All the latest bikes comprehensively tested. If we don’t think a product is worthy of our hard-earned, we won’t tell you to part with yours for it. That’s the promise we make with our bike and equipment tests. For all our tests we guarantee that:

• They’re conducted by some of the most experienced and knowledgeable riders in the business.
• Ratings are awarded only after a thorough testing process on a variety of terrain.
• Tests are independent, and in no way influenced by our advertisers.

In most cases, we fit control tyres, bars and stems to the test bikes to ensure a level playing field and to highlight differences in handling. Tyre pressures are equalised to keep grip levels identical. We also weigh and measure the bikes ourselves, because this data doesn’t always tally with the manufacturer’s official figures. The numbers you read in the tests are the actual angles and measurements.

Our ratings are awarded out of 10, with 10/10 being the top mark.

• 1-4  Means something’s wrong. Possibly a design flaw or a major weakness.
• 5-6  OK – one or two faults but has potential
• 7  Worth considering
• 8  Very good – for the money, we’d buy it
• 9  Excellent – a slight mod or two and it might be perfect
• 10  Simply the best!