An Ode To The Solo Ride – The All New Cannondale Trigger

 Don't forget water bottle holder guy. Hiking back up to ride the same spots over and over makes you mad thirsty.

 This comment wins the internet.

 you are not alone!!

 @panchocampbell: neither are you

 careful, you' ll go blind.

 I was thinking that the whole time watching this... the really good stuff there isn't legal...

 I demoed the new Jekyl, and in the 130mm travel it felt pretty good; like a standard (albeit very slack) 130mm trail bike. However, in the 160mm mode, it didn't really feel any different. I think its partly to blame on the float X shock; every time I've ridden one it feels just like a regular float. That 160mm of travel wasn't plush or 'deep', it just felt like a trail bike with a little more travel. I also think the chainstays are too short for a 160mm enduro sled; for a shorter travel, more playful and trail oriented bike its fine, but the Jekyl is billed as an enduro machine. It did climb very well though

 While I'm not disagreeing with you, I have never owned a bike that didn't disappoint me in someway. I dont believe in the one quiver mindset (even though my bank account says otherwise), nor do I believe there is a perfect geometry. Ive owned cannondales and many other brands that stood out in someways and let me down on the rest. My last trigger was definitely the most capable bike in every sense that I have ever owned. I would never say it was a race winner but It pedaled well, it descended well, traveled from flat xc east coast, to mountainous west coast without a problem. I started to ride more Freeride so I upgraded to a longer travel more slack rig, That said, if I could afford a quiver, the trigger would be in there if i had no idea where my ride was going to take me.

 Maybe that's why they completey shook up their mountain lineup this year... their old trail/all mountain bikes sported some pretty dated geometry.

 I demoed their older 650b jekyl at deer valley down some pretty knarly trails, and despite its 'dated' geometry I thought it rode better than this new one. Once again, however, I think this new one suffers from the float x being a sub-par shock. Its not like I had it set up poorly; theres just preload and rebound to adjust.

 @HaydukeLives: "flat xc east Coast" next time hit up the mountains of Western NC. Killer shredding.

 I´m a happy owner of a new 2018 Jekyll and the bike is really good for me. Very capable downhill,it can handle DH lines no drama,it´s light and reasonable priced over SC,Intense....I got mine for 3300€,Jekyll 3 acid red. Big wheels,carbon frame,good slx brakes,xt cassette,nothing fancy but all works in harmony. My last bike was 26 Jekyll,it feels way different than the new bike but if I must to chose one I take the new one no question. Big 2.5 WT wheel is hard to pedal in flat or uphill,but I don´t care about pedal if the bike is really good at downhill. The new Jekyll is a mix of Mondraker geo but short rear end,the bike is agile and for me,any drama at high speed. Whit 3300 € in a SC store maybe you get a hardtail and a few stickers,at Intense store maybe only you can afford the stickers....

 @gnrendeiro you are up for a very nice surprise then with the new Jekyll and Trigger bikes. Properly set up they're pure fun machines and the travel just feels like it's endless, especially with the Jekyll. The super slack angles combined with the short chain stays are a crazy combination that make the bike go down steep slopes like nothing while still cornering in a super fast. I tried the Jekyll in Finale Ligure, then rode the Trigger on my home trails in Switzerland. They're both extremely capable, though I finally chose the Trigger just because I felt I didn't need as much travel as the Jekyll could offer in most situations, and on most trails. Choose the Jekyll and you can almost get rid of your downhill bike. Anyway...just my fine cents

 I've got a handmade-in-the-USA Cannondale track bike. It's everything a bike should be - the essence of simplicity. The current road bikes are the same - some of the best you can get; and CAAD 10 - 12 are alloy bikes that many roadies actually prefer to carbon bikes.
And I'm all for Cannondale's mad scientist approach to mountain bikes. I think mountain biking needs companies willing to have hits and misses like Cannondale appears to. But it might be a tough sell given how many options are out there now - particularly in this price range. And even from US manufacturers.

 @TinuKu: I choose Jekyll and yes, it´s like DH bike from years ago. I sold my DH bike 4 years ago but always riding other DH bikes in that period. I choose the Jekyll cos I ride mostly uplift( work as MTB guide),yes is more sluggish than previous Jekyll iterations on flat or uphill. It corners like a dream,tight sections I never been able to nail now I´m ripping those corners. My only concern is about how fox 36 forks feels,not 100% dialed and on the stiff side even whit more than 30% sag. MRP ramp control is on the way and maybe an Avalache DH Racing custom cartridge. For me great bike and great overall value.

 @TinuKu: Thanks for your feedback, maybe one day I'll try one but in my place there aren't many opportunities to try new bikes and I've always had to buy my bikes in order to try them (I buy second hand though, my bank account won't let me do it otherwise) so I'm not sure when I'll be able to try the jekkyl. I'm now running two Intense Uzzi VP (oldschool geometry), one with 26'' and the other with 650b'' (with the G3 dropouts you can run 650b wheels on that bike in the longer position) and I'm very satisfied with them. It pedals really good and when pointing down... well, let's just say the VPP is always very reliable.

 Don't look. Those trails do not exist. Move along...

 I cleared it the other day, will never do again!

 @rjohnson450: Take my props! Bottom to top is just a burner. Assuming you took a right before the waterfall - hah

Next up: a full, uninterrupted pull up Cyn Acres.

 @probi: Yes sir, took the right route. Cyn Acres is not problem in the winter, just loose in the summer!

 absolutely. I kept thinking that the dude has no pads on and he's riding solo. Nobody to carry him out. Well, I guess there's the film crew. . .

 Don't come to Arizona then! That's all we have here, no matter how flat the trail is.

 Trigger Warning: The budget model is $4k.

 I purchase a new Jekyll and the bike is awesome. Old Jekyll is very different, I have 26" inch version too and the are like day and night,water vs oil...My old Jekyll was alloy,it has thousands of DH km over 4 years,like 50 small paint dents in the down tube but 0 alloy dents or cracks,I put some needle bearings in the Dyad and is still strong (You can´t trust FOX or a regular guy to make maintenance on the shock,mine it´s dialed whit thinner oil and a custom plastic O ring who makes very difficult to unbalance the 3 chambers).
New bike is more conventional,no weird things but it works really great,it looks awesome,L size for 180cm guy is very roomy. It feels really plush and agile.

 Nope. There are no trails like that anywhere near Laguna Beach.

 By a company that makes mountain bikes, on a mountain bike website

 it's better if you travel in a . . . wait for it. . . caravan sorry, i'm a horrible human being.

 @rrolly: Looool!

 Right, I think I've seen videos of Lopes riding those same trails, when he did a video for Ibis