Truvativ Jerome Clementz BlackBox handlebar

THE SIGNATURE BAR of enduro racing legend Jerome Clementz is unsurprisingly aggressive in shape. The 750mm width is a happy medium in terms of power-assisted leverage and tree dodging on tighter technical trails, but it's chop marked if you do want to cut it.

The seven-degree backsweep means a more aggressive, forward-weighted feel to your bike too. The low 20mm rise also encourages you to ram your bike down the throat of any trail trouble. The extended large-diameter rise section gives a rock solid feel with precise and very accurate feedback. It's a lot more forgiving over big hits than you'd expect though, and won't beat you up even on long black run descents with a ton of sustained braking. This all comes at a very high cost though.

Weight 221g

Width 750mm

Rise 20mm

Backsweep 7°

Upsweep 5°

PRICE 228$

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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