The POC VPD Air Flow knee pad takes its design cues from roadie bib shorts, it’s the lightest and most minimal knee protection offering from the Swedish brand and targeted…
Mick Kirkman
Contributor/tester
Michelin’s DH22 Racing Line tyres offer unmatched traction in the wet… but there’s a price to be paid
Michelin has completely rebooted its gravity tyre line up this year and the latest on test is its DH22. It’s more gravity focussed, heavier and grippier than the also-new Wild…
Winter’s coming: Rapha’s sleeveless base layer adds warmth and comfort, but its roadie fit was too snug for my bulk
This sleeveless base layer from Rapha is designed for the much more serious business of road cycling… but don’t let that put you off. Because base layers are much more…
Hope’s handmade HB.916 is dull and dead to ride… but in a really (really) good way
High pivot bikes with idlers have been trending recently, but are they all hype like the Emperor’s New Clothes or do they offer genuine ride advantages? Multiple brands including Forbidden,…
“Just about perfect” PNW’s Range Stem is stiff, well made and looks great
PNW says its Range stem is CNCd from a block of 6061 aluminium, but judging by the shape it’s been cold-forged first, a process all the best mountain bike stems…
The Abus HiDrop is a tropical microclimate for your head, and one of the hottest full face helmets I’ve ever tested
Abus is probably best known for making bike locks, but the German brand is well versed when it comes to protecting heads too. Its latest piece of safety equipment is…
Lightweight, lively and nimble: Cannondale’s Habit LT is a proper trail bike, not an overbuilt enduro rig
As one of a handful of trail bikes with a very similar shape and suspension design, Cannondale’s Habit LT had a hard job convincing me it was a truly unique…
I’m a diehard mountain biker, but the roadies nailed it with Sportful’s Pro Baselayer Tee
The Sportful Pro Baselayer Tee is really designed for roadies, but don’t let that put you off. Because base layers are much more of a staple for road than MTB,…
I love enduro racing, but competing with a mate at Enduro2 in the alps made for double the fun!
There aren’t many mountain bike events around where you can clock up over 15,000m of timed vertical descending in a three-day weekend and make it back to your day job…
I’ve tested stacks of long-travel enduro forks, and I think RockShox’s latest Zeb Ultimate Charger 3.1 is as close to suspension perfection as you can get
What RockShox used to call the Totem many moons ago became the Zeb when this 38mm stanchioned fork launched a few years back and inherited the brand’s leading longest-travel single…
I’ve used Stan’s Original Tubeless Sealant for nearly 20 years, here’s why it’s still my go-to choice for puncture prevention
Stan’s No Tubes Race Sealant is expensive, but contains twice as many sealing crystals and uses bigger particles that can make larger holes air tight.
The best bikes of Ard Rock: from Joe Barnes’ custom Hope HB.916 to a 1996 GT LTS that’s still shredding 28 years later
Ard Rock is the UK’s largest mountain bike festival, it draws an international crowd for its mix of enduro racing, party atmosphere and bike expo. All that means it’s the…
The Fizik Terra Ergolace GTX MTB shoe is perfect in every way, except where it really counts
The Fizik Terra Ergolace GTX is not your usual flat pedal shoe. There’s no hint of the skate-inspired look most flat shoes lean into, instead the exquisite build quality and…
The Yeti SB165 is my new American dream bike after it helped me to victory in an epic alpine enduro race
Arguably the most boutique of boutique brands, there can’t be many of us who haven’t fanaticised about owning a Yeti at some point or other. The brand’s been doing things…
The PNW Loam handlebar took the sting out of Alpine descents, and its light flex feel is ideal for heavier riders
The PNW Loam Carbon Handlebar is designed explicitly to offer more comfort and vertical compliance than an alloy bar, to take the sting out of bumpy trails and introduce an…
Spare lenses cost just £12 on the affordable 100% Accuri 2 goggles, but they steam up like a kettle
100% is a big player in the cycling eyewear and protection game and a frequent fixture over the eyeballs of top professional riders. In terms of MTB goggles, loads of…
I loved the ride quality of Trek’s latest high-pivot Slash, but a bent idler means I’d have to think long and hard about buying one
With high-pivot suspension, mullet wheels and multi-adjustable frame, the latest Trek Slash is about as modern a bike as you’ll find in 2024. It’s more than just trendy though, this…
The Smith Rhythm goggles are lightweight, breezy and brilliant… but beware of flying insects
Mountain bike goggles goggles are prone to steaming up when you heat up, especially on cold and damp days, and Smith’s Rhythm uses the same open lattice frame idea as…
Michelin’s Wild Enduro is the privateer’s choice, but will the new V2 roll any quicker?
The new Michelin Wild Enduro tyre is completely new for 2024, it’s lighter than the generation is replaces and there are also claims it rolls faster too. And with two…
I love the subtle styling and conscientious manufacturing of Rab’s Cinder Crimp T Shirt, but there are better jerseys for a really hot ride
In case you didn’t notice, leading UK outdoor brand Rab started a new cycling range last year offering pieces for MTB, gravel and bike-packing. The firm is already well established…