Nukeproof enjoyed a legion of fans before owners Wiggle/CRC were sold to Frasers Group last year, and the core team behind the brand lost their jobs. It was also a brand that fielded World Cup downhill and enduro teams, flying high at the highest level and punching well above its weight on the race scene thanks to the likes of Sam Hill and Ronan Dunne. Nukeproof also won numerous bikes tests here at MBR, including the 2020 Trail Bike of the Year award with the Reactor. Then, in 2021 it scored an impressive 9/10 rating for the alloy version. At the time we said “Nukeproof has totally nailed the geometry, suspension and ride feel”.

The On-One Atomic breathes new life into an old classic.

Although the remaining Nukeproof stock seems to be getting cleared out through Evans Cycles, we thought we’d seen the last of the Reactor. Not so, it seems, as judging by the details, it has been reincarnated as the On-One Atomic. There’s even a not-so-subtle reference in the name – Atomic, Reactor, see? But the real confirmation comes when digging into the nitty-gritty. The Reactor was one of the very few alloy bikes to come with a carbon seatstay assembly, and the Atomic also has this feature, where the stays actually wrap around under the shock link to tie both sides together.

Trail and Rail are the two flip-chip positions.

There’s also the same flip-chip at the rear shock mount giving 6mm of BB height and 0.5º of head angle change. It’s still 130mm travel, available in three sizes, and fitted with 29in wheels front and rear. Another giveaway are the forged plates either side of the top tube that secure the shock – they have the exact same profile as the Nukeproof.

The Nukeproof Reactor was designed before SRAM launched the UDH hanger, and the On-One Atomic is also not compatible with the latest SRAM T-Type mechs.

What has changed, however, is the price. And for the better. While the Reactor Pro 290 Alloy we tested back in 2021 cost £3,699.99, the On-One Atomic starts from just £2,499.99 with a similar spec that includes SRAM GX Eagle and RockShox Lyrik Select fork and Super Deluxe shock. How’s that for inflation-busting? And while the Reactor frame might be five years-old now, the only real signs of ageing are visible with the taller than average seat tube lengths, and the lack of a SRAM UDH mech hanger. But if you’re not considering using a T-Type mech, the On-One Atomic appears to be a bit of a bargain. The only slight fly in he ointment is that you can buy the full carbon Nukeproof Reactor 290 Elite for just £500 extra on the Evans Cycles website – while stocks last.