CrankBrothers Iodine 2 wheels

CrankBros’ distinctive-looking Iodines are a stiff and strong – if laggy – mid-width option for high-torque riders. By shifting spoke attachment from the rim bed to barrels that slot into fins on the underside of the deep triangular rim, they’ve ensured there are no worries about easy sealing. It took us several months of battering at home and in the Alps to finally dent them, and even then they stayed sealed and straight. The unique centre-threaded spokes have shrugged off sticks without damage too. At 27mm, the rims are wide enough to handle low-pressure 2.4in tyres, and the wheels accelerate better than their overall weight would suggest. The steel freehub removes any spline damage worries for powerful pedallers, although pick-up can be slow and clunky.

Weight 840g+1,030g= 1,870g
Width 27mm/32mm
Freehub lag 17°
Sizes 650b, 29in

Price $750

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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Sam Reynolds' Polygon Collosus N9

WHO IS SAM REYNOLDS? Hailing from South East England, Sam Reynolds is one of the UK's top freeriders, specialising in dirt jumping and slopestyle. But with mates like World Cup downhiller Brendan Fairclough, he also likes to get up to speed in the hills, where he's been introducing the Collosus to some colossal jumps, gaps and drops.

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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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Dave Hemming’s Fat Chance Yo Eddys

WHO IS DAVE HEMMING Dave first appeared in the mag in 1989 and, after becoming the first Brit to win a World Championships medal, was picked to ride for Team MBUK in 1991. He went on to race DH for several years, in-between numerous hare-brained feature missions. These days, he dabbles in everything from enduros to Ironmans, while working for Swiss/Italian brand X-Bionic. WHY THIS IS A SUPERBIKE? -A ’90s classic has been reborn -The original Yo Eddy is pure anodised retro radness -Its new counterpart is the perfect blend of old and new school, combining classic styling with an up-to-date ride It’s crazy to see how far things have come since the early ’90s. At that time, racing downhill on a hardtail with a 90mm stem and the seat up your arse was just what people did. While the technology seems primitive now, bike companies more than made up for it when it came to anodising! With its ‘aquafade’ paintjob, metallic blue parts and punk graphics, old-school UK racer Dave Hem...

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Merida Big Seven 100

We've rolled up to our local woods, with a meandering blue trail, some natural wooded tracks and a bit of fire road chucked into the mix to see how the Big Seven 100 tackles trails that entry-level riders are likely to cut their teeth on.

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All Arround MTB

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