Price: £3,895.00 (frame w/RockShox Super Deluxe RT3 shock) / From: Robot Bike Co., robotbike.co

Robot Bike Co. first shot to fame at the 2016 Fort William World Cup when it debuted a stunning full suspension mountain bike called the R160. Made from carbon fibre tubes and titanium lugs, the unique R160 had a curious mixture of retro aesthetics and cutting-edge technology that left a lot of people intrigued, confused, enamoured, and possibly a little hot under the collar.

The company itself was founded back in 2013 from a heady melting pot that included engineers from the aerospace and F1 industries, a materials scientist, an industrial designer, and an ex-tech editor from Dirt Magazine. The final piece of the puzzle was renowned suspension designer Dave Weagle, who collaborated with Robot on the DW-6 suspension platform to help produce the brand’s left-of-centre take on the modern superbike.

I had the pleasure of testing the R160 last year, and was – to be frank – gobsmacked at not just how indestructibly solid it felt on all sorts of horrible terrain, but how zippy and efficient it was for a 160mm travel bike.

The R130 aims to build on that reputation by taking the same DW-6 suspension design, shrinking it down to 130mm and strapping on 29in wheels. It’s pitched as a more versatile all-round trail bike, though one that has a penchant for going very fast.