Cannondale’s new Jekyll bears resemblance to the legacy model’s aesthetic I remember first encountering at my local bike shop in Superior, Wisconsin.

During my formative years, I came to associate intricate layout and complex elegance with the Jekyll line of full suspension rigs and, more than 20 years later, this still rings true. I haven’t been on a Cannondale since my childhood dirt jump bike, so I was elated to hop aboard and see what this sparkly green machine is capable of.

This latest iteration of the renowned Jekyll features a split downtube which houses a Fox Float Factory X2 shock (Jekyll 1 build) with 165 millimeters of high pivot suspension. Even more notable than its design is the Beetle Green paint job—guaranteed to snap necks at your local trailhead and inspire debate among your crew. Flashy looks might not be every rider’s cup of tea, though you’d be hard-pressed to find another modern mountain bike that beckons the eye to the degree of the Jekyll. As your viewing angle shifts, a scintillating emerald-green finish transforms to emit a peachy-orange glow.

The Jekyll felt as comfortable as a worn-in glove when I first threw a leg over it. With a 475-millimeter reach (size Large) and super steep 77.5-degree seat tube angle, it seemed as if it was developed specifically for the harsh climbs of Washington’s Cascade Mountains. The Jekyll certainly isn’t the most efficient climber—the high pivot penalty of an additional cog in the chainline is inevitable—but it certainly could be considered one of the most comfortable cockpits to suffer in. A dash of anti-squat, which works to keep pedal bob at bay, was evident but gave way to more movement while pedaling out of the saddle, even more so with improper form and excessive body English.