What started with a chance conversation with a well known bike journo became our biggest triumph. Nicolai are still a niche German framebuilder, but over the last 4 years we've brought a small part of Germany to Yorkshire. Visit Dalby trail centre and you'd be hard pressed not to see one of our Nicolai's. All industrial, all individual but every one a work of welding genius.
The first year was all about Helius CC, Moonglu kitted out their first demo bike and it was ridden to death. Orders quickly followed, the demo bike paid for itself 5 times over and Moonglu quickly had a name for Custom Builds. Potential customers started travelling not just 10 miles, not 20miles, but 100s of miles to look at these bikes.
The need for more travel and the growth in the "All Mountain" market made us think about our next demo bike. We gambled on a Helius FR, built tough but light. It paid off spectacularly and in 2007 Helius FR builds were immense, outstripping Helius CC, these were definitely the bikes to have.
Other models have sold well, Argon Fr, M-pire and BMXTB were all sold in limited numbers, but Helius FR continued, so we decided to create our ultimate build. Our current Helius FR demo bike is widely considering our masterpiece, urban dizzy camo custom paintjob, DT Swiss EX1750 wheels and a smattering of uber components, in truth the best All Mountain Bike i've ever ridden.
The Nicolai product range has changed somewhat over the last 2 seasons. The evolution of components and consumer riding fashions has led to the evolution of the Nicolai frame line up. Refinement has been the key on many frames, the Horst link 4 bar design is still dominant but the industrial appearance is slowly diminishing in favour of smoother lines. Components and predominantly fork technology has caused tweaking in the frame family.
The Helius RC was introduced in 2009 when the old Saturn lightweight race frame was retired. Now a classic Nicolai 4 Bar, the Helius RC is a stripped down and lightened version of the Helius CC with titanium hardware and made for marathon racing.
The Helius CC remains in the Nicolai range but has undergone some changes to geometry and cosmetics but still remains a versatile XC/All Mountain frame with 100-140mm rear travel with geometry to suit a matching travel fork.
The Helius range has grown now to accomodate the Helius AC, Helius AM and Helius AFR. They all feature the same 4 bar suspension linkage but increase in travel through the range.
All the new frames can be Hammerschmidt compatible at time of order with an options list that includes rear Maxle, Cone Head 1 1/8" to 1 1/2"(1.5") headtube, Hammerschmidt, Rohloff dropouts and cable guides, not to mention the colour options.
The Helius AM featured below has just been featured in February 2010 MBUKs Super Bikes article and comes back with a glowing report.
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Frame: Nicolai Argon CC Belt Drive
Fork: DMR Switchblade
Wheels: Shimano Alfine/Hope Pro 2 on Stans ZTR 355
Brakes: Magura Marta SL Magnesium
Headset: FSA Orbit MX White
Cockpit: FSA OS115 Stem White/FSA XC Bars White
Seatpost/Saddle: FSA White/Selle Italia Flite SLR
Chainset: Race Face Deus XC Single White Frame: Nicolai Helius AM
Fork: Fox 36 Float RC2
Wheels: Chris King ISO on Stans ZTR Flow White
Brakes: Hope Tech X4 Custom Red/Goodridge Hoses
Headset: Chris King Sotto Voce
Cockpit: Thomson X4 Stem/Easton EA70 Monkeylite
Seatpost/Saddle: Thomson Elite/Fizik Gobi XM
Chainset: Truvativ Hammerschmidt All Mountain
Rear Mech: Shimano Saint
Frame: Nicolai Helius CC
Fork: Fox 32 Talas RLC
Wheels: DT Swiss 1450 Centre Lock
Brakes: Shimano XTR with Goodridge Hoses
Headset: Chris King No Threadset Black
Cockpit: Thomson X4 Stem/Easton EA70 Monkeylite
Seatpost/Saddle: Thomson Elite/SDG Bel Air RL Ti
Chainset: Shimano XTR
Rear Mech: Shimano XTR Frame: Nicolai Argon FR
Fork: Fox F100 RLC QR15
Wheels: Chris King ISO on Stans ZTR Flow Rims
Brakes: Hope M4 with Ti Fittings/Goodridge Hoses
Rotors: Ashima Air Rotor Black 180(F)/160(R)
Headset: Chris King Nothreadset Black
Cockpit: Thomson X4 Stem/Easton EA70 Monkeylite
Seatpost/Saddle: Race Face Next/Pro Logo Vertigo
Chainset: Shimano XTR with Hope Ceramic BB
Rear Mech: Shimano XTR
Frame: Nicolai Helius FR with Fox DHX Air Shock
Fork: Magura Wotan
Wheels: DT Swiss EX1750
Brakes: Hope M4 with Ti Fittings/Goodridge Hoses
Headset: Chris King Nothreadset Black
Cockpit: Thomson X4 Stem/Easton Monkeylite DH
Seatpost/Saddle: Thomson Elite/Fizik Gobi XM
Chainset: Race Face Atlas AM with Hope Ceramic BB
Chain Device: E13 DRS
Rear Mech: Shimano Hone
Frame: Nicolai Helius FR with Fox DHX Air Shock
Fork: Fox 36 Van R
Wheels: DT Swiss EX1750
Brakes: Hope Mono M4
Headset: Nicolai Fett Sett
Cockpit: Easton Vice AM
Seatpost/Saddle: Easton/SDG Bel Air ST
Chainset: Race Face Atlas AM with Hope Ceramic BB
Chain Device: E13 DRS
Frame: Nicolai Helius CC with DT Swiss Air Shock
Fork: Fox 32 Talas RLC
Wheels: Hope Hoops Pro 2 on DT Swiss 4.2D
Brakes: Hope Mono Mini with Goodridge Hoses
Headset: Chris King No Threadset Black
Cockpit: Thomson X4/Easton Monkeylite Carbon
Seatpost/Saddle: Thomson Elite/SDG Bel Air RL
Chainset: Shimano XT Hollowtech II
Frame: Nicolai Helius FR with Fox DHX 5.0 Coil Shock
Fork: Fox 36 Van R
Wheels: Hope Hoops Pro 2 on DT Swiss 5.1D
Brakes: Hope Mono M4
Headset: Chris King No Threadset
Cockpit: Thomson X4/Easton Monkeylite EA70
Seatpost/Saddle: Thomson Elite/Fizik Gobi
Chainset: Shimano XT with Race Face Race Rings
Frame: Nicolai M Pire with Fox DHX 5.0 Coil Shock
Fork: Fox 40 RC2
Wheels: Chris King ISO on DT Swiss 6.1D
Brakes: Hope Moto V2
Headset: Chris King Steelset
Cockpit: Thomson X4/Easton Monkeylite DH
Seatpost/Saddle: Thomson Elite/Selle Italia Flite
Chainset: Race Face Diabolus with E13 SRS
Frame: Nicolai Helius FR with Fox DHX 5.0 Coil Shock
Fork: Fox 36 Van RC2
Wheels: Chris King ISO on Halo SAS 26"
Brakes: Hope Mono M4
Headset: Chris King No Threadset
Cockpit: Race Face Diabolus Stem and Bars
Seatpost/Saddle: Race Face Diabolus/Selle Italia Flite
Chainset: Shimano Saint Hollowtech II
Frame: Nicolai Helius FR with Fox DHX 5.0 Coil Shock
Fork: Fox 36 Van R
Wheels: Hope Bulb on Mavic XM819 Disc
Brakes: Hope Mono M4
Headset: Chris King No Threadset
Cockpit: Thomson X4 Stem/Easton Monkeylite DH
Seatpost/Saddle: Thomson Elite/SDG Bel Air RL Ti
Chainset: Shimano Saint Hollowtech II |
