The 2024 Nukeproof Megawatt is first around the line with the SRAM Powertrain eBike Motor device. It boasts a most torque of 90 Nm and 680 Watts height energy, operating with a SRAM 720 Wh battery loaded into the downtube. A devoted mullet platform, the Megawatt is a complete carbon affair, pairing a 170mm fork with 172mm of rear wheel trip, on an eBike this is undoubtedly awash with the newest tech your cash should buy.
Blended with a SRAM Transmission groupset, and the increasingly more busy AXS Protocol, high-end options like auto-shifting and cost-shifting and readily to be had. This eBike is inter-connectivity outlined.
Due to the Motorcycle Connection Company, we’ve been fortunate sufficient to journey the 2024 Nukeproof Megawatt on some somewhat tough, however similarly captivating, limestone singletrack in Andalo, Italy. Our ideas at the SRAM Powertrain may also be discovered in different places. 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
- Motorcycle: 2024 Nukeproof Megawatt eMTB
- Fork Shuttle: 170mm
- Rear Wheel Shuttle: 172mm
- Wheel Dimension: 29″ Entrance, 27.5″ Rear
- Dimension Availability: S-XXL
- Motor: SRAM Powertrain, powered by means of Brose
- Battery Capability: 720 Wh
- Claimed Weight: 24.3 kg (PRO Style in Medium) // 24 kg (RS Style in Medium)
- Beginning Value: $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 any person taking a look to give a boost to their ratio of time-spent-descending to time-spent-ascending. For enthusiasts of aluminum, that motorcycle isn’t going any place; it’ll stay within the solid because the extra inexpensive choice. The 2024 Megawatt brings to the desk a carbon-framed, enduro-worthy eMTB this is certain to be impossible to resist to tech-adoring eBike enthusiasts.
With the improvement of the brand new motorcycle, keeping up the aluminum body’s journey traits used to be a concern. The Belfast-based engineers have been willing not to displace pivot places an excessive amount of to accomodate the Powertrain. The Northern Irish logo considers itself exceedingly fortunate to had been concerned within the building how the device integrates right into a body from very early on. Certainly, an previous model of the device used to be raced all through the 2022 EWS-E season because the engine room of an tailored aluminum Megawatt.
So, the 2024 Nukeproof Megawatt doesn’t constitute too grand a departure from a confirmed geometry and kinematic.
Geometry
The Megawatt Carbon is to be had in S-XXL body sizes, accomodating a variety of rider heights from 160 cm (5′ 3″) as much as 198 cm (6′ 6″). Achieve figures are similar to these noticed at the aluminum Megawatt, at 475mm in a dimension massive. However, general, that is the lengthier eBike with a wheelbase of 1274mm in massive. That’s due to chainstays which might be 5mm longer, now at a constant 447mm around the dimension vary, and a fairly slacker head attitude of 63.5°.
Seat tube duration stays unchanged for S, M & L frames, pleasingly brief at 380mm, 410mm and 440mm, respectively. The XL and XXL frames in reality get pleasure from shorter seat tubes than the aluminum body, at 460mm and 480mm, respectively.
Sadly, taller riders don’t stand to make the most of advanced clearance in the event that they stick to the AXS Reverb dropper publish this is spec’d at the Megawatt Carbon RS and the Megawatt Carbon PRO fashions introduced lately. That’s since the longest model of the AXS Reverb provides simply 170mm drop, considerably shorter than the drop lengths on be offering from manufacturers like OneUp and BikeYoke.
The merit to operating the AXS Reverb publish is the way it contributes to the ultra-clean cockpit. It’s operated by means of the decrease button at the left-hand Pod Controller. The usage of an alternate publish will upload every other far off, the site of which would possibly turn out tough.
Nukeproof proceed with rather 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 may differently be emphasised for a taller rider. Nukeproof kindly supply (within the above geometry desk) the precise saddle top at which they measure the efficient seat tube attitude for every body dimension.
Kinematic
Nukeproof stick with the horst-pivot linkage design we’ve come to be expecting from the Mega and Megawatt motorcycles, with the pivot places taking a look very acquainted. Consequently, alterations to the Megawatt’s kinematic are very refined, however however significant.
Shuttle is boosted from 170mm to 172mm, in large part because the engineers have been willing so as to add just a little extra development to a body that now, arguably, has a extra succesful set of geometry figures. The beginning ratio is upper, handing over extra off-the-top sensitivity, whilst the top ratio is decrease, requiring extra drive to bottom-out the surprise.
General development is up from the 22% boasted by means of the alloy body, to 24% at the carbon body. Axle trail is ever so fairly extra rearward, lengthening the efficient rear heart duration by means of round 4mm earlier than the axle arcs ahead once more.
Anti-rise is rather unchanged, sitting at round 90% at sag. It nonetheless drops off somewhat sharply as you cross deeper into the trip. Anti-squat, then again, is higher from 92% at sag, to 102% at sag (within the mountain climbing gears). In principle, that are meant to lend a hand the motorcycle keep upper in its trip underneath the acceleration precipitated by means of pedaling forces.
The Engine Room
The Megawatt Carbon is likely one of the extra robust eMTBs available on the market, due to the 680 Watts height energy of the SRAM Powertrain motor. Most torque is 90 Nm, a tad upper than Shimano’s EP801 or Bosch Efficiency Line CX motors.
The motor has simply two major using modes; Vary and Rally, either one of which may also be fine-tuned by way of the AXS App. There’s a Push Mode, too, that may pressure the motorcycle as much as 6 km/h hour when the gradient turns into un-rideable. Switching modes is controlled by means of the end button of the left-hand Pod Controller, but when that doesn’t fit your needs, you’ll be able to additionally customise which button does what.
Bonus options of mixing the SRAM Powertrain with Transmission are auto-shift and coast-shift. Certainly, the device will routinely shift for you as you journey alongside, allowing for your pace and pedaling cadence. Auto-shift may also be tweaked to prioritize a cadence you are feeling maximum relaxed at – we cross into better element on precisely how that works in our release protection of the Powertrain motor.
You’ll be able to additionally over-ride it any time you wish to have to shift manually. That manner you’ll be able to preempt just a little for those who see a steep climb looming. Placing the rider again in entire regulate, auto-shift will also be switched off solely.
The coast-shift characteristic works as you may be expecting; the device 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 equipment ratio that higher suits your pace. Our ideas on that right here, however right here’s the spoiler; it’s not anything in need of excellent.
Body Integration
SRAM provides a mess of battery fitment choices for each their 630 Wh and 720 Wh choices. Nukeproof has long gone for the 720 Wh battery, sliding it into the body from the ground of the downtube. This configuration is claimed to ship a lighter and stiffer body, as in comparison to a body in which the battery is got rid of by way of a big door at the underside of the downtube. The Megawatt isn’t suitable with SRAM’s 250 Wh vary extender.
Nukeproof integrates the Powertrain device in some way that assists in keeping weight situated low. The motor is tilted upwards to permit the bottom of the battery to take a seat immediately beneath it. To be truthful, the packaging is beautiful neat for this sort of giant eBike, and all body sizes can accomodate a 550 ml water bottle throughout the entrance triangle as smartly. That will increase to 620 ml for those who use Nukeproof’s personal water bottle.
Within the downtube are 4 complete duration cable guides, most effective two of that are in reality in use at the two fashions launching lately. One comprises the rear brake hose, every other the twine for the AXS Bridge Show Unit, every other for the cable of a mechanical derailleur, and the overall one for the routing of a mechanically-actuated dropper publish. That’s tube-in-tube routing during the motorcycle for all of the accoutrements it’s essential ever need.
Weight
Arrange tubeless, with out pedals, the medium Megawatt RS weighs a claimed 24 kg. For the Megawatt PRO type, claimed weight is 24.3 kg.
2024 Nukeproof Megawatt RS | First Trip Musings
Sans get right of entry to to a small motorcycle, I used to be supplied with the 2024 Nukeproof Megawatt RS type in a dimension medium. Consistent with Nukeproof’s dimension information, at 163 cm tall, the medium is fairly too giant for me. As such, my feedback on how the motorcycle rides will stay temporary, and all of my ramblings must be regarded as inside the context of this reality.
SRAM Powertrain
Regardless, I used to be willing to take a look at out the SRAM Powertrain, so I wasn’t going to let a couple of millimeters of superfluous achieve get in the way in which of that. I’ve given an in depth account of my impressions of the pressure unit right here, along side ideas at the effectiveness of the auto-shift and coast-shift purposes. I gained’t reiterate an excessive amount of of that right here, however right here’s a snappy bullet-pointed abstract.
Execs
- Energy supply is easy, managed and extremely adjustable
- Auto-Shift is spectacular and dependable over terrain the place gradient does now not alternate dramatically
- Coast-Shift is very good
Cons
- It’s simple to unintentionally unencumber Pod Controller button when the use of Push Mode
- Transmission isn’t ready to shift speedy sufficient when gradient guidelines up sharply
At the complete, I believe the device is superb. Energy supply, set to 80% of the utmost (600 Watts) within the Rally mode, is easy and simply managed in steep, technical mountain climbing situations. The motorcycle’s rather lengthy chainstays (447mm), and steep (for an eBike) efficient seat tube attitude unquestionably lend a hand in that regard. Consequently, it doesn’t require a monster effort to forestall the 63.5° head attitude from wandering.
The motor is under no circumstances silent, however is quieter than the Shimano EP801 motor that I had the excitement of using simply the day earlier than. If I have been competing in an eMTB race, I might now not use the auto-shift serve as. That’s as a result of there’s a brief lag between the instant you wish to have the following equipment, and the instant the device provides it to you. That’s OK on a social journey, much less so in a race scenario. The coast-shift serve as I’d run always.
Take a look at Motorcycle Setup
In spite of being somewhat an excellent device for hurrying up hills, the Nukeproof Megawatt continues to be very a lot a descent-oriented eMTB. Our take a look at motorcycle, the Megawatt RS, is the top-end type, retailing at a lofty (however now not out of this international) $10,899 USD.
The brand new RockShox Bright Final Air Surprise damps 172mm of rear wheel trip, paired with a 170mm RockShox ZEB Final fork. The motorcycle rolls on a Nukeproof Horizon PRO aluminum wheelset (27.5″ rear, 29″ entrance). The medium will get a 150mm Rockshox AXS Reverb dropper publish. When slammed into the seat tube, it delivered the very best journey top for me.
It rolls on DH casing Continental Kryptotal tires – Tremendous Comfortable up entrance, with the faster-rolling, tougher Comfortable compound at the rear. I ran 15 PSI within the entrance, and 19 PSI within the rear.
The fork used to be set to 52 PSI. I ran all exterior damping adjustment dials within the complete open place. That’s the compression as comfortable as imaginable and the rebound as speedy as imaginable. I’ve a lot enjoy with this fork, and know this setup delivers probably the most relaxed journey with the most productive traction for my 60 kg.
This used to be my first journey at the RockShox Bright surprise. As according to Nukeproof’s suggestions, I set it to 30% sag (seated). Once more, all compression and rebound damping used to be set to completely open to permit the surprise to serve as in its maximum lively state. The Bright has every other exterior adjustment for the Hydraulic Backside Out. There are 5 settings; I ran the surprise within the first place to offer the least bottom-out resistance.
To counter the longer than optimum achieve determine, I slammed the saddle ahead on its rails, and the Nukeproof Horizon bar used to be swapped out for the next upward push choice, rolled again just a little to deliver the achieve in some extra.
Descending
Within the motorcycle park, the scale factor used to be most obvious. Making an allowance for that, and with the truth that motorcycle park using isn’t in reality my bag, I’ve made up our minds to withhold touch upon that entrance.
Then again, bordering Andalo and the broader Paganella Motorcycle Park are some difficult limestone singletrack descents. A few of these drop you over 1000 vertical meters to the valley ground. Some sections are slender and rutted, full of unfastened small to medium-sized rocks that shift beneath the tires. Different sections are extra slab-like, however abnormal, stepped and off-camber. It’s altogether very herbal, and one should stay one’s wits about one.
The Megawatt Carbon turns out to hold its weight smartly. It used to be rather easy to un-weight the entrance wheel over the damp limestone. Due to that, I felt a long way much less inclined in this eBike than I’ve at the few others I’ve examined. It’s unquestionably one of the most extra confidence-inspiring eBikes i’ve ridden, in particular relating to very technical descents. That’s credit score to the whole steadiness presented by means of the geometry in this medium body.
Suspension Efficiency
As you may consider, those trails are the very best position to check suspension. And, the Nukeproof Megawatt RS didn’t let me down.
The rear finish tracks superbly during the chop, smoothing out the terrain extremely smartly. Traction used to be considerable. In spite of my line selection infrequently being just a little annoying, the motorcycle pattered during the unpredictable rock gardens with little to no drama. For me, the fork used to be outperformed by means of the suppleness of the rear. What felt just a little wild out entrance used to be without difficulty muted by means of the Bright surprise.
My enjoy has left me keen to check the RockShox Bright surprise on a standard mountain motorcycle. All too ceaselessly, I in finding that shocks are over-damped at the rebound circuit. That ends up in packing down, a lack of suppleness, with ft infrequently shedding touch with the pedals. This used to be by no means the case at the Nukeproof Megawatt RS.
Fashions, Pricing & Availability
Megawatt Carbon RS – $10,899 USD // 11,999.99 € // £9,999.99
The 2024 Nukeproof Megawatt is to be had in all sizes, as of lately, within the top-end RS type examined right here.
That cash fetches you a RockShox ZEB Final fork, RockShox Bright Final surprise, 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.
Completing touches come with a Rockshox AXS Reverb dropper publish crowned 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 fairly extra inexpensive PRO type, riders must wait a month. The above cash buys you a Rockshox ZEB Choose+, the Bright Choose+, and the Nukeproof Horizon V2 wheelset with the similar Continental Kryptotal tire mixture. In this one, the drivetrain is fairly downgraded to the SRAM GX Transmission, with SRAM G2 RE brakes clamping 200mm Centerline rotors. All different specifications are similar.
All carbon Megawatt motorcycles are offered with a 5 12 months guaranty at the body, whilst the SRAM Eagle Powertrain has a two-year guaranty.