We don’t mind admitting that we don’t generally pay a great deal of attention to the weird and wonderful world of trials bikes. Once upon a time trials was done on MTBs with the seat down, but these days about all a 26in-wheel trials bike has in common with an MTB is, well, the 26in wheels. They don’t even have a seat to put down any more…

That said, trials riding rarely fails to impress, and there’s no doubt that taking the time to add a few basic trials skills to your technique armoury can do wonders for your MTB trail riding. Plus which, it’s not every day that a whole new UK bike brand appears – that alone, we think, makes the launch of Phase bikes worthy of comment.

Phase is a spin-off from the well-known MAD trials display team. MAD used to be sponsored by Saracen Cycles, which produced a range of MAD-branded trials bikes. But Saracen’s collapse and rebirth as Saracen Bikes left MAD somewhat in the lurch, so team boss Giles Wolfe decided that it should strike out on its own.

The three-bike Phase range is the result, with lots of design input from the MAD riders. There’ll be three bikes, from the £299 Phase 1.3 to the £699 Phase 1.1 (as seen here). Obviously they’re proper, no-compromise trials bikes – big back tyres, tiny front ones, no seat and a riding position that works best with the front wheel three feet higher than the back one – and therefore not much cop for anything else, but if you’re after a solid, off-the-peg hippety-hoppety mount, check them out. Details will shortly appear at www.phasebikes.com and www.m-a-d.co.uk.