Most wanted: Bontrager Rally £79.99

The Rally is packed with all of the features you’d expect to find on a £80 lid… and then some. It’s fully in-moulded for added strength, the rear of the helmet extends further at the back for extra protection and it’s bottom-wrapped to reduce wear and tear. It’s also super-comfortable — pop the Rally on and you’ll notice there are no pressure points or hard spots. The Headmaster retention system guarantees a snug fit with no more effort than twiddling the dial at the back of the helmet with your finger and thumb. It’s even covered by a crash replacement policy that guarantees you get a new helmet  free of charge if you smash it up within the first year of use.

However, the one feature that we really like on the Rally, which doesn’t even get so much as a mention in Bontrager’s marketing blurb, is the massive range of peak adjustment. Why do we think this so cool? Basically, it not only allows you to adjust the peak out of your line of sight, but also creates enough room to stash your goggles underneath. This means you bump the peak up, along with your protective eyewear, for climbing, and then tear them down again at a moment’s notice for shredding. In fact, all that’s missing from the Rally is a goggle clip on the back of the helmet to ensure that you never lose them. Still, at £79.99 for a helmet of this calibre we’re not complaining.

Clean sweep

Clear glasses are an essential item on dark and muddy winter rides but BBB Adapt PH specs are also photochromic, meaning they’ll automatically get darker, reducing glare, when the sun comes out. £99.99, windwave.co.uk

Double defence

Leatt’s 3DF Hybrid Knee Guard features a combination of soft and hard-shell padding and is made from self-hardening materials that increase protection and comfort while reducing weight. £69.99, hotlines-uk.com

Wonky wing

B Labs narrow/wide oval chainrings are very similar to the popular Rotor rings, the difference is B Labs is offering them in standard 104mm BCD or direct mount for SRAM-compatible cranks. There’s also a better range of sizes. £44.95, bionicon.com

Small and mighty

40 per cent lighter and half the size of the old Drift Ghost camera, this new Stealth 2 shrinks the same great footage and functionality into a much more wearable package. The price is pretty minimal too. £199, actioncameras.co.uk

Phone roam

Memory Map’s new Android GPS TX3 smart- phone does it all: colour touchscreen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, camera, you name it. Comes with a choice of maps from the Memory-Map range. £279, memory-map.co.uk

Flux capacitor

The Fox Flux is a good value trail helmet that now comes in a fresh acid green. It’s a little weighty and has a fixed peak, but there’s tons of protection and it fits like the proverbial glove. £70, foxhead.com

Winter warmer

You can ride in Evoc’s Tech Hoodie but we’d really keep it for wrapping up warm at the end of a long ride. There are side and chest pockets for gear and an adjustable hood for keeping in the heat. S-XL sizes, one colour. £79.95, silverfish-uk.com

Buzzy boots

With less padding around the ankle and tongue, O’Neal’s flat pedal Stinger II shoe is lighter and more pedal-friendly. The tacky, curved rubber sole is easier to walk on and there are three new colours. £84.99, oneal-europe.com

Stash box

If you want to ride without a pack you should consider the superbly named Supacaz Nanpa Stasher. It slots inside a standard bottle cage and has enough space for a tube, patch kit, micro-tool, even an iPhone. £10.95, silverfish-uk.com