At the first race of the 2020 Enduro World Serie in Zermatt, Nukeproof caused a stir with their new Mega 290 Carbon – and their top rider Sam Hill wasn’t even there! While back then, the successor of the winning bike of the 2019 EWS had not yet been released, we were allowed to take a close look.
The new Nukeproof Mega 290 Carbon in detail
The long chainstays which made its predecessor so balanced have been shrunk by 10 mm, to 440 mm across all five sizes. Nukeproof claim that the changes were made due to direct feedback from their racers, in an attempt to make the bike more agile in tight sections without compromising its overall balance and high-speed prowess. While the new Mega still relies on a swing-link activated 4-bar Horst suspension design, it has a revised rocker link. To make it attractive to even more riders, Nukeproof offer the new Mega in more configurations and sizes than ever before. Both 29” and 27.5” models are available in aluminium and carbon and come in five sizes, from S to XXL. Both wheel sizes are specced with a 170 mm fork up front, but their rear travel varies by 5 mm, with the bigger-wheeled Mega 290 boasting 160 mm rear travel, and the 27.5” option packing 165 mm.
Who’s Nigel Page?
As the CRC/Nukeproof team manager, former downhill, four cross and BMX racer Nigel Page has helped Sam Hill to secure three consecutive elite EWS titles. Apart from that, Nigel competes in the Masters-series of the Enduro World Series himself, where he managed to finish the 2017 season in second overall. At the EWS 2020 in Zermatt, Nigel rode his new 2021 Nukeproof Mega 290c right to the top step of the podium. While he raced the 29″ version, his team riders Elliot Heap and Kelan Grant used a mullet setup, with a 29″ wheel at the front and a 27.5″ wheel out back. Are you intrigued by mixed-wheel setups? Read our “Should I mullet my mountain bike?” article to find out everything you need to know about mullet bikes.
Except for a few small differences in the spec, Nigel’s official EWS race bike is almost identical to the new Mega RS 2021 production top-end model. The tuning tip from our test: replace the 180 mm rear-rotor with a bigger 200 mm disc and get rowdy!
We wish Nigel and his team all the best for the 2021 EWS season!
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As the proud father of Robin and Max-Philip, Manne has been there from the start and is the wise elder of the editorial team. He won his first cycling race in elementary school at a school sports day. After less successful attempts at football, he found his passion for cycling via endurance racing in 1989! The world of racing still consumes him and no one in the team knows the EWS pros better than Manne. As a former head analyst of a state agency, he knows how to do proper research and finds exclusive news that no one else has. He supports his sons in day-to-day business dealings as the authorised signatory for 41 Publishing – viva la familia!