We are pretty used to seeing either Avid or Shimano brakes (and to a lesser extent Hayes); they are popular, commonly available and come spec’d on most good quality mountain bikes. Whilst not as common, Italian brake specialist Formula has always been there, and with increasing spec on new bikes as well as a dedicated Australian distributor, we are now seeing them with greater regularity.

In our last issue we managed to slip in a sneak peek at the new XX1 component group from SRAM. Now we can fill you in on all the details and provide some initial impressions. As mentioned previously, XX1 will be the first mass-produced 11-speed MTB group. But rather than adding more gear combinations, SRAM has used it to simplify the drivechain by only running one chainring.

Telescopic (or adjustable) seatposts are popping up (ha ha!) more and more commonly on trail oriented mountain bikes these days. Initially dismissed as a gimmick that added unnecessary weight (just like suspension and disc brakes), the tide of opinion is rapidly turning as more and more people discover the improvements to bike control and safety they offer.

The new range of Fox suspension sees some pretty major changes, and not just with the new CTD damper system. Their 80/100mm travel 32-series 29er forks have lost around 200g, taking them down to 1,470g (the 26-inch version drops 50g and now weighs 1,350g). New mounting hardware on their rear shocks is said to reduce friction by nearly 50%. Chris Cocalis, founder of Pivot Cycles, feels that the new shock eye bushes have made a bigger difference to the shock feel than the earlier move to Kashima coat did. Fox says the new bushing design is be more durable too.

At first I dismissed this product but was told, “Give it a try and see what I think.” Fair enough! Three years ago I didn’t see the point of a ‘smart phone’, now I damn near sleep with one, so who’s to say I don’t ‘need’ one of these!

Traditionally most knee pads have been designed for downhill and freeride applications, so whilst their level of protection is very good they’re generally just too hot and uncomfortable for trail and cross-country riding. Over the last few years we’ve seen some manufacturers making pads designed to overcome these limitations, but G-Form seems to have have taken the light, cool and comfortable ethos further than anyone else to date.

Of late, the competition between SRAM and Shimano is doing great things for mountain bikers. Shimano has always been the manufacturing giant but six to eight years back SRAM really caught up. These days it seems each is forcing the other to make their gear better and better.

Japanese helmet manufacturer Kabuto are relative newcomers to Australia; if their Faro ‘trail’ helmet is anything to go by, it’s likely you’ll be seeing a lot more of them in future. Available in two sizes and a range of colours from utterly garish to Ninja stealth, the Kabuto Faro (isn’t he/she a ‘foreign film’ star?) sells for around $215 and our small/medium sample tipped the scales at 323g with the visor. From the outset it’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into this little brain-saver, not all of which is immediately apparent.

Avid’s Elixir brakes are a popular stopper on many new bikes, gracing everything from basic models with the OEM-only Elixir 1 up to high-end builds with Elixir 9s (or even the related XX units). Avid’s previous Elixir brakes faced some consistency issues; get a good set and you’ll hear riders waxing lyrical about low weight, high power and great lever ergonomics, but get a bad set and the conversation quickly becomes one of poor bleed consistency, variable feel, stuck pistons and the infamous ‘turkey gobble’.

Okay, so I’m the editor here and I get to decide who reviews what. When it came time to check out the 2013 SLX groupset, I had to find a contributor who was able put some time on all of the new bits. At the time everyone was busy with test bikes, so it came down to me. My hardtail is SRAM equipped and I was testing their new Type 2 derailleur, so the SLX was destined for my XTR equipped dually. Now I don’t want to sound snobbish, but I like XTR and the thought of stripping my bike down to rebuild it with the mid-range SLX parts didn’t fill me with excitement!

The P6 seatpost is said to absorb shock and trail vibration, making it ideal for an XC race hardtail, but does it really work?

Long before there was Arnie, or Sly, or Vin Diesel, there was Charles Bronson—one of the original ‘hard men’ of American cinema. So if you’re going to name a tyre after the star of ‘Death Wish’ and the ‘The Mechanic’ you’d better make sure it’s tough enough to handle any situation that arises, and slick enough to get away with it. To see if the tyre team at WTB need fear rightful retribution from the ghost of the man himself, we’ve had a beefy Bronson AM TCS and a lighter Bronson ‘Race’ on trial for a couple of months; tough guy on the back, and fleet-footed escape artist on the front. Now the jury is back, judgement has been passed, and it’s time for sentencing...

Go to the Bontrager website and you’ll see an updated version of the RXL mountain bike shoe. While there is a newer version of the RXL on the way, it won’t be available Down Under until much later in 2012.

Hydration packs are based on a simple premise; the more convenient you make it for people to drink on the move, the more they will drink on the move. Over the past 15 years bladders have improved, mouthpieces have stopped leaking and the packs themselves have either become more functional, or too over engineered depending on your point of view.

We test the premier trail helmet from Lazer.

Recently you may have witnessed some roadies wearing their bike knicks inside-out, looking like they have a baboon-bum with a brightly coloured pad between their legs. Well the chances are that it wasn’t a wardrobe malfunction but knicks that have the pad actually sewn into the shorts, as opposed to being stitched to the inside—unpick the chamois on these and you’d be left with a hole in your crotch! Ground Effect has just released their new Exocet shorts which are made in this manner, although the appearance is far more subdued, as both the knicks and outer face of the pad are black.