When we think of ultra-fast e-MTBs we often think of ugly-looking beasts, which weigh a heck of a lot and although moving very fast, they often lose a lot of playfulness.
The Nireeka Mega 1500 aims to break that mould by retaining the fun factor on trails, while also hitting those big figures in the electrics.
That’s a challenge to achieve, with chunky batteries and motors often equalling extra kilograms on the scales.
If Nireeka manages to pull it off – they could have a market leader in the ultra-fast corner of the market.
Do they achieve it? Let’s find out in our Nireeka Mega 1500 review.
Our Verdict
Nireeka has pulled off the remarkable in making a weighty bike feel playful, while also offering a good range in the battery and a versatile suspension.
The main plaudits come from the motor though – the power is unreal and the bike flies as a result, while also climbing like a beast.
The bike stands out in the ultra-fast market by actually looking the part, unlike a weighty ogre as so many of the speed-focused e-bikes do.
There are areas to tweak, such as the drivetrain and display, hence why we haven’t given it a five-star rating.
However, for $3,299 this is a bargain.
Peaks:👍
- Motor power
- Battery performance
- Handling
- Price
- Versatility
Troughs:👎
- Weight
- Sometimes too powerful
- Drivetrain
Nireeka Mega 1500 Review
Price: $3,299
Weight/Frame
The Nireeka Mega 1500 weighs in at a quite chunky 31.8kg. On paper that sounds like a cumbersome nightmare, but when we drill down the electrics figures later you’ll soon see it isn’t of greatest concern.
The bike is aluminum framed and looks the part, with a stylish silver finish and a sporty design.
That sporty design carries through into the geometry – the bike has a playfulness that we didn’t expect from a heavy-weight bike.
It’s made to fly and there’s a suppleness in the handling which allows you to feel quite confident on tricky terrain.
There is the obvious caveat here that it is a 31.8kg bike, so if you want to be launching down gnarly downhill terrain, this isn’t the best bike for it and others will be better.
However, as weighty general trail bikes go, you can still have elements of fun on singletracks and moderate-difficulty routes.
Battery
The Nireeka Mega 1500 is fitted with an 840Wh in-house battery, which provides a solid range of more than 80km.
We found on hilly terrain that the 80km figure holds well and it sits neatly into the cool angled design of the downtube.
What’s particularly impressive is the charge time – the battery only takes between 2.5 and 3 hours to charge up to 100% from empty.
That surpasses many competitors in the market, particularly for a chunky 840Wh battery.
ℹ️ The battery does lose some of its range if you hammer the full potential of the enormously powerful motor – worth remembering if you’re heading out on a seriously long ride.
Motor
Now this is really where the fun begins – the Nirkeea Mega 1500 comes with a truly whopping 1,500Wh motor.
It’s a custom model, which provides a ferocious 200Nm of torque – that’s enough to throw you up pretty much any climb at a pace.
It also makes the bike a complete speed demon, capable of reaching a top speed of 60km/h.
The bike is as competitive as you get on the flats and no climb offers you any real concern on the approach.
It also highlights how reasonable that overall weight figure is when you consider what you’ve got at your disposal in the electrics.
One point to be mindful of though – this bike can be slightly hard to tame for an inexperienced rider, due to the sheer amount of power you’re playing with.
Also, if you’re a lighter rider you may find the combination of weight and power over facing and it could lead to some dodgy moments on difficult trails.
Motor Display
The Nirkeea Mega 1500 comes with a Bafang DP C220 display.
It has both positives and negatives – you get a lot of different data viewing options, including your speed, calorie consumption, distance covered, tim, and numerous other settings.
However, you don’t get your percentage of battery life left displayed as a figure – instead, you get a 5-stage power bar design. That can leave you uncertain about the true amount of battery life you have left.
It does offer a remaining distance figure as an option, but this depends on a lot of factors (such as riding ability, terrain, etc.) and isn’t as accurate as we would like.
You get 5 modes of assist, plus a walk assist function, which means you can tailor your effort quite well.
You only really need to crank up that top assist function for the hardest terrain – otherwise, it’s a bit overkill and drains the battery unnecessarily.
You can upgrade the display, but it comes at an extra cost.
Suspension
The Nireeka Mega 1500 comes with 150mm of travel at both the front and the rear.
The components are made in-house by Nireeka and they perform well, offering enough cushioning for some playful trail riding.
The bike flows well through lumpy terrain and the suspension copes well with the bike’s heavy weight.
Although on paper 150mm may seem quite spongey for a rear end, the power of the motor ensures that you don’t lose too much pace uphill.
For a heavy bike, it’s a damn good suspension setup and the riding experience feels well-balanced.
Wheels/Tires
The Nireeka Mega 1500 is an all-weather beast thanks to a monster pair of fat tires underfoot and a strong pair of rims.
The Kenda Gigas model comes with a four-inch wide tread, which provides enough cushioning to cope with the bike’s weight, but also means you can head out in the snow and seriously wet conditions.
The set-up has good durability too, not only lasting a long time, but they also take a lot of pressure away from the body during any impacts.
The level of traction is grippy too, which adds to the spriteliness of the bike on the climbs.
The wheel and tire setup are further features that contribute to the bike’s balanced feel.
Brakes
The Nireeka Mega 1500 is fitted with a pair of Shimano Deore M4100 brakes.
They can feel a little under-gunned at times for the nuts pace of the bike in that powerful motor and the overall weight too.
For an upgrad, you can get Bluebrake anti-lock technology installed, which we recommend people do.
We’ve included that extra addition into the price quoted here – it prevents you from having a nasty crash if you’re traveling at the highest speeds the bike can ride at.
Drivetrain
The Nireeka Mega 1500 is fitted with a Shimano Acera group set as standard, which we aren’t enamored with.
It only offers 9 gears and we would always prefer a 12-speed set-up by choice – due to the weight of the bike it can be quite hard to churn the legs at times.
However, you can upgrade this for various different models. By far the best is the Shimano XT M8000 model, which offers 11-gears and a wonderful riding experience.
The downside: the upgraded option costs an extra $299.
Price - $3,299
We think this bike is a steal, even the standard model.
You’re getting some outstanding electrical components, with the motor power surpassing many competitors.
It climbs well and remains playful, while also looking cool and for under $3,299.
There are several upgrades, which you can add on – the drivetrain is the one we would suggest if you go for any.
However, the standard model is a good, high-powered, e-MTB on its own.
Nireeka Mega 1500 Facts & figures
Geometry configurations
| SIZE | 18" (MEDIUM) | 20" (LARGE) |
|---|---|---|
| SEATTUBE | 465 mm | 517 mm |
| REACH | 427.5 mm | 462 mm |
| STACK | 658 mm | 669 mm |
| WHEELBASE | 1,259 mm | 1,259 mm |
| CHAINSTAY | 502 mm | 502 mm |
| TOP TUBE | 545 mm | 600 mm |
| HEADTUBE | 120 mm | 120 mm |
| STANDOVER | 735 mm | 783 mm |
| FORK ANGLE | 65.3 ° | 65.3 ° |
| SEATTUBE ANGLE | 70 ° | 70 ° |
Full Specs
| SPECIFICATION | ||
|---|---|---|
| Motor | Batteries | Chargers |
| 1500W Motor | 840Wh Battery | Normal Charger |
| Suspension | Display | Handlebar |
| Aluminum Air Fork | Display DP C220 | Aluminum Handlebar |
| Seatpost | Saddle | Wheels |
| Aluminum Seatpost | Sport Saddle | Kenda Gigas |
| Groupset | Brake | Rotor |
| Shimano Acera | Shimano Deore M4100 | Shimano Deore SM-RT56 |
How Does it Compare?
In this comparison we’re going to pit the Nireeka Mega 1500 up against another ultra-fast e-MTB.
It’s another bike that also featured in our Fastest Electric Mountain Bikes of 2023 review guide – the R22 Everest.
Let’s start by comparing speed – the Nireeka Mega 1500 can hit a top speed of 60km/h, 3km/h more than the R22.
The Nireeka is also superior in weight, coming in at 31.8kg over a whopping 42kg on the R22.
As you can imagine that affects the playfulness of the R22 and the Nireeka is a much more capable trail bike – easier to handle and manipulate.
That heavyweight figure we mentioned on the R22 becomes clear when it comes to the battery – it has a sensational range of 190km, thanks to the bike’s dual 3,260Wh set-up – that dwarfs our Nireeka.
The R22 loses out in the motor department though, our Nireeka has 10Nm more at its disposal, with 200Nm of torque over the R22’s 190Nm.
Due to the R22’s weight, it comes with a huge 200mm suspension set-up at either end, which is positive for coping with the bike’s weight, but it doesn’t make it playful in any way and our Nireeka feels far better balanced.
The Nireeka also takes the plaudits in the wheel/tire department, offering a wider tread, but has slightly less efficient brakes, compared to the R22.
Aside from the battery range and brakes, the Nireeka is clearly superior and a fuller package, but it’s only when you hear the price that you realize how much of a bargain the Nireeka is.
The R22 costs $18,900, compared to the bargain $3,299 of our Nireeka – only one winner.
Final Thoughts
The Nireeka defies the norm by being a weighty, fat-tire, and supercharged e-MTB, but remaining playful and good to look at.
The motor performance is outstanding, the battery performance is admirable and the suspension and handling complements it.
There are one of two areas that need tweaking, such as the motor display and the drivetrain, but there are upgrades available for an extra cost.
The Nireeka stands out in the field of ultra-fast e-MTBs and it’s made all the more impressive for the price they’re asking for.
Overall, it’s a beauty to ride, offering versatility and a well-rounded riding experience.
Pretty good hey? Time you find out for yourselves.
