I’ve been a cyclist for as long as I can remember. Back in the '90s and early 2000s, I was that kid who couldn’t stop thinking about mountain bikes. Magazines, bike shops, tinkering with parts in the garage—it was an obsession. Heck, I even got bullied in school for it.
Nevertheless, as the years went on, I felt like I was growing up alongside all that bike tech. From rigid frames to full suspension, rim brakes to hydraulic discs, 3x drivetrains to 1x setups—it all evolved before my very eyes.
Now? That evolution has shifted into overdrive. E-bikes are no longer just quirky commuting tools. They’re fast, serious, and, in many cases, absolutely unhinged. Top-tier brands like Specialized and Trek are leading the charge in the high-end pedal-assist game, and even names like BMW and Ducati are jumping in with electrified two-wheelers. But the bike we’re talking about today doesn’t come from a legacy brand. It comes from a much smaller player, albeit one with a serious knack for turning heads.
Say hello to the Nireeka Spectrx.
If Bruce Wayne decided to start trail riding, this might be the bike he’d bring. This thing looks like a bright neon fighter jet on two wheels, wrapped in carbon fiber and packed with more power than some small motorcycles. We’re talking about a 6-kilowatt mid-drive motor delivering a face-melting 280 Nm (206 pound-feet) of torque. For context, that’s enough to roast most conventional bike drivetrains—and Nireeka knows it.
Instead of trying to make a traditional derailleur setup cope with all that grunt (which, let’s be honest, would be mechanical suicide), they’ve gone full Frankenstein. The Spectrx runs a hybrid drivetrain with a motorcycle-style rear sprocket and a specially reinforced e-bike chain. No cassette. No derailleur. Just brute force and smart engineering.
The frame is a carbon monocoque unit with sharp, almost alien-like lines—lightweight but strong, helping the Spectrx Plus version tip the scales at just 30 kg (66 lb). There’s also a burlier Fat version with 26 x 4-inch tires that comes in at 36 kg (79 lb). Both promise ludicrous straight-line speed—up to 80 kilometers per hour (50 miles per hour)—making this the fastest model Nireeka has ever built.
Feeding that monster of a motor is a 1,260-Wh battery using Samsung cells, good for a claimed 50 to 120 kilometers (31 to 75 miles) of range depending on terrain and throttle habits. It’s also equipped with a smart battery management system to keep things from overheating or overcharging, which is reassuring when you're dealing with this much juice.
The parts list is equally impressive: 140 mm of travel front and rear, adjustable suspension with a DNM rear shock tucked neatly into the frame, torque and cadence sensors for smoother pedal assist, and Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with e-bike focused ABS. There's even a full-color display with app connectivity and a bright LED headlight to light your way when you inevitably push into night rides.
And yes, it’s on Indiegogo. That means you’ll need to take the risk and roll the dice with a pre-order if you want one early. And as you’re probably aware, stuff like this doesn’t always go according to plan.
But to be fair, Nireeka’s not just some random pop-up brand—they’ve been doing this since 2018 and have delivered bikes that reviewers generally like. Early-bird pricing starts at $3,099 for the Spectrx Plus (retail: $4,799), and $3,299 for the Fat version (retail: $4,999), with international shipping at around $299.
Optional extras? Nireeka allows you to slap on upgraded brakes, a faster charger, a range extender, and even turn signals if you plan to use this monster around town—which you shouldn’t, as it’s obviously not street legal given how much power it’s packing. That said, it does have ride modes, and Nireeka’s website shows a “Casual Riding” mode for when you’re just cruising around town. Now, whether or not you leave it on this neutered riding mode for the entirety of your ride is entirely on your conscience.
So is the Spectrx a game-changer or just a wild experiment in e-MTB excess? Either way, it’s hard not to admire the sheer audacity. After all these years riding bikes of all shapes and sizes, it’s refreshing—and a little terrifying—to see just how far things have come.
Now the only question is: would you dare ride it flat out? I know I would.
