NUKEPROOF MEGAWATT 297 RS £7,599.99
Last year’s Factory-spec Megawatt won this category. Nukeproof have managed to refine the bike, while retaining its easy-to-ride character.
This new version ditches headset-routed cables, but otherwise remains unchanged. The 6061 aluminium frame sports a ‘mullet’ wheel set-up (29in front, 650b rear), modern geometry and 170mm of four-bar linkage suspension travel. Pedalling assistance is provided by a Shimano EP8 motor and 630Wh battery. All sizes share the same 64-degree head angle, 442mm chainstays and relatively low 343mm BB height. Effective seat angles steepen as you move up the size range (78 degrees on our large bike), to improve pedalling efficiency. Reach figures range from 435mm to 515mm.
This RS build is a close replica of Nukeproof’s team bikes. Suspension is from RockShox – a top-end ZEB Ultimate fork and Super Deluxe Ultimate RCT Coil shock. You get wireless shifting from SRAM along with their powerful Code RSC brakes, plus Michelin DH22 rubber front and rear.
The steep seat tube places your hips above the BB, boosting pedalling efficiency, making for a solid climber. Add the compact top tube (612mm, large) and you get an upright seated pedalling position, with weight biased towards the saddle. This is comfortable and makes it easier to balance rear-wheel grip and reduce front-wheel lift. With its super-supple coil shock, traction and comfort are superb on all surfaces. Progressive kinematics prevent the bike from dipping deep into its travel on climbs. The chunky tyres do drain the battery, though.
Headed downhill, the relatively tall stack height and low BB create a confidence-inspiring relationship between hands and feet, and there’s plenty to push against for grip on steeper trails. Leaning into turns is effortless and the bike feels almost glued to the ground, the bar and BB barely changing course as the suspension softens the trail.
While the coil shock has a linear spring curve, sorted frame kinematics ensure it feels well-balanced with the fork (which has a more progressive air spring). It’s less adjustable than an air shock, but plusher. In warmer weather, the tyres grip well, but rolling speeds are low. Below 5°C, traction from the Michelin rubber over roots and rocks is unpredictable, making it hard to ride fast.
Overall, though, the revised Megawatt is one of the best e-MTBs you can buy, and the RS spec
