Some of our customers fit their own shocks to our bikes so I thought I’d pull together what we know along with any hints and tips for existing shocks. If you’re reading this and have something else fitted to a Nicolai please let me know what it is and how you’re finding it and I’ll add it to this list.
If you are fitting something non-standard the first thing you should do is take the spring off, or let out all the air, and gently move the bike through to full compression. Check that no part of the shock is impacting on the frame or levers and that you’re rear tyre isn’t impacting the seat-tube.
If you’re fitting a non-standard shock you’ll want the bushing dimensions – badly formatted here.
| Shock |
Frame |
Fitting direction |
Notes |
| DT Swiss 190L |
Helius CC 2007 |
Body at front |
If mounted with body at rear air valve impacts on frame lever at full compression – you’ll break off the air valve. For 2007 the front mount has been extended slightly – if fitting to an earlier frame please collision test. |
| DT Swiss 210L |
Helius CC 2006 |
Body at rear |
This shock works fine with the body at the rear. Note the the spacers screw together on the DT shocks – unlike the push in bushings on Fox. |
| Fox RP23 |
Helius CC |
Body at front |
If mounted with the body at the rear and lockout lever above the lever impacts the cable guide at full compression. Mounted lockout lever facing down and the air valve is very difficult to access. |
| Magura Hugin |
Helius CC |
unknown |
unknown. we know there are a few fitted but no info yet |
| DT HVR 200 |
Nucleon TFR |
Body at rear |
70kg rider – 105psi |
| Romic |
Helius FR |
Either |
Great plush performance |
| Fox DHX Air |
Helius FR |
Body at front |
Air valve obstructed with body at rear. |
March 21st, 2007
Categories: Technical . Author: Simon . Comments: No Comments
After current orders are delivered Nicolai will not be producing further ti-mag race kits for the Helius CC. Sorry if you’d got your heart set on one but think what you can spend that £325 on now!
March 13th, 2007
Categories: News, Technical . Author: Simon . Comments: No Comments
For 2007 the Helius CC has had a bit of a makeover. The 2006 geometry was a tried and tested design that had always worked well, but with the market moving to ever longer forks, and the typical Nicolai customer looking to fit the longest fork possible, this was raising the front end too much. As such the bikes were feeling too tall for a given length and a bit too high off the ground – it was these characteristics that Nicolai wanted to address for 2007.
The 2007 frame has a lower and longer top tube which means that riders typically ride one size smaller and get hugely increased nad clearance! Geometry has been tweaked as well to allow a longer fork – up to 140mm is now possible without the front being too slack.
Finally the new CNC facility allows some quite cool things to be done with text in the stays and every frame now proudly bears a ‘made in Germany’ mark (this features on all 2007 frames).
We really like the new geometry – it feels much more like riding ‘in’ the bike rather than ‘on’ it which makes it more confidence inspiring on steep and technical stuff and easier to throw around on the singletrack. Of course, our custom options mean if you liked the old geometry you can still have it.
Most of our dealers have now replaced their 2006 demos with 2007 models but there may still be a few bargains to be had on their 2006 demo’s.
March 7th, 2007
Categories: News, Reviews . Author: Simon . Comments: No Comments
