READING A SPEC LIST CAN BE CONFUSING.

BOOST. This is the latest hub-width standard in mountain biking – wider than quickrelease hubs of years gone by. The extra width makes the wheel more stable, and gives you extra space in the frame for wider tyres.

THROUGH-AXLE. Thicker than a quick-release axle, for increased stiffness and less flex. CLUTCH DERAILLEUR. Most new mid-range mountain-biking derailleurs have a clutch, which you can engage and disengage. When engaged, the clutch puts tension on the derailleur, which stops the chain from bouncing around, and hopefully from dropping off the chainring. The clutch also aids smooth shifting, especially when you’re going uphill and the drivetrain is under strain.

HYDRAULIC BRAKES. You get two kinds of disc brakes: hydraulic and cableactivated. Cable discs have a cable (duh!) between the lever and the calliper, and they use mechanical force to press the brake pads against the rotor. Hydraulic discs have hoses filled with liquid between the lever and the calliper, and work using pistons to press the pads against the rotor. Hydraulic brakes are better; you usually find cable discs on cheaper bikes.

DRIVETRAIN. The drivetrain consists of cranks, chain and gears. A 1x11 drivetrain means that there’s one chainring up front and 11 gears at the back. A 3x9 drivetrain means that there are three chainrings up front and nine gears at the back, giving you a total of 27 gearing options. 1x11 and 1x12 drivetrains are becoming the norm in mountain biking, because they’re more efficient and there are fewer moving parts that can break.