Kore Torsion SX V2 pedals

SO GOOD

With a 100mm wide, slightly concave platform and 10 pins per side, the Torsions provide plenty of grip, even when riding choppier trails. The width means there’s enough support even for clumpier shoes like Five Tens and you don’t constantly scuff the cranks. Ours have taken a few knocks during testing but still run smooth and straight.

NO GOOD

Considering the price, we’d have expected to see at least some of the pins screw through from the reverse of the platform for easier access, and a lower weight than 428g. The 20mm depth makes these the thickest pedals on test too.

PRICE 100$

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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