Editors’ Choice

Hannah

Liv Hail Advanced 0

I’ve spent this year trying to ride as many different bikes as possible to broaden my experience of different geometries, and it’s a close call for me on this one. I spent a truly teeny tiny amount of time on a Pivot Switchblade with 29er set-up that left me wanting to ride one more to see what it could do, but it’s been just pipped to the post by the Liv Hail Advanced 0. I managed to get a day riding on this in Sedona, Arizona, on unfamiliar trails and in alien dusty conditions, and this bike made me feel like a trail ninja. I’ve long been a women’s specific sceptic, but this bike really worked for me. With 160mm travel, you expect it to be good on the descents, but what comes as a pleasant surprise is how responsive it is to pedalling. Quick to climb, confident to descend, and planted yet responsive, this is a bike that I need to ride more. 2017 will have a gaping hole in it if it doesn’t feature a good chunk of time thrashing a Hail up and down my local trails.

Howies Shewaddywaddy Jacket

Brought in to test purely because of the comedy name, I’m now not sure what I wore before I had a Shewaddywaddy. This lightweight windproof jacket from Howies has been worn as much off the bike as on, and its packable pocket has made it a staple of both my riding pack and my handbag. Perfect for taking ‘just in case’, the insulated panels give instant cosiness, while the non-insulated areas ensure you don’t overheat while pedalling. For those long summer rides with sunset, post-ride pints outdoors, and those emergency trailside repair stops – this jacket has had my back for them all. My propensity for wearing it day in, day out means it has been washed many, many times, and is still going strong. Which is a shame, because I hear there are new colours coming next year… [And for chaps, there’s the Hewaddywaddy too – Ed]