The already popular and solid design of the M970 pedal form Shimano has been updated and has the XTR brand so you know its going to be light and expensive! When you’re looking for good pedals you want them to be smooth and hassle free the M970 XTR pedals offer this by having a sealed cartridge axle system that not only helps it keep smooth but makes it simpler for maintenance. You can tell Shimano have though about the design as they have come up with ideas (or gimmicks) like coating the pedals in Teflon to help stop mud sticking to it. Altogether the pedals come in at 325g for the pair which is light but not as light as the crank brothers egg beaters.

We fitted them on and headed out the fist thing we noticed when we clipped in was how precise the mechanism was. When you click in they give the reassuring click as feedback that you’re ready to go. The bindings are adjustable so you can make it tighter or looser depending on your riding preference. They offer a good platform for the cleat and we always felt like our feet were secure without the feeling that they might become disengaged at any time. If you don’t like the feel of egg beaters but still want light pedals there are just about your best bet.

Buy online here from £104.99

The 2009 version is the latest generation of the well established Xen helmet from Giro. It has its style drawn from the skate style so may look a bit odd if you are used to more classic style mountain bike helmets. However this heritage means that it offers more protection coverage going lower down the neck than traditional designs. The upper and lower are hard moulded which again adds to the protection it offers as well as stops it getting damaged by small day to day knocks. The upper has 17 vents that are channelled to help keep you cool even on the climbs. There is also a visor to keep the sun out of your eyes and held securely on with Giro's patented POV system. The overall weight for it is 300grams so its hardly noticeable on your head. Depending on what you go for there are standard black and grey colours but also look out for some great detailed designs that really stand out.

The helmet has plenty of adjustment to allow it to fit to anyone’s head once adjusted it does feel secure and comfortable to wear. However we did find that the sizing for these was slightly different then normal, obviously it is different for each rider so its worth trying on one before you buy just to be sure. Overall we are not totally blown away by the design, especially if you have a larger head, but if you are into some serious enduro or hardcore XC in may be worth taking a look as seems to offer more protection than some helmets we have seen and some style too (if that’s your cup of tea).

Buy online here from £79.99

The 2009 version of the Mavic Crossmax wheels have a few improvements over the many previous versions. According to Mavic they offer a more dynamic ride thanks to the introduction of Zicral alloy spokes that are apparently 10% stiffer for the same weight as stainless steel. There are also Fore drilled rims and Isopulse lacing and a few other new features that don’t make much sense to most people. Over all the wheel has been upgraded and aimed at the XC rider who wants a wheel that can cope with all situations but while still weighing as little as possible.

We put them on a bike and headed out to see how they actually preformed. While fitting them we did notice that they seem light but still have a solid robust feel. Hitting the trails we found they were responsive while cornering but we did find they flexed a little more than we would have expected. This flex however didn’t seem to be detrimental to the overall performance of the wheel set, so we are not too worried, but it may have long term problems. Overall these wheels are not bad but they are not that great either.