Mick Kirkman

Contributor/tester

Fox Flexair gloves 2022

Fox Flex Air gloves have stretch mesh panels between each finger to increase air, while the contoured cut of the fingers give them a second-skin like fit.

USWE Zulo 6 Plus Hip Pack

This Zulo 6 is a new hydration hip pack from Swedish brand USWE. Banana-shaped, it comes pre-curved to better fit the human form with a slightly lower front waist belt…

Regularly lubing your bike’s chain reduces friction for smoother and more efficient pedalling and also helps prevent failures and premature drivetrain wear.

Five Ten Stealth DLX shoes

Drawing inspiration from classic 1980s Adidas trainers like Gazelles and Sambas, these Five Ten Stealth DLX shoes are a new model straddling the boundaries between dedicated bike shoes and ‘hanging…

Scott Patron eRide 900 Tuned

Scott’s futuristic new Patron eRide aims to be one of the best electric bikes on the market, and comes packed with features, such a remote lockout, hidden shock and optimised…

Coal Bicycles ‘84

With gold suspension links and oodles of Kashima, Coal Bicycles' shiny bright ‘84’ model was a real head-turner at Bespoked.

Howler Frameworks Fenrir

Like many others, the maker of the Howler Frameworks Fenrir hasn’t had time to even ride his creation yet, “I’m itching to ride it now, I didn’t want to crash…

Quirk Bikes Superchub

This brand-new XC hardtail in autumnal shades is the Superchub; here with 100mm travel RockShox SID fork and designed for the pummelling Atlas Mountain Race Rob is signed up for.

Hope HB-916

Hope's latest handmade-in-Lancashire carbon enduro bike is this one-off HB-916. Aiming for a late Spring 2022 launch, it’s a significantly different successor to the HB-160 that’s currently being tested on…

Specialized Drirelease Tech Tee

Understated and neutral, you can leave the Specialized Drirelease Tech Tee on before and after a ride and I’ve also taken to wearing it at yoga classes as it stays…

Smith Optics Shift Mag

The Smith Optics Shift Mag uses a magnetic system to let you rapidly clip the lower frame and arms to one of four different lens options to the upper frame.

Whyte E-180 RS V3

The Whyte E-180 RS V3 is self-shuttling gravity enduro machine with 170mm travel out back, paired with a 180mm fork and the Bosch system.

RockShox Zeb Ultimate

Look around enduro and e-bikes and it’s clear this RockShox Zeb Ultimate competes directly with Fox 38 to be the best longer-travel fork on the market.

Marzocchi Bomber Z1

The Marzocchi Bomber Z1 uses technology from parent company Fox to offer quality damping and construction with less adjustability for a lower price.

Öhlins RXF 38 M.2

The Öhlins RXF 38 M.2 shares features and internals with the fork Loic Bruni has won World Championships on, but does this race pedigree stack up for us?