First rides

Merida’s Big Nine and Big Seven hardtails offer premium tech at an entry-level price KEY STATS Travel: 100mm (Big Seven) or 120mm (Big Nine) fork Wheels: 650b (Big Seven) or 29in (Big Nine) Frame: Alu

The Kado is Whyte’s newest carbon fibre e-MTB, fitted with Bosch’s latest Performance Line CX Gen 5 motor and an 800Wh internal battery – and it’s blisteringly fast to ride. Despite having less suspen

BMC say their new Teammachine SLR 01 is 16% lighter than before, while maintaining the same stiffness values. It’s “built for the pure climber”, but borrows from the aero-optimised Teammachine R 01 fo

The e-Cygnus is Andorran brand Forestal’s downcountry e-bike. It has a carbon fibre frame, 29in wheels and 120mm of travel front and rear, with pedalling assistance provided by a mid-power Bosch Perfo

It takes a certain confidence to overhaul a bike that has garnered a wealth of five-star reviews and sold in large numbers worldwide, but London-based steel specialist Fairlight has repeatedly refresh

This version of the Rave SLR has been designed with racing at its core – not that the original model was a slouch when it came to going fast. However, while it’s an excellent racer, there’s more to th