PRO Team track pump

We always expect expensive floor pumps to be built to the highest standards and the PRO Team doesn’t disappoint, with a well thought out design and solid build.

The double-sided head screws on to Presta or Schrader valves and is very secure despite taking a couple of seconds longer to fit than push-on numbers. The pressure gauge is accurate and easy enough to see. Thanks to the big-volume air chamber, tubeless tyres can be seated quickly, and when you need to give it some welly, the handle is comfy. A magnetic lock feature lets you pick the pump up by the handle without it extending – helpful when it’s in and out of the van regularly.

PRICE 112$

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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