Sahmurai SWORD Tubeless Repair Kit

Sahmurai supply a forked insertion tool and a reamer, both mounted on expanding bar end-plugs, allowing you to carry the kit discreetly. Six tyre plugs are provided. They’re fairly wide and among the longest on test, so you can cut them in half to double the number of repairs. The reamer opens up smaller holes nicely, allowing the plugs to be inserted.Once in place, they bond well.

There’s no tool to trim the free ends of the plugs. It’s expensive compared to its competitors. The bar end-plugs aren’t compatible with all grips.

Price $37

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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