Ion’s aesthetically cool and ergonomically hot products are forging quite a name for themselves in the bike world. The 3 layer waterproof Shelter jacket continues this foray with a host of features and performance highlights although minor issues with fit and shape could question the high-end price tag.  

Altura’s flagship waterproof jacket, the Five/40, oozes quality and performs well but a few ergonomic woes and a leaky zip mean you’ll have to love its cool aesthetics to part with your hard-earned.

The Alpinestars Outrider WR Waterproof Base shorts have a seamless, laminated rear and crotch panel, keeping the elements out but also offer a higher level of breathability and comfort than a fully waterproof alternative. Superbly comfortable and look good too, the perfect British riding short?

The Adidas Evil Eye Evo Pro with Vario photochromic lenses are the brand's flagship option of the Evil Eye range. They’re ergonomically superb with large, wrap-around lenses, removable sweat bar, adjustable arms and nosepiece and hydrophobic coating. They're pricey but in my opinion worth every penny.

The Zero AM Boost is Bird’s newest iteration of the successful Zero AM and the brand’s  encouragement to outright hooliganism. Stiff as a ramrod and as unforgiving as a religious cult, what it lacks in finesse it makes up for in outright breach of the peace. Progressive geometry will keep you safe all day long, however hard you like to rumble, all for a wallet-friendly sum.

The new Taiwanese made Starling Cycles Murmur Factory offers nearly everything the bespoke, UK made version does, but with more bang for your buck. It's an absolute riot of a wagon wheeler. 

OneUp’s aluminium flat pedal offering delivers super sharp and grippy pins with variable heights for their location on the pedal and a super thin and large platform for maximum clearance and stability, making it a cool contender.

The iconic Specialized Enduro 29er has always been a good bike for hard riding, but this long-legged classic just got better thanks to tweaked frame geometry. Despite some minor issues and compromises, it really is some machine and a massive leap in the right direction.

The Ryde Edge 30 OS Enduro wheelset goes a long way to prove that you really needn't pay the earth on a wheelset to get great performance. If you’ve got a few hundred quid to spend on a new wheelset, you could do far worse than ta set of Ryde Edge 30s. They’ve been genuinely faultless and have left me thoroughly impressed.

Cooler to wear than its more expensive brother, the Smith Optics Session MIPS mountain bike helmet is a stylish comfortable option, featuring more airflow but also some odd sizing.