Endura MT500 helmet

This new enduro helmet from Scottish brand Endura looks set to tick all of the boxes, with a deep shell that offers good coverage, some neat features and extra protection courtesy of an impactabsorbing Koroyd layer. On other helmets we’ve found that this honeycomb mesh material can limit airflow, but the MT500’s 17 vents and upper ‘Air Intake Zone’ should help with that. At 352g (M/L), weight is comparable with similar helmets from other brands. This sleek-looking lid offers a good range of peak adjustment, a goggle clip and a slot for a removable light or GoPro mount.

Price $225

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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