Mavic Crossmax Quest XL Ltd 2.4in tyre

Mavic describe the Quest XL as a rear tyre but it works well up front in drier weather too.

The lower tread doesn’t sink in or growl as much as that of a bigger-lugged tyre and it rolls OK on hardpack despite the super-soft 50/40 duro X-Mix dual compound. Rich communication and chewing gum style adhesion still let you go nuts with lean angles and late braking on harder surfaces though. The Quest XL is a reasonable weight for its excellent low-pressure stability and the well damped but never numb Guard 2 dual-ply carcass flows smoothly over blocks and edges to maintain momentum. It soaks up impacts really well so you’re less likely to get kicked off line too. The sidewalls put up a tough fight against cuts and punctures as well, but don’t expect the soft tread to last long.

Best for: Front
Weight: 930g
Width: 57mm

Price 70$

ENVE M50 29" Wheels

Utah based company ENVE have been making drool-worthy carbon components for some years now. Despite the fact that carbon rims are becoming more and more common on mountain bikes these days, you can guarantee that ENVE wheels will be a talking point when someone is eyeing off a steed. Instantly, the big bold logos on each rim scream "fast", "light" and to some extent, "expensive" The kids call this 'bling'.

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COMMENCAL EL CAMINO 3

Commencal are going from strength to strength at the moment and they’ve taken their tough trail hardtail bang up to date with 650b wheels. With its skinny rims, crankset and fork, the El Camino certainly isn’t perfect and it’s the least hardcore bike here. The handling, smoothness, speed and all-round agility of the basic bike still make it a real blast for technical trail riding though, and it’s a great base for upgrading over time.

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Merida Big Seven 100

We've rolled up to our local woods, with a meandering blue trail, some natural wooded tracks and a bit of fire road chucked into the mix to see how the Big Seven 100 tackles trails that entry-level riders are likely to cut their teeth on.

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Gusset Magnum stem

SO GOOD Gusset’s 50mm stem is nicely CNC machined from 7075 alloy and the faceplate and internal steerer clamp are available in a range of five anodised colours to complement the black body. The hidden steerer clamp keeps sharp edges to a minimum and removes stress from the body of the stem. Out on the bike, the stem proved flex free and bombproof.

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Marzocchi 55 CR fork

MARZOCCHI’S 650B/27.5IN fork wasn’t ready for testing, but the 55CR is a hard riding 26in bargain.

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All Arround MTB

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