Answer Grit gloves

ANSWER'S GRIT GLOVES are part of their Trail Builder range and are styled to look like you're about to get heavy-handed with a chainsaw.

Don't be fooled though -they're more than happy clamped around a set of grips too. Made from soft synthetic leather, the Grits are slightly preshaped and have articulated knuckle joints to keep movement free and easy. There's silicone print on the index and middle fingers for a bit of extra grip, along with a tech patch for touchscreens. Their shammy-like feel means comfort is right up there with the best of them. They're not particularly well vented though, so we'd save them for cooler days.

PRICE 33$

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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