Onza Citius FRC120 RC2 55 2.4in tyre

Born on the downhill circuit, the Citius (Latin for faster) is designed as a rapid rolling tyre that you can still rely on for surefooted inline grip and slingshot cornering support.

Knocking on for a kilo with a tall ride height it takes a bit of levering through the cranks to get going but the increased rolling speed of the ramped 65 duro central tread is certainly noticeable compared to the other big grippy tyres here. There's still predictable, squirm-free bite under braking and the softer 55 duro shoulders take their job seriously when you crank it over onto its shoulders.

It hasn't got the chewing gum-style grip and downhill damping of the Mavic and the Schwalbe but even on sloppy winter off-piste forest descents it never cramped our style. It's a lot easier to tap along the trails and up climbs as the day drags on too and wear life is better, which improves value.

The FRC120 carcass goes tubeless easily and if your rims are wide enough to cope with the high volume it stays stable at really low pressures.

The Citius is tough, fat, dependably grippy yet fast rolling. Great for trail centres.

Weight 930g

Width 57mm

Height 51mm

Price 67$

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.

READ MORE >>

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.

READ MORE >>

Chromag HiFi 35 (50mm) stem

This is a seriously solid stem. Chromag use 5mm Allen bolts throughout, which makes it that bit easier to fit because you don’t have to swap tools. Once torqued up to the recommended 6-8Nm, it clamps both steerer and bar solidly, with no appreciable flex. We couldn’t get it to twist on the steerer, either in our static test or when riding. It’s also available in a 35mm length and three other colours. At 204g the HiFi is the heaviest stem on test by some margin, despite being one of the more expensive offerings here. Price $112

READ MORE >>

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.

READ MORE >>

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

READ MORE >>

All Arround MTB

Search This Blog