MRP G3 Steel Chain Guide

SO GOOD: MRP have combined the bashguard and lower guide on the G3 so you can swing the whole section out of the way for easier fitting.

They also include a choice of jockey wheel or slider block for the lower guide – the latter sheds mud better. Once the G3 was on, it had very low drag, was almost silent and worked faultlessly. It’s a distinctive looking bit of kit.

NO GOOD: The steel backplate makes the G3 pretty heavy (239g) and what should have been an easy fit was marred by problems getting a couple of the nuts and bolts to marry up. A few worn threads gave us some fears for their long-term survival.

PRICE: 125$

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.

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SKS Airbuster CO2 inflator

The alloy Airbuster has a large knob so you can regulate the flow of gas, a mechanical stop to prevent the cartridge being pierced in transit and a dust cap to keep the valve free of debris. While it works with Presta and Schrader valves, switching between them requires a fiddly change of the valve head. The thin rubber sleeve doesn’t provide much protection from cold spent canisters. You can’t insert much of the valve into the inflator head, so you have to be careful to avoid leaks. Price $33 w/16g cartridge

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KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

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