MRP 1x V3 chain guide

This lightweight upper guide mounts to ISCG-05 tabs for a really secure fit and can be adjusted to accommodate chainrings from 26 to 38t. Fitting is easy and MRP provide enough spacers to fettle the spacing to your heart’s content.

A rubber coating on the inside of the guide means no chain rattle or rub if things are slightly misaligned. It was only when conditions were really grotty that we heard any noise from the V3, and even then it was minimal. We haven’t had a single dropped chain since fitting it, which is great considering its minimal 41g weight, and there’s an even lighter carbon-backed version for 165$ if you’re a real weight weenie.

Price 97$

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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