FAST BIKE FRIDAY – NUKEPROOF GIGA 290 ELITE

Every now and then a bike lands at Wheelbase and when it’s out of the box and built, nearly all staff (roadies included) stop what they’re doing to take a better look; when we wheeled this awesome new Nukeproof through the shop to prepare it for its photoshoot the Giga got just such a reaction! This week for our Fast Bike Friday feature we’re taking a detailed look at the all-new Giga 290 Elite; Nukeproof have billed this type of machine as a ‘Super Enduro’ bike, with capabilities sitting neatly between that of a typical downhill bike and a conventional enduro bike. With increased suspension travel and an ability to handle the biggest hits is there a legit need for such a bike? And if so have Nukeproof met the brief?…

There’s a three-way evolution going on between gravity-focused riders, the bikes that they pilot and the terrain that they ride. With each factor influencing the other it’s a constant arms race between them; riders are more skilled, the trails get more demanding, the bikes get bigger to cope with the extra demands. This is real chicken and egg stuff – are the bikes getting bigger because the trails are getting bigger or are the trails getting bigger because the bikes are getting bigger?! Either way the Nukeproof Giga has been developed specifically to suit this scenario; as gravity-focused riders continue to push the boundaries we’ve seen bikes with bigger wheelbases and longer reach developed for faster speeds, taller berms and bigger jumps.

The Giga has been billed as a ‘Super-Enduro’ bike…

With 170mm of rear travel the Giga 290 Elite is a monster truck of a bike which has its origins in the Nukeproof Dissent (their downhill race bike) but has been adapted specifically for ‘Super Enduro’ duties; to be genuinely enduro-capable the Giga has to be able to shred the downhills but also climb pretty efficiently too. Frame geometry is long, low and slack with a 63.5° head angle (compared with 63° on their Dissent downhill bike and 64° on their Mega enduro bike) but also features a steep seattube angle to help ensure that a seated climbing position remains effective. Nukeproof have done a brilliant job of squeezing massive amounts of travel into the frame with enough clearance for those large 29” wheels; yes it’s a big bike with a big bike feel but it still rides like a versatile enduro bike thanks to the way the Giga uses its travel. How exactly to they do this? Well the suspension platform has been cleverly designed to be super supple off the top, supportive in the mid stroke and progressive throughout the rest of its travel. Meanwhile the anti-squat has been optimised to so that climbing is not an uncomfortable inefficient experience like it would be on most full-on downhill bikes.

Frame geometry is long, low and slack with a 63.5° head angle…

There’s some clever stuff going on with the Giga’s suspension platform and, as we’re increasingly seeing from all key brands, there’s a good amount of adjustability to help you to fine tune the bike to suit your riding style. The Nuke Proof Giga’s platform is based on the same horseshoe driven linkage that features on their Dissent downhill bike but in this instance there’s also a two-stage flip-chip located on the main pivot.

Despite the complicated looking horseshoe linkage this is really a single pivot bike; that single pivot can be moved up and down by rotating a small tab within an eccentric axle. This is a really well thought out feature which allows you to alter the progressivity of the rear suspension; rather brilliantly this can easily be done on the trailside with an 8mm allen key, simply loosen the 8mm bolt, take weight off bike, swing the tab through 180 degrees and retighten the 8mm bolt. There are two settings to choose from – 25.5% progression  and 29% progression; the default factory setting is the 25.5% (low position) option which is more supportive in the early stages of the travel with slightly more leverage at the end of the stroke. Alternatively, in the 29% option the suspension platform is more compliant on small hits with more force required to bottom out the suspension.

You can quickly and easily alter the Giga’s progressivity with this swing tab…

The Giga 290 Elite’s frame and rear tringle is constructed from UD 700/800 Carbon fibre allowing the Nukeproof designers to optimise the stiffness and compliance of key areas of the frame. The Giga’s front triangle has been tuned to be stable and to provide precise handling and the rear triangle has been constructed to enhance compliance, track well and provide extra traction. Another benefit of the rear triangle being carbon is that there’s a lower un-sprung mass which help the suspension perform even better.

Full carbon construction means a ride-enhancing mix of stiffness and compliance in the main frame and rear triangle…

The Giga’s frame features a small mudgaurd to help protect the rear suspension linkages…

The Giga 290 has been sculpted to fit a 750ml water bottle, allowing the bottle to sit securely within the frame (Nukeproof have even included a carbon bottle cage); with the demands of Enduro competition in mind there’s also an accessory mount under the top tube for multi-tools and like. The frame even includes a pre-fitted clear paint protection kit which is a really nice touch and there’s some substantial protection from the 3D contoured rubber downtube protector as well as additional seat and chainstay protection to help negate the inevitable scuffs and scrapes that come with aggressive gravity-focused riding.

The carbon frame features a sculpted recess to allow a bottle to sit securely…

Nukeproof have spec’d the Giga Elite with a very capable Fox Float X2 rear shock which includes a 2-position lever designed to allow you to make on-the-fly adjustments to the shock. In the open setting the shock utilises its preset high and low speed compression settings (these settings only have an effect on compression damping when the lever is in the OPEN position. Flip the 2-position lever to the FIRM setting and the shock takes on a very firm low-speed compression setting to give a more effective climbing and sprinting platform. Being able to adjust low-speed rebound allows you to better control the shock’s performance under braking bumps, technical climbing and off-camber cornering when you need extra traction.

The Fox Float X2 2-position lever allows you to make on-the-fly adjustments…

The low-speed rebound allows you to better control the shock’s performance under braking bumps, technical climbing and off-camber cornering…

A Super-Enduro bike like the Giga deserves an out and out Enduro-focused fork to handle just what this bike is being asked to do. Nukeproof have spec’d a pair of Fox 38 Performance Elite forks with 180mm of travel and a Grip 2 Damper; this long travel fork is packed full of technical features and includes super-wide 38mm stanchions providing sublime lateral stiffness and enhanced steering. The 38s feature a floating axle providing smoother movement throughout the entire range of the fork’s travel and dramatically improving sensitivity on smaller hits.

The Fox 38 Performance Grip Damper forks also feature lower leg channels which dramatically increases air volume in the lower legs; why is this important? Well, when a fork compresses the volume of the air in the lower legs decreases; the more the compression the more the pressure increases which actually prevents the fork achieving full travel. These channels help reduce that pressure while also helping the bath oil to circulate further up into the fork’s lower legs helping to keep the foam rings and bushings lubricated as the fork moves through its travel. This model also includes Fox’s Bleeders which allow you to quickly equalize atmospheric pressure (there’s a potential for pressure to build-up in fork lower legs, preventing full travel being achieved) so this feature is a brilliant little detail.

Nukeproof have spec’d a pair of Fox 38 Performance Elite forks with 180mm of travel…

A FLOAT EVOL air spring features technology which increases negative air spring volume helping to optimise the fork’s small bump sensitivity; the FLOAT EVOL air spring is renowned for its ‘linear spring curve’ which basically means that under compression the air spring consistently travels through plushness, extra mid-stroke support and tunable bottom-out progression. Those lower leg channels we just highlighted work in perfect unison with the FLOAT EVOL air shock helping to reduce air pressure captured in the lower legs and allowing the EVOL to move freely with no additional forces applied.

As the model name suggests these Fox 38 Performance Elite Grip Damper forks include Fox’s GRIP damper, inspired from their MOTO background it uses their FIT sealed cartridge technology combined with an independent floating piston. GRIP allows excess oil to purge through specially designed ports at the top of the damper helping to maintain consistent damping. Adjustment of the Fox 38 Performance Elite fork’s compression and rebound is quick and easy, allowing you to tune how your fork performs using the dials at the top of the fork crown and the bottom of the fork leg.

Adjustment:

• High-speed compression (outer dial on fork crown) 8 clicks
• Low-speed compression (inner dial on fork crown) 16 clicks
• High-speed rebound (upper dial on bottom of fork leg) 8 clicks
• Low-speed rebound (lower dial on bottom of fork leg) 16 clicks

You’ll be able to fine tune the performance of this fork to suit you and your riding style…

The FLOAT EVOL air spring is renowned for its ‘linear spring curve’…

Nukeproof have spec’d a full Shimano SLX groupset on the Giga 290 Elite; this 12-speed drivetrain is ultra-reliable with precise, consistent gear shifting pretty much guaranteed in any riding conditions making it perfect for the demands of Enduro racing and aggressive trail riding. With a compact 30T chainring up front matched with a wide ratio cassette consisting of cogs ranging from 10 to 52 teeth there’s a gear ratio to suit all eventualities, regardless of whether you’re pointed uphill or downhill. The Shimano SLX 12-speed shadow plus rear derailleur features a clutch mechanism to help keep the 12-speed chain securely located and Nukeproof have also included a small chain catcher of their own located on the chainring so even when your riding gets really rowdy and you’re rattling through a set of stutter bumps the drivetrain will stay functional and efficient.

A Shimano SLX chainset with Hollowtech 2 cranks and a compact 32T chainring is up to the job…

A Shimano SLX wide ratio cassette provides all the gear combinations you’ll need, uphill or downhill…

An 11-Speed SLX rear derailleur with a clutch provides precise gear changes and keeps the chain secure…

A Shimano SLX 12-speed trigger shifter provides light, crisp gear shifting in all conditions…

Nukeproof have included their own neat chain catcher…

It’s nice to see that Nukeproof haven’t cut any corners speccing the Giga 290; they’ve fitted a complete Shimano SLX braking system that consists some small functional details that make it perfectly suited to the demands of hardcore downhill riding. As you’d expect the SLX hydraulic brake calipers are four pot and they come fitted with Shimano metallic brake pads with fins to keep the brakes cool and in control. Front and rear brake rotors are 203mm diameter so there’s plenty of braking surface for those four pot calipers so you’ll be able to quickly and effectively scrub off speed as and when you need to without the fear of the system over-heating.

Compact SLX brake levers provide a controlled, confidence-inspiring feel…

Shimano SLX four pot brake calipers provide ample stopping-power…

Small details help make braking more efficient – metallic brake pads with fins take care of braking business…

Well-proven Shimano braking technology is pretty much fit and forget…

There’s 203mm brake rotors front and rear to help scrub off speed quickly and effectively…

Let’s move onto the wheels; a bike that’s this big, with so much travel and large 29” wheels is going to gain speed very quickly, allowing you to plow through rough terrain and hold your speed on tall, tight berms. This type of full-on riding is going to ask a lot of your wheels, but thankfully Nukeproof have come through again speccing a high-quality wheelset that meets the brief. The Giga 290 Elite features a pair of DT Swiss E 1900 Spline 29” wheels, a wheelset that has been developed specifically to handle the rigours of Enduro racing and riding (the ‘E’ in their product name hinting at their suitability for Enduro duties); DT have managed to strike just the right balance between weight and stiffness with tough aluminium rims laced to durable DT Swiss hubs via strong straight pull spokes.

A durable DT Swiss rear hub with sealed bearings and a 3 pawl freehub is smooth and functional…

Front and Rear DT Swiss hubs feature strong straight-pull spokes…

Wide E 1900 rims with a 30mm inner-width are stiff, durable and give the tyres a nice square profile…

The Nukeproof Enduro Racing team including the legend Sam Hill race on Michelin tyres so it’s not surprising to see the Giga 290 Elite shod with Michelin’s brilliant Wild Enduro 29×2.4 Gum-X tubeless ready tyres. The Wild Enduro Gum-X tyres feature a special GUM-X3D rubber compound with decreased rigidity for better directional control and enhanced versatility in the dry or on slightly wetter trails, making these durable all-rounders well suited to riding in mixed conditions. There’s a tough Enduro-specific Gravity Shield TPI casing to help prevent damage to the sidewall from rocks and trail debris; the Wild Enduro tyres feature front and rear-specific tread patterns developed to excel regardless of what’s thrown at them, with the rear focused on providing traction and support and the front focused on superior control with those big side knobs keeping you in control as you rail the berms.

Race-proven on the Enduro World Series Michelin Wild Enduro 29 x 2.40″ tyres will keep you in control…

Look at those big side knobs – they’ll help you rail round loose turns…

Thanks to their clever rubber compound and open tread pattern the Wild Enduros will excel in most conditions… 

An Enduro-specific Gravity Shield TPI casing will help prevent sidewall damage…

The rear tyre’s tread pattern provides plenty of traction but rolls fast too…

Finishing kit on the Giga 290 Elite is made up of Nukeproof’s own brand components with a solid looking machined 50mm Horizon stem matched up neatly with their Horizon V2 handlebars featuring a 25mm rise and a proportional width depending on the size of Giga you choose to ride – 780mm for small and medium bikes, 800mm for large, extra-large and xx-large bikes. Nukeproof have spec’d a pair of Sam Hill signature grips which are lock-on and feature a nice grip pattern that feel comfortable in gloved hands.

Nukeproof’s own Horizon components adorn the Giga 290 Elite…

Sam Hill signature lock-on grips are slim and comfortable…

A Brand X Ascend internally routed, cable-activated dropper post takes care of getting your saddle out of the way quickly when you’re dropping into a steep, technical trail. The dropper is activated by a neat Shimano lever on the underside of the left-hand handlebar; The amount of drop differs depending on the size of Giga – 125mm drop on the small bike, 150mm drop on the medium and 170mm drop on the large, extra-large and xx-large bikes.

A Brand X Ascend dropper post gets your saddle out of the way quickly…

A neat Shimano lever controls the cable-activated dropper post…

Finally, there’s a Nukeproof Horizon saddle which features a good profile that should suit most riders (when you’re in the saddle grinding back up the hill to the next timed stage) and includes a pressure-reliving cut out as well as a tough finish to stand up to the rough and tumble of Enduro racing and gravity-focused trail riding.

The stubby Horizon saddle features a profile which suit most riders…

The Nukeproof Giga has caught the attention of a lot of the mountain bike community in the short time that it’s been released. Industry insiders, the cycling media and bike retailers alike (including us!) have all enthused over what Nukeproof have achieved with the Giga. This really is a bike that’s not only kept up with the demands of aggressive Enduro-style riding but has actually surpassed them; it’s a bike that helps to redefine what’s possible to ride. By merging the best attributes of both their Downhill and their Enduro bikes Nukeprooof have created a versatile machine capable of helping you excel during full-on gravity riding; this bike can more than hold its own on any fast, technical trail, it’ll be bags of fun at your favourite bike park and can handle uplift sessions on huge Alpine mountains; built to shred steep, rough terrain and be stable at super-high speeds you’ll be seeking out increasingly demanding trails to test yourself and your Giga.

The Nukeproof Giga has surpassed the demands of Enduro racing and has created its own ‘Super-Enduro’ category…

The Nukeproof Giga 290 Elite and other Giga models are available now but stock is frenetic! If you’re interested in buying the Giga please check with us in-store or online for availability…

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

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