All Arround MTB

Weldtite’s comprehensive kit works as well as the Dynaplug Pill but at a much lower price. It includes a reamer, forked insertion tool, five large plugs, a blade for trimming them and a tube of rubber solution. Puncture repair is straightforward, with plug insertion aided by the lubricating solution. It seems to achieve a more robust seal quicker than the other kits, due to the bonds formed between the glue and rubber. It’s bulky compared to the Dynaplug, although no larger than a traditional puncture repair kit. Price $12

As the most expensive kit on test,we expected the Pill to be a bit special – and weren’t disappointed. Housed in a compact, sealed aluminium capsule are two tubular insertion tools, five brass-tipped tyre plugs, a temporary air plug (used to reduce initial pressure loss) and a small knife. There’s also space for three more plugs. This is the easiest to use kit on test. It’s expensive compared to functionally equivalent competitors. Fixing larger punctures isn’t as straightforward as with tools that fold the plug in half during insertion. Price $60

MaXalami’s kit comprises a forked insertion tool and eight tyre plugs in two sizes (3x 3.5mm, 8x 1.5mm), which can be used to repair a range of different size punctures. It’s stored in a plastic tube, which can be easily stowed in a jersey pocket or pack. The applicator is larger than many on test, which allows you to apply a reasonable amount of force when trying to insert a plug into smaller punctures. More comprehensive kits are available at lower prices. The tube isn’t as robust as the Blackburn or Dynaplug cases. Price $21

The simplest and lightest repair kit on test only contains a small forked needle insertion tool and five small tyre plugs. Despite this minimalism, we were able to successfully repair punctured tyres with it, at a fraction of the price of its competitors. A range of plug sizes would be useful and less fiddly than inserting multiple plugs into a single large puncture. It can be hard to get purchase and apply much force to the small insertion tool when repairing small holes. Price $9

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

Housed in a plastic tube and supplied with a Velcro strap, the Plugger can be slipped into your pack or attached to your bike. The insertion tool is a slim metal tube with a chamfered end, which is easier to load and use than the forked versions in other kits. Inside the handle are 10 5.5cm-long tyre plugs – enough for multi-day trips. The large insertion tool can widen small punctures, stopping the small plugs from being as effective as others on test. It'd be good to have some thicker plugs for larger holes. Price $27

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

If there are two things flat pedals love destroying even more than your shins, it’s the inside of your car and the paintwork of other bikes. Clipless pedals aren’t too shabby at trashing paint or plastic trim either, and they’re an awkward shape to try to pad or cover. These neoprene ‘Sox’ slip over your pedals and can be secured in place with poppers to keep the sharp and shitty bits from damaging delicate surroundings. Being made in Cornwall, they’re pricey, but they come in two sizes for flats or smaller clipless pedals and could stop some really expensive accidental damage. Price from $27

The Strap-On is a simple ‘lash your kit to your frame’ option that wins if you like an obviously handmade (in Cornwall), rough-and-ready vibe with tons of colour-matching options. It comes in standard or XL (pictured) sizes and is made to order with the webbing and double back buckle colour of your choice. There are no rubber loops to hold kit onto the strap (like on the more expensive Backcountry Research and Louri options) so you need to crank it up tight for security. A smear of silicone stops it sliding round on your frame, though, and so far our sample hasn’t ejected anything despite us taking it down some pretty rough trails. Price $11-$16

British weather means it’s a good idea to keep your tech protected from the elements at all times. On this smartphone case, Sea To Summit have combined a super-tight ziplock with a triple roll-top closure that’s held firm with Velcro. An additional Velcro tab then covers the rolled opening to prevent it unravelling. The main pouch is made from tough thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which is welded with radio waves to produce seamless joins. Large touch-compatible windows allow for perfect use of your phone’s screen and easy access to side buttons (as long as they’re not on the side next to the roll-top). IPX8 certification means this case should protect your phone from water, even if it’s submerged for an hour at depths of up to 10m. While we didn’t attempt to test this, it did remain fully waterproof when left in a sink for the time it took to make and drink a cup of tea. The two lashing points are a nice addition to prevent loss or droppage. This little phone case does exactly w...

We’ll admit to being baffled by the claims on the RinseKit packaging that said no pumping or batteries were required to make it work. That headscratching turned to cynical disbelief when we followed the instructions to detach the shower head and fill the tank via its shower hose and an outside tap. But then we pulled the trigger, and were pleasantly surprised. While it’s definitely no jet wash, the stored tap pressure is enough for at least a forceful minute of washing and then another minute or two of increasingly gentle rinsing before it dribbles to a halt. That’s enough to clean a single bike or get the worst off two if you’re really quick. You can even fill it with warm water for a post-ride shower, and car-powered heater elements and a refill and repressurising pump kit will be available soon. It’s really well made, simple to use and can hold pressure for ages too. The cost isn’t far off that of motorised units that hold a lot more water, though. Battery/pump-free washer tha...

Ever felt the need to lube your chain while riding along?Well now you can, thanks to Flaer. Their electronically-controlled Revo Terra system drips lubricant onto your chain via a small dispenser on the rear mech, fed by a frame-mounted reservoir. This contains 54ml of lube and weighs 168g when full, and can be mounted to bottle cage bosses or frame tubes (with the supplied straps). The system has five modes, depending on how frequently you want your chain to be lubed. Reported battery life is 150+ hours. The Revo Terra doesn’t come cheap, but it’s claimed to improve power output and keep your drivetrain silky smooth.We’ll report back soon. Price $375

The Z LOK is a reusable ziptie with a reinforced steel core that can be used to bolster security on your bike rack or be carried as a ‘just in case’ security measure. It’s not meant to be a replacement for a proper D-lock or chain (always be sure to buy the best security you can afford), but it adds a bit of peace of mind if you need to leave your bike on the back of the car for a few minutes or pop into the bar to grab a post-ride pint. Using it is a doddle, though the prongs on the tiny ‘key’ can get bent and need realigning for it to work. Thanks to its miniscule 21g weight, it won’t weigh your pack down. Price $22 (pair)