Sram Guide RSC Disk Brake

THE GUIDE MARKS a new direction for SRAM. Not only is it their first brake badged as SRAM rather than Avid but it also aims to address some of the issues with previous models – namely, reliability – while building on their good points – power and feel.

The most striking element of the new brake is the lever, with its extended piggyback reservoir, increased fluid volume and internal SwingLink system, which is designed to give superior modulation. If the four-piston calliper looks familiar, that’s because it’s essentially the same as on the Avid X0 Trail. There’s a new rotor design too, aimed at cutting vibration and noise.

There are three versions of the Guide – the R, RS and the top-flight RSC model seen here, which has on-the-fly lever reach and contact point adjustment.

PRICE 228$ (w/o rotor or mount)

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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