2024 Nukeproof Giga 290 RS Carbon

It’s been five months since I received the very red Nukeproof Giga 290 RS Carbon. I wrote a first impressions article reviewing all the bike highlights, frame details, geometry, and sizing. Shortly after releasing the first look article, the news broke that Nukeproof’s parent company was going bust. This was awkward for two reasons; what’s the point in writing a review article on a bike from a defunct brand, and Nukeproof still owed us a chunk of change for the import duties. While Nukeproof USA is shut, it looks like Nukeproof UK is still going, but maybe not now. Welp, we’re gonna release this review anyway, partly because it was mostly written, partly because I think it's still worth talking about, and partly because Deniz's images should be seen. So here are my unfiltered opinions on riding the Nukeproof Giga since October last year.

Geometry Impressions

The Giga is toward the compact end of the sizing spectrum. As mentioned in the first look article, my 32" inseam is barely adequate for the limited seat post insertion on the XL. While I would have preferred the wheelbase of the XXL, I like being able to reach the pedals, so XL it is. Besides the seat tube being a bit long, I enjoyed the rest of the geometry. I like the 445mm chainstay with the 1290mm wheelbase on the XL. Unfortunately, this rear center doesn’t change with sizing, so this rear center is going to feel long on the smaller sizes, and possibly a bit short on the XXL.

Head angle-wise, I like the 63.5° head angle on a 170mm travel bike with this intended use. The head tube length is well-judged, allowing a decent adjustment range for bar height. All in all the geometry of the Giga makes for a longer travel bike that still feels agile, eager and playful.

Riding Impressions

Before we can get to the fun bits, we have to talk about how it pedals. Surprisingly well, thanks for asking. Bikes like this Giga and the Transition Spire make me question why anyone would ride a bike with less travel. The lockout on the RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate (childish aside: I so badly want to add more superlatives to that name) is firmer than a Clif bar in winter, which makes the platform very efficient. The Giga RS weighs a reasonable 34 lbs, and the Michelin tires are on the firmer side too. On technical climbs, I wish the rear stays were a bit longer to keep the front end a little less wandery, but otherwise, the seated position was efficient and comfortable. The Giga just feels easy to pedal around on all day.

On to the fun bit. The Giga is an agile, eager, easy-to-ride bike. The shorter wheelbase and rear center give the Giga an urgency to turn in. The front end just seems to tuck in so effortlessly resulting in rapid changes of direction. While I'd prefer a stiffer backend, I think the stiffness is perfect for most folks. The Giga tracks well through corners, it rewards firm pedal strokes on exits with satisfying amounts of momentum.

The RockShox Zeb and Super Deluxe provided a supple yet supportive platform with good traction but also soaked up my overzealous endeavours. The adjustable progression on the main pivot takes all of 30 seconds to switch. The Giga begged to be yanked off every feature on the trail, which meant I overshot many landings. The progressive setting helped with absorbing those bigger impacts. The less progressive setting provided a firmer platform that was lovely on lower angle, more pedally trails.

Durability

Over the test period, the two pivots behind the seat tube came loose. The internal hexes for these fasteners are on the inside to keep the bike looking pretty on the outside. This makes it rather difficult to tighten them to the specified 19 Nm. I had to get industrious (engineer speak for sketchy af) to prevent this pivot from coming loose again (which it did). Towards the end of the test, the main pivot has developed a significant amount of play (shopping cart spec). Otherwise, the bike has been flawlessly reliable after being flogged multiple times a week all winter long.

Component Check

Fork

I've enjoyed the new RockShox Zeb Ultimate over the test period with no issues. However, over the colder winter months, I've had to run the damper just about wide open on all adjustments. I thought this was a problem with this fork, but after a check of fluid levels in the lowers and chatting with other folks, it appears my experience isn't unusual. Lighter riders are revalving their forks, or replacing the damper oil with a lighter weight to gain some usable range adjustment range.

Shock

The RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate works well on this bike. I like the air spring curve, and the damper performs well. The shock seems to have the opposite issue to the fork though. I’m running the rebound adjustment closed, and it's borderline too fast. If you need more air pressure than where I'm at, you might run out of adjustment range on the rebound.

Wheels and Tires

The house brand wheels had no issues over the test. The Michelin tires were adequate, nothing great, but also not awful.

Brakes

The Code RSCs came pre-bled with more air than brake fluid. After a good bleed they were consistent and excellent for the duration of the test.

Drivetrain

The SRAM T-Type GX AXS shifts nicely under load, and was quiet during the test. I prefer the shifter pod from the original AXS, and I find the Transmission AXS shifts slower than the previous gen, but they’re minor niggles. The GX AXS proved faultless during the test. I like AXS.

Touch Points

The house brand saddle, bar, stem and grips were excellent. I liked all of them. The BikeYoke Revive seat post seized up one day after sitting for a few weeks, but was cured by the Revive Valve. It got squishy a few times, but this was also cured by the Revive Valve. It's been a good seat post and the Revive does what it says on the tin. The house-brand saddle proved comfortable over long days.

If Deniz's photos say anything in this article, I think they yell that I had a blast riding the Nukeproof Giga. It's a bike that's spent more of its life airborne than on the trail. Is it the fastest bike I've ridden? No, not even close. But it's no slouch either, and it's always been a blast to ride. Unless you're racing for a pay cheque, I think bikes should prioritize fun. The Nukeproof Giga is a fun bike. I'm a bit sad to see this beautiful red bike's future so uncertain. This is the first single pivot mountain bike I've ever really enjoyed riding. While I'd personally prefer something a bit longer, the Nukeproof Giga is a please-all fun factory that makes a great bike for a vast spectrum of folks. It's reasonable in the weight department, has well thought out geometry, pedals well, and has a lovely build. Given the uncertainty of the brand's future, getting support for any problems you may encounter is unknown, but if you can get over that, I think the Nukeproof Giga is well worth trying out.