Well we actually managed to squeeze a little extra travel out of the frame with this special version, so at around 167mm travel we think it will be enough.
Obviously there is some pressure from the industry as a whole with regards to new wheel sizes.We haven’t really had any pressure at all, we have just been waiting for new parts so we can try out the 27.5 wheel in the DH discipline. The guys at Nukeproof have been doing their own testing with various wheel sizes as well, and have been very open to what the team have to say in relation to spec and wheel size.
What are your own personal thoughts on the wheel size debate? One argument goes that if it is quicker then racers would be foolish not to use bigger wheels.Well yes, if there is a faster wheel size then any top team or rider would be daft not to use it. We aren’t far enough along with back to back timed runs on various tracks to establish what is better or faster yet, so we can only guess that it is faster from riding and listening to others that have. We will be doing the timed runs, and we will draw our own conclusions based on the results. My honest opinion is that the DH discipline should have a wheel size rule and I would have set that at 26”, but that is just my opinion and not necessarily the correct one. The industry has to move forward and develop new products, so it seems that they have decided 27.5 is the way it’s going in trail and enduro bikes and now maybe DH. Although no one has won a world cup DH race on 27.5 yet! And the Enduro World Series (men’s) was won on 26”. I love my 27.5 Mega, it definitely feels better and more confidence inspiring on certain types of terrain, but not as much fun as 26 in some circumstances.
Do you think that we will see a lot of teams on 27.5 or 29” wheels in South Africa? Surely is it going to help with overall speed there?I think we probably will, like we did at the World Champs last year. I don’t think it’s a track we should be racing WC or World Champs on at all for DH though. The racers always make a great race out of wherever they race, but that’s not the point. We are racing ‘down’ hill not ‘across’ the hill!
On a slightly different note, are Nukeproof looking at carbon for their frames in the future?You will have to wait and see on that one…
And finally I guess we have to ask, is there a 27.5” Pulse on the cards?Well there might be after our next few weeks of testing. We are constantly working with Ali and the guys at Nukeproof on new bikes and components so there is always something in the pipeline. I’ll get back to you on that one.
SPEC (Team bike)Frame (and size): Nukeproof Mega AM, slightly modified, Large
Shock: RockShox Vivid Air or Vivid R2C
Fork: RockShox BoXXer WC
Stem: Nukeproof Warhead Direct
Headset: Nukeproof
Grips: Nukeproof Sam Hill Signature
Bars: Nukeproof Sam Hill Signature or Nukeproof Warhead 20mm
Shifter: SRAM XO
Derailleur: SRAM XO
Brakes: Avid XO Trail
Seatpost: Nukeproof
Saddle: Nukeproof Sam Hill Scrub
Crank: SRAM XO 165mm
BB: SRAM ceramic
Ring: SRAM 36T
Chain Guide: E.Thirteen LG1
Cassette: SRAM 11/23
Chain: SRAM
Pedals: Nukeproof or Crank Brothers Mallet DH
Wheelset: Mavic Deemax or Mavic Enduro 27.5
Tyres: Schwalbe: Magic Mary, Hans Dampf and Rock Razor
Tubes: Schwalbe sealant
Wheelbase: 48.5”
Chainstay: 445mm
Headangle: 63º
Weight: 33lb
Bar width: 760mm for Joe and Mike, 745mm for Sam
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