and happiness towards ‘The Marigolds’.

Available in sizes S to XL, the cost is £49.99 and not surprisingly they are…in stock.

Extremely effective against cold and wet.

Turn your grips into spongy tubes.
They make you look scary.

Price: £49.99
More info: Glacier Glove Super G Race Glove
UK distributor: 2Pure

On the bike the Polaris AM 1000 Repel’s are plenty loose and flexible enough.

In cycling terms, the long winter trouser marks the passage of time, from boy to man. It’s the moment we turn our backs on the exuberance of youthful shorts and accept we are the ‘older’ gentleman cyclist who feels the cold and doesn’t like getting wet anymore.

The Polaris AM 1000 Repel trouser is a waterproof coated cycling garment designed to help us with this transition into mid life. They’re competitively priced at £59.99 leaving more than enough change for a few packets of Werthers Originals.

Up-close. The DWR coating should keep off all the rain and puddle water (and snowmelt) that you can possibly throw at it.

Visually they feature the right mix of tonal crotch and knee panels to make them look ‘outdoor’, with enough splashes of colour here and there to convince us that they’re also ‘sporting’.

Technically all boxes are ticked with Velcro waistband adjusters, adjustable Velcro ankles, ample pockets and an internal zipper pocket. The material is 100% Nylon; it’s tough, yet light and constructed to a very high standard in China.

Sizing. The Polaris online sizing guide says that the med is 31” and Large 34”, now if I was ordering online I would go for a medium, but the cut and feel of the large I tested was spot on for a 32” waist.

Initially, they seemed a bit baggy and my fear was they would be too loose on the bike, snagging and getting involved with pedaling, but they weren’t at all, in fact quite the opposite. They’re extremely comfortable, ride well and offer great protection against the elements. The fit compared to other cycling trousers is looser and less manipulated and this makes for a pleasant change – it’s part of their appeal.

After a couple of rides these are now my go-to forty-somethings’ winter garment.

Available is sizes small to XXL and in two subtle variants; black/charcoal with neon yellow zippy bits and black/charcoal with bright blue zippy bits.

Ups
Competitively priced
Good fit
Tough and well made

Downs
Brightly coloured trims

Price: £59.99
More info: www.polaris-apparel.co.uk

Well it means that our man can put his huge experience in the world of bikes – which includes decades of riding, racing (as a pro), working in the industry and, not least, working in the MTB media – truly into use as he gives bikes and products a good seeing-to and reports back on his true views and opinions.

Carsick John lives in many places, rides in many events (still) and has experience of just about every bike product ever made. He knows his stuff.

For starters, John has beamed over this write-up of his findings when trying out the 2013 Cannondale Jekyll 3 – a bike that has carried Jerome Clementz to innumerable victories and podiums but a model in the range which leaves a little to be desired…

Take it away, ‘John’:

Cannondale Jekyll 3 – 2013

Words: Carsick John

Cannondale Jekyll 3 which Carsick John took to the Canary Islands for his long winter break.

The Frame

The Jekyll is Cannondale’s ‘over mountain’ range of bikes with the Jekyll 3 being their mid-range alloy offering.

It features Cannondale’s on-the-fly travel adjustment of either 90mm or 150mm, which essentially boils down to a lever on the bars which adjusts the travel from 90mm for climbing and 150mm for trail and downhill.

The frame itself is aluminium and branded as ‘smart-formed’, I’m guessing that alludes to it being cleverly hydro-formed. The frame features all the latest buzzwords currently doing the marketing cabaret circuit: BB30, ISCG, 1.5 heatube, 142×12, Syntace, etc, etc.

The geometry is what you would expect; 67 degree head tube, 73 degree seat tube, a relatively short 16.9” chainstay and pretty stable wheelbase of 1131mm.

Weight wise at around 13.5kgs the Jekyll 3 is also in the right ballpark to make a great starter enduro race/weekend-in-the-mountains bike.

Incidentally, in John’s words, “The WTB Volt Saddle is one of, if not THE most uncomfortable saddles ever.”

The Kit

At £3199 the Jekyll 3 is not exactly cheap, but on paper for a Cannondale alloy ‘smart-formed’ frame with some nice bits of kit hanging off it, the price starts to look more reasonable.

The components; Fox 32 Float 150 CTD forks (not Kashima), SRAM X7/Shimano XT pick ‘n’ mix gearing with an XT clutch rear derailleur, Magura MT2 brakes, Shimano MT68 tubeless ready wheelset all finished off with the usual higher margin own brand seatpost, stem, grips and bar combo. However, even though own brand parts tend to suck Cannondale have managed to do a very decent job on their parts with the bars even being a reasonable 740mm wide.

The Ride

Shamefully my last ride on a Cannondale was in 1990 at the UK National MTB series. So 12 years later [Editor's note: John, did you take maths at school?], I’m more than ready to get re-acquainted with a Cannondale and especially as it’s on Gran Canaria, the only place in January where you can find lobster red Brits, fish ‘n’ chips and sunshine.

Putting the tagline to the test…OVER – MOUNTAIN:

OVER…Going up with the travel locked down to 90mm and the CTD forks set to ‘climb’ the Jekyll was like an overweight XC bike, but it was much more nimble than it looked and much better at climbing than some 150mm bikes in this category. The travel was firm but still soaked up the smaller bumps and never became too harsh. The front wheel stayed planted and on the steeper sections the gearing/suspension made it easy to spin without shifting to the granny(ish) smaller front ring. So my first move would be to shed some weight and go with a 1×10 set up.

After the up comes the fun, and into some flowy rock strewn singletrack. Flip the switch on the bars, extend the travel to 150mm and you can feel the bike physically change underneath you. Followed by an annoying quick stop to change the fork’s profile from ‘climb’ to ‘trail’ to mirror the rear and the change was easy to feel, much more supple over the trail debris and rock mayhem, yet very stable and planted, which immediately instils the confidence to start hammering.

MOUNTAIN…or down as I’m interpreting the tagline. Yet another stop to change the forks from ‘trail’ to ‘downhill’ and I’m starting to get a bit bored with the concept now.

Then a quick lowering of the saddle, (a dropper seat post would be an essential on a bike with an OVER MOUNTAIN nomenclature like this – thankfully it does appear on higher-spec models) and it’s on.

From the onset of gravity-induced speed came the Jekyll’s first real test: a rock drop into a tight right-handed bermed corner.

A whole lot of linkage and shock, but it does work well. The bike is simply let down by the choice of fork though. Higher priced models in the range, however, do come with Fox 34 or 36 forks as standard and a dropper post.

After the large landing the Fox 32 Floats showed their true colours by soaking up most of the front travel in an instant and then wallowing in their own moment of inadequacy before entering the corner where any line choice was surrendered by the total lack of tracking from the under-gunned forks.

The rest of downhill trail was more of the same with the rear travel begging to go faster, its 150mm plushness soaking up everything, whilst the forks whimpered to slow down.

Over the course of the next few days it was more of the same. Riding up and over, anywhere the forks didn’t need to be put to the test, the ride was great, but point the Jekyll down and say hello to man vs. bike.

It’s pretty hard to get a realistic picture of the Jekyll 3 as the mismatched forks let this bike down so badly. The Jekyll’s frame and suspension platform clearly have a lot to offer but without the right forks the Jekyll 3 can never achieve its potential, although I have to add that I’ve ridden a lot of very competent bikes in this category that have a much simpler suspension platform that works just as well, albeit not with the adjustability of the Jekyll.

It’s hard to understand why you would part with £3199 for the Jekyll 3 in this configuration. It’s too much bike to be used just as a trail bike and it’s a pretty bad move to buy a bike that needs a fork upgrade immediately as the forks alone can easily be the second most expensive part of your bike.

If you really want a Jekyll 3, I guess at time of purchase if you could persuade the bike shop to upgrade the forks to either a Fox 34 or Fox 36 fork (the more expensive models in the range are, indeed, sold stock with them) then bingo you’d have a much better bike.

Verdict

In short, as this bike fits into the All Mountain category I can’t understand why it was specified with a Fox 32, as these forks really have no place on a frame like this.

Pros

Stable and confident ride; climbing and trails
Quality constructed frame
Reasonable weight and some reasonable components

Cons

Component mismatched shocker – fork
The WTB Volt Saddle, a seriously painful saddle

Cannondale Jeykll 3

Price: £3199
For more information and spec, click here: Cannondale Jekyll 3