A surprisingly versatile, supremely comfortable bib/baggy combo for any weather
Clothing
Madison Zenith
Definitely a 'try before you buy' fit, but a great hardwearing short for the hard riding
Polaris AM 500 Repe
Shorts made for typical UK riding weather and for riders who wear pads year-round.
Trail42 bamboo tech tee
Trail42 tech tees are difficult to find fault with. The selling point of bamboo shirts is that they don’t show sweat patches when you’re getting moist. But there’s a host…
Endura MT500 Spray
If you’re a ‘shorts all year’ rider, you’ve found your shorts from now until next summer.
Race Face Ambush
Good on and off the trail. More of a midwinter warmer than a midsummer’s dream, though.
Sombrio Highline II Shorts
The Highline II is Sombrio’s top of the range short. It’s designed from four-way stretch material and comes complete with an inner short. Small ventilation holes are located on the…
Troy Lee Ace Shorts
Troy Lee’s Ace short is designed with what it calls “gritty XC” in mind and that’s fairly clear from the snug, tailored fit. Luckily it’s available in two-inch increments from…
Gore Bike Wear Fusion Trail
Although these Gore Bike Wear Fusion Trail shorts are in keeping with this year’s ‘TicTac’ fashion colour palette, they also come in brown or black. They’re made of a lightweight…
Sombrio Birm Queen Shorts
The Birm Queen is a great cross-country short with a flattering, slimmer cut. Though relatively heavy for hot and sunny summer trail riding, discrete mesh-lined and zipped thigh vents add…
Altura Quantum X Shorts
The velcro waist adjustment on the back draws the spare fabric away from the snag zone and together with the four-way stretchy yoke keeps the waist secure even when hanging…
Kali’s innovative Maraka XC helmet
A helmet with a number of truly interesting and compelling features
Howies Dyfi Active Shell jacket
My first impressions of the Dyfi Active Shell were focused on the colour and looks; understandable given that I nabbed it from Singletrack for photoshoot dressing-up. It’s a happy looking…
Lake MX331 disco slippers
The first pair of these shoes died a premature death following last year’s Transvesubienne race. Because it was a ‘race’, I wore my new ‘race shoes’ without having really done…
Morvélo Daze womens jersey
"Female cyclists are a picky and notoriously fickle bunch to please.", Says Jenn, who has been trying out this Morvelo jersey for the last four months.
Gore Bike Wear Phantom 2.0 Windstopper Softshell jacket.
Possibly the quintessential zip-off softshell, from masters of Windstopper, Gore Bike Wear.
Gore Bike Wear Countdown Windstopper Softshell hoodie
A softshell with a hood (and an unfeasibly long name). Rejoice! For it is warm and cosy...
Suplest Off Road Alpine boots
Numerous things have sucked about summer so far this year; not least, still having chilblains in June. We should have been prancing about in our disco slippers months ago but…
The North Face Dirt Track jacket
The Dirt Track (really?) is TNF’s Gore Windstopper softshell, with zip-off sleeves that convert it into a gilet. First things first: fit. It’s decidedly ‘American’ in its sizing and boxy,…
Bontrager RXL MTB shoes
The RXL is the top of the shop in Bontrager’s three shoe racing range. As such it gets all the benefits; heat-mouldable insoles, a ‘multi-position medial adjuster to dial-in top…
RaceFace Canuck gloves
I am quite particular about summer gloves. I’ve been through a few pairs over the years, and I’ve developed a strong sense for what’s going to work for me, and…
Five Ten Spitfire Mid Freeride shoes
I have to be honest here and say that I must have been one of the few mountain bikers in the world that didn’t really like Five Ten shoes when…
Louis Garneau Sotchi Gloves
Patrick tests a set of winter gloves from Canada - are they toasty or just stale bread?
Troy Lee Designs Ace gloves
Work experience lad Ben G has had this set of gloves on test since he came to the office a few months back – here’s what he made of them……
Scott Sports Roarban Long Sleeve
Looks like a cotton checked shirt is actually technical "pretty foul weather" top
Rab Shadow Hoodie Jacket
Rab Shadow Hoodie Price: £120 From: www.rab.uk.com Tested: Continuously for four months The Shadow Hoodie isn’t really a jacket for riding in, it’s what I would call a ‘live-in-jacket’. In…
Montane Dyno Jacket
Matt tests a different kind of softshell jacket that's friendly to user as well as the environment
Polaris Women’s Sapphire Jacket & Roam XC Gloves
Jenny tests a female specific riding jacket and some lightweight gloves
Polaris NiteRide 2 Jersey
As winter draws closer, Jon reviews a long sleeved and warm jersey from Polaris...
Polaris Epic XC Gloves
Gloves made for almost all year round - but are they any good? Jon gives his verdict..
