Fabric Chamber Ratchet multi-tool

This neatly packaged tool from Fabric weighs 162g and includes Allen keys from 2 to 8mm (the 8mm bit snaps onto the 5mm), two Phillips and two flat-head screwdrivers, plus T10 and T25 Torx keys. All the tool bits live inside the ‘chamber’, which doubles up as the handle.

The pricier ratchet version we tested requires you to reverse the tool bit when switching from tightening to loosening. This is easy to do but means fiddlier jobs require a little more patience.

Three indents on each tool bit snap into the ratchet head, offering a solid connection and giving you enough range to attack hard-to-reach bolt heads. You can still apply pressure through the tool and onto the bolt when really torquing things up, but push down too hard and you’ll dislodge the tool bit.

Price 52$

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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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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Anthony Messere’s Morpheus Vimana Slope

A flying chariot built with one thing in mind – slopestyle domination

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All Arround MTB

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