If you’re into your mountain biking, Nukeproof (a Chain Reaction Cycles house brand) will be a recognisable name with its popular trail and downhill bikes, but it has never produced anything with skinny tyres. That has changed with the launch of the Digger, a brand new bike for 2017 that sees the brand enter the hotly contested and rapidly growing adventure bike market. It looks spot on if you’re after a bike that can be chucked down a dirt road or through the country lanes with equal aplomb, with a good spec for the money.
Who better to talk us through the new bike than the company’s own Matt Cole in this video. Over to you Matt:
The development of the bike came about the Nukeproof downhill race team were asking for a training bike. “It can be ridden on the road, ride it off the road, it keeps things interesting,”says Nukeproof brand manager Ali Becket.
What they’ve created is a 6061 T6 aluminium frame with a full carbon fibre fork, including the steerer tube and thru-axle, and a regular quick release rear-end. The frame is compatible with mudguards adding to the versatility, and you can also fit a rear rack, making it ideal for commuting if you sling a pannier or rack top bag on there.
It’s a disc-specific bike using post mount, not the more common flat mount we’re seeing on the latest road and adventure bikes coming out in 2017. The bike is offered in four sizes, and geometry on a size medium comprises a 406mm reach and 544.4mm stack, with a slack 71.5-degree head angle and long 1,047mm wheelbase an indication of the stability the designers have tried to give the bike.
There are two models to choose from. At the top is the Digger 1.0 (£1,449.99) with a SRAM Apex 1x groupset, hydraulic disc brakes, Zipp Service Course finishing kit and Mavic Aksium wheels with WTB Cross Wolf 32mm UST tyres.
The more affordable Digger 2.0 (£949.99) combines the same frame with a Shimano Sora groupset with a compact chainset and 11-32 cassette. Brakes are TRP Spyres and wheels are made withWTB SX17 rims and Formula DC81 hubs and shod with Kenda 32mm tyres.
Says Nukeproof: “The Digger originated from wanting a do-it-all training bike for our athletes. It’s a versatile bit of kit. Designed to lap up the base miles, shred paths or get wild on the trails. A truly adaptable frame with a blend of road and mountain bike geometry whilst having the capacity to carry essentials such as panniers and mud guards, the Digger can create an adventure out of any ride.”
Take a closer look at both bikes here http://nukeproof.com/products/digger-1-0-2017/
11 thoughts on “Nukeproof Digger gravel bike launched for 2017 – photos, prices, specs and video”
It looks like a fun bike, but
It looks like a fun bike, but did no one at any point look at the downtube and think “maybe we should edit the graphics so it looks a bit less like we’ve named our bike a horriblel racial slur?”
bollandinho wrote:
I think they want the bike to turn heads (just maybe not for the right reason).
bollandinho wrote:
Oh come on, stop looking quite so diligently for trouble.
If that D looks like an N then the E is an F and the R is a B. You can’t have it both ways.
I guess it’ll get you fit
I guess it’ll get you fit when you get chased by an angry mob if the graphics are so easy to misinterpret.
Maybe there’s a lowercase graphic version for the less daring.
Seems expensive for what it
Seems expensive for what it is. What differentiates it from the Vitus they also sell?
drosco wrote:
About 500 quid and a tin of green to you squire. You’re right, weird isn’t it ? Both Apex 1×11 but slightly wider range of gears on the Nukeproof (11-42 vs 11-36), same looking frame and fork and material, same tyres, aguably better rims on the Vitus (WTB i19 vs Aksium Disc), similar finishing kit, slightly different discs (160/160 vs 160/140) which’ll make sod all difference…. must be missing something, got me beat.
disc bikes
Just a thought, a disc braked bike for almost every aspect of cycling, seems like one a month but not seen a disc fixie yet, specifically produced that is.
Unfortunate roonerspism, I
Unfortunate roonerspism, I mean spoonerism.
QR rear – I don’t know.
QR rear – I don’t know.
I can kinda see the engineering logic, I think. But it still very much feels like a cheap halfords “stick the cost saving where punters don’t see it” thing. Just me?
Also, echoing the chuckles at the unfortunate font.
This really is ridiculous..
This really is ridiculous..
Downtube can be misinterpreted sure, but the chainstay is full on Stormfront loon does photoshop.
Apparently, you can’t even
Apparently, you can’t even name your bicycle after a racial epithet in your own country anymore. It’s political correctness gone mad! I blame Red Robbo from the Leyland.