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Average Rating
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3.83/5
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# of Reviews
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6
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MSRP
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$ 1950.00
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Weight
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More Products from Nicolai
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Description:
- The "real" Trombone successor
- This 5.2" travel frame has a new redesign
- Crafted with EASTON FS tubing
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Submitted by
Benjamin Tan
a Weekend Warrior
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: November 14, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Gangsa, Bukit Timah | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2700.00 | | Purchased At: | AttitudeBikes-Singapore | | Strengths: | Teutonic Engineering, Aesthetics, State of the Art Welding, Excellent Attention to Details, Simple yet Superb Suspension System, Exceptional & Wonderful Precision Technology, Strictest Tolerance, Handling + Geometry, Very Durable & Beautiful Powdercoating & Fantastic Anodising Works + Custom Tri-Colours...Confidence-Inspiring & Lovely Ride! | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | Most American Brands... | | Bike Setup: | Nicolai Helius FR Frame with X-Fusion RPV Shock, Marzocchi Z.1 Sport Fork-150mm travel, Blackspire Headset, Atomlab Stem & Handlebar Combo & Front Hub & Rims, DMR Revolver 6 Pawls Rear Hub & Grips, Philwood Spokes Shimano Transmission, Brakeset & Crankset & WTB Saddle etc... | | Bottom Line: | What Can I Say? More Superlatives To Describe It? Karlheinz Nicolai of Lubbrechtsen, Germany Makes The Best Mountain Bikes In The World! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roelant
a Weekend Warrior
from Geneva, Switzerland
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Salève | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Very strong, stiff, confidence inspiring frame.
Stable downhill, climbable uphill.
The welds are very evenly spaced.
Travel is adjustable from 115 to 150mm with the DT Swiss 190 shock, or up to 165mm with a Rock Shox Pearl. Not bad for 3.5 kgs including an air shock...
Very little pedal bob
Impossible to bottom out the DT 190 Shock.
Paint is very tough
totally customisable geometry | | Weaknesses: | Sort of pricey (but you can see where the cash goes to)
It is almost a shame to paint this sort of frame... | | Bike Setup: | Nicolai HeliusFR 2006 frame with DT 190L Shock; Marzocchi Z1 Light ETA 150mm, Louise FR brakes, Race Face Diabolous parts, SRAM X9 drivetrain, XM321 wheels on XT and Marz hubs. total 15.4 kg. | | Bottom Line: | I weigh around 95 kg, and I will break before this frame does.
With some lighter yet strong components (I.E. Crossmax SX wheels and Thomson parts instead of the Diabolous stuff) you could easily build up a 14 kg bike which still is pretty much indestructible, if that's what you want. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
david
a
from nor cal
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Awsome frame, very stiff handles hits with style. | | Weaknesses: | Customer support. | | Bottom Line: | Selling frame due to lack of customer support here in the USA.
Got awsome feedback from the UK after my first posting.
A hope & a dream that went dark. After ONE year i am throwing in the white flag.
Nicolai has a awsome product just not here.
Thank you very much in the UK for all the support to try & keep my confidence in a great product, sorry you had to work so hard for nothing. Keep up the hard work Mike, you rock.
5 flaming chilis for value.
-2 flaming chillies overall.
| Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a
from Nor cal
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Andy/Danny | | Strengths: | Very stiff | | Weaknesses: | Product knowledge from USA distributor.
| | Similar Products Used: | Santa Cruse Supaate w/black box fork, Yeti 8in draw shock w/7in Manitou c/f fork
| | Bike Setup: | XT derailers & shifters, RaceFace, WTB, POC Marozocci, Galfer, Hays Mag, Thompson, Romic, Pro-Taper. ODI, Scram | | Bottom Line: | Awsome confidence in this frame. Ordered a Helius FR frame, nobody knows what i have, the best guess from rep is a Helius DH, thats what Germany said, what year??? Dunow, told its a 2003 frame. Cant get a bolt & nut to replace the possibly cross threaded set on the right rear dropout to shock, rep said get it at a hardware store, gee it's a special nut/washer/spacer, cant buy at a hardware store. The frame is awsome for all around riding ( all mountain ), i ride it in the full travel setting since nobody nows what the travel is. Nicolai frames seam to be very solid but my experiance on cust support is not on par with the frames rating.5 Flaming Chillies for product, 2 Flamings for the rest. Help me out guys, a little possitive support (alot for a new frame) goes a long way, the Nicolai guys in the USA need to get there act toggether in order to sell a really great riding frame, knowledge goes a long way. I deal with the customer crap 5 days a week, the net sucks.
| Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rorie
a Weekend Warrior
from North Yorkshire, UK
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Geometry, strength, build quality, looks, attention to detail; the welding in particular is a work of art in itself. | | Weaknesses: | If you order a custom build you may have to wait upto 3 months (apparrently) - but this is a small price to pay for your perfect bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Orange Sub5/Five/Patriot, Cannondale Jekyll/Gemini, Turner 5 spot, Cove G-spot, Kona Coiler Dee-Lux, Santa Cruz Heckler. | | Bike Setup: | Marzochhi Z1 FR, Fox Vanilla RC, Hope minis/XC hubs/headset, Mavic F219 rims, X-lite XLR seatpost/Steve Peat DHR75 stem + fat boy bars, XT/XTR drivetrain et al. | | Bottom Line: | I bought my frame second hand from Nicolai-UK as it was an ex-demo model used for reviews by the magazines, so I didn't have the wait of a custom model.
Although the shock doesn't have pro-pedal, the frame doesn't need it as the clever (but oh-so-simple) 4-bar-linkage eliminates any pedal-induced bob.
The rear end is stiff and tracks smoothly over the small stuff and eats the big hits with ease. The 5.2" travel feels endless, leaving the 5" forks wanting, but if you'd prefer less travel at the rear there are 4 different settings; 110, 120, 130 and 140mm, although I leave it at the maximum since it pedals so well.
The bike weighs in at 34lbs, light enough for all day epics and strong enough not to break. Depending on your component choice it could be a 30lb XC whippet or a 38lb FR/DH monster hucker, the frame is that versitile. This is a true 'do it all' frame. Some call it Free Ride, or Agressive XC, whatever you ride it'll make the experience a lot more enjoyable and fun.
From the hourglass shaped headtube, to the CNCing, gussets and welding, this frame is not only nice to look at but is perfectly balanced, and you can tell from the confidence inspiring ride. The steep 75° seat angle and sensible 69° head angle lead to an agressive riding position, where the more you put in the more fun you have, and is nimble through the tight winding singletrack, but allows you to get over the back of the saddle easily for the steep bits.
Overall, a well thought out bike designed to cope with anything you can throw at it and has the attention to detail that you'd expect from German Engineering, and with the the endless custom build options, you can tailor the frame to suit your exact needs, all at a sensible price. The perfect frame? Possibly ... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Furth
a Weekend Warrior
from England
Date Reviewed: July 26, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Penhydd, South Wales | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Quality of finish and workmanship, regidity and strength, acuracy of frame alignment and performance. | | Weaknesses: | You may have to wait a while so order early. | | Similar Products Used: | Santa Cruz Heckler, Specialized Enduro | | Bike Setup: | Romic shock, XT Group Set, Z1 Free ride SL forks, Hope hubs, Mavic XM321 rims, Race Face finishing kit, Truvative chainset & BB. | | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike as a frame only. In my opinium the Helius FR is a bike designed for light freeride/rugged trail use. It sits in the middle of the Helius range which also consists of the lighter CC version (for trail use and cross country) and the ST version (standing for ‘super travel’) for free ride use. It is not particularly light (15kg full build weight which is a little heavier than most trail bikes) but it is capable of harder use.
I don’t notice the additional weight whilst riding the trails (or much climbing hills). I believe this is because of the super stiff frame (look at the massive depth of section on the chain stays) and the excellent Romic shock with pedal damping. The four pivot design is good at preventing pedal bob. With good technique I tend to run the Romic shock on almost the lowest setting for pedal damping giving the rear suspension a very active feel. The rear shock does a great job of soaking up abuse
I find the tracking is very ridged and stable over rough terrain giving you the confidence to drive it hard through the twist and turns. So far it feels extremely positive over everything bit of terrain I have ridden it over.
In my opinion the finish as good as any Ellsworth, Turner and Santa Cruz and possibly better value. To get a sense of the quality of workmanship it has to be seen. I believe it is worth the money, but you can of course pick up decent complete bikes for the cost of this frame.
If you want a supurb bike for heavy trail use / light Free ride then this is well worth considering. I currently you it for all my off-road riding and find it hard to put away at the end of the day.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
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