Mick Kirkman

Contributor/tester

Afton Keegan

Afton Keegan looks like a skate shoe, but dig deeper and there’s technology: extra toe protection to a specially designed, mono-directional interior shank.

x-fusion trace

The X-Fusion Trace 36 HLR suspension fork is over £200 cheaper than some other top-tier forks, and, aside from the price, there’s a lot to recommend it.

ion shelter softshell

ION Shelter Softshell jacket is a hooded jacket which comes across more technical hoodie than thick soft shell. It uses double-woven, 4-way stretch fabric.

We got the chance to ride the current 2019 RockShox Lyrik RC2 back-to-back in an ABA test format with the new 2020 RockShox Lyrik Ultimate.

Evil The Offering

140mm 29er Evil the Offering addresses past issues, and also adds more reach to each frame size so you no longer need to upsize to get a good fit.

dvo diamond

The DVO Diamond is a multi-adjustable enduro fork that’s now available with reduced offset. With 35mm legs and big tyre clearance.

hornit clug

Yeah this Hornit Clug is essentially £16 for a plastic clip, but Hornit’s tiny product works and is sturdy and well designed.

mavic xa maytrx clip

The Mavic XA Matryx Clip shoe is their latest, technology-rich, trail riding shoe. It's a strong contender to win out in the battle of clip-in MTB shoes.

schwalbe hans dampf ii

Schwalbe Hans Dampf II is excellent on the rear now the tread is 50% bigger with more spaced out knobs for faster mud clearing and more bite.

msc gripper pro

At £38 for twin compound, All-Mountain casing, MSC Gripper Pro, the pricing is competitive. There’s also slurpier-edged triple compound model for £10 more.

bontrager xr5

The new Bontrager XR5 model we’ve tested in SE (Super Enduro) casing comes in 2.6in size with a lighter carcass under the ‘XR’ (trail) name.

fix it sticks mountain tool

Nifty Fix It Sticks Mountain Tool packs most functions you’ll need to keep you moving and the T-bar system is more like bike shop quality. Clever. Durable.

specialized 2fo cliplite

The Specialized 2FO Cliplite blends gravity shoe looks and comfort with race-like pedalling efficiency. Making it suitable for all styles of riding.

shimano am5

This brand new Shimano AM5 is Shimano’s best value trail and enduro SPD shoe and shares some neat technology and features with pricier models.

o'neal pinned spd

The stealthy, minimal O'Neal Pinned SPD is excellent value, durable and tough. It also has the bonus of class-leading waterproofing that’s a bonus in UK.