All Arround MTB

Getting the right amount of sealant into your tubeless tyres to start with is easy. The problem is knowing how much it has dried up or leaked out after a few months, without stripping the tyre off. This simple but effective syringe kit lets you ‘dipstick’ the sealant level in your tyre by unscrewing the valve core, slipping the pipe into the valve and sucking out the juice. If you need to add more, then simply suck extra out of your sealant bottle, lock the flow off with the mid-pipe valve, and inject it into the tyre. The press-fit connections are less secure than screw-in fixtures, and you don’t get valves with a sealing ‘mouth’ like you do with MilKit’s similar-looking (but considerably more expensive) kit, so there’s a risk the tyre will unseat when you deflate it. That means there’s no danger of blowback, though, and we like the fact you get a spare pipe to use if/when the first one gums up. Price $15

Giant’s dedicated high-volume, low-pressure inflator has a really big dial (60mm), which is very accurate but only goes up to 40psi. The pump head autoadjusts to fit Schrader or Presta valves and the wide lever gives a sturdy, airtight lock. There’s an air release button to get your pressures on point if you overpump, too. It doesn’t quite shift enough air in a single stroke to compete with a compressor but it’ll pop better-matched tubeless tyre/rim combos into place fine if you go mental for a minute. The really long stroke means it isn’t a struggle to get tyres up to pressure, even if you take it right to the dial limit to make sure the beads are fully seated. Its massive metal base makes it less likely to topple over and chip your frame, and the big handle is reasonably comfy. Judging by the Control 2 we’ve had for the past two years, it’s likely to be a lot more durable than many more expensive inflators. Price $67

The first thing we noticed aboard the Reign was its geometry.With a 459mm reach and 435mm chainstays, the sizing of our medium bike felt spot on, encouraging a great position on the bike and feeling well-proportioned when out of the saddle. The next thing that became apparent was the bar height. Even with all of the available steerer spacers stacked under the stem,we couldn’t get the own-brand bar to sit as high as we’d have liked. This isn’t a big issue to fix, though. There’s 160mm of rear wheel travel, courtesy of Giant’s twin-link ‘Maestro’ suspension system, which drives a RockShox Deluxe RT shock.Tweaks for 2018 ensure this offers more support than the previous iteration. This means things feel sprightlier uphill and down, where you no longer have to fill the shock with volume spacers tomake it use its travel in a controlled manner. It also means that, even with the additional stability from the geometry adjustments, this year’s Reign feels livelier and more playful. The ...

The TRX 1s are available aftermarket as well as on Giant’s more expensive complete bikes. Their medium width and very stiff feel mean they’ll suit more XC-orientated riders best. Tubeless tape and valves are supplied but need careful DIY fitting, and the 26mm internal width means they’re best suited to 2.4in or narrower tyres. That compounds the already extremely stiff feel of the carbon rim to create a precise ride that often strays into harshness. They do feel taut under power though, and the rims are relatively light compared to most alloy hoops, so they accelerate quicker than most wheels of a similar weight. The DT Swiss-based hubs are reliable in all weathers and easy to self-service if needed, but if you do crack a rim on a rock, the replacement cost is much higher than with alloy hoops. Weight 880g+980g= 1,860g Width 26mm/32mm Freehub lag 10° Sizes 650b Price $1275

At under $150 and with an impressively ventilated, vaulted design, Giant’s new Rail looks promising on paper, but the awkward fit let it down for our test team. Its external shaping is bang on trend, with extra depth over the temples and the rear of the skull. The dial-tightened, height-adjustable cradle looks the same as on many helmets that fit fine too. Unfortunately, the Rail felt perched and continued to rock sideways even when we tightened it up enough to cause obvious pressure from the rear harness and the two hard lumps that protrude beneath the MIPS liner on the brow. The exposed polystyrene lowers are vulnerable to cosmetic damage as well. It’s still worth a look in case it fits you, though. The big vents open into deep, wide ventilation channels over the cutaway MIPS liner and narrow pads for impressive cooling airflow. It radiates heat well too, even when you’re crawling along, and the cutaway design means it’s also light (340g) for the depth of coverage. The flexible ...

The Reign is one of the longest, lowest and slackest bikes here, and as a result, it’s a total monster downhill. Although the Performance compound Schwalbe Hans Dampf tyres lack the grip and edge to really do the Giant justice, the bike’s low-slung, well-proportioned geometry and supple suspension mean you feel well centred and close enough to the trail that you can make corrections if they do make contact with anything other than soft mud. Suspension travel is evenly matched from front to back. The RockShox Yari RC fork is solid, easy to tune and laps up the big hits when you get motoring, but does require a little more air in the spring to deliver the same support as the Charger Damper-equipped Lyrik and, as a result, delivers more feedback through the bar and hands. This feeling is accentuated by the lightweight tyres, which need to be run at relatively high pressures to prevent them squirming or flatting. Downhill maestro At the rear sits a Monarch RT shock, which works we...

Rob Warner returns (briefly) to DH racing, on a vastly improved bike

The Stance promises to deliver truly off-road-worthy dual suspension performance in a very affordable package.

AFTER A COUPLE of years off the radar, the Reign gets a much-needed overhaul for 2015 with bigger 650b wheels, updated geometry and some bold new colours.