Canyon is a direct sales brand, so you need to add £48 for shipping, and the Grand Canyon AL 5.9 only comes part built, so you’ll need to finish this off when it arrives.

If you read last year’s test, you’ll know the Grand Canyon AL 5.9 was top dog. We’ve awarded it the same score again this year, but it’s the runner-up to the VooDoo Bizango because it costs £100 more and the fork is not as good.

Buy now: Grand Canyon from Canyon for £599

The RockShox 30 Gold TK fork is better damped than the Suntour Raidon, but it has less travel and it’s nowhere near as stiff, or as supportive, on steeper trails. The long 90mm stem and narrow handlebar also meant we were too far forward over the fork when descending.

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There is a ton of good stuff on the Grand Canyon AL 5.9. Shifting with the Shimano XT rear mech and Deore drivetrain is great, the disc brakes are still the best on test, the Continental X-King SL 29in tyres are fast rolling and the wheels are the second lightest here.

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Fork lockout lever remained untouched

Shape-wise the Grand Canyon AL 5.9 is a little steep and a tad short in the reach for a large size, but, like the Whyte, it has a low bottom bracket, so rides safe. This may sound like it feels sedate or pedestrian but it’s the exact opposite.

A bike that is more stable can be ridden faster, and if some unexpected does happen, you’re more likely to stay in control.

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Ultimately we’d like to see a longer-travel fork on the Grand Canyon AL 5.9, along with a wider handlebar, shorter stem and the corresponding geometry tweaks, but as it stands this is still the bike for fast trail rides and covering distance.

Buy now: Grand Canyon from Canyon for £599