The North Face Base Camp holdall

While not a biking-specific product, this hardwearing ‘duffel bag’ is ideal for lugging riding kit around. The 95l capacity of the large size tested makes it spacious but not so cumbersome that you can’t comfortably sling it on your back using the rucksack straps on top. There’s a mesh sleeve inside for valuables and a separate end pocket for keeping muddy shoes away from clean pants. The highly-durable waterproof and ripstop fabric is weatherproof enough to withstand UK conditions and tough enough to be thrown around by airport baggage handlers. This version isn’t big enough to max out a 20kg hold luggage allowance when filled with typical bike kit, but XL and XXL sizes are available too. It’s not super-cheap but should last you for years.

Price $180 (large size)

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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