Looking into various options for a new frame and before they were released, the Mega seemed to tick a lot of boxes. But… since they’re release I’ve been reading with interest about the quality problems – dodgy welding on headtubes and chainstays snapping etc? I’d be buying new though so suppose stuff like that would be covered by warranty?

Anyway, few questions:
– anyone 5’8″ish running a Mega? If so, what size?
– how much are they weighing? Would be getting built with 36 Floats, 1×9/10 setup, Joplin, Hope/Mavic wheels etc so not a massively heavy spec.
– good as an all round heavy hitting trail bike for the UK? How well does it pedal/climb?

Anyone know how it’d compare with an Alpine 160? As thats another frame thats caught my eye.

Think thats about it for now.
Cheers
Dave

for an ‘other option’ how about a Mythic Wildcard? Its pretty similar in concept, probably more focussed towards the ‘play’ end of things than the ‘xc’. 5 or 6″ travel. I’ve got one and its great fun, 4 year warranty as well

I’m 5’10” and bought a med a few months ago & the fit is good. built up with a 55 Bomber RC3 Ti forks and a mix of fairly standard components but pretty tough wheels (spank spike rims) as that’s all i had that would fit at the time. weighed in at 31 lbs which i was pretty happy with, but could easily be lighter.

pedals pretty good, the steep seat tube is brilliant for climbing – it really does work! but the linkage system is not as good as my old 4 bar in respect of pedal feedback. not exactly sure what the ‘erosion link’ was designed to do, but can definitely notice the suspension stiffening up when the chain length diminishes, but only really the first couple of gears and it’s something that many people who ride pretty much everything except 4 bar have to deal with (inc VPP, DW, other single pivots).

its great going down; the slack HA is great on steep & technical stuff which i love the most such as Lakes mountain passes. it would be brilliant off piste in the Alps. not the best on tight & twisty singletrack because of this though. it’s got quite a bit of ‘pop’ as well so good for general messing about, jumping and stuff…which is basically what it is designed for – Having Fun!

i don’t think it is the best bike in the world, but it might be closer with a 4 bar linkage and a ti coil shock.

have only seen 1 snapped frame so far & the welds on mine look fine!

HTH

i’d look at the Rune over the Wildcard if you wanted something that’s going to go into the hills. but the wildcard is great fun by all accounts (a mate has one).

also check out the ariel!

Worth a read:
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/nukeproof-mega-opinions

Cheers, had a read of that before, hence the worry about them not being overly brilliant. Will check out the Mythics.

Whatever I get, the focus is on fun as most of my riding is 2 hours max from my front door taking in as much technical stuff as possible so in that respect, it sounds ideal. But it also needs to be capable of all dayers in the Lakes etc too so not be a complete dog when it comes to climbing.

Think I saw one hanging in the window at Blazing Saddles the other week, might have a look on Saturday.

On a recent Saddle Skedaddle trip in the Dolomites, all the guides had them and absolutely raved about them – did seem very nice bikes – had a play on one and very stable.

Luca – our main guide for the week on his bike (he also races Enduros on it and does rather well – 3rd in his age group in European champs):

Luca Bortolotti by brf, on Flickr

That’s nice to hear Footflaps – although Luca appears to be running a Fox DHX shock on that bike.

My Mega is out for it’s maiden flight tonight so we shall see. I’m hoping that it will loosen up a bit as the ‘street tests’ I’ve done so far have been lacking ‘liveliness’ (I think the shock seals, bearings/bushing etc are tight because it’s new).

I bought it because I had 160mm forks being run on a 2005 Stumpjumper (I know, I know… 🙄 ) and each time I pointed it towards hooliganism I had a nagging thought in the back of my mind that the frame wasn’t designed to do it. So I went looking for a frame that was designed around the equipment I had. It came down to a Transition Covert or a Mega, and the Mega won: it’s MUCH cheaper. Of course, the cheapness may be it’s undoing given the quality issues that are surfacing, but to be honest that’s what a 2 year warranty is for and the response from hotlines has been comforting.

Frames are generally pretty rugged e.g. I was snapping at Luca’s heels* on a 1st Gen Santa Cruz Blur (100mm fore and rear) but modded with a 140mm fork up front and a longer travel shock at the back to make is 140/130 travel – been doing that for years and the frame’s not failed yet….

* he was taking it easy

well i have had mine built up for about 6 weeks now but only managed a week or two on the bike before i had to have an op.

mines built up pretty sturdy with magura wotans, pro 2 evo, reverb, new xt and new slx brakes, straitline silent guide 34 lbs including spds

as per peachos comments, it definitely ramps us as it goes through the travel and isn’t as active as the norco/spesh 4 bars i have had before. the steeper seat angle really does work for a bike that slack. running a short stem there is very little ‘wander’ when steering uphill much better than the spesh pitch it replaced with virtually identical size/set-up.

i’m 5ft 10″ also running a medium with 50mm stem. it feels perfect.
the only initial gripe was that the rebound damping adjustment on the rockshox monarch rear shock seems non existent.

i’m well pleased with it. only a couple of weeks to go and i’ll be back on it…

DBW,

I’ve had mine about 3 months and love it. Demo’d the Orange 160 and 5AM, the Mega just felt a lot better especially on the climbs. I’m 5ft10″ on a Med with a 60mm stem and a layback post. At your height you might want a Med with an inline post and stumpy (40mm) stem, or go the other way and stick a set-up like mine on a small…..your call but if its for all dayers the Med might be a wiser choice. Could and have happily spent all day on it all over the Peaks, it’s surprisingly agile and rides lighter than it is. Not sure what mine weighs would guess around 32lb with coil lyrics, Hope 3 SP4AM on Flows (tubeless) SLX double and bash, XT gears and brakes and Nukeproof finishing kit. I’ve given mine plenty of abuse and it’s fine. Spoke to Hotlines yesterday (after seeing the other thread) they’re only aware of the 2 in the Alps that failed on 2 guides who apparently were Downhilling all day, every day all summer. Pretty much all bikes have a “history” especially when ridden like that so I’m not concerned (Although I thought they’d been a UK failure as well?).

So it’s a Med, 32lb, a yes and a very well from me!

Spoke to Hotlines yesterday (after seeing the other thread) they’re only aware of the 2 in the Alps that failed on 2 guides who apparently were Downhilling all day, every day all summer. Pretty much all bikes have a “history” especially when ridden like that so I’m not concerned (Although I thought they’d been a UK failure as well?).

well i heard one of them snapped in the 1st week over there in the alps!

and even if they are downhilling every day they should be able to withstand it.

one in the lakes snapped too.

will see how mine fares will finally have it built up tomorrow!

I’m six foot, quite long limbed, and a large is spot on for me.

Only ridden it in the alps so far and absolutely loved it. Bit too much bike for my local rides in the UK.