PRIORITY UPGRADES

Spending a lot of money on a new ride doesn’t guarantee that everything on it will be perfect. We’d advise setting a little money aside for a few essential parts swaps.

Most bikes come with pretty decent perches, but if the ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t work for you, consider investing in a seat that better suits your bum before racking up the miles. Ideally, try out a few different shapes.

Because ‘clips versus flats’ is such a personal thing, complete bikes usually come with cheap, throwaway plastic pedals. Spend a bit of money to get yourself a decent pair (or see whether your bike shop will do you a deal on some at the same time as you buy your bike), because keeping your feet where you want them will vastly improve your riding experience.

Ditching the inner tubes and converting to a tubeless wheel/ tyre set-up has several benefits – it lessens the risk of punctures, reduces rotational weight (improving acceleration) and lets you run lower pressures for more grip. You’ll need tubeless-ready rims and tyres, but most new bikes come with these. Then it’s just a case of adding rim strips (in most cases) and tubeless valves, pouring in some

Now we’ve outlined the factors to consider, you can start working up your shortlist. Familiarise yourself with what’s out there and use the reviews in our esteemed publication to guide you towards what’s best. Even if you end up buying direct, it’s worth setting a weekend aside to visit shops or go along to a demo day. Out on the trails, keep your eyes peeled to see if anyone’s on a bike you’ve been looking at. Most riders are more than happy to show off their pride and joy, so say “hi” and ask if you can have a bounce! When you go bike shopping, resist the urge to go for the first thing you see, and don’t compromise just because it’s there. Happy shopping and happy trails!

hole-plugging sealant and pumping the tyre up to a high enough pressure to ‘seat’ it on the rim, creating an airtight seal. You’ll need a track pump, but that’s a worthwhile purchase anyway.

Brands will often spec tyres with a hard rubber compound, thin sidewalls and a low-profile tread –not just to save the pennies, but also so the bike is lighter on the scales and rolls fast on test rides. These generally suck at gripping the dirt, especially in muddy UK conditions, and can be puncture-prone, too, so buying a replacement set suited to your local trails is often a good move.