In case you didn’t notice, leading UK outdoor brand Rab started a new cycling range last year offering pieces for MTB, gravel and bike-packing. The firm is already well established…
Products
I’ve tested dozens of full-face helmets, and POC’s Otocon Race is the best lightweight model I’ve ever used
Around five or six years ago, a slew of lightweight full-face helmets hit the market. They aimed to address the (at the time) new demands of enduro racing, and how…
The Castelli Core Mesh looks like a string vest, but it’s the best base layer I’ve tested for keeping cool in hot weather
The best base layers are designed for the solemn business of road cycling, but don’t let that put you off because the roadies know their stuff when it comes to…
The Calvin Klein of mtb liner shorts: Patagonia’s Dirt Roamer
Helmet aside, there’s no item of mountain bike clothing more important to me than a decent chamois, buy one of the best mtb liner shorts out there and your unmentionables…
The Zefal Mt. Mini is the fastest mini pump in the west – but there’s a catch
Zefal has been making pumps for over 100 years, and its fluoro frame pumps were de rigueur on mountain bikes in the nineties. This latest mountain bike-specific model stands among…
A mud tyre that works in the dry? That’ll be the e*thirteen Grappler Mid Spike, my new fave for mixed conditions
The latest tyre from e*thirteen is called the Grappler Mid-Spike, with sticky rubber and big aggressive lugs it’s already one of the best mountain bike tyres out there for muddy…
Mavic’s added extra protection, venting and quirkiness to its new Deemax helmet
The name Deemax reminds me of those legendary yellow wheels from the noughties, but we should really think of it as the Mavic’s gravity division. This new open face helmet…
The Race Face Chester is one of the softest mountain bike grips I’ve ever tested
Enter Race Face’s new Chester grip, which the brand reckons is its most advanced grip ever. In part that’s down to an all-new tread design, but perhaps more importantly an…
I’ve been a flat pedal convert for over a decade, but the Scott Shr-alp has lured me back to clipless riding
Scott’s Shr-alp shoe is big. I don’t mean ponderously long like a clown’s, I’m talking about the space inside, the actual box where your foot sits, which in this case…
I love the Fox Union Clipless shoes’ wipe-clean upper, but they aren’t as comfortable as Crankbrothers
Fox hit a home run with its latest Union flat pedal shoes, going straight into the shortlist of best mountain bike shoes. Can it do the same with the clip-in…
7Mesh is going backwards with its Airmap technology, the Cache Anorak jacket is an expensive disappointment
If you haven’t come across 7Mesh, the brand was formed by ex-Arcteryx employees looking to take cycling clothing to the next level. Based out of the mountain bike mecca that…
I tested SRAM’s XX Eagle AXS T-Type transmission for 16 months and loved the sweet shifting and impressive durability, but discovered it’s far from indestructible
SRAM revolutionised MTB drivetrains over ten years ago with the launch of the single-ring XX1. Now, its new XX and X0 Eagle AXS transmissions promise equally significant gains in strength,…
The new Fox Defend 3L Water is the best e-bike jacket going: extra coverage, more waterproofing and a DWR that’s built to last
Fox’s latest Defend 3L Water jacket is designed to go into battle with the rain, it uses a 3-layer fabric that blends polyester and elastane, and that gives it a…
The Kali Protectives Cascade helmet is a smart eco-choice, and it doesn’t scrimp on protection either
Kali has traditionally focused on the safety side of mountain bike helmet design but it claims the new Cascade also features a ton of recycled content, so it will protect…
Impressive power and control makes the new Maven Ultimate the best SRAM disc brake we’ve ridden
SRAM’s brand new Maven brake brings new levels of power and control to the range, and a switch to mineral oil brake fluid should mean less maintenance and more consistent…
Handmade in Wales, the CES Sport Copa is a budget carbon wheelset that’s prime for UK riding conditions
Based in Wales, CES Sport has a history making road and triathlon wheels for decent prices with this Copa its first set of 29er wheels built purely for MTB. The…
Softshells like Rab’s new Vapour-Rise Cinder Jacket are making Gore-Tex redundant, here’s why 100% waterproof is no longer needed
Rab’s new Vapour-Rise Cinder Jacket won’t keep much water out, it doesn’t pack down small, and the price isn’t particularly reasonable. And yet despite all that it earns its place…
Ergon’s GDH Team grips are built to reduce hand pain, arm pump and fatigue on downhill tracks, but they’re not for everyone
The Ergon GDH Team is only available in one (mid-fat) diameter, and it isn’t left-right specific like so many of the best mountain bike grips around today… and including the…
The Alpinestars Sierra Waterproof Jacket is a proper storm shield, but you’ll need plenty of reproofer to keep it that way
The Sierra is a 2.5 layer jacket, which sounds odd but means it has a Nylon face fabric bonded to a waterproof/breathable membrane with a printed inner surface. The latter…
The Crankbrothers Klic HV Mini Floor Pump has a clever magnetic hose attachment, but it delivers a breeze rather than a blast
Crankbrothers latest inflator is longer than most of the best mini-pumps, but comes with a fold out stirrup and magnetic hose attachment that makes it a breeze to use. However,…