Mick Kirkman

Contributor/tester

Scott Factor MTB goggles

If you’re looking for a good pair of budget goggles that outperform their price, the Scott Factor goggle is a really good choice. In fact, Scott’s Factor goggle is by far…

Unior Tools Pro Home Kit

Slovenian brand Unior, manufactures bike tools in Europe and has a well-deserved reputation for putting loads back into cycling through supporting events, teams and athletes. This experience of World Cup-level…

Jobsworth Bike Tool Kit 48 piece

Planet X has a reputation for some of the keenest prices in the cycling industry, so it’s no surprise this Jobsworth box packs 48 tools for under £70. That’s almost…

LifeLine Performance 39 Piece Tool Kit

LifeLine is one of CRC/Wiggle’s in-house brands, and it offers this comprehensive 39-piece tool box as a one-stop home repair solution. There are some really good tools here, but also…

This PRO kit from Shimano’s component division is a compact tool kit, with eleven tools held in a zip/fold-out case. It’s clear from the off that it’s a more up-to-date…

Alpina Roca Helmet

This Alpina Roca is the German brand’s first shot at producing one of the best full-face mountain bike helmets. It is focussed on lightweight and ventilation, meaning it’s more aimed…

POC Spine VPD Vest

Top-end Swedish brand POC has a varied line up of protection vests and jackets stretching up to almost £300 for some of its AIR range. This Spine VPD sleeveless vest…

Alpinestars Paragon Plus Protection vest 

Alpinestars’s Paragon Plus is one of the best MTB body armour vests on the market. It’s also £30 cheaper than POC’s VPD, but the basic design is almost identical, whereby…

Deity Bladerunner

Plenty of the best flat pedals, like these Deity Bladerunners, strive to be super thin. In fact Deity claims they are its lowest profile (and lightest) model. But to achieve…

Ride Concepts Helion Elite

We’ve tested the Ride Concepts Hellion Elite shoe previously and awarded it full marks and added to our buyer’s guide to the best mountain bike shoes, but how does this…

Birzman Travel Tool Box

Birzman’s Travel Tool box is a new addition to the brand’s range that’s much more affordable than the larger Studio Tool Box that scored 10/10, previously won our group test…

Altura Eskar gilet

Altura’s latest line-up of biking kit is undeniably fresh and good looking. This Esker Dune gilet is a prime example, looking like the sort of down gilet you’d see in…

Hope F22 pedals

It’s been a full decade since Hope launched its F20 flat pedal. Ample time, then, to iron out the problems with the old design, and come up with an improved…

Bell 4Forty Air MIPS helmet

This 4Forty Air MIPS is part of Bell’s latest helmet range, and thanks to considered design and features it’s one of the best mountain bike helmets we’ve tested. It’s an…

If you’re opting for a mountain bike waist bag or hip pack rather than a rucksack, you’ll want something that’s secure, allows you to keep all your essentials to hand,…

The latest model from legendary Swedish suspension brand Öhlins is this 34mm stanchioned RXF fork. It’s the lightest and most expensive fork in our comparative test against the Fox 34…

After ditching bulky backpacks a decade ago, I’ve tried MTB bum bags (more commonly labelled hip packs these days) from all the leading brands. This Fox Racing version has two…