Cyclorise are a small distributor that import a small range of quality products. One of the brands used here at Chasing Trails is their Smoove chain lube and chain cleaner. It’s a wax lube that if applied according to instructions (not difficult) works incredibly well. It stays clean like most if not all wax lubes do, but it lasts longer than most wet lubes. It was invented by an adventure racer who wanted a chain lube that would last a whole race. It’s so good I can’t imagine what it would take to make me switch brands. The price per bottle might be a bit more than some, but because it lasts so long it’s better value. It’s also designed to be environmentally friendly.
 

Greenoil make genuinely green bike lube, bike wash & an awesome chain cleaner
 

Mucky Nutz is a UK company formed by a group of biking mates to design & make bike related products. We’ve had a link up since their early days & their mudguards are now legendary! The range has expanded considerably since they opened.
 

Pragmasys manufacture and supply motorcycle and bike security products. Some products are maybe more heavy duty and suited to home use. Other stuff like their DIB D-Lock is a bit more portable although still quite substantial. The D-lock is great value & although Chasing Trails doesn’t have testing facilities it looks to compete with much more expensive brands.
 

CushCore tyre inserts are a product that on the surface of things seems expensive for what you’re getting. However the research & development that went onto them really shows. The first time Steve rode them was on a hardtail & although the ‘feel’ of an upgrade can be hard to quantify, if you check out CushCore’s figures they very much seem to hold up. Most riders that have heard about tyre inserts think they are just for impact protection. While CushCores provide lots of this, they’re actually designed with other priorities in mind; to give a smoother ride and increase suspension performance & sidewall rigidity and reduce rolling resistance. There’s an interview with Adam Krefting, the designer & owner on the downtime podcast. Steve got a set after listening to it; there’s a lot of detail but it makes sense.
 
They have a bit of a reputation for being hard to fit – as they are a product supplied by Chasing Trails, we offer a great value fitting service if required. Just get in touch.
 

DVO do forks, shocks & dropper posts. Their Diamond forks came with the Chasing Trails hardtail & there have been no issues at all. As well as being reliable they really do the job!
Also on trial for the past few months, the DVO Topaz rear shock brings a good level of performance
 

There’s no way that Hope don’t get a mention in a list of cycling components. Year in year out, their hubs and brakes have never let us down. If you do need spare parts they’re actually available and customer service is great. Not sure if it’s overused but we think the people behind Hope are genuinely some of the good guys.
 

KMC manufacture some great bicycle chains. We’ve never had one break, which is not the case with one or two other brands. They last well wear-wise too. Various models for all speeds are available & if your bike needs a new while in for a service, Chasing Trails will almost certainly fit KMC!
 

The number of suspension fork brands seems to have grown significantly over the years. MRP are a manufacturer producing quality forks & shocks, although they’re maybe not the best known in the UK.
 
Steve rides a Ribbon Coil on the full suspension bike which matches the rear for plushness & performance. A fork can sometimes feel harsh compared to the rear shock even when set up well, but the Ribbon seems very balanced.
It can be internally adjusted for travel, from 140 to 160mm for the 29er/650b+ version and 150 to 170mm for the standard 650b. Same goes for the air sprung models.
 

Terraventure are a distributor supplying a few cool brands, one of which is MSC. MSC used to distribute Maxxis in Europe but decided to start making their own. Steve uses the Tractor Plus and Gripper for speed & grip. They’ve been awesome and give a great balance between grip, rolling resistance and wear. Grip is always a priority for Steve and if the choice is grip or rolling speed it’s grip every time. These seem to roll extremely well considering they’re hugely grippy tyres. In fact they roll well compared to some XC tyres. At least in this part of the world!
Chasing Trails supplies MSC so you’d maybe expect the above praise, but Steve was riding them beforehand. Being small allows us to supply stuff we use (or would use) over just a random selection of stuff.
 

OneUp Components make a range of interesting and innovative components. Steve has run their V1 dropper post for 18 months in all weathers and it’s pretty much as new. You’ll find basic maintenance quite simple as you’ll do basic cleaning & lube by hand. Can’t ask for more. OneUp offer the V2 Post in a range of lengths with travel adjustment so you can achieve pretty much the maximum travel your frame will allow for your height. OneUp give 1% to good causes too.
 

A UK company, Renthal do things their own way and do things extremely well. Their range of handlebars, grips, stems and chainrings are well liked. Chasing Trails uses their grips, specifically the Kevlar Traction Lock-On version. Also used the standard lock-on version in Kevlar which were pretty good too. Both last for a seriously long time, like 3 or 4 times as long as anything else we’ve tried, but without any compromise in grip. Ask if you want to buy some!
 

Sunrace make a few kinds of bike components, cassettes being one. They make cassettes with equivalent tooth counts to Shimano models and often an option with just a bit more range. In our experience they work just as well* as the big brands and possibly last longer too. Most customers are likely looking for the cheaper prices, but it’s great when that doesn’t appear to bring any noticeable downsides.
*’the wider range than standard’ cassettes may sometimes need some kind of adapter to match the shifting of a standard set-up.
 

Uberbike offer quite a large number of products. A couple that stand out for Chasing Trails are their Radiator Disk Rotors their brake pads, particularly the finned version.
 

Wolf Tooth Components make a quality range of products. Their dropper remote levers are particularly good and work with any cable operated post. They’re great to use and they do a standard and a light action version, although the standard seems to do the job just fine.
 

The Viewranger App for iOS or Android is a navigation app that can use a range of different maps. The OS 1:50,000 are great and they also do Harvey and a whole lot of international maps too. You can buy a yearly subscription or buy credits to purchase the tiles you need. Another advantage is that MBUK publish their route guides as Viewranger links.
 

www.harveymaps.co.uk Maps for walking and cycling. Some people like OS, some people prefer Harvey.
 

howies make quality base & mid layers often using the best natural materials such as merino. Here at Chasing Trails we only use base layers made from merino. howies produce some very decent waterproofs, although they often completely change what’s available one year to the next. howies are vocal about their ethical/environmental stance, using organic cotton for their casual t-shirts, ethically sourced merino, recycled materials & no PTFE.
 

Frahm Jackets are a brand started by Nick who was behind the Vulpine brand. After a particularly difficult time trying to keep Vulpine afloat, it sadly came to an end. After a good while considering how to build a brand that could be sustained, Frahm was born. They only make jackets & they’re of the highest possible quality so they’re not cheap, but the come with real attention to detail and a lifetime warranty. You may have to pre-order to get the one you want.
Can’t remember how they came to attention but well worth a look I think. Not directly cycling related but a lot of cyclists like quality & this is Frahm’s focus.