Shut up legs, we’re trying to figure out what that rattle is. The Singletrack Test Team goes beyond the first ride shakedown.
RockShox Vivid Air Ultimate
- Price: £749.00
- From: ZyroFisher
- Tested by: James Vincent for 12 months
Tested on a Deviate Claymore running 30% sag with zero volume spacers. Full travel accessible but no harsh bottom-out detected. The RockShox Vivid Air Ultimate RC2T takes over as the brand’s premium gravity air shock. It’s essentially RockShox’s answer to the ubiquitous Fox X2 (£769 SRP). It’s a very well featured unit and all the clicks are super positive with a high-quality feel to them. The only thing lacking compared to the Fox X2 is independent high and low-speed rebound controls (five different preset rebound tunes are available to help offset this, however). The first thing I noticed when riding the Vivid, was just how quiet it is – there’s simply none of the hiss or squelch you usually get from a shock. The Vivid is definitely very ‘free’ to get moving from full extension, no doubt thanks to RockShox’s new ‘TouchDown’ tech that reduces damper resistance in the initial 10% of the stroke. The rest of the stroke is smooth and impressively controlled, especially on repeated hits and lengthier runs. On long descents, the Vivid remains unflappable. I was able to easily tweak the shock to suit me, but it would be nice if the settings were all slightly less damped at their most open. This would be mostly relevant for lighter (sub 80kg) riders. Is it more reliable than its competitors? Well, it hasn’t blown up yet or even started making a dreaded squelchy noise. But I did experience a patch of wear on the stanchion (which was replaced under warranty but still…). Is it better than a Super Deluxe Ultimate? Yes, I think so. The damping is better and more consistent, and the shock feels smoother. Bear in mind my comments about lighter riders being overdamped; consult your retailer for the best preset tune. Is the weight penalty (200g over a Super Deluxe Ultimate) worth it? Yes, unless you’re trying to save every possible gram.
Rating: 4/5
Thule 945 EasyFold Rack
- Price: £929.99 (3xbike, tested), £829.99 (2xbike)
- From: Freewheel
- Tested by: Benji for 4 months
This is not a budget bike carrier. At nearly a grand, this bike rack has to be perfect. And it pretty much is. In terms of function at least. If I’m being picky – which I should be when assessing a £930 rack – I’m going to moan that the locks/keys aren’t as swish feeling as the rest of the rack. And I wouldn’t mind if the whole thing was a bit lighter. At 18.6kg on its own, you need to be mindful of what combined weight of (e)bikes you mount on it before your vehicle’s towball exceeds its strength (check the vehicle manual or inspect the towbar mount itself for ID/info). Anyway, back to the function. It’s excellent. It’s super simple to clamp onto the towball. It’s also easy to un-clamp to reposition it slightly if you’re not quite happy with how square it sits in relation to the vehicle. The 13-pin power plug for the light array is as easy as it can be. You can tilt it away from the vehicle in situ (even with bikes on) by pushing down on the paddle below the numberplate, to get access into the boot. Being a bike tester – and someone with two young kids – I’ve had a lot of different shapes and sizes of bicycle on the 945 EasyFold and none have been a problem. I’ve always managed to mount them securely without much in the way of faff, wrestling or cursing. I’ve used the rack week-in, week-out throughout winter and it still feels like new. It is impressively put together (which is possibly what makes the rather basic locks/keys feel a bit out of place). When not in use it folds up quickly and is not overly large (it lives in the boot of our Volvo estate). For something so stable and secure, it’s genuinely easy and quick to use. With previous racks, I’d often not bother mounting them for single bike carrying (I’d just put the bike in the boot) but I haven’t had a bike inside the car since getting this rack. I’d give it full marks if it was a bit lighter (and a lot cheaper).
Rating: 4.5/5
Bontrager G-Spike Team Issue
- Price: £69.99
- From: Trek Bikes
- Tested by: Benji & Ross for winter
A very mud tyre [sic]. Coming in at exactly 1,400g in 29 x 2.4 size, the G-Spike had better be good at its job because weight on your wheel is a real joysuck. The Bontrager G-Spike is extremely good at its job. Give it a raise. Hell, give it a promotion! Promote it to the top step of all-out mud tyres. Yep, step aside Mr Maxxis WetScream, there’s a new tyre in town. Except that it’s not new. The G-Spike has been around for years, flying well below the radar of most people (who aren’t Reece Wilson or Hattie Harnden anyway). What the G-Spike has going for it is pretty much all the traits of other mud spikes but with much greater levels of predictability and performance on firm stuff (roots and rocks) as well as a much more calm and… yes, comfy ride feel. Get it into the sort of terrain it’s designed for – steep, muddy and greasy tracks and off-piste ruts – and it performs amazingly well. The tall-spiked knobs dig into soft ground providing a summer-like grip no matter what the weather is doing. Even on deep, wet, leaf mulch-covered trails the G-Spike adds control and offers a good level of grip. Those deep central knobs also offer loads of braking traction adding to wet weather confidence and letting you happily drop into trails that you might usually leave for the summer months. And it’s not just about straight-line grip. The aggressive side knobs let you lean things over and push the front into turns. For steep, natural tracks the G-Spike is pretty hard to fault and is up there with the best.
Rating: 4.5/5
Galibier Atlantic Pullover
- Price: £36.22
- From: Galibier.cc
- Tested by: Benji for 4 months
Galibier – as the Tour de France-tastic name implies – is an apparel brand predominantly about dropbar bicycling. Yet with the Atlantic Pullover it has created my favourite winter mountain biking jersey of all time. There’s not a lot to it. Which is exactly why it is excellent. No zips. No pockets. I don’t want or need any of that extraneous guff during winter riding. I just want a warm layer that fits and works well with anything I combine it with in terms of outer layer and/or base layer. As well as being unbelievably comfy – it’s made of a soft feel, recycled polyester mix – the garment just works. It never feels overly hot, or muggy/sweaty. There’s 25% Lycra in the fabric which affords the jersey a nice balance of give. There are flat-lock seams throughout for genuine forget-you’re-wearing-it niceness. The embroidered logos won’t fade or peel (not that anyone can ever see them under a jacket). That high collar is perfect; I rarely need to wear a Buff® with it. Also available in pale grey and a most excellent deep green (that hides the logos a bit more if that matters to you). I am extremely sad when I realise this jersey is still in the wash on ride days. It is very much my mountain bike wardrobe staple. There’s nothing about it I would change. It’s also extremely good value.
Rating: 5/5
Specialized Tactic 4 Helmet
- Price: £80.00
- From: Specialized
- Tested by: Benji for 9 months
I suspect Specialized may be about to replace the Tactic this year. It came out in late 2021 and it’s currently being flogged off at half price everywhere. So grab one while you can. Grab one that is, if you get along with that ‘high as a kite’ peak placement. A common feature on most of Specialized’s lids, the peak is aesthetically challenging (though I’ve grown to like it and the colourways are undeniably cool) and it’s functionally compromised. It’s just too high up to do any actual shade (from the rare sun) or shelter (from the frequent rain). Why is the peak so lofty? I assume it’s for goggle stowage. Which is irrelevant to me (I wear full-face helmets if I’m ‘goggling’). And yet, I still find myself wearing the Tactic a lot of the time. I basically wear the Tactic unless the sun is very out-out – which includes sunset – in which case I opt for a classic Giro Source helmet. Why do I wear the ‘fatally flawed’ Tactic so much? Comfort. It’s noticeable how much more I keep this helmet on during mid-ride refuelling stops or after a ride. It’s just a nice hat for my bonce. It never overheats, yet it doesn’t require bolstering with a Buff® when the temperature drops into single digits. As ever with helmets, you will need to try one on in the real world to see if the shoe fits, as it were.
Rating: 3.5/5
KS Lev Circuit Wireless Dropper Post
- Price: £699.99
- From: Ison Distribution
- Tested by: Benji for 5 months
The USP of this post is that it offers 200mm of travel, which other wireless droppers do not (yet). I’m not a fan of electronics for electronics’ sake but if they offer something better than the analogue version, I’m fine to have them aboard. As with electronic drivetrains, I only realised how much I preferred this wireless post once I’d gone back to the cable-actuated incarnation. I missed the light-touch, short-throw, click-and-forget nature of the KS Circuit. I also found the cable post to be generally slower and less accurate in mid-positioning. With the KS Circuit, you soon realise a single tap-and-release on the remote basically results in about 50mm of travel change. After a while you find yourself using mid-travel adjustments so much more than with a ‘vaguer’ cable post. In terms of charge, you can easily get a couple of months out of the battery but I’ve just got in the habit of sticking it on charge every two or three weeks. In terms of dropper wobble, it’s currently remarkably slop-free and the side-clamping head has stayed put. Overall, although it’s not hugely better than a good cable post if you want a wireless dropper, this is the current champ.
Rating: 3.5/5
Evoc Hip Pack Pro 3
- Price: £129.99
- From: ZyroFisher
- Tested by: Hannah for 10 months
This is the first time I’ve really got on with a hip pack. For rowdy stuff, I still prefer a backpack with the protection it affords if I crash, but for a hot lap on a hot day or a fairly casual jaunt (perhaps on a gravel bike), I can admit that having your back and shoulders free of weight is nice. The extensive hook and loop strap around the waist has a clip for added security and seems to me to hold the pack nicely without it riding up to my ribs. The cushioned and mesh-wrapped back plate lets air circulate reasonably well, especially nice on a warm day. There are zipped pockets on both hips – handy for instant multi-tool and snack access. The main compartment holds a (not included) bladder, which is useful for actually remembering to drink enough on a ride. You can also pack in a pump, a small jacket and a snack. The outer pocket is secure – possibly excessively so – and opens out fully should you want to empty it of sticky wrappers and crumbs – handy. The little net pouches are good for snack bars or stopping your tools from bashing about. Stretchy outer pockets are most handy for stuffing in rubbish you’ve found on the trail, or they’ll hold two water bottles. Elasticated loops on the top of the pack have proven useful in carrying an extra layer when discovering the ride is warmer than thought. Small enough to be comfortable, large enough (at 3L) to be genuinely useful.
Rating: 4/5
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