All Arround MTB

While these slide-on grips won’t break the bank, it’s worth noting that they work best if you stick them in place with Renthal’s Quick Bond Grip Glue, which will set you back another $10. On the bike, we love the soft, super-grippy feel of the Push-Ons. The ‘Ultra Tacky’ rubber isn’t just grippy, it also helps to take the sting out of chattery sections of trail. Not everyone will like just how narrow they feel – we’re talking roughly 30mm in diameter – and, used with a stiff bar, the outer edge of your palms can start to feel a little battered on really rough trails. This is no worse than with other slim grips though, and we reckon it’s a price worth paying for the damping and grip on offer. Since gluing (not wiring) our test grips in place, they haven’t lifted or slipped, even in the sopping wet. The downside is that it’s unlikely we’ll be able to remove them without cutting them. Price $18

Renthal’s Fatbar is one of the most popular bars out there – its distinctive matt-gold finish graces the cockpits of pro racers and weekend warriors alike. Wisely, they haven’t messed with the winning formula on these ‘version 2’ alloy bars. The shape remains the same, with seven degrees of backsweep, five of upsweep and a choice of rises. What’s changed is that both the Fatbar and the Fatbar Lite are now wider (800mm and 760mm, respectively) and available in black as well as the classic ‘AluGold’ finish. The former has undergone a full structural redesign too, and is said to come in a little lighter – our sample weighs 315g – while the latter is about the same – 280g on our scales. There’s no change to the design of the Fatbar 35 and Fatbar Lite 35, but they now come in black too. The carbon bars are unchanged. Price $105

The Apex is the lightest stem here, at 120g . Its twin wraparound clamps need to be slid on from the side rather than clipped straight on, but this was never a problem, even with non-Renthal bars. The six-degree rise/ drop adds bar height options. Despite the narrow bar clamp, it feels stiff enough. Care is needed when fitting. It’s essential to grease the bolts and tighten them to exactly 5Nm (the max recommended torque) to avoid it twisting on the steerer. Even then, we’ve had it twist slightly when riding hard. Price $135

Coming in at 250ml bottle, Renthal’s UK-made chain lube is good value when compared to its competitors. It’s a bottle that’ll last a while too, given how little you need to apply.

LOOK CLOSELY AT this beauty and you’ll see it’s been extensively machined in a bid to shave weight without compromising strength. At 117g it’s the lightest on test, but what about strength?

RENTHAL’S KEVLAR GRIPS have long been a hit, but with the new Ultra Tackys they’re attempting something a bit special. When you remove these UK-made grips from their packaging they’re sticky to the touch.Wrap your fingers around them and there’s noticeably more adhesion than normal.

MOTOCROSS MEETS MOUNTAIN biking in this ultimate brawler's bar. The 780mm width gives plenty of leverage for crowbarring your way out of high-load situations and the limited sweep and rise (20 and 38mm also available) give it a really aggressive feel.

WHILE THEIR COMPACT Duo is aimed at more aggressive riders, Renthal’s new stem is for all types of mountain biker.