Northwave Explorer GTX shoes

NORTHWAVE’S ‘ADVENTURE’ STYLING is backed up by a chunky lugged Vibram sole made from a properly grippy compound that gives great scrambling traction when your tyres can’t get you up.

The full Gore-Tex lining keeps feet warm and dry as long as they don’t get flooded from the top. The sole is flexible enough for extended hike-a-bike sessions and it’s shaped to walk well too. That can make cleat pressure obvious if you use pedals

with no platform though.

Sole stiffness is OK for pedalling and the tall back stops heel lift. You need to pull the metal lock up firmly on the drawcord lace system to stop it loosening though, and that can create painful pressure points. It’s also easily knocked undone which gets irritating over time.

Weight 1,138g

Sizes 36-47

PRICE: 204$

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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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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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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