Why wait until December when everything is borderline out of date and you have no money left? You want to know what the good stuff is right now, right?

>>> Trail Bike of The Year 2018

No, you haven’t fallen asleep for several months and woken up at the end of the year, which is the usual time to reflect on best-of-2018 stuff. These products are the standout items in the year thus far.

2018’s Perfect Products

Here are fourteen of the best mountain bike products that received a 10/10 rating from us in 2018.

Nukeproof Horizon Sam Hill pedals

Price: £79.99
Rating: 10/10

“This Sam Hill Horizon is a perfectly rounded package that isn’t the lightest or the thinnest on test, but any pedals that rate higher on these fronts also have greater compromises elsewhere. It’s proven tough and simply feels so solid and secure underfoot for all shapes and sizes of rider, the Horizon is hard to beat.”

White Lightning Wet Ride lube

Price: £9.99
Rating: 10/10

“As a product tester, I’ve got plenty other lube options I didn’t pay for, but this Wet Ride stuff has transformed my bike experience so much, it’s something I’ll happily put my hand in my own pocket to buy and use.”

Altura One 80 G2 glove

Price: £24.99
Rating: 10/10

“Comfortable, economical and unobtrusive, the Altura One 80 G2 glove gets two thumbs up from me.”

Fabric Scoop Pro Team Radius saddle

Price: £129.99
Rating: 10/10

“The Fabric Scoop Pro Team Radius offers a sublime level of comfort independent of riding conditions and style of bike. It has a more rounded profile, relying on it’s padding and flexible base to supply the comfort. It’s easy to navigate quickly when needed and the fact that the different price points do little to impact on the comfort is a bonus.”

Camelbak Skyline LR 10

Price: £109.99
Rating: 10/10

“The Camelbak feels like a thoroughly modern design with every part of it being designed to optimise its performance, it being a joy to use and to wear. The Skyline takes the honours for being comfortable, secure, well made and nicely organised inside.”

Shimano Deore M6000 disc brake

Price: £74.99
Rating: 10/10

“The high quality that’s been handed down over years of development means there’s no excessive play in the lever and the bite point is right where you want it to be every time. The uncompromised lever feel is light and the Servo Wave mechanism makes easy work of creating a huge amount of manageable power, again similar to the XT.”

SRAM GX Eagle

Price: £425.00
Rating: 10/10

“Is there a catch? I looked hard but couldn’t find one. Sure, the shifting isn’t quite as crisp as XO1 Eagle, but it’s less than half the price. Sure it weighs a little more than XO1 but it’s less than half the price. Until Shimano come out with a suitable rival, GX Eagle is the cheapest and best way to get a proper wide-range, 12-speed set-up and is the transmission bargain of the year.”

SRAM Code RSC disc brake

Price: £230.00
Rating: 10/10

“You certainly pay a premium for its performance, coming in a little pricier than the alternatives, but we can’t put a finger on any wrong doings. All we hope is that long-term reliability matches its unrivalled performance.”

Crank Brothers Mallet DH pedals

Price: £149.99
Rating: 10/10

“The Mallet DH is a standout pedal when it comes to foot stability and confidence. You can really feel the platform supporting all of your foot no matter how much pressure you put through it, creating probably the only true flat/clipless hybrid of the test.”

Nukeproof Horizon CL CrMo DH pedals

Price: £100.00
Rating: 10/10

“Equally impressive is the durability. After several months of smashing them into rocks and roots they are still spinning smoothly with all features intact. The machined areas minimise the typical scruffy appearance that most pedals assume after use and all pins and mechanisms are working perfectly.”

Endura Hummvee Lite gloves

Price: £19.99
Rating: 10/10

“A perfect trail glove for riders that really like to feel the bars. We can see why Danny says the Hummvee Lite is his favourite glove.”

Bell Super DH MIPS helmet

Price: £249.99
Rating: 10/10

“The whole point of full face lid with a removal chin bar it to have the best of both worlds in a single helmet. DH protection for enduro racing or bike park laps, and a well-vented open face for regular pedal rides. Bell delivers on both counts with the Super DH. Yes, it’s a little tricky to fit the chin bar with the helmet on, but as two-in-one options go, it’s the best we’ve tested. It’s very well vented and given its BMX and Downhill safety certifications it relatively lightweight.”

Invisiframe

Price: £71.99
Rating: 10/10

“This is the first frame I’ve had wrapped in this way and it certainly won’t be the last – extra weight is negligible, there is no peeling anywhere and at £72 value is pretty good I’d say!”

Rockshox Lyrik RC2

Price: £989.00
Rating: 10/10

“Super user-friendly, and not just in terms of set-up. With minimal friction and amazing small-bump sensitivity, it’s easier on your body too, but it still retains the support you need to load the front end for grip, and to stop you getting ejected if you misread the terrain.”