The 2024 Nukeproof Megawatt is first throughout the road with the SRAM Powertrain eBike Motor system. It boasts a most torque of 90 Nm and 680 Watts peak energy, working with a SRAM 720 Wh battery loaded into the downtube. A devoted mullet platform, the Megawatt is a full carbon affair, pairing a 170mm fork with 172mm of rear wheel journey, on an eBike that’s positively awash with the most recent tech your cash can purchase.
Mixed with a SRAM Transmission groupset, and the more and more busy AXS Protocol, high-end options like auto-shifting and cost-shifting and available. This eBike is inter-connectivity outlined.
Because of the Bike Connection Company, we’ve been fortunate sufficient to trip the 2024 Nukeproof Megawatt on some fairly difficult, however equally enthralling, limestone singletrack in Andalo, Italy. Our ideas on the SRAM Powertrain may be discovered elsewhere. Right here, we dig into the main points of Nukeproof’s newest eMTB, furnished with some feedback on the way it rides.
2024 Nukeproof Megawatt
- Bike: 2024 Nukeproof Megawatt eMTB
- Fork Journey: 170mm
- Rear Wheel Journey: 172mm
- Wheel Measurement: 29″ Entrance, 27.5″ Rear
- Measurement Availability: S-XXL
- Motor: SRAM Powertrain, powered by Brose
- Battery Capability: 720 Wh
- Claimed Weight: 24.3 kg (PRO Mannequin in Medium) // 24 kg (RS Mannequin in Medium)
- Beginning Worth: $9,899 USD // 10,499.99 € // £8,799.99 – Megawatt PRO
Nukeproof debuted the Megawatt in 2021, partnering with Shimano to deliver the enduro-winning geometry of the Mega to anybody seeking to enhance their ratio of time-spent-descending to time-spent-ascending. For followers of aluminum, that bike isn’t going anyplace; it would stay within the secure because the extra inexpensive possibility. The 2024 Megawatt brings to the desk a carbon-framed, enduro-worthy eMTB that’s positive to be irresistible to tech-adoring eBike followers.
With the event of the brand new bike, sustaining the aluminum body’s trip traits was a precedence. The Belfast-based engineers had been eager to not displace pivot places an excessive amount of to accomodate the Powertrain. The Northern Irish model considers itself exceedingly fortunate to have been concerned within the growth how the system integrates right into a body from very early on. Certainly, an earlier model of the system was raced through the 2022 EWS-E season because the engine room of an tailored aluminum Megawatt.
So, the 2024 Nukeproof Megawatt doesn’t symbolize too grand a departure from a confirmed geometry and kinematic.
Geometry
The Megawatt Carbon is accessible in S-XXL body sizes, accomodating a variety of rider heights from 160 cm (5′ 3″) as much as 198 cm (6′ 6″). Attain figures are equal to these seen on the aluminum Megawatt, at 475mm in a dimension massive. However, total, that is the lengthier eBike with a wheelbase of 1274mm in massive. That’s because of chainstays which can be 5mm longer, now at a constant 447mm throughout the scale vary, and a barely slacker head angle of 63.5°.
Seat tube size stays unchanged for S, M & L frames, pleasingly quick at 380mm, 410mm and 440mm, respectively. The XL and XXL frames really profit from shorter seat tubes than the aluminum body, at 460mm and 480mm, respectively.
Sadly, taller riders don’t stand to reap the advantages of improved clearance in the event that they follow the AXS Reverb dropper submit that’s spec’d on the Megawatt Carbon RS and the Megawatt Carbon PRO fashions introduced as we speak. That’s as a result of the longest model of the AXS Reverb affords simply 170mm drop, considerably shorter than the drop lengths on provide from manufacturers like OneUp and BikeYoke.
The benefit to operating the AXS Reverb submit is the way it contributes to the ultra-clean cockpit. It’s operated by the decrease button on the left-hand Pod Controller. Utilizing another submit will add one other distant, the positioning of which can show troublesome.
Nukeproof proceed with comparatively steep efficient seat tube angles of 77.5° in S, M & L, steepening to 78° in XL & XXL. That offsets the rearward weight bias that will in any other case be emphasised for a taller rider. Nukeproof kindly present (within the above geometry desk) the precise saddle top at which they measure the efficient seat tube angle for every body dimension.
Kinematic
Nukeproof stick with the horst-pivot linkage design we’ve come to anticipate from the Mega and Megawatt bikes, with the pivot places wanting very acquainted. Consequently, alterations to the Megawatt’s kinematic are very delicate, however nonetheless significant.
Journey is boosted from 170mm to 172mm, largely because the engineers had been eager so as to add slightly extra development to a body that now, arguably, has a extra succesful set of geometry figures. The beginning ratio is greater, delivering extra off-the-top sensitivity, whereas the top ratio is decrease, requiring extra pressure to bottom-out the shock.
General development is up from the 22% boasted by the alloy body, to 24% on the carbon body. Axle path is ever so barely extra rearward, lengthening the efficient rear middle size by round 4mm earlier than the axle arcs ahead once more.
Anti-rise is comparatively unchanged, sitting at round 90% at sag. It nonetheless drops off fairly sharply as you go deeper into the journey. Anti-squat, however, is elevated from 92% at sag, to 102% at sag (within the climbing gears). In idea, that ought to assist the bike keep greater in its journey beneath the acceleration induced by pedaling forces.
The Engine Room
The Megawatt Carbon is likely one of the extra highly effective eMTBs in the marketplace, because of the 680 Watts peak energy of the SRAM Powertrain motor. Most torque is 90 Nm, a tad greater than Shimano’s EP801 or Bosch Efficiency Line CX motors.
The motor has simply two fundamental using modes; Vary and Rally, each of which may be fine-tuned through the AXS App. There’s a Push Mode, too, that can drive the bike as much as 6 km/h hour when the gradient turns into un-rideable. Switching modes is managed by the highest button of the left-hand Pod Controller, but when that doesn’t swimsuit you, it’s also possible to customise which button does what.
Bonus options of mixing the SRAM Powertrain with Transmission are auto-shift and coast-shift. Certainly, the system will mechanically shift for you as you trip alongside, bearing in mind your pace and pedaling cadence. Auto-shift may be tweaked to prioritize a cadence you are feeling most snug at – we go into better element on precisely how that works in our launch protection of the Powertrain motor.
You can too over-ride it any time you need to shift manually. That approach you possibly can preempt a bit in the event you see a steep climb looming. Placing the rider again in full management, auto-shift may also be switched off solely.
The coast-shift characteristic works as you may anticipate; the system can spin the chainring independently to the cranks as you’re coasting alongside, permitting the derailleur to shift the chain up or down the cassette to a gear ratio that higher matches your pace. Our ideas on that right here, however right here’s the spoiler; it’s nothing wanting excellent.
Body Integration
SRAM affords a large number of battery fitment choices for each their 630 Wh and 720 Wh choices. Nukeproof has gone for the 720 Wh battery, sliding it into the body from the underside of the downtube. This configuration is claimed to ship a lighter and stiffer body, as in comparison with a body whereby the battery is eliminated through a big door on the underside of the downtube. The Megawatt isn’t appropriate with SRAM’s 250 Wh vary extender.
Nukeproof integrates the Powertrain system in a approach that retains weight positioned low. The motor is tilted upwards to permit the bottom of the battery to take a seat immediately beneath it. To be honest, the packaging is fairly neat for such a giant eBike, and all body sizes can accomodate a 550 ml water bottle contained in the entrance triangle as nicely. That will increase to 620 ml in the event you use Nukeproof’s personal water bottle.
Contained in the downtube are 4 full size cable guides, solely two of which are literally in use on the 2 fashions launching as we speak. One accommodates the rear brake hose, one other the wire for the AXS Bridge Show Unit, one other for the cable of a mechanical derailleur, and the ultimate one for the routing of a mechanically-actuated dropper submit. That’s tube-in-tube routing all through the bike for all of the accoutrements you possibly can ever need.
Weight
Arrange tubeless, with out pedals, the medium Megawatt RS weighs a claimed 24 kg. For the Megawatt PRO mannequin, claimed weight is 24.3 kg.
2024 Nukeproof Megawatt RS | First Journey Musings
Sans entry to a small bike, I used to be supplied with the 2024 Nukeproof Megawatt RS mannequin in a dimension medium. In line with Nukeproof’s dimension information, at 163 cm tall, the medium is barely too huge for me. As such, my feedback on how the bike rides will stay transient, and all of my ramblings needs to be thought-about inside the context of this truth.
SRAM Powertrain
Regardless, I used to be eager to check out the SRAM Powertrain, so I wasn’t going to let a number of millimeters of superfluous attain get in the way in which of that. I’ve given an in depth account of my impressions of the drive unit right here, together with ideas on the effectiveness of the auto-shift and coast-shift features. I received’t reiterate an excessive amount of of that right here, however right here’s a fast bullet-pointed abstract.
Execs
- Energy supply is easy, managed and extremely adjustable
- Auto-Shift is spectacular and dependable over terrain the place gradient doesn’t change dramatically
- Coast-Shift is great
Cons
- It’s simple to unintentionally launch Pod Controller button when utilizing Push Mode
- Transmission isn’t capable of shift quick sufficient when gradient ideas up sharply
On the entire, I really feel the system is great. Energy supply, set to 80% of the utmost (600 Watts) within the Rally mode, is easy and simply managed in steep, technical climbing eventualities. The bike’s comparatively lengthy chainstays (447mm), and steep (for an eBike) efficient seat tube angle actually assist in that regard. Consequently, it doesn’t require a monster effort to stop the 63.5° head angle from wandering.
The motor is under no circumstances silent, however is quieter than the Shimano EP801 motor that I had the pleasure of using simply the day earlier than. If I had been competing in an eMTB race, I might not use the auto-shift perform. That’s as a result of there’s a quick lag between the second you need the subsequent gear, and the second the system provides it to you. That’s OK on a social trip, much less so in a race scenario. The coast-shift perform I’d run on a regular basis.
Check Bike Setup
Regardless of being fairly a formidable instrument for hurrying up hills, the Nukeproof Megawatt remains to be very a lot a descent-oriented eMTB. Our take a look at bike, the Megawatt RS, is the top-end mannequin, retailing at a lofty (however not out of this world) $10,899 USD.
The brand new RockShox Vivid Final Air Shock damps 172mm of rear wheel journey, paired with a 170mm RockShox ZEB Final fork. The bike rolls on a Nukeproof Horizon PRO aluminum wheelset (27.5″ rear, 29″ entrance). The medium will get a 150mm Rockshox AXS Reverb dropper submit. When slammed into the seat tube, it delivered the proper trip top for me.
It rolls on DH casing Continental Kryptotal tires – Tremendous Delicate up entrance, with the faster-rolling, extra sturdy Delicate compound on the rear. I ran 15 PSI within the entrance, and 19 PSI within the rear.
The fork was set to 52 PSI. I ran all exterior damping adjustment dials within the full open place. That’s the compression as smooth as attainable and the rebound as quick as attainable. I’ve a lot expertise with this fork, and know this setup delivers probably the most snug trip with the perfect traction for my 60 kg.
This was my first trip on the RockShox Vivid shock. As per Nukeproof’s suggestions, I set it to 30% sag (seated). Once more, all compression and rebound damping was set to completely open to permit the shock to perform in its most energetic state. The Vivid has one other exterior adjustment for the Hydraulic Backside Out. There are 5 settings; I ran the shock within the first place to offer the least bottom-out resistance.
To counter the longer than optimum attain determine, I slammed the saddle ahead on its rails, and the Nukeproof Horizon bar was swapped out for a better rise possibility, rolled again slightly to deliver the attain in some extra.
Descending
Within the bike park, the scale situation was most evident. Contemplating that, and with the truth that bike park using isn’t actually my bag, I’ve determined to withhold touch upon that entrance.
Nonetheless, bordering Andalo and the broader Paganella Bike Park are some difficult limestone singletrack descents. A few of these drop you over 1000 vertical meters to the valley flooring. Some sections are slim and rutted, crammed with unfastened small to medium-sized rocks that shift beneath the tires. Different sections are extra slab-like, however irregular, stepped and off-camber. It’s altogether very pure, and one should maintain one’s wits about one.
The Megawatt Carbon appears to hold its weight nicely. It was comparatively easy to un-weight the entrance wheel over the damp limestone. Because of that, I felt far much less susceptible on this eBike than I’ve on the few others I’ve examined. It’s actually one of many extra confidence-inspiring eBikes i’ve ridden, notably relating to very technical descents. That’s credit score to the general stability provided by the geometry on this medium body.
Suspension Efficiency
As you may think, these trails are the proper place to check suspension. And, the Nukeproof Megawatt RS didn’t let me down.
The rear finish tracks fantastically via the chop, smoothing out the terrain extremely nicely. Traction was plentiful. Regardless of my line alternative sometimes being slightly hectic, the bike pattered via the unpredictable rock gardens with little to no drama. For me, the fork was outperformed by the suppleness of the rear. What felt slightly wild out entrance was effortlessly muted by the Vivid shock.
My expertise has left me keen to check the RockShox Vivid shock on a daily mountain bike. All too typically, I discover that shocks are over-damped on the rebound circuit. That results in packing down, a lack of suppleness, with ft sometimes shedding contact with the pedals. This was actually not the case on the Nukeproof Megawatt RS.
Fashions, Pricing & Availability
Megawatt Carbon RS – $10,899 USD // 11,999.99 € // £9,999.99
The 2024 Nukeproof Megawatt is accessible in all sizes, as of as we speak, within the top-end RS mannequin examined right here.
That cash fetches you a RockShox ZEB Final fork, RockShox Vivid Final shock, and a Nukeproof Horizon PRO wheelset with Continental Kryptotal tires (DH casing). Powertrain is paired with the SRAM XO Transmission with 160mm cranks, with SRAM Code RSC brakes managing pace with the assistance of a 200mm SRAM HS2 rotor on every finish.
Ending touches embrace a Rockshox AXS Reverb dropper submit topped with a Nukeproof Sam Hill Signature saddle, and a Nukeproof Horizon cockpit with the V2 Carbon bar.
Megawatt Carbon PRO – $9,899 USD // 10,499.99 € // £8,799.99
For the marginally extra inexpensive PRO mannequin, riders should wait a month. The above cash buys you a Rockshox ZEB Choose+, the Vivid Choose+, and the Nukeproof Horizon V2 wheelset with the identical Continental Kryptotal tire mixture. On this one, the drivetrain is barely downgraded to the SRAM GX Transmission, with SRAM G2 RE brakes clamping 200mm Centerline rotors. All different specs are equal.
All carbon Megawatt bikes are offered with a 5 12 months guarantee on the body, whereas the SRAM Eagle Powertrain has a two-year guarantee.
