Sorry had to share as I’m so excited that at last the new build is finished. Can’t wait to give it a proper run out tomorrow. I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out.

It’s a Nicolai Helius CC built up with a mixture of parts from another bike I used as a donor, some parts acquired from forum members and some new stuff. 140 Talas RLC fork and set at 129mm travel at the back.

All that’s left is to fit the new Chromag seatpost clamp (when it arrives from CRC) and I might swap the XT chainset from my Anthem X (although the SLX suits the industrial look of the bike).

Parts list – XT front/rear mech, cassette, SLX chainset and shifters, XTR cables in SP41 outer, Formula RX 180/180 brakes, Burgtec X-press carbon post, Sunline V1 stem, ESI chunky grips, Bel-Air RL ti saddle, Hope Pro2/ZTR Arch wheelset.

You need to sort that moss out- if you don’t keep ontop of it it will grow you know.

Very nice 🙂

Nice colours, orange and grey.. mmmmmmmmm good work.

grips and transfers match nice

very nice, tidy looking bike

nice – however ….. I think you should try some custom orange Fox fork logos to finish it off.

clashes badly with your garage door.

Nice looking bike, looks tuff and purposeful. Let us know how it rides.

What moss?!! lol

Thanks everyone

nice – however ….. I think you should try some custom orange Fox fork logos to finish it off.

Sounds good – who sells them?

try ebay and local graphics/vinyl places

First Nicolai I’ve seen that looks really nice – well done!

Very nice looking bike. The man has taste.

Schweet.

Slik graphics do custom decals that look very nice.

As does your new ride. Well done 🙂

Looking good.

Swingarm looks like a bit of an afterthought.

wow looks very fast really like it mate.

Swingarm looks like a bit of an afterthought.

I understand what you mean from those pics but in the flesh the swingarm has lovely details like the cnc’d ‘made in germany’ on the brake side chainstay and machined billet ovals at the pivot to match those on the rockers.

Thanks again everyone. Clear blue skies here and my wifes taking the kids to her parents for the day so I’ve got all day to go and play – woo hoo.

Garage door needs repainting.

Lovely bike.

Good news on the getting out and riding bit 😉 my missus wants to go shopping!

Fortunately it’s not my garage so painting issues not a problem – it’s the roller door at work as I’d taken the bike in to finish it off.

The pewter Chromag seatpost clamp just arrived – it’s a thing of beauty. One of the nicest bicycle cnc’d parts I’ve seen (should match the Sunline V1 grey stem perfectly)

Looks great! Loving the orange accents.

Pewter Chromag you say? . . . wanders off to search CRC

I was so tempted to buy the Sram X0 Tango Orange shifters, rear mech and cassette that are on sale at CRC instead of reusing the existing Shimano XT/SLX stuff I already had but decided for once to show some restraint.

The complete build has cost just over £1700 inc. the brand new Helius CC frame and original cost of the donor bike (allowing for the sale of the unused parts/frame from the donor bike) which is a great result.

I do like Nicolais, but I can never work out the intended purpose of the bike just by looking at it – they all look so beefy! I’m guessing this is a bit of an all-rounder? travel around 130mm?

love it.

bar the coloured grips.

I was a bit unsure about the grips too once fitted but they’re seriously comfy and I figure they’ll be so dirty soon it’ll dull them down a bit.

Very nice indeed and keep the SLX as the difference isn’t worth worrying about but most importantly the SLX looks better on there !

Wow what a bike. Had a great ride on it this morning/afternoon. It rides like my Anthem X on steroids.

It climbs really well but I need to play with the rear shock pressure as it was prone to a little bob if pedalling hard out of the seat but you can lock the shock out easily.

It descends really well – it combines quick steering with great stability without being nervous. It just seems so right in a way my Teocali Super never did on rougher stuff.

It felt perfect on 120mm for most XC trails and wound it out to 140mm for rooty and rocky descents.

Got back properly caked in mud with a huge smile. I think the Anthem is going to be sold as I simply can’t see myself choosing it over the Helius. The Nicolai is maybe 3 pounds heavier but carries it so well you really don’t notice it.

Hi to the person from STW (was it maxray) who I saw at Hamsterley today

Was a pootling day as we’d taken a friend who’d not done more than the first bit of blue before. He gave Transmission a go on his hybrid so fair play.

Hardly been out for the past month so the legs are feeling very tired after yesterdays ride and todays.

Still enjoying the Nicolai – heading up to Glentress on Wednesday

bleddy ‘ansome innit, althought I reckon you probably could have got away with a smaller frame. Don’t worry about the weight, my FR is ferking tank but it’s still my number 1 bike for XC.

Why a smaller frame – it’s a medium? The top tube feels spot on – the standover is a bit limited though but not a problem.

I’m not sure I like the colour scheme.

I love the actual bike though.

Neninja -> don’t worry about the stand over height, I ride a Large CC and i’m 5’11 so i reckon you’ve got the frame size right to be honest.

They are bloody brilliant to be honest, mine seems to spend most of it’s life at 116mm at the back with 130mm up front, unless it’s really rough.

@ brakes -> they do look over built but they’re not really, the CC is a 130mm trail bike that weighs in at 6.35lbs with a RP3, so pretty respectable for an all alloy frame.