With a few modifications on the already awesome Mega, Nukeproof has created an amazing bike. They have even added enough room for a water bottle holder, which is great news for people who hate fanny packs. The Mega now comes with a shorter chainstay and a steeper seat tube to make climbing more efficient and the downhills more lively. The build-outs in all five of the options for the Mega are solid and look after the important parts before adding too many bells and whistles. All in all, the Mega is a super all-arounder that would work for any rider of any skill set.

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The Nukeproof Mega is named after that crazy downhill race that happens in France—the Megavalanche, where you start on a glacier and ride into chunder and beyond. The Mega (the bike) has lived up to this reputation and gone on to win some impressive accolades in the mountain bike world. Taking the Downhill world by storm, the Mega has carried World Downhill Champion Sam Hill to three consecutive championships.

So what does this mean? Is the Nukeproof Mega just for a professional downhill rider or could an Average Joe jump on and have a time? The answer is both, obviously. This bike crushes the downhill world, but it is also a great one quiver bike for riders who want to go real fast and still be able to pedal themselves to the top of the hill.

The Bike

The Nukeproof Mega has 160mm of rear travel coupled with a 170mm fork to really party. It has seen some improvements from just last year’s models that have created a wildly versatile bike. Last year’s model of the Mega had a mega long chainstay at 450mm. This year, the chainstay has been shortened, but not too much, to a more manageable 440mm on the 290—which is code for having 29” wheels. The Mega is also available with 27.5” wheels labeled as, you guessed it, 275.

The carbon frames have become 45% stiffer from previous frames. The previous Megas had a carbon front triangle with an alloy rear triangle, whereas now, the carbon frames are all carbon. Nukeproof have also fixed the front triangle to allow room for a 750ml water bottle, which is a huge improvement for some riders who can’t stand to be seen wearing a fanny pack. There is also some room for tools or a tube on the top tube.

Climbing

As version 4 of the Mega, Nukeproof have steepened the seat tube angle to give the rider a more comfortable riding position. This helps to generate the power you need to fight through the very moderate pedal squat that can happen. The shock does come with a lockout switch to help improve pedaling efficiency over smooth terrain. Some testers liked the switch open in technical climbs to keep the rear wheel planted to provide more traction. While not the most efficient climber on the list, it will get the job done.

Downhill

There is a reason Sam Hill has won three consecutive Enduro World Championships while on the Nukeproof Mega—the thing rips! With the shortened chainstay, the rear end is even more lively and responsive than the past models while still maintaining that control and composure that the Mega is known for. Nukeproof has even shortened the fork offset to 37mm, which is a first (that I have seen) in the bike world. This created 134.42 mm of trail on the front wheel to add to the improved responsiveness throughout the bike, front to back.

Build Options

There are two frame options for the Mega—carbon and alloy. In the carbon frame options, you get the choice of three build-outs, the RS (~$7,500), the Factory (~$6,750), and the Elite (~$5,500). There is a frame only carbon option that costs around $3,500. These numbers are exact because the website only has British Pounds, and so I fired them through Google and this is what I got. With individual bike shops selling the bikes in the US, the prices will vary with added shipping and taxes. The RS build comes with SRAM components, including Code RSC brakes and the GX Eagle drivetrain. The other builds are all Shimano.

The Bottom Line

There is a reason this bike has won the Enduro World Series three seasons in a row. It is versatile, super-efficient, and offers amazing control for the downhills. There really aren’t many negative things to say about the Mega, it even has a cool name. Sure, there aren’t that many paint options, which may frustrate some riders, and if it does annoy you, go buy a pimped out Orbea and customize it to your heart’s content. We’ll be over here setting PR’s on our local trails on our monotone Megas!

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