Production Privee CG bar & stem

ANDORRAN BOUTIQUE BRAND Production Privee have always impressed us with their intelligent approach and attention to detail, and this limited edition Cedric Gracia bar and stem are no different.

The direct mount stem has a fixed 50mm length and 19mm rise, and weighs 135g (including bolts). The machining detail is impressive, and the anodised green lines not only look sweet and match CG's DVO fork but perform a function too - they match up with corresponding stripes on the bars to help you get everything perfectly aligned.

The 25.4mm-rise bar has five degrees of upsweep and eight degrees of backsweep, making for a comfortable position on the bike. Wide enough for all but the biggest fashionistas at 780mm, it has cut marks to help you chop it all the way down to 680mm should you wish. There's a helpful patch of markings so you can get your bar angle and controls set up just right too. It's not too stiff, with just the right amount of trail feedback and no nasty vibration. At 300g, it's lightweight for a DH bar too.

PRICE 242$

Merida Big Nine 100

Wit the bikes swapped over, we head out on the same loop again, this time on the 29in Big Nine 100. Whereas the Big Seven was snappy off the line, the 29er takes a couple more pedal strokes to get up to speed. That said, once it's up there, it's easy to keep the big wheels rolling, allowing us to cover ground with ease. The fire road is at times a little rough, and the bigger wheels roll over the imperfections so we barely notice them.

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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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Chromag HiFi 35 (50mm) stem

This is a seriously solid stem. Chromag use 5mm Allen bolts throughout, which makes it that bit easier to fit because you don’t have to swap tools. Once torqued up to the recommended 6-8Nm, it clamps both steerer and bar solidly, with no appreciable flex. We couldn’t get it to twist on the steerer, either in our static test or when riding. It’s also available in a 35mm length and three other colours. At 204g the HiFi is the heaviest stem on test by some margin, despite being one of the more expensive offerings here. Price $112

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CANYON NERVE AL 8.0

S ince their entry into the UK market a few years ago, Canyon have made a name for themselves as purveyors of well-made bikes that exhibit often extraordinary value. The secret (or catch, depending on your point of view) is that the brand don’t have dealers – they ship bikes directly to your door.

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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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All Arround MTB

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