Gear reviews

Bikes

CROOZER KID for 2, £395, www.croozer.co.ukPublished: 02:53pm 09 Dec 2011

The Croozer’s quality engineering and finish is apparent. It has a roomy cabin with all-weather rollaway cover and ample boot space for ‘kiddie clobber’. It’s suitable for children from about 12 months up to 45kgs, with s...

Scoot Beginner, £99.99, www.madison.co.ukPublished: 01:49pm 09 Dec 2011

The Scoot Beginner balance bike does exactly what it suggests by helping children from 18-months-old learn to balance a bike by walking astride the low standover frame. Children then quickly progress to sitting on the saddle and scooting along, ...

AT1 trailer, £249.99, www.madison.co.ukPublished: 01:48pm 09 Dec 2011

The single-seater aluminium AT1 is a top of the range adventure trailer — there’s also the AT3 alloy two-seater for £219 or the  ST3 steel two-seater for £169. It hitches onto the rear axle of any mtb or road bike an...

Adams Trail-A-Bike, £134.99, www.fisheroutdoor.co.ukPublished: 01:44pm 09 Dec 2011

Even if your child can cycle their own bike they may not have the distance in their legs for a longer family ride. The Trail-a-Bike is suitable for children from 4-6 (up to 38.5kg) and with its singlespeed freewheel it gives them the option to d...

Ridgeback MX14, £119.99, www.ridgeback.co.ukPublished: 01:39pm 09 Dec 2011

The MX, available in both 14in or 16in (£129) wheel sizes for over-3s, provides the next step up from a balance bike or trike. It’s singlespeed and can be used with or without stabilisers. The bike has alloy V-brakes with short reach...

PINNACLE Dolomite 1.0, £550, www.evanscycles.comPublished: 04:28pm 22 Nov 2011

Pinnacle is Evans Cycles’ own brand and the 1.0 is the cheapest in the three-bike Dolomite range, sharing the same double-butted aluminium frame with its £1k, top-of-the-range sibling.
The Shimano compact chainset is finished in bru...

KHS Flite 500, £849, www.khsbikes.co.ukPublished: 04:24pm 22 Nov 2011

Beauty might well be in the eye of the beholder but with striking silver livery and sporty poise the Flite 500 drew appreciate glances from fellow commuters. And it’s not just a superficial lipstick job, for the Flite has pedigree and qual...

DAWES Sportif, £650, www.dawescycles.comPublished: 04:20pm 22 Nov 2011

Out of the box, the Dawes is an eye-catcher; its aluminium frame has a fetchingly curved top-tube and it’s decked out in suitably sporty red and black attire. The frame’s complemented by a carbon-bladed fork (which means it has a sli...

BOARDMAN Team, £999.99, www.boardmanbikes.comPublished: 04:13pm 22 Nov 2011

Like other Boardman road bikes we’ve tested, the 2011 Team defies logic: the sum of the parts adds up to considerably more than the retail price, while the technology and finishing is usually only found on bikes twice as expensive. Not tha...

Pinnacle Willow Two, £449.99, www.evanscycles.comPublished: 04:07pm 22 Nov 2011

Recently reduced by a hundred quid to the price shown, the Willow Two is the higher-specced of two women’s-specific bikes in Pinnacle’s expanding mtb line-up. Like its stablemate it is built around a very nicely finished double-butte...

Halcyon Talos, £660, www.halcyonbikes.comPublished: 04:00pm 22 Nov 2011

This is an exclusive first look at the Talos, a well-featured and good-looking bike from new manufacturer Halcyon. The £600-£700 mtb price point is one where you’ll also find strong products from established brands such as GT, ...

B’Twin Rockrider 8.0, £399.99, www.decathlon.co.ukPublished: 03:47pm 22 Nov 2011

We’ve tested a number of Decathlon bikes in the last two years, including folders and hybrids, and they’ve all lived up to the French superstore’s reputation for selling solid kit at sensible prices.
Therefore, it’s no s...

SCHINDELHAUER Ludwig, £1500, www.schindelhauerbikes.comPublished: 03:40pm 22 Nov 2011

This German-designed bike won’t be found in many London shops, but perhaps exclusivity is part of the attraction. At the Ludwig’s core is a smooth-welded, triple-butted alumimium frame and fork; internal cable routing adds to the cla...

RIDGEBACK Flight 02, £750, www.ridegeback.co.ukPublished: 03:37pm 22 Nov 2011

The Flight possesses the kind of understated looks that are unlikely to attract bags of attention from passers-by. However this is a well-specified bike with everything a typical rider would want for commuter or leisure outings.
The lightweight...

ON-ONE Pompetamine, £1200, www.on-one.co.ukPublished: 03:30pm 22 Nov 2011

As one of this British firm’s most popular bikes, the Pompetamine comes with an enticing spec that comprises steel frame and fork, 11-speed Shimano hub-gears, and hydraulic disc brakes.
We tested a small size, and experienced occasional t...