Thule 591 rack

Is your car too small or too smart to put bikes inside? If so, you’ll be needing a rack to get it about. Thule have a great reputation for tough, strong racks and make both boot and roof mounted versions.

The 591 is Thule’s top roof mounted model. It allows you to leave your wheels on, thanks to a neat clamp that grasps your downtube and is tightened using a special dial. It’ll take bikes weighing up to 20kg, though your back might not thank you for doing that too frequently.

It’s also lockable for extra security, but you already knew that leaving your bike unattended at a service station is a bad idea, didn’t you?

PRICE 142$

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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