Stendec EXT Storia & ARMA Extreme shocks

IT'S RARE TO see a coil-sprung shock on anything but a DH bike these days, with most riders using lighter and more easily adjustable air shocks.

EXT hope to change this with the STORIA, which is aimed squarely at the enduro market. Along with theARMA downhill shock, which shares similar internals, it was developed by Franco Fratten, an Italian motorsport suspension guru, and Dave Garland, mechanic for the Giant Factory Off-Road Team and owner of UK suspension tuners Stendec.

Key features include a low-pressure piggyback chamber, which helps minimise the force needed to get the shock moving, and a high oil flow rate, aimed at preventing hysteresis - the damping lag that occurs when a shock switches between the compression and rebound phases. EXTsay this allows them to capitalise on the coil shock's inherent small-bump sensitivity.

The compression tune has been designed to firm up towards the end of thetravel,compensatingfor the linear spring and preventing a harsh bottom-out. So effective is this that in place of the usual large rubber bump-stop, EXT fit one that's just 4mm thick. The three-way adjustable damping (high- and low-speed compression, plus rebound) is designed to be intuitive to dial in, and the purchase price includes a bespoke base tune tailored to your bike, wheel size,weight and riding style. Each STORIA comes with three different weight "superalloy" springs so you can fine tune your spring rate. Mounting hardware and a first service are also included. That price doesn't look so bad right now, eh?

PRICE 900$

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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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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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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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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All Arround MTB

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