With excellent coverage and custom lenses, colours and nose rubbers, the Melon Optic Alleycat is a superb pair of riding glasses. They're tough, nearly perfect at shielding you from spray and muck, and comfy – plus the Zeiss lenses are great. 

The progressive Pipedream Full Moxie gets ready for a year of hard riding, Lake District style. The time has come for our long term tester Jim has put together a long term test bike, in the form of the steel single pivot Pipedream complete with DVO suspension and Hunt wheels. Over to Jim for the full run-down....

The Shimano Deore XT M8100 two piston brakes have been on test for over nine months, alongside the matching 12-speed drivetrain. Whilst at times they have been powerful brakes, they lack the finesse and supreme reliability we’ve come to expect from Shimano.

DexShell Ultra Thin Children's Socks are tough, waterproof and add warmth, though they can be a bit tricky to get on and off.

The Slicy Sublimistick custom frame protection offers a combination of very personal looks and useful frame protection, in a set of pre-cut shapes. It looks good and lasts well, but lacks the thickness of serious protection, while the generic shapes won't suit every frame.

A tough, short and solid stem from 9point8, the Stout is a respectable weight and feels reliable and tough when riding.

The Dexshell Ultralite Gloves offer low weight and bulk coupled with waterproofing and windproofing, plus a touchscreen-compatible weave. It’s a comfy glove for bad weather and excellent for trail riding and gravel, but mutes bar feel at times.

The Pacenti PI30-END Wheelset is a tough, well-made wheelset for more demanding terrain, whether trail or enduro. Striking a decent balance between strength and weight while leaning to the more durable. They run smooth and true, both in hub and rim, and hit a decent price point.​

A good few months of rocky Lake District trails and the Full Moxie and I are getting on very well. I’ve run it mainly in its 29er guise and more recently, mulleted it with a 27.5" rear wheel, bringing out certain elements of its character even more. At its core, it’s fast-rolling, climbs surprisingly well while delivering confidence when things get dicey, partly owing to its steel frame, and partly due to the suspension.

The TRP e-MTB Evo E2.3 brakes offer excellent, consistent braking coupled with a solid brake feel. They are a great option if you have high demands on your brakes - they felt exactly the same every ride, whatever the weather, with only pad wear changing that. The downside for some riders will be the big levers and a slight weight penalty due to the all-around robust build and wider discs.