Nukeproof Warhead Carbon handlebar

NUKEPROOF HAVE REDESIGNED their Warhead Carbon riser bar for 2016 and it looks and feels like a highquality bit of kit, especially when you consider it’s one of only a few composite bars to come in on or under the 150$ mark.

At 780mm wide it’ll suit all but the tallest of riders and if you do want to trim things down to a more manageable size, Nukeproof have included numerous cut marks so you can lop the necessary length off each end accurately.

We tested the 25mm rise version, which weighed 249g, making it more than at home on a trail bike. But the bar is stiff and strong enough to handle the rigours of downhill riding and racing too.

The shape is great, with nine degrees of backsweep and six degrees of upsweep helping to place you in a strong and comfortable riding position. On the trail, we found the Warhead Carbon blended stiffness with enough suppleness to remove the sting out of really rough sections, improving comfort and contol.

Price 150$

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.

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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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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

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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.

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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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All Arround MTB

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