WHEN YOU PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD to do the singletrack boogie, the last thing you want is your rear end feeling more dodgy than the morning after an iffy Vindaloo. Never fear, platform shocks are here — designed to eliminate bob and create a stable pedalling platform under load. We put three to the test

FOUR WAS THE MAGIC NUMBER until not that long ago — the inches of travel front and rear that defined the full-suspension trail bike. And it’s still a good number whether you’re a weekend warrior or a suspension virgin. We rounded up four £1,500 rigs