Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 48 total)
  • Nukeproof Mega owners insight pls??
  • marco
    Free Member

    Any Mega owners on here that could give me an insight into the bikes?
    Thinkin of a new frame and had almost decided on either a Remedy or a Covert.
    But..saw an ad for a Mega frame and it looks like my kinda thing!
    2013 frame with the Monarch plus RC3 shock
    Usual riding places…annual Alps trip, Scotland, Wales etc with lots of local Calderdale loops
    Too “Alps” orientated? or am I over thinking this?
    Thanks in advance!

    freeman
    Free Member

    Had the old 2011 model, it was the best frame ive had to date, I tackled Morzine twice, the mega avalanche, plus numorus uplift days and general trail riding on it no probs (sold it now as ive gone 650b), the new ones are supposed to be even better!

    GaVgAs
    Free Member

    Pretty happy with my 2011 Mega, although sometimes i feel a smaller frame might have been better (medium 5″8) buit up at 31lbs with a 180 fork, its excellent for the big mountain stuff in the lakes,the standard Monarch shock is a bit pants though,mine has the upgraded RC3 Monarch wich is loads better.

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    GEDA
    Free Member

    I have just built one and it is great for downhill. I have been building bigger gap jumps and drops and it takes it in its stride. Great fun if you are not in too much of a rush on the climbs.

    I have a Cannondale Prophet and to tell you the truth the prophet is probably a better all round bike. I got the mega as I was doing bigger stuff that I did not think the prophet would last much longer with. The Mega is fantastic for DH and has meant that for the last few weeks I have been in the woods building jumps instead of my usual loops.

    The mega is capable at climbing techy stuff, though at a slower pace (I have cleared some jumbley rocky stuff on the mega that I could not even climb on my 29er). From my experience of trail centres I would say that you would be better off with something other than a Mega though. Innerleithen DH tracks yes but trail centres usually do not have dodgy landings and rubble descents to deal with so you can get away with a lot less travel.

    Mine is not heavy it just doesn’t do sprinting/fast on the flat. The Prophet is better at climbing, flat stuff and just as capable on most descents where I do not need a crutch.

    kayak23
    Full Member

    Had mine out on a local loop today around the Warwickshire mountains. It’s great, it does most stuff.
    I regularly take it uplifting, bike park Wales riding up, 3 week road trip in the Pyrenees and alps last year.
    Great bike.

    freeman
    Free Member

    Ps, as a Calderdale man myself i never had a problem riding round these hilltops, i had a 180 talas on the front so i could enjoy going up and coming back down….(if there is such a thing as enjoying going up without being on a skilift)!! Like GaVgAs said standard rc monarch was pants, the Plus RC3 is def the one to have

    marco
    Free Member

    Excellent!
    Cheers all.
    GEDA – i have a 160 travel bike at present but its getting a bit beat up now, so am used to the longer travel.
    Something to think about

    climbingkev
    Free Member

    In true “promote your own bike fashion” …I love mine. I don’t embarrass myself alongside the proper DH bikes at Stiniog and its more than workable on a Peaks all-dayer with 1×9. I quite fancy a 650b hardtail and a proper DH bike, but this and my road bike cover everythig……. and I’m skint! There’s folk cutting around trail centres on far bigger bikes and have never been to or plan on going to the alps, so don’t worry about that. I’d recommend it given your riding, especially if it’s an only bike. Taking mine to the Megavalanche this year :0)

    Lawmanmx
    Free Member

    Love my 2013 mega, best bike ive rode/owned forever! I rode my mates and had to have one, its the only time this has happened during a test ride 🙂

    mulv1976
    Free Member

    2012 mega am pro owner here. Fantastic all round bike – mine has been to alps, chase, bpw (amongst others), and also heading up to Scotland in a few weeks. I’ll happily try most dh courses on it too as I know it can handle it (whether I can is another matter ;-))

    The only thing against it is the top tube length. It is very short. Mine is a medium and I am 5’10”. It’s fantastic on the downs when out of the saddle but too cramped with sitting and pedalling. With hindsight I should have bought a large it it’s still a great bike.

    marco
    Free Member

    Wow.
    Great reviews, think I’m sold!
    I’m 5’8″ so a M would be ok?
    Gonna go look at one in the flesh on tuesday

    MoseyMTB
    Free Member

    I’m 5ft7 with short legs so need a small to be able to run a dropper post.

    climbingkev
    Free Member

    With regards yo what mulv said I did some number crunching…..one of the criticisms I read was the long chainstay length, so put a layback Thomson on it, with a 50mm stem – I’m 5’11 on a med, no problems. In-line Gravity then put on so I could drop it right down, still Ok on XC. KS Lev on it now…… yet to be ridden due to smashed shoulder, but I foresee no probs. I’ve long arms, short torso, as always ride one if you can!

    ART
    Full Member

    This will be my third year riding my mega and I haven’t seen anything I’d want to swap it for yet so it’s doing something right. I like the versatility of the original incarnation with its slightly steeper seat angle (short top tubes suit me, cause I’m short) and you can build it light with a 150 fork or go all burly and it will still go up and along stuff reasonably well, whilst remaining a total hoot on the downs. It’s stiff, bomb proof and feels totally planted in most situations. The stock Monarchs aren’t the best so get a decent shock (e.g. a PUSHed Fox or a Cane Creek if you are more DH oriented) and you’ll be right. Mine’s been everywhere too, and it copes just fine.

    Tom_W1987
    Free Member

    Yup, the Mega has been the best bike I’ve owned.

    When you’re at a trail centre, just stick on some fast rolling tyres and it will be great. You have to use more body english on slow techy trails but as soon as the trail gets steep, fast or rough then the bike comes into it’s own. It feels quite at home at Glentress/Coed-Y-Brenin etc.

    The stock Monarch on the older 2010-2012 models is great once it has been PUSHED, the Monarch Plus on the new model is fine as they gave it a better custom tune.

    Johnbot
    Free Member

    Recently went from ta 2009 Intense Tracer to a 2013 Mega am, no complaints here, it is a long bike compared to the short Tracer so its a big change for me. Techy climbs are a breeze compared to my last bike and it flys downhill. I don’t find it bad on climbs, not as nimble as the Tracer and about 500g heavier at 15kg on my current build
    .

    Tom_W1987
    Free Member

    Howd you manage to hit 15kg with a single ring? Mine was less than that with coil Lyriks and a dual ring!

    paul123
    Free Member

    I have the 2013 model and really like it. Quiet, composed, siff and well balanced. Having said all that i wouldn’t want to ride xc on it with any urgency due to the weight even though the suspension action is good.

    Seams like a good UK uplift bike and looking forward to getting it out in the Alps this summer.

    Johnbot
    Free Member

    14850g really, I put it down to the Van R

    Mugboo
    Full Member

    2010 or 11 here and as a bit of bike swapper that says it all…

    marco
    Free Member

    Loads of really positive input here…bit of a first for STW!!
    So…
    What fork to compliment the frame?
    Thinkin the new 160 pike solo air? Or Fox float/van or maybe lyriks?

    Tom_W1987
    Free Member

    Pikes and as much as I loathe to say it get the 27.5 Mega so you can get parts for it in a couple of years/swap frames or forks more easily.

    traildog
    Free Member

    I have a 2011 and it’s a great bike. The top tube length isn’t that short because the seat angle is so steep, so the Reach length on the bike actually works out pretty normal. They did change the latter versions though so I don’t know how this works out now.

    The bike climbs well, it’s not race bike light but it’s a fair weight for a trail/Enduro style bike. It’s very long though, with long chainstays which does make it stable, but maybe too much?

    I must admit to really liking mine.

    Mugboo
    Full Member

    Only the bad colour schemes would put me off the newer ones. I’m just getting round to removing some of the decals from my black frame. Not sure why they overdid it… Pikes are surely the way to go.

    gravity-slave
    Free Member

    Was just about to say that traildog said! 1 degree seat tube angle change makes about a 10mm top tube change so the 75 degree seat angle on the 2011 has a reach that’s effectively 20-30mm longer than the top tube numbers imply.

    It warrants a stiff fork like a Lyrik or new Pike but for general trail riding I’d keep the travel down. I have a 1 1/8th Lyrik and internal lower cup – just gone from 170mm to 160mm and it’s loads better. Since a tapered fork needs an external cup I’d be looking at the 150mm Pike (with a 160mm baseplate in the parts box for uplift days and steep riding).

    Mine’s awesome, everything from Peak all day rides to uplifts, fast blasts and even doing 15 miles towing a toddler in a trailer!

    BoardinBob
    Full Member

    1st ride out on my new 2013 Mega AM yesterday and it felt fantastic. I’m 5’11 and went for the medium. It feels perfect and I do have average length arms and legs. It climbs really well and descended great too. It felt right straight away which is a good sign. Only slight gripe would be the paint work seems pretty flimsy and will chip easily. Racing the enduro at Fort William this weekend for a proper test.

    Tom_W1987
    Free Member

    I wouldn’t bother with a 150mm fork, the bike was designed around a 160mm fork (545mm a2c in 26 and 552 a2c in 27.5) plus an externall headset. 10mm less travel is only going to bring the already low bb closer to the ground, whilst only steepening the head angle by half a degree and reducing the wheelbase by a tiny fraction. I had a u-turn lyrik and I can truly say that 10mm made **** all difference to the handling!

    No point, just run more compression damping for flowy trails.

    gravity-slave
    Free Member

    My experience is very different – went from 170 to 160 with internal headset and am enjoying the bike massively more. It carves better, corners better, climbs better and no issues with pedal/rock strikes in the Peaks. Riding mates noticed it and I was closing gaps on faster guys, I prefer the lower and more connected feel, over the front a bit more and more direct steering. I was surprised, to be honest, wasn’t expecting to feel as big a difference as I did but definitely the right decision for my riding.

    No point, just run more compression damping for flowy trails.

    That would hold it higher in the travel, loosing travel off the bottom, not loose 10mm off the top helping keep the front low and connected.

    tommyhine
    Full Member

    First ride on my Mega TR over the weekend at Cannock, really impressed so far. The only issue I had was a badly set up rear mech. Felt planted on the downhills but I was coming from a hardtail so not much surprise and was surprisingly good on the uphills even though I’ve got a ghetto 1×9 set up at the minute (going to be 1×10 when I get paid though).

    I got a large as I’m 6″ and if I’m honest I found it quite short on the top tube. I thought they’d sent me the wrong one for a while but there’s no marking on the frame for size any where. meh

    Tom_W1987
    Free Member

    That would hold it higher in the travel, loosing travel off the bottom, not loose 10mm off the top helping keep the front low and connected.

    Uhhh. What kind of fork have you used? A decent forks compression adjustment won’t affect sag. Compression just reduces the rate at which the fork blows through it’s travel.

    You could always put some more psi in your rear shock for more oversteer on flowey trails and if you want to be over the front more you could just run wider bars….

    10mm makes sod all difference geometry wise.

    http://bikegeo.muha.cc/

    P.S I think you were running to fast rebound.

    First ride on my Mega TR over the weekend at Cannock, really impressed so far. The only issue I had was a badly set up rear mech. Felt planted on the downhills but I was coming from a hardtail so not much surprise and was surprisingly good on the uphills even though I’ve got a ghetto 1×9 set up at the minute (going to be 1×10 when I get paid though).

    I got a large as I’m 6″ and if I’m honest I found it quite short on the top tube. I thought they’d sent me the wrong one for a while but there’s no marking on the frame for size any where. meh

    Yahhh, all the reviews say that it’s shortish and more of a play bike. With reviewers going so far as saying that they would take the AM as an all day bike.

    Tom_W1987
    Free Member

    Also keep in mind that you advised someone to go with a 150mm Pike based on your experience, when a 26 inch 160mm Pike is already lower than 160mm Lyriks…. these have 542mm vs 545mm a2cs repectively. At 150mm this would be 532, taking a 26 inch Mega beyond it’s design parameters.

    Bike handling and suspension action is dynamic, you don’t have to change a fixed number like the axle to crown ratio to alter the handling. If you are running 150mm Pikes for sharp handeling, you may as well go with a TR as that set up is going to be more balanced than the alternative which is running 160 at the back and 150 at the front. You get sharp response and good front grip by having a squishier front and a harder back end. Not by increasing the rear sag to front sag ratio.

    If you really have to just run more sag and bang the progession up by dropping in some volume adjust spacers.

    nasher
    Free Member

    They are my bike of choice as a guide here in the Italian Maritime Alps…. Excellent geometry, bombproof and great VFM, Hotlines have every single part imaginable in stock should you need spares.

    I have a large 27.5 mega AM pro, fits me perfectly at about 5ft 11, previously I had the Med older model…the top tube was very short on that.

    The Large pro 27.5 has a centre to centre wheel base of 1200mm and 66deg head angle….. it will tackle anything and with relatively short chain stays its very agile despite its length.

    The rc3 monarch plus and pike is probably the best suspension set up out at the moment

    Yes its a bit weighty, but possible to get it to under 31 pounds. Mine is stock bar a general lee 40 tooth cassette at the back and 1000m vert climbs is not a problem if speed is not an issue.

    If I was in the UK then I think a TR would be on my radar but built up with a pair of pike’s. The mega AM comes to its own on long steep trails it may be a struggle to keep the speed on undulating trail centre type trails…. but I haven’t ridden it on one yet I’m only going on experience on my old mega albeit with 170 forks on it!!! so I could be totaly wrong.



    FROGLEEK
    Free Member

    Only downside is they are common as, on last weeks mid week BPW uplift I was the only rider without one out of 8 bikes on the trailer, felt alone and scared 😉

    Tom_W1987
    Free Member

    Trail centre warrior = TR

    All day Epics in the Peaks/Uplifts = AM

    The choice should be down to how much you ride of either and how much compromise you are willing make in either. I’d prefer to work harder (ride more aggressively due to the geometry as the TR isn’t that much lighter than an AM) at trail centres and have a bike that can really hoon on steep tracks.

    Alex
    Full Member

    Hmm. I find myself tempted by an Alps bike. I realise this rationale is entirely nonsensical. However, let’s move beyond that and try and get some idea if a Medium Or Large would be best for going mainly downhill and not much pedalling uphill. I’m thinking Medium but at 5ft11, Large could work as well. Had a go on my Mates older version (large) and it was a bit tall for ‘dwarf from the hips down’ here.

    I see there’s a couple of similar sized people up there ^^. Obviously I’d have the AM. 26inch version as CRC are knocking them out for £750 ish.

    Before anyone who knows me said ‘didn’t you sell a 26inch 160mm bike last year’, the answer is Yes. As I said, can we move on 😉

    gravity-slave
    Free Member

    10mm makes sod all difference geometry wise.

    Why are you arguing about it then? 😉

    Uhhh. What kind of fork have you used?

    Ones where the damping affects the rate of change of travel. In a dynamic environment slowing the rate of change means they give up less travel for a given impulse. Isn’t that what you were getting at when you recommended upping compression instead of a 150 mm fork?

    26 inch 160mm Pike is already lower than 160mm Lyriks…. these have 542mm vs 545mm a2cs repectively. At 150mm this would be 532, taking a 26 inch Mega beyond it’s design parameters.

    Plus 15mm for the external cup, making tapered Pikes effectively 547, 2mm longer than my 160 Lyrik’s!

    Recommendations were 150-170 with external, 160-180 internal.

    Point was it’s a briliant very versatile bike the can be “traily” or “alpy” depending on setup. Loads of fun!

    adevaynes
    Free Member

    had the 2011 and was awesome, used for peaks/lakes/hebden aswell as stiniog, stile cop and alps, swapped the shock for a fox dhx3 and made a world of difference. Ran it 1×10 and never really struggled on any any climb more than you would expect. Worst thing I did was sell it last summer. So just bought the 2013 with ccdb and its even better, top tube is a bit longer (was short on previous) and at £936 from crc a bit of a bargain seeing as the shock would set you back £450. Ran both mine with lyrics which just work

    Tom_W1987
    Free Member

    Plus 15mm for the external cup, making tapered Pikes effectively 547, 2mm longer than my 160 Lyrik’s!

    Except the optimum a2c is 545 plus that 12/15mm external cup for the 26 inch model.

    I just don’t know why you would choose to run 10mm less on the front, it’s not like you can’t run the bars lower or run offset bushings or a works components headset to steepen the head angle. Or run more sag on the front and less at the rear on shallow smooth trails.

    I honestly see no point in it.

    masmas
    Free Member

    Love my 2013 Mega AM, best money ive spent on a bike and it can take any abuse i can throw at it – it eats downhills and really comes alive when you point it that direction! yes its a little heavy but you get use to it.
    Nashers General Lee upgrade looks interesting – what you running upfront?

    gravity-slave
    Free Member

    Fair enough.

    Can’t see why you prefer all those bodges though!

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