Sixpack Leader750 handlebar

AT 305G, 750MM wide and with a 12.5mm rise, the Leader bar from Sixpack has a lot going for it, especially for the majority of trail riders who aren't after a crazy-wide bar.

The graphics are simple but include cut marks, in case you want to hack the ends down, and a decent marking in the centre for lining the bar up in your stem. The five-degree upsweep and seven-degree backsweep make for a flatter, more forward feeling bar than usual, which took some getting used to but became comfortable after a couple of rides. There's no harsh trail vibration and once you're used to the bar's shape, it's easy on the hands when you're riding.

PRICE 80$

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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