V10
Dirt Magazine
First Impressions
This bike managed to surprise us as soon as we opened the box, we couldn't believe a box that heavy could contain a hardtail. OK, so it's by no means light, but it's obviously designed to withstand anything that you dish out. The tubing seems thick enough to be used as armour plating, and the dropouts would probably survive a nuclear holocaust! Visually it's clearly different to almost any other hardtail out there, but its hydroformed top tube and swoopy lines have a strong resemblance to some of Santa Cruz's other frames, namely their other new offering, the Nomad.
Build Up
Although the frame itself weighs in at a fairly hefty 6.5lbs, most of this bikes total weight of 39lbs (and that isn't a typing error) is down to the components. You would be hard pushed to make this thing any heavier even if you really tried, but at the same time, you probably couldn't make it any more bomb-proof either. The 48 spoke wheels and 3 piece cro-mo chainset are the best example of this'indestructible but bloody heavy. This build certainly makes the most of the frames strength, and anyone who really needs a frame this strong, will no doubt need the parts to match. The only real let down was the forks, which although they are stiff and strong, definitely didn't perform as well the others. On the plus side, the Sram trigger shifters and continuous cable outer gave faultless shifting, and the cable discs coped surprisingly well with the bikes considerable momentum.
Climbing
Lets face it, this bike was never designed for going up hills and I doubt many will ever be used for such, but if you really had to, you can. The 400mm seatpost allows anyone under 6ft to at least make things a bit less painful, but you wouldn't ever be able to describe it as fun. Saying that, when we fitted a 'normal' set of wheels the experience was altogether more pleasurable, with the bike feeling much more nimble and responsive. The final limiting factor is that the frame can only take a single chainring, as there is no provision for a front mech. While we are on this point, it does seem a shame that there is no international standard chain-guide mount, as the bike will surely always have one fitted.
Bombing Around
This is where this bike really comes into its own, the geometry is spot-on for just having fun. The tiny seat-tube enables you to get the saddle right out of the way, and if you love to lay it flat this bike will suit you down to the ground. The super short back end means this bike was born to manual, and thankfully Santa Cruz has not let this comprise mud clearance unlike so many other bikes with a tight rear triangle. In the air it's ultra stable, which is no doubt caused by its weight and the gyroscopic effect of those wheels. You definitely need a fair old bit of muscle to move it around, but if you just want to launch from a dodgy run into an equally sketchy landing, this bike will hold its line like no other hardtail.
Descending
Santa Cruz say the Jackal is suitable for DH use, and in terms of strength there is clearly nothing to worry about, as this thing is burlier than any other bike I can think of. The problem is though that this strength comes at a price, namely weight. OK, so it skips around far less than the lighter bikes tested, but this also means that it doesn't float over obstacles either. If you were on a full-suss of this weight then that wouldn't be a problem as it would just stay planted and soak it all up, but with no suspension to help out you get the feeling of being bogged down. Talking of suspension, the forks really didn't help when going down either, as the 100mm of travel was both shorter and less effective than the forks on the other bikes. Fitting a better, longer travel fork would definitely improve matters, and it would also slacken the steering a little which is currently lovely and quick for messing about, but a little hairy at speed. The lighter wheels again improved the bikes handling and ability, but you are obviously sacrificing some strength if you do this.
Final Impressions
This bike is definitely the most specialized here, but that does come at the expense of its all-round ability. That said, it's very good indeed when you use it for the type of riding it was designed for, and if you want a bike that will never let you down for a sensible price, then this may well be the one for you. A cautionary note is that because this bike is so extreme, you will probably only really appreciate it if you are truly mental, heavy, and strong. If you don't have these three qualities, then you will probably find it overkill and not very easy to handle. The fact that you can buy the frame only for '450 and you can fit either vertical or horizontal dropouts does open up many more options, but don't go trying to build one up light as it would be a waste of both the frame and time. If you really want a Santa Cruz but require more of an all-rounder, then the excellent Chameleon frame is a much better place to start.