7IDP Covert knee pads

THEY HAVEN'T BEEN around long, but 7 Intelligent Design Protection are already supplying the likes of Steve Peat, Joe Barnes and Trek World Racing.

Aimed at enduro racers, the Covert knee pads offer three layers of protection. A 1mm-thick hard-plastic cup that's curved to stop it lifting off the knee during pedalling sits over a high-density EVA foam mid-layer and a lower-density bottom layer that's perforated for ventilation, with a compression-fit sleeve holding it all in place. The Coverts pass the CE EN 1621-1 standard and all three layers can be removed for washing or to tailor the level of protection (though removing the hard caps for comfort on mellower rides means the pads no longer meet the CE standard).

PRICE 105$

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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