When 29ers first rolled over the horizon on their wagon wheels, people got it into their heads that they needed much steeper head angles than regular mountain bikes, which were then exacerbated by twitchier, longer-offset forks. As a result, the breed was prevented from achieving its full potential — away from World Cup cross country, at least — and 650b looked set to dominate across most of the board. Happily though, the Mega is one of a handful of 29ers that are now breaking the shackles of that cross-country heritage, with relatively long, low and slack geometry, teamed with the fast-rolling benefits of those 29in hoops.
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Nukeproof Mega 290 Comp spec overview
- Fork: Rockshox Pike RC, 29", Solo Air, Black, 150mm
- Stem: Nukeproof Warhead, 31.8mm
- Cassette: SRAM XG-1150, 10-42T
- Shifters and rear derailleur: SRAM GX-1 11spd,
- Brakes: SRAM DB5
- Seatpost: Nukeproof OKLO AIr
- Tyres: WTB Trail Boss and Viglante, 2.3 x 29", light, high grip
- Wheels: SRAM Roam 30, 29"
Nukeproof Mega 290 Comp frame and equipment
Nukeproof records the Mega’s head angle as 66 degrees, but we measured ours at 65.5 — that’s properly slack! Combined with a low 339mm bottom bracket, this makes for a bike that feels incredibly calm when braking hard through rocky straights, and can carve through a corner with stable authority.
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At 455mm, the chainstays are unfashionably long, but this fact complements the relaxed front end by making the rear similarly stable in the rough and through corners, while keeping the weight balance further towards the front axle for better cornering grip.
Despite the long chainstays and slack head angle, we never felt the Mega was lumpen or hard to manoeuvre in the bends. In fact, the slack fork and good weight distribution meant we could stick it into tight, flat corners with real aggression.
Our only quibble with the geometry on our XL (51cm) bike was the short (110mm) head tube, which makes the reach feel far shorter than the quoted 480mm figure — bringing the cockpit up to our desired height also moves it back because of the slack head angle. For our 6ft 3in tester, this made the cockpit feel slightly more cramped than hoped for, though shorter riders who size up will be rewarded with a geometry configuration that’s exceptionally confidence inspiring.
Nukeproof Mega 290 Comp ride impression
Nukeproof Mega 290 Comp early verdict
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