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Submitted by
Dee
a Cross Country Rider
from Germany
Date Reviewed: February 15, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | My local | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$3000.00 | | Purchased At: | German bike store | | Strengths: | Beutiful bike - engineering details and construction are very good. Great handling, and a solid feel. | | Weaknesses: | No weaknesses. I have found my dream bike! My stickers are not so well protected but I can put new ones on and my bike will look like new again. Anodization finish is difficult to clean after very muddy riding. | | Similar Products Used: | Santa Cruz Superlite, Specialized FSR XC, etc. | | Bike Setup: | Nicolai Helius CC frame, XTR drivetrain, King headset and hubs, Continental Vert Pro tyres, FSA BB, Race Face post, Eason bars and stem, Magura brakes, Manitou forks | | Bottom Line: | Karl Nicolai makes wonderful bikes and is a real character on the German moutainbike scene. This is a good bike for XC trail use but it can also be a racer if you make it with lightweight parts. I like that it is very adjutable - like the other persons review I leave it in the longest travel mode but for races I use lower travel. I ride this bike in the mountains often and the suspension feels very good over rocky terrain, always very controlled and responsive.
If you buy a Nicolai you will be very happy with it - and the service is very good if you have problems as there is a 5 year warranty. Lots of Chillis for Nicolai :D | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
marcus higgins
a Weekend Warrior
from Newcastle
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | innerleithen | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$5000.00 | | Purchased At: | local bike shop | | Strengths: | build qulaity - flawless welds and perfect alignment
anodized finish
4 bar linkage
detailing - CNC'd yokes, Rohloff compatibility, unlimited custom options etc
massive tyre clearance
looks
| | Weaknesses: | Takes some getting used to the unusual geometry initially.
unnecessary travel options - 3-5". Just leave it on 5"!
Up to 2 months waiting time for a bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Ellsworth Id
Turner 5 Spot
Various Titus, Specialized, RM, and GT bikes over the last few years. | | Bike Setup: | Review is for Nicolai Helius FR 2003.
Marzocci Z1 forks
Hope wheel set on F219s
Race Face build kit
Conti VP tyres
Builds to 33lbs | | Bottom Line: | Awesome build quality - best welds on any bike I have ever ridden (or seen for that matter). My previous high end bikes do not even begin to compare (Titus, Ellsworth, etc)
Geometry is radical - steep seat, slack head, sloping TT. Geared to very aggresive riding - weight biased to front to place traction on wheel and stop lifting on climbs. Feels odd at first but within one ride it is second nature...
It uses a real 4 bar linkage so no need for fancy shocks - the FOX Vanilla RC it comes with as stock is perfect, but may run a Romic as it feels plusher and may eliminate a little of the bob from weight shifts.
Mine is anodized black, with silver stickers and gets looks from all who see it, if I buy another Nicolai next year I will go for the bronze eloxal finish which is the most bling anodizing I have ever seen!
The suspension action is real plush and is ideal for general hard XC riding with just over 5" of travel. It can be adjusted down to 3" though I can not see many riders bothering. I guess with a lighter build you could use it as a do-it-all bike and race enduro or marathon type events on it. There are better bikes in the range for this, as this is really a fun all rounder with the emphasis in hard trail and light FR use. (I go to around 3-4' drops but it is easily strong enough to go higher - though my old bones are not!)
I love this machine and think it is the best built and best handling bike I have ever owned. I am testing a Nicolai DH bike next week and will post a review after trying it.
Check the website on www.nicolai.net - soem real interesting machines on there. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
andy schwartz
a Weekend Warrior
from sherman oaks, ca usa
Date Reviewed: May 21, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | sullivan | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$3600.00 | | Purchased At: | grayband custom cycles | | Strengths: | bullett proof, , great quality, great warranty, adjustable 4, 5, 6 inches of rear travel, bike is super fast, low standover | | Weaknesses: | not light, not super heavy either but it is a downhill/dual slalom bike! | | Similar Products Used: | giant ac, specialized enduro, khs dominatrix, intense uzzi slx, foes fxr | | Bike Setup: | xtr, manitou supernova, tioga 24" downhill rims and tires, tioga cube stem and riser bars, tioga saddle | | Bottom Line: | Very versitile, excellant performing machine, I won't ever worry about this bike not performing up to expectations | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mickey Shumaker
a Downhiller
from Spokane, WA 99037
Date Reviewed: March 20, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | "The Moffit Trail" Switzer Mt. | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Strengths: | The bike that is actually the subject here is the 2003 Lombada. This is the ultimate DH bike. It gives the rider the total ride he needs to make it down the course faster than that of his opponents. This bike has the Avalanche DH rear shock on it and has the plush feel to it as well as the reactiveness. However you might say that the feeling of plush means that on the big hits in the rear you will bottom out and blow you shock to hell or worse yet break some part, hell no the 4 pivot rear suspension and shock with the through axle make it stiff and stable. If you want the ultimate DH bike you'll want to ride this one. | | Weaknesses: | The only defaults in the bike is the wheelbase and the BB height. The wheel base is adjustable but only from the neighborhood of 42-43 inches. The BB height is adjustable from 13.5 to 14.5. However you can make up for this by buying the 165 cranks. It makes a little differese in your stroke but after you train with it it becomes second nature. | | Similar Products Used: | Schwinn Straight 8, Intense M1, Turner DHR, Giant Team DH, Specilized FSR DH, Rotec DH. | | Bike Setup: | Marzocchi Shiver, Magura Gustav+, Avalanche DH rear shock, Mavic DEE-Max rims, Azonic Hellbent bar, Azonic Short stem, Intense Super Sticky DH tires | | Bottom Line: | This is definetly the supreme DH ride and should be at least demo'd by all types of riders. I admit everyone has there own style but when it comes to winning everyone also has the same will to win. In order to accomplish this you have to have all of you chickens in a row. A dialed bike is the key to the ultimate rush of DH. Point Of contact to ride, buy, or look at the bike go to www.nicolai.net look at the Nucleon and the Lombada. The Nucleon is pretty over kill unless you plan to huck 25 to 30 footers. But still pretty fatty. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ferry Bervoets
a Cross-Country Rider
from Elst Netherlands
Date Reviewed: October 14, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
All over Europe | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Super stiff rear, long lasting shock (2 year service interval) Easton tubing | | Weaknesses: |
A little bit heavy, about 3.5 kilo | | Similar Products Used: |
All kinds of AMP lookalikes | | Bike Setup: |
Marzocchi Z1 front, Shimano XT '99 drivetrain, Magura brakes | | Bottom Line: | Super stiff, ultra strong crosscountry / freeride frameset. | | Overall Rating: |
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