Answer ATAC AME stem

REINCARNATING A CLASSIC like the ATAC stem was never going to be an easy task, but Answer have done it, and done it pretty damn well.

We tested the 40mm version of the ATAC but there’s a size for just about everyone, with 10mm jumps from30 to 80mm.The two-piece bar clamp is widely spaced to bolster stiffness and uses stainless 4mmAllen bolts to clamp things tightly in place – the same size used on the steerer clamp, so there’s no need to switch tools. On the trail, the ATAC feels plenty stiff enough, with no notable flex even with a 780mm bar installed. There’s even a nice top cap and a couple of spacers included.

Price 79$

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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