Ergon SMD2 Comp saddle

The SMD2 is Ergon’s downhill-specific perch. With chromoly steel rails and a carbon composite shell, the Comp model weighs 200g. When riding downhill, the saddle’s main role is to help with balance, along with a bit of seated pedalling and the odd sat-down foot-out drift. Ergon’s solution is a robust seat with a flat-ish backwards-sloping profile and no perineal cutout. The narrow, stubby shape (256mm long x 125mm wide) meant we never felt as though our movement on the bike was obstructed, and the padded edges definitely make it comfier on the insides of the thighs than some. The dimpled non-slip pad on top didn’t seem to make much difference. Apart from this, the SMD2 does everything that it sets out to well, but for the price, we think it would be fair to expect titanium rails.

Price $115

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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