Mavic Aksium Thermo jacket

AS THE NAME suggests, the Aksium Thermo is a jacket for colder days. The inner surface is brushed and cosy against the skin, but it wicks well and we stayed comfortable even when things warmed up.

Offset zips don’t always work, but the one here does. It’s well positioned, so you can open the front of the jacket up without it feeling unbalanced, and the high collar is smooth and non-irritating, without the bulk of a zip. The Aksium Thermo’s fit is slim but gives perfect movement and is plenty long enough at the back.

The three jersey-style open pockets at the rear are easy to access, but bitter experience suggests mud will always find its way in. That’s a small niggle though – overall, this is a warm, fast wicking and well-designed jacket for the price.

Price 135$

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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