Gear of the year 2023 - Ty Rutherford's tech highlights

A look back on Ty's riding-filled year and the best kit he's tested

Ty Rutherford

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Dec 19 2023

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For me, this year has been one to remember. I took the plunge and quit my day job back in May to go travelling which heavily featured riding bikes, of course.

In May, Trans Madeira was a highlight of the year offering some breathtaking riding and such a friendly community of riders. It was tough on body and bike with five days of racing, 240km all-in, 7000m of climbing and 15,000m of descending with some of the stages being around nine minutes long. I gave it a solid go and was stoked with a top 20 finish – no doubt a highlight of my riding career for many reasons.

June saw the start of my travelling, heading north to Scotland to explore the delights of Aberdeenshire. A couple of weeks exploring what the Cairngorms had to offer unearthed some trail gold. Big mountain raw riding got the heart pumping and mind recharging in equal measures. Such a varied mix of riding rewarded skilful navigation and plenty of reading ahead on the trails, it was a great starter for the rest of my summer.

In July and August, I headed over to Europe in my camper van making full use of the Gravity Card. I clocked up 1,200km of riding and 85,000m of descending across bike parks in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France. This all culminated with the trip ending in Les Gets to watch the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup – needless to say it was wild and great to tick off the bucket list.

My riding has come on immeasurably thanks to a solid summer of varied riding and I’ve had the opportunity to understand how much of a battering a bike and its components can take before they need some TLC.

Alongside all the riding I also have been working on becoming a mountain bike guide. Back in October I officially completed the British Cycling Mountain Bike Leader award at Level 3 and have been lucky enough to take some great people out into the Welsh mountains for some pretty epic backcountry riding.

Looking back on the year, I cannot be happier with how it's gone and feel like I’ve had a unique opportunity to hammer some test kit. Here’s my round-up of kit from the year and the stuff I jived with.

Best mountain bike of the year - Yeti SB140LR

My stomping ground is the Forest Of Dean and my usual riding tends to be tight, steep and fairly rough. It requires an active bike that can easily change direction but also isn’t afraid to take a hit. I instantly fell in love with the Yeti SB140 LR as it ticked all the boxes I needed for the local riding I do. The spec is cleverly chosen to reward hard-charging, with a Fox 36 Factory 160mm fork up front, powerful SRAM Code brakes and a competent 140mm rear end, it really is a solid all-rounder.

The angles provide a comfortable seat position and a confidence-inspiring attack position. There is no crazy outlandish geometry, just well-proven numbers that work. The price is high, but the heritage, performance and quality you get in return make it a dream bike that won’t let you down.

Take a look at my Yeti SB140 LR review to see how it scored.

Best clothing - Specialized Demo pant

I’ve spent 15-plus years being an avid supporter of riding in shorts. From my old downhill days, wearing moto-trousers was never great due to the bulk. However, since I’ve had the Specialized Demo trousers, I’ve found myself reaching for them more often than not using them in a wide range of conditions. They’re stretchy construction makes them incredibly comfortable and the lightweight material allows them to be used in all but warm summer conditions. I’ve been very impressed with how durable these trousers are, after well over 1,000km and many crashes they’re holding up admirably. Sensibly priced, I’d have no problem buying another pair when the time finally comes.

To learn a little more about these trousers, here's the full review of the Specialized Demo trousers.

Best component - Cushcore Trail

I've never been a fan of tyre inserts but the new Cushcore Trail inserts have rightfully changed my outlook. They’re a great balance of weight and dampening with a profile that still offers plenty of protection but also allows a sensible air volume in the tyre. Having been lucky enough to spend most of the summer riding European chair-lifted bike parks I’ve been super impressed at the support they offer and the abuse they’ve taken. They certainly aren’t a cheap option and I was sceptical at the performance improvement they could offer but now I’m running them I don’t think I’ll go back – at least not for the hard-hitting enduro-style riding I tend to do.

Take a look at my review of the CushCore Trail tyre inserts.

Best accessory - Crankbrothers HV mini floor pump

For most riding, I carry a OneUp pump on my bike which covers me for most mechanical-related issues out on the trails. When I’m guiding, the responsibility to look after the group lies with me and there’s an expectation to carry more kit to cover a wider range of problems. Although the Crankbrothers HV mini floor pump only has one function, it's very good at it. When you’ve got a group of six paying riders staring at you to fix a puncture, having a fast-acting pump helps and I’ve been impressed with how quick and easy this one is to use. If you ride with a backpack and want to get puncture fixed double time, I recommend taking a look!

Here's the Crankbrothers HV mini floor pump review.

Best eye protection - Alpina Bonfire Q-Lite riding glasses

I use contact lenses while riding and a reliable set of riding glasses is something I hold high on my priority list. The Alpina Bonfire Q-Lite glasses have been my go-to for this year. They have proven to be comfortable, and durable and provide plenty of coverage to the point where I’ve not had any eye-related issues. They’ve not interfered with any helmets I’ve used and have quietly gone about doing their job - a trademark of any good bit of kit. I would recommend them to anyone wanting a reliable set of mountain bike riding glasses at a sensible price.

To find out more, have a look at my Alpina Bonfire Q-Lite riding glasses review.

Best helmet - Lazer Cage KinetiCore

Having laid my downhill racing days to rest many years ago I haven’t used a full-face helmet favouring a half-shell for my enduro/trail-style riding. This year has been a little different with Trans-Madeira and a lot of bike park riding where I’ve been reaching for the Lazer Cage KinetiCore helmet more often than not. I’ve been super impressed with its safety rating, secure feel and lightweight breathable construction.

Check out the Lazer Cage Kineticore review.

Best shoes - Fizik Terra Nanuq GTX

With winter well and truly here, in my opinion, there is no better investment than some good-quality wet weather kit. A real game changer for me this winter is a proper set of waterproof shoes to keep my toes warm and my feet dry. I’ve been testing the Fizik Terra Nanuq GTX for a while now and have been very impressed with the performance they offer. Paired with a good set of waterproof trousers they’ve proven to hold their own even in the wettest of conditions.

They’re expensive and arguably quite niche (although in a British winter, they’ll see plenty of use) but having dry feet at the end of a ride is a touch of luxury compared to the years of winter riding I’ve endured.

Read the full review on Fizik Terra Nanuq GTX waterproof riding shoes.

Best wheelset - Hunt Proven Carbon Enduro Race

While the Hunt Proven Race Enduro wheelset isn’t the lightest in its category, it does offer a sturdy option at a comparatively cheap price. The rim tape was a little annoying and the bearing life was sub-par but these are minor issues which are simple and cheap to rectify. I’ve been nothing but impressed with the abuse this wheelset has taken, from Trans-Madeira to rock-strewn German bike parks, they shrugged off some nasty hits and haven’t let me down.

Read the full review on the Hunt Proven carbon enduro race wheelset.

Object of desire - Forbidden Druid V2

The high-pivot witchcraft trend is still in full flow and as a high-pivot rider myself, I have been enjoying the benefits this format offers. There’s no doubt Forbidden is a strong player in the high-pivot game and there is no denying its new short-travel Druid is a thing of beauty. Alongside drooling over the sleek lines, Forbidden has made some pretty major updates to address some of the issues seen in the V1 which makes for an even more capable trail bike. I’d love to get my hands on one of these and put it through its paces as well as sitting back to admire it.