Dirt 100 2011: Nicolai Ion ST

Author: | 18 November 2010 | 22

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It wasn’t so long ago that owning an exquisitely engineered Nicolai meant paying a sizeable premium when compared to some mass produced frame from the Far East, but somewhat weirdly that no longer seems to be the case. It’s almost impossible to describe the level of skill and precision that goes into making one of these frames, and the fact that you can have it custom made to your exact requirements is something which you won’t find anywhere else. With this level of engineering mated to what is arguably the greatest suspension design ever made (the 4–bar) it’s almost impossible to find fault, and with a Helius AM hopefully winging its way over to us for testing soon we wouldn’t be surprised if you see yet another Nicolai in next year’s honours list.

Price: £2225.00 + the price of whichever shock you choose
Nicolai uk 07818 076 957
www.nicolai-uk.com
www.nicolai.net

Nicolai ion Dirt 100 2011: Nicolai Ion ST

2011bannerdirt1006 Dirt 100 2011: Nicolai Ion ST

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22 Responses to “Dirt 100 2011: Nicolai Ion ST”

  1. Looking forward to hearing Jonsey’s thoughts on the Helius AM that’s on test. Any idea which issue it might be in yet?

  2. @Turk, waiting for the custom build to arrive, not here yet.

  3. @Turk: Jonesy will probably say it’s no 224…

  4. hmmm looks rubbish, like an orange 224

  5. I’m sure it rides great and the quality is top notch. Possibility to get your own geo is also worth an honour mention. It is indeed a frame worth being in Dirt 100 I believe. However that is one of the most normaly looking stallions of this manufacturer which seems to carry on with post-soviet industrial variety show. This style itself seem to take over function quite often so those who are bit squareheaded like me will find lots of structural solutions weight and price costy with additional elements for the mud to stick to.

    Nevertheless, than one here is a beauty of its kind. Me like very much but me would never buy it…

  6. ah yes, curious about the AM as well. New frame time bday decisions in January. Nicolai,Knolly or Last

  7. Id go for a knolly podium

  8. I have a Helius AM and before that I had a 2005 Spesh Enduro. The Helius AM is very like the older Spesh Enduro – I only replaced it because it finally broke.

    I love it.

  9. WAKi is there a mountain bike website you dont comment on within seconds of any article going up?

    It would be less annoying if you understood the fundamentals of english

  10. I don’t konw, I’d quite like to see this ‘post-soviet industrial variety show’. I reckon it’d beet Britain’s Got Tallent any day!
    I’m also interested to here more about these ‘structural solutions weight and price costy’ that Waki talks about. Fill us in, what is your engineering background Waki?

  11. @mr b I think he refers to the extensive (read: excessive) CNC work instead of forging/hydroforging which is both stronger and cheaper. Though CNC is pretty to look at.

  12. *hydroforming

  13. This is the internet, not a place for sensible discussion.

  14. Wasn’t there an editorial in Dirt a short time ago that said hydroforming leant nothing in terms of strength, stifness or structural integrity to bike design, but it did look pretty?

  15. what makes alloy weak is welding it, so if you hydrofrom a down tube in such way that you don’t have to weld on a gusset, that’s all good. The more wedling that goes in, the more hard spots there are [more brittle snappy places to be patronising]

  16. Sorry Joe.
    Forging and hydroforming is cheaper than welding and cnc?
    For big companies maybe but I doubt Nicolai make enough bikes to justify the tooling. Plus it gives them design freedom and the ability to offer cusom geometry.
    As for strength, using clever design, heat treatment and good welding there’s no need to worry there.

  17. That looks awesome!

  18. just sent off some custom geometry and details to get a quote.

  19. Mr B: I spoke of lots of CNC and the fact that there is more welds on that frame than on HMS Queen Mary. Bobertooo! Ciao! If you get so annoyed with my rants all over the bike internet then it is your problem not mine. I will say it in most fundamental English: Fuck off Bobertooo, up yer arse :)

  20. BTW Bobertooo… I started a blog lately, it will be even more of me around soon! wakidesigns.pinkbike.com/blog/WAKiNomad.html

  21. +1 for hydroforming just being there to ‘look pretty’ and not adding a hell of a lot to the function…still the treks and spezies are pretty – but the Nicolai is ‘pure MTB weaponry’.
    Are we here to ride/ shred or just look good?

  22. [...] Since it’s introduction in 2008 as the successor to the Nicolai M-Pire ST, the Ion ST has been the most successful downhill frame in the Nicolai line up.  Having won countless downhill podium finishes in Europe with the Gates Nicolai Team and Conti Nicolai Team, we are pretty sure that this winning streak will continue to even greater heights in the 2012 season. It has also appeared in the Dirt 100 as one of Dirt Magazine’s 100 ultimate mountain bike products in 2009 and 2011. [...]

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