Video: Sam Hill is Back in Action on the New Nukeproof Mega

Jan 11, 2021 at 8:17
by James Smurthwaite  


Press Release: Nukeproof

The internet may have just repaired itself from Sam Hill’s breaking it last week. We’re stoked Sam’s staying with Nukeproof for another 3 years (minimum). Probably time to show him riding the new Mega:

While Sam was absent from the 2020 Enduro World Series rounds, he’s not been in full feet up mode, although it has been nice for him to “relax” and enjoy a full year at home with his young family for the first time in his illustrious career. The V4 Mega is a ground up design and Sam’s been out to ensure the bike is dialled for the 2021 season. He’s even been putting in times against the clock (and winning) at his local Western Australia Gravity Series. With Sam taking a hattrick of Enduro World Series titles on the Mega V3, the V4 Mega had some big shoes to fill. But the redesigned V4 Mega has allowed our engineers to implement some fresh thinking and changes on both 27.5” and 29” platforms. Geometry changes, all new linkage and suspension curve and a full carbon frame (with a fully optimised carbon layup).

photo

Sam’s weapon of choice is again will again be the Mega 290c, seen here built to Team Chain Reaction Cycles-Nukeproof spec featuring components from a full selection of Nukeproof & Sam Hill Signature components along with Sram’s AXS set up, Rockshox ZEB fork, MRP AMG guide and DH22 rubber from Michelin.

bigquotesMy initial impression of the new (V4) Mega is how quick and positive it feels to change lines and direction on the trails. The changes also make it feel a lot more playful to ride, but really stable when you’re going fast.—Sam Hill

The new 2021 Mega: Race Proven.

Filmed in Western Australia at the awesome Linga Longa. Taking on some of his favourite enduro and downhill trails. For those that may not have been to this area, the park is pretty remote, situated about 3 hours from Perth, towards the southernmost tip of Western Australia. Originally the land was bought in 2012 as a family retreat by owner Boxer (as he put it “to run wild and free”). As a relative local Sam has been instrumental in helping design and build in the park along with hundreds of volunteers. What they have created is a little piece of MTB paradise, well worth a visit https://www.lingalongabikepark.com

Edit by Mark Garlic

Author Info:
jamessmurthwaite avatar

Member since Nov 14, 2018
1,770 articles
Must Read This Week
Pole Bicycles Has Filed for Bankruptcy
63246 views
Kona Bicycles' Parent Company Appoints New CFO, Intends to Sell Brand
63092 views
Randoms Round 3: Dario's Treasures
42659 views
Downhill Bikes of Sea Otter - Part 1
41308 views
Brian's Randoms from Sea Otter 2024
39184 views
Pinkbike's DH Fantasy League: Get Your Team On The Line - Fort William is in TWO WEEKS!
37767 views
[UPDATED] Final Elite XC Results & Overall Standings from the Araxá XC World Cup 2024
37273 views
Randoms Round 1 - Sea Otter 2024
37194 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup

94 Comments
  • 129 2
 oo ee oo aa aa, ting, tang, linga longa bing bang
  • 5 10
flag hambobet (Jan 12, 2021 at 2:38) (Below Threshold)
 underated comment
  • 5 0
 My dad would randomly sing this driving to baseball games over 30 years ago!
  • 18 1
 "my initial impressions of the V4 is how quick and positive it feels to change lines and direction on the trails" (says Sam on any bike.)
  • 2 2
 Extraordinary comment
  • 11 0
 I just YouTubed this comment. And now I hate you.
  • 1 0
 @wheelsmith: lol,and climbs like a goat
  • 1 0
 Jump jam ftw
  • 41 0
 If I were to go back to Oz and had more time to ride bikes, I would definitely linga longa in that bike park
  • 2 1
 It goes alright Linga Longa
  • 2 0
 I think you mean "rard barks".
  • 26 1
 One more downhill season...please...you still got it!
  • 20 5
 Yeah. With peaty and rat boy too
  • 20 1
 The best rider of all time for sure. ... and still riding the fastest banana in the world.
  • 13 0
 I'm wondering what kind of training and terrain or just raw talent it takes to be a top enduro rider. Because these aussies like Hill or Moir clearly are killing it (or the UK guys for that matter or Maes) but they clearly don t have daily access to that kind of big mountain area with long -gnarly descents. You need a variety of singletrack-purpose built bike trails so you can dial in your speed and hit the gym a lot so the muscle is there for the races?? or just born ready?
  • 5 1
 Funny you mention that, I was jut thinking as I was watching you could almost get a sense of how much strength he's using to really push the bike down with his arms and legs as he's manhandling it around the track and searching for grip and composure at those mega speeds.
  • 3 1
 this video may show an idea of some of the strength. But check out Kate Courtney instagram and you'll see as an XC rider how much she works out and deadlifts.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXyAdMzjvo8
  • 6 0
 We still have plenty of terrain suitable for trails hill. There are heaps of great trails in the Perth hills. The Perth hills are actually an escarpment that rises 250m+ from flat pretty steeply.

On my small farm to the east of Perth, I have three decent hills across a ridge line that I’ve cut trails on. The drop is 180m over 1km. My individual trails are between 1.3km and 3km.
  • 9 0
 @munkiemagik Sam Hill doesn't search for grip or composure... he has more control of his tires breaking point than anyone else on a mountain bike and no one looks more effortless while riding at those mega speeds.
  • 13 0
 Wait until you find out that Richie Rude is from a place with no mountains, just lots of rocks and roots.
  • 7 0
 Bike setup is probably huge for them too. Some of the pros (Elliot Heap, Greg Gallaghan, etc) have mentioned that they have to set their bikes a bit softer than they would for all-out speed on a track (like in DH) because since the runs are long and there's a lot of them so as the day goes on they fatigue and can't hold on to the bike as well and they can't ride as smooth/well because it's tossing them.

Obviously some conditioning does come in to make sure they're rock solid to survive longer and prevent injuries if they crash. Although guys built like Richie (or Grubby and Curtis Keene for that matter) do probably get away with that firmer setup because they're jacked.

Robin Walner in particular rides a fairly soft setup and it's been treating him well. Fwiw I also think a lot of people try to be heroes by riding stiff suspension overestimating how fast they are/the terrain they have and hearing that Richie and Gwin run super stiff setups (I've done it myself so I'm not blaming anyone haha)

Blah blah blah
  • 3 0
 I was taken to the area in Perth hills that Sam grew up and there were still the remnants of jumps and trails the motocross guys are scared to touch that sam apparently built as a teenager (or so the story goes). Extremely steep and still not in an area with sanctioned trails.
  • 4 0
 @Afterschoolsports: What's your address, asking for a friend Smile
  • 3 0
 @Dallasdownunder: next summer maybe. I’m currently in the process of making them a bit more gnarly. Last weekend I marked out the path for a jump/flow line. Clearing and digging will start next week when my excavator is fixed.
  • 1 0
 Can’t speak for Perth trails, but we do have smaller mountains here (much smaller than Europe or Americas, usually topping out at around 2100m) where many top level Mtb riders live.

Mount beauty is such a place where many such riders live, train. A week on the trails around there is a shock to the system, you’ll see why the best choose to live near such a place
  • 1 0
 Based on terrain youd expect the best riders to come out of NZ or Whistler, but you see guys like Sam out of areas like this often in sports. I think with the right person and situation, being someplace where you have to work for it breeds a different level of commitment, outside of box thinking and enthusiasm....
  • 14 1
 I'll watch anything with Sam Hill, but damn why did they have to use that same tired "song" that's used in pretty much every other bike video? It must be stock / free for production companies...
  • 6 1
 never heard this track, probably because I only watch sam hill ...
  • 7 0
 as a armature filmmaker , and having done a few paid gigs, I can say its very hard to find good music that doesn't cost a lot of money. most of the royalty free music is pretty awful to work with and honestly is the hardest part of editing ( for me).
  • 2 1
 i just shuffle played the music in another window and muted this vid. way better suited
music.youtube.com/playlist?list=RDTMAK5uy_kset8DisdE7LSD4TNjEVvrKRTmG7a56sY
  • 12 0
 New Mega: Linga, longa, slacka.
  • 10 0
 Foot out Flat out. Never get’s old watching the master at work. Gotta love his sense of humour too.
  • 10 0
 More first person Sam Hill riding please! That was great.
  • 9 0
 Chuck Norris once twitched and lost a staring match because someone whispered “Sammm Hiillllllll............”
  • 10 0
 Sam and the MEGA - Making Earth Great Again
  • 6 1
 Did you notice when he was riding with his foot out front moto style he isn't sitting on the seat, all his weight is on the outside pedal standing on one foot. Dude makes it look so easy!
  • 8 0
 That's how it works, you don't want to put weight on your saddle
  • 2 9
flag DavidGuerra (Jan 12, 2021 at 11:15) (Below Threshold)
 Because it is easy, it's harder (and takes more courage) to keep both feet on the pedals and deal with any losses of traction in that position, and also a hell of a lot more rewarding.
  • 4 0
 @DavidGuerra: But it doesn't look as cool and you can't do braap noises in your head...
  • 1 0
 @SintraFreeride: I don't know, I think two-wheel drifts with both feet on the pedals are the most memorable moments when they occur. With the inside foot out all that's needed is a slippery surface. With both feet on it can't be too slippery. One who does that on hard, soap-like mud has my utmost respect!
  • 1 0
 @SintraFreeride: This terrain here for instance, is pretty compact and offers little resistance to the drift, so getting the foot down was quite unavoidable. In looser terrain (not loose over hard) control is much easier, so much that I don't even think it counts...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrTMDEU05jc
  • 3 0
 @DavidGuerra: riding perth hills in summer like that normally results in gravel rash as it’s 10-20 cm of pea gravel over hard and once it steps out it often won’t stop. Over winter once it’s rained it’s great, but spring/summer it’s a completely different game (and why almost everyone wears knee pads.)
  • 4 0
 Sam Hill on the Mega, Bryn Atkinson on the Optic. Two bike release videos with cornering geniuses. Are Aussies just born knowing how to drift through a corner like nobody's business? Whatever it is I love watching it, over and over again.
  • 15 0
 Maybe they're born with it.....

Maybe they're made to lean....

(works better with the jingle playing in your head)
  • 1 0
 Aw come on the aussies gotta be good at something!
  • 3 0
 Don't Yeti own the Race Proven tagline? Certainly appears on most of their apparel.

Maybe it's Nukeproof's way of reminding Yeti of the Hill vs Rude score for the last 3 years.
  • 13 0
 Sam was never found to be cheating either
  • 1 0
 Cut the guy some slack he got punished for doping completely on accident and served his time
  • 4 0
 The first click of the day was hard to choose Hart or Hill....I went with Hill
  • 4 0
 Clicking when seeing Hill'ing.
  • 3 0
 Sick bike, just wish I could get one. The 2021 Meta AM is going to fill its shoes.
  • 3 2
 I love the new Mega, loved the old one as well.
I wonder what the waiting list is like in those just now. I quite fancy a 290 Elite (dark grey with yellow graphics, fox suspension). It seems everyone is out of stock.
  • 3 0
 I got response from them, between the lines it read like it will be near impossible to buy one this year.
  • 1 0
 I'm after a mega also but cant find one brand new for sale anywhere, especially with a shimano groupset!
  • 1 0
 CRC has them in stock right now. been trying to decide whether to pull the trigger...
  • 1 1
 @obiwanknope: do it!
  • 1 1
 @obiwanknope: too late!
  • 4 0
 Sam Hill parts ways with earth....................and the internet
  • 3 0
 Bike is sick, Sam is sick, but he's been in better vids.
  • 3 0
 Into sounds like Dire Straits, Money for Nothing.
  • 1 0
 What is going on with the colour grading in this. The shadows seem really weird. Or else its just my monitor. Either way super riding
  • 2 0
 He makes it look soooo easy & then you see his real speed from the helmcam - scary fast..!
  • 2 0
 Wait. Tacky dirt in Australia? I I haven't seen that in a video in a while.
  • 1 0
 I feel like we've seen him on some of these same trails, but only in the dry summer. Cool to see them green with some traction!
  • 2 0
 just casually riding faster than 99,99999 % of the rest of the world.....what a legend
  • 1 0
 So, if I buy a Mega V4, can you guys have Sam Hill touch the frame so it can steal his riding abilities.... like the basketball in Space Jam? KthnxBai
  • 2 0
 Is this Pinkbike or PornHub???
  • 2 0
 Sounds good. I'll buy one. Where are they available?
  • 2 0
 OMG I need those goggles after them slow motion shots!!!
  • 2 0
 Need a review of this bike... Sam would make a grocery cart look fast.
  • 1 0
 Man. You had a video that was destined to be awesome, and then you chose that song?
  • 2 0
 Pretty sure the earth started rotating faster when he started riding.
  • 1 0
 I love watching his cornering so much I am disappointed when he is airborne.
  • 1 0
 Sam Hill and nukeproof are such an iconic team, I'll always be rooting for him. Love the look of the new bike.
  • 1 0
 Yes mate! The legend that is Sam Hill!
  • 1 0
 Sam Hill The King. Give him a crown.
  • 1 0
 How long has he been off Troy Lee Design?
  • 1 0
 I could watch Sam Hill drifting inside lines on off-camber turns all day.
  • 1 0
 ...But he's not clipped in..
  • 1 0
 Sam doesn't linger long on any bike - did you see what i did there?
  • 1 0
 Next: Sam Hill plays D'Artagnan in The Three Musketeers. Big Grin
  • 3 0
 If Sam was one of the 3 musketeers, the other two would be made redundant.
  • 1 0
 @Nukeproofinternational: Good one! Smile
  • 1 0
 Where are the Mega 290c bike pics?
  • 1 0
 I need that yellow frame badly. Would settle for light pale green too.
  • 2 1
 I'm sold on buying a mega now.
  • 2 0
 Fack yeeeah!
  • 1 0
 Pinkbike needs WAY more SH POV in its life.
  • 1 0
 that gun metal colored BAMF aura just sort of floats around him
  • 1 0
 How could anyone have thought this guy was retiring ????????????????
  • 1 0
 RS ZEB 190mm you think ?
  • 1 1
 Welli mills ?
  • 3 1
 Linga Longa Bike Park, Balingup
  • 2 0
 Actually tank 7 nannup @paulvonperth:







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.033948
Mobile Version of Website