Mega Mega

The secret rider

Got a new bike from the team to ride for 2014.

After a few teething problems it's now ready to ride.

Spec is as follows

2014 Nukeproof Mega AM 275 LARGE
Rockshox monarch rc rear shock
Rockshox pikes 160mm (2 tokens fitted)
Nukeproof finishing kit
Saint cranks
Saint bottom bracket
Saint shifter
Saint peddles
Zee rear mech
Zee 4 pot brakes
203mm front ice tech rotor
180mm rear floating rotor
UBC race matrix pads front and rear
Nukeproof DH wheels
Maxxis 60a tyres
Thomson dropper post 31.6





Took about a week to put it together, let down by a few suppliers most CRC which is ironic given they are Nukeproof !

I got it as a whole bike and stripped it down to a frame and shock then rebuilt it with the spec above.

Felt super strange going up to a Large bike and with 27.5 wheels coupled with a long wheel base it was odd but blimey after an hour in the saddle today I am now itching to get out off road tomorrow.

Hope this build comes along in a similar ilk to the Dale need to get colour coordinating

jas754

Looks a cracking bike mate, almost went for one myself!

have you decided on the fate of the dale

Myster101

Very nice, great spec as well. Doesn't take long to realise how good they are does it

The secret rider

jas754 wrote:

Looks a cracking bike mate, almost went for one myself!

have you decided on the fate of the dale

Yes sorry not great pictures but hoping to get some better ones soon.

The Dale will be going up for sale when I get time to do the for sale advert and decide on a price. Might just ebay it !

The secret rider

Myster101 wrote:

Very nice, great spec as well. Doesn't take long to realise how good they are does it

Did some local XC on it today as a first ride. Shocked how well it peddles.

Qui3tman

Lovely build - What's your height at to go for a large? No problems with uphill pedalling or anything? I've heard rumours of disappointing performance.

Cqc

Gosh, saint everything and DH wheels? That's aggressive...

russyh

Cqc wrote:

Gosh, saint everything and DH wheels? That's aggressive...

It's enduro dude, so enduro

rockmonkeysc

It's a f*cking bicyle, not a rig.

This is a rig






Nice bike, should survive a nuclear explosion with that build!

Myster101

Qui3tman wrote:

Lovely build - What's your height at to go for a large? No problems with uphill pedalling or anything? I've heard rumours of disappointing performance.

Disappointing performance in which way?

Haven't found anything disappointing in mine, well not yet anyway.

Qui3tman

Just anecdotal comments about a friend's friend who got one and found it hard work uphill. I've read a lot of the Mega RT threads on here and it seems to counter that but intrigued! Currently trying to decide between that and the Canyon Spectral!

paul.skibum

Qui3tman wrote:

Just anecdotal comments about a friend's friend who got one and found it hard work uphill. I've read a lot of the Mega RT threads on here and it seems to counter that but intrigued! Currently trying to decide between that and the Canyon Spectral!

Maybe your friend's friend is a fatty?

rockmonkeysc

Both types of Mega climb very well unless you fit dusl ply tyres and ultra heavy rims.
My Mega TR climbs as easily as my old Giant Trance.

ilovedirt

Yeah, my Mega TR climbs really well.

Qui3tman

paul.skibum wrote:

Qui3tman wrote:

Just anecdotal comments about a friend's friend who got one and found it hard work uphill. I've read a lot of the Mega RT threads on here and it seems to counter that but intrigued! Currently trying to decide between that and the Canyon Spectral!

Maybe your friend's friend is a fatty?

That is entirely possible!

I'm currently umming and erring about going for a 2013 Mega TR (I think the Mega AM is a bit too much bike for what I'm riding) so glad to hear that it performs well

ilovedirt

I've taken the Mega TR down some of my local trails (including some downhill tracks), not the most gnarly, but certainly enough to test a trail bike, and it rides like it's much more bike than it actually is!

The secret rider

Thanks for all the replies ! Nice to hear there are some other owner out there although I can't saying I am having much luck at the moment.

So far I have owned it two weeks and had the following issues

- forks would suck themselves up (ie get shorter) when letting air out below 70psi, I had to strip them down as rebuild.

- zee front brake piston was faulty from the factory so leaked when trying to bleed, ordered replacement

- zee rear mech arrived and was wrong supplied in DH mode now freeride (11/36), decided to order a saint mech which will arrive tomorrow.

- after about an hours riding the bike developed a loud knocking from the rear swing arm felt like it was coming from the main pivot bolts after reading online stripped the whole swingarm down greased and torqued up solved problem

- then tonight out or a ride and there was a rattle from the front wheel. Took the axel out and the screw in thing that holds the adaptor in fell out !! Assume it needs to be re fitted and nipped tight ?

Not a bad list for a two week old bike !

Not exactly what I need as I leave for a team trip Thursday night

- Friday, Hopton woods downhill
- Saturday, codebrenin *spelling
- Sunday, riding to the top of snowdon then down
- Monday, Aston hill downhill park

Tuesday, SLEEP !

ilovedirt

The 15mm adaptor on the front wheel came loose on mine too, probably just needs a bit of loctite and tightening up, should be fine. New bikes always need a bit of a going over, as they're not likely to have been built by the most competent of mechanics.

The secret rider

ilovedirt wrote:

The 15mm adaptor on the front wheel came loose on mine too, probably just needs a bit of loctite and tightening up, should be fine. New bikes always need a bit of a going over, as they're not likely to have been built by the most competent of mechanics.

Yes this is what I will do and just nip it up tight

The secret rider

Bosh all done

Now running a saint mech too

Heading off for four days to ride some DH centres and Snowdon

Myster101

Looking good mate, have fun on it

The secret rider

Well so much has happened and i have not taken any time to update this what so ever so here goes !

Basically we rode snowdon and it was amazing the whole trip was brilliant and i would highly recommend it to anyone who is wanting an epic trip. The skills park at CodyB was all brilliant for learning new skills.

My tri was not without incident on the way up my brand new saint mech hit a rock or something leaving it battered so there was really only one option and that was to go single speed. This was fine however as anyone who has ever had cause to do this knows it basically does now work with vertical drop outs and the chain locks so peddling was seriously hard / impossible without stressing the crap out of the bottom bracket. But we had to get up and down so who cares.







The terrain there is savage and somewhat of a bike killer of you're hammering down like we were don't expect much of a down tube left

anyway so go back and fixed all the bike up and rode it for a while.

Then was hitting some big gaps up at chicksands bike park and tore some ligaments in my shoulder that sucked. But was back on the bike three weeks later but in a lot of pain. This is almost fixed now but is still painful after a hard days riding.

Rode a place in Kent called PORC which is probably one of the sickest places i have ever risen it was brilliant and pushed my riding on ten fold ! check the line we ran. Not my video but the same line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtPk4l0YiYI

changed to a CCDB on the red to cope with the bigger things we were now hitting and invested in some more appropriate protection. including the new five five leatt NB





still not feeling comfortable with the bike i swapped the 60mm stem for a 35mm hope one ( which is a serious piece of art )



Nice stem . . . .

Broke a Thompson dropper post. . got that replaced under warranty so that all good.

Changed to DH pro Crank bros clips and five ten vxi clip less shoes for one ride. Changed back to flats shoes and pedals now for sale.

so few other rides in and then last weekend we headed to wale for three days, rode the skyline trail at Afan on the mega which was hell, one of the UK longest XC trails on the mega with a ccdb NOT FUN ! then we rode BPW this was brilliant fun.

Heading back out to wales next week for a few days and this time we have uplift booked at BPW.

Overall i can't say i have clicked with this bike, I'm not sure if its the bigger 650b wheels or if its the bike itself i am not sure. i just can't seem to get comfy on it. Don't get me wrong we are riding some big things on it now but i always feel like i am just getting by never totally feel like I've got it.

I compare this to my mates commercial supreme VIP 26 inch wheels and this thing is sick ! such a sweet bike. i guess for the type of riding i am doing it may just be not the right bike ? perhaps i needed a medium ? perhaps its fine and i just need to ride it more.? but i do miss the flickable nature of 26 inch wheels so who knows maybe i will be moving to something else before long.

However on the downhill the longer bike is better and in its current spec it is a mini DH monster. !

paul.skibum

I now what you mean about not finding that sweet spot on the bike and I agree that the wheels make a difference, or at least they do to me.

I find that as a result of the extra length out back I have been finding lifting the front end, manualling and generally being off the back to be harder to achieve - steeps, tech and so on are all do-able but there have been times I have the tyre rubbing my butt but still feel forward. I have put some of it down to the low riding fox forks but a lot to the extra length of the chainstays. Sadly I cant blame my broken thumb on that, just good old fashioned bad bike handling!

The secret rider

Feels odd, i have to admit fitting the shorter stem has made it easy (ier) to manual . . . etc

However it does make the body position odd.

Probably will put the bike up for sale when i get back from wales and change to a more "park" style bike 26" wheels.

Something like a transition tr250 or a supreme VIP etc 180mm single crown.

ej2320

You're getting rid of the Mega already?!

You can get the Transition Covert in a 26" version and I've seen people running a 170mm fork if that's what you're after

But I really like your Mega, nice bike

The secret rider

ej2320 wrote:

You're getting rid of the Mega already?!

You can get the Transition Covert in a 26" version and I've seen people running a 170mm fork if that's what you're after

But I really like your Mega, nice bike

Maybe yes, you can buy it if you like as you can see from this thread its not exactly very old

I ideally would like a Transition TR500, then you can run from 180mm single crown to a 200+ triple clamp and it holds them well.

Maybe a transition TR250

or i might get a Trek session . . .

i am totally in love with the new trek session 26" Park version they have just launched.

baz4388

have you seen the trek session frame in purple and blue? Looks awesome IMO.

ej2320

The secret rider wrote:

ej2320 wrote:

You're getting rid of the Mega already?!

You can get the Transition Covert in a 26" version and I've seen people running a 170mm fork if that's what you're after

But I really like your Mega, nice bike

Maybe yes, you can buy it if you like as you can see from this thread its not exactly very old

I ideally would like a Transition TR500, then you can run from 180mm single crown to a 200+ triple clamp and it holds them well.

Maybe a transition TR250

or i might get a Trek session . . .

i am totally in love with the new trek session 26" Park version they have just launched.

I probably would if I didn't already have my Covert, hard to justify two 160mm bikes

TR500 is good as you wouldn't need to buy another frame if you decided you'd rather go into DH

And Treks always seem to look good...
Oh and your mates Nomad looks great

The secret rider

Yeh its a nice bike we also took a new Nomad too the baby blue and pink one and recently i rode a Capra in wales. All very nice bikes.

TBH the session "park" version sounds so sick but i think they will be big money ! not that the tr500 is cheap . . . .

I have no idea what the mega is worth i think it would be a nightmare to price.

ej2320

Awesome, how was the new Nomad?

It's hard to value a Nukeproof really due to CRC cutting prices down and putting on promos, but you have made some nice upgrades and Nukeproof are in demand so it's shouldn't be too hard to sell

paul.skibum

I'd consider a TR250 with air shocks - can be built to be a workable trail bike (just) but a ripper on the downs. For my thinking a full on DH bike in the UK is too limiting for too much of the riding available.