Park Tool CP-1 cassette pliers

Once you’ve used Park’s cassette pliers you’ll wonder why you didn’t invest in a set sooner. With sprocket spacing shrinking, some chain whips can get stuck or slip and send knuckles dangerously close to sharp teeth.

There’s none of that with these. Simply clamp them on any sprocket between 9 and 24t, with your hands well out of the way, and you’ll get loads of leverage against the lockring tool thanks to the 35cm handle. They’re hassle free and could save your knuckles.

Price 82$

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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