All Arround MTB

If you want comfortable shoes with loads of pedal feel and decent weather/ loam protection, O’Neal’s new Sessions are really good. But they’re not so great if you want the serious start snap and power delivery hinted at by the Boa-style dial closure on the side. The fit of the reinforced toe is wide and the whole shoe is relatively loose for a given size. While the tensioning dial and cross strap can be used to tighten things up considerably, we’d suggest you size down for a snug fit. The upper shrugs off puddle splashes and there’s a neoprene ankle collar to stop water and roost getting into your socks. That’s ideal for colder UK riding conditions, but they do get hot on those rare warm days. Down below, the soft, flexible ‘Honey Rubber’ outsole gives excellent trail feedback and foot mobility. The cleat is recessed just the right amount to give easy release and connection with every caged pedal we tried, without protruding obviously when walking. They’re a reasonable weight t

Specialized’s Dissident is one of the comfiest full-face lids on the market. The well-shaped, soft padding hugs your head nicely and does a decent job of soaking up sweat. Carbon fibre construction means the helmet weighs just 1,036g (medium), which is a big plus when wearing it for long periods of time. Like any full-face, the Dissident heats up when you’re working hard, though well-located vents under the peak and internal channelling improve airflow over the top of your head. It’ll accept the ‘EJECT’ safety system as well as work with neck braces, and there’s even space inside to fit speakers. The S-Works edition features a matt carbon finish, which marks easily, and a magnetic buckle, which takes a bit of practice to use with gloves on. Our last Dissident held up for a few years, despite a few knocks, so, while it’s not cheap, this lid should last well. HIGHS -Comfortable, highly tactile and weatherproof clipless gravity shoes LOWS -Soft feel when pedalling -Sizing

This long-sleeve baselayer from Wiggle’s in-house brand, dhb, works really well for chilly morning stints on the trails. It’s a decent length in the body, making it easy to tuck in to keep the draughts out, and the merino wool is incredibly soft against the skin. While the 200gsm fabric weight ensures this layer works well when the temperature drops, it wicks sweat well and is great on dull days when the sun never really makes an appearance. On top of that, it doesn’t stink once it’s dried out, though it can’t shed moisture quite as quickly as synthetic equivalents. Price $67

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 Vernon 2.0 is one of the most well-thought-through pump designs we’ve seen, and the price is good too. The wide, three-pronged steel base gives good stability while you’re pumping and the hose is plenty long enough too. We’re big fans of the big, easy-to-read gauge that sits at the top of the pump’s barrel. Possibly the neatest feature, though, is the bleed button located at the base of the gauge. Its location makes it easy to keep tabs on your tyre pressure while you bleed air off. In action, the broad (255mm) handle is comfy enough (though the edge could be rounded off) and offers plenty of leverage for tackling tubeless tyres, which the Vernon will seat without too much fuss. The chuck will fit Presta or Schrader valves, though you do need to unscrew the end and flip the internals over to switch between the two. While we’ve had no issues with the chuck coming loose, it doesn’t connect to the valve as securely as on some pumps. As this is the high-volume model, it makes

We investigate the world of women’s-specific bikes , and find that the ‘shrink it and pink it’ stereotype is no longer true. Some differences are fairly self-evident – female riders are, on average, smaller and have a lower weight-to-height ratio. Others are more contentious, such as suggestions that women are likely to ride less aggressively. WHAT TO LOOK FOR If you’re thinking of buying a women’s bike, check which of the following it ofers: - Female-specific finishing kit, including saddle - Lighter shock tune - Smaller sizes to suit smaller riders - Dedicated frame geometry – both Canyon and Liv ofer this Go back a few years, and it was easy to tell which bikes were ‘women’s specific’. They were short, tall, usually under-specced for the price and often sported a flash of a suitably‘girly’ colour. The design philosophy was simply to take a men’s – sorry, ‘unisex’ – bike and ‘shrink it and pink it’. That’s what every woman wants, right? We’ll totally overlook the bike

The Specialized Stumpjumper has taken many forms since it claimed the title of ‘first production mountain bike’ back in 1981, from XC hardtail to mid-travel full-sus. It’s now evolved once more, into what Specialized are touting as “the ultimate trail bike”. Potential buyers are presented with a lot of different options – you can go for 29in wheels or 650b, a carbon fibre frame or aluminium, short or long travel, a unisex build or women’s-specific finishing kit. There’s even an Evo version for riders wanting something longer, slacker and overall more aggressive. All share one important trait – enhanced stiffness to improve handling in rough terrain. This was Specialized’s primary goal when redesigning the Stumpy. Hence the asymmetrical reinforcing strut that connects the top tube and seat tube (a design first used on their Demo downhill bike). The carbon frames also have a new lay-up, resulting in a claimed eight per cent higher stiffness and 100g weight saving. Every frame i

Giro have overhauled their MTB footwear range for 2018, doing away with their old Jacket flat-pedal shoe and replacing it with the new Riddance (left). The uppers may not look too dissimilar, but underneath is a Vibram‘Megagrip ISR’ sole, which, Giro say, is the stickiest they’ve ever made. There’s good news for clipless riders too, in the form of a second-generation Chamber shoe (right) with a more rearward cleat pocket (10mm further back than on Giro’s other MTB shoes), a revised tread pattern and a new internal shank designed to give a better balance of comfort and stiffness. Hopefully these shoes build on the feel and supportive fit we liked so much on the originals. Price $165 (R)/$192 (CII)

MTB gear with F1 pedigree Headed up by Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber, new outdoor clothing brand Aussie Grit boast of design “with an absence of negatives” – and we certainly hope that’s the case, given the eyewatering prices. Shown here are their Flint bike shorts, which are made from a four-way stretch fabric and have a built-in liner that’s joined to the outer through its elasticated, drawcord-secured ‘Anchor’ waistband. The matching jacket is fairly minimal in terms of features, and made from a three-layer breathable and waterproof fabric. It’s got shaped sleeves, a zipped chest pocket and an offset main zip. Does all this warrant the cost? We’ll find out soon when we put it to the test. Price $225 (shorts), $330 (jacket)

New Stereo 150 29 has been purpose-built for winning EWS races When you’ve got one of the fastest men on two wheels riding your bikes, it makes sense to build him the fastest bike you can, and let him play a part in its development. That’s just what Cube have done with EnduroWorld Series star Greg Callaghan and the Stereo 150 29. Here are five things you need to know about the flat-out Irishman’s new whip… Cube decided to develop this frame after Greg jumped on a Stereo 140 29 at the Emerald Enduro EWS race in 2016. The mid-travel 29er was by no means a dedicated enduro race bike, yet Greg beat Richie Rude and Sam Hill for the win, proving that big wheels suit him down to the ground. The new 150mm-travel frame has been built specifically for enduro racing. Cube have changed the suspension kinematics to make the bike much more progressive through its stroke. Even the fastest riders on the planet will have a back end that can deal with anything they throw at it. The ‘C:68’ fr

The DH race bike that may spell an end to the era of Atherton dominance Who is Tahnee Seagrave? Born in West Sussex, Tahnee soon moved to Morzine in the French Alps, where she became fluent in both French and riding steep, gnarly downhill tracks. These days, the Seagrave family (including younger brother Kaos, an up-andcoming DH racer) live in Mid Wales, just down the road from Revolution Bike Park, a place that serves as Tahnee’s second home when she’s not away racing. We never like to see a rider crash, but one positive did come out of Rachel Atherton’s shoulderdislocating tumble at Fort William last year – it blew the door wide open for the rest of the women’s World Cup field. One rider who stepped through that door in commanding fashion was British young gun Tahnee Seagrave. At the start of last season, the 22-year-old didn’t have a World Cup win to her name, but by the end of the year, she’d chalked up three victories, three more podiums and came ever so close at the Wo

Troy Lee Designs’ D3 helmet was once the preserve of pro riders and those with the fattest wallets, but the release of a new, more afordable version has brought that inimitable Californian styling and impressive protection within reach of the masses. Until this year,Troy Lee had retained their classic D2 as a budget alternative to the D3, but now that lid has gone in the cupboard and been replaced with the D3 Fiberlite. It’s got an identical shell shape to the topdrawer lid, so it doesn’t sacrifice any style, and it still meets the same safety standards too, but it pinches the pennies with a slightly heavier shell and no MIPS liner. At 1,158g (medium), it’s a mere 60g heavier than the equivalent size D3 Carbon despite being a full $300 cheaper – we reckon that’s pretty good value! Being a TLD product, there are several graphics options available. We’re big fans of this stealthy ‘Mono’ design, and less sure about some of the more in-yourface ‘Factory’ colourways. But hey, difere

Troy Lee’s Skyline is one of those jerseys that you pull on and it feels instantly good. The slouchy fit isn’t baggy on the bike and there’s no weight or drag to it. For those who are interested in material provenance, the fabric is Bluesign certified. It’s lightweight and keeps you cool, and the open-mesh back panel allows heat to escape even faster. Taller riders will appreciate the extra-long body and sleeves – sleeves that also stay in place when pushed up (yes, it’s a small detail, but very annoying when it doesn’t work). There’s also a side pocket with lens wipe. The finish quality isn’t as high as on some jerseys here, suggesting that you’re paying a bit of a premium because TLD is a fashionable brand, but that doesn’t stop us from wanting to wear the Skyline very much. Price $90

Tech tees, due to their simplicity, tend to sit at the right end of most budgets, but even so, for $45 we don’t usually expect anything that’s more than basic. The Trillium confounds that by delivering a great cut combined with better-thanaverage fabric. It’s got a relaxed, but not baggy, fit and a wide neckline that makes it easier to get on and off than many tops of this type and feels less restrictive on the bike. The taped seam at the back of the neck is a technical detail that’s usually only found on more expensive styles. A Polygiene antibacterial treatment is incorporated into the fabric to help prevent the pong associated with manmade wicking fibres. Given that tech tees can be worn for just about any activity, this is a truly bargainous piece. Price $45

This is a limited edition print, so you’d best be quick if you love it. But it was more than just the eye-catching graphic style of the MT500 Print II that stood out during testing. It can be hard to deconstruct why a jersey finds its way to the top of the riding pile time after time, but it normally comes down to one thing – it simply feels good to wear. In the case of the Endura jersey, much of that is down to the fabric, which is very lightweight, with an airy quality that means it wicks efficiently and dries fast. It also has a smooth feel, which makes layering – whether over armour or under a jacket (it’s been a cold spring) – easy. The fit is relaxed but not too baggy, so it sits well when you’re riding and doesn’t flap. Slim sleeves help anchor the loose-fitting body – a design feature that only works if the sleeves fit well, and these do, falling into a good shape on the bike and allowing ample freedom of movement. When it comes to bike jerseys, we always talk about fit and