My Nicolai Nucleon FR170

I’ve had this sitting about for nearly a year now and I’m stuck as for what to do with it – it’s an awesome beast of a bike but I’m not going to be taking it where I used to when it’s replacement Helius AM is so capable and so much more versatile for how I ride now… and much as I would love to take this for uplift days or trips to the Alps that’s just not going to happen because of my family circumstances.

It’s six years old and gave me almost zero trouble in the five years it was my main big mountain ride… and I am a bike breaker which is how I came to build such a beast

Older pic to see what it looks like better

It’s such a niche thing I can see it’s going to be worth very little despite being amazing for what it is.

Geometry was fully custom. I am 6ft and I had this built with a 23″ top tube, steep 74 deg seattube for climbing, and a 66 deg 1.5″ Headtube for Sherman 170mm forks (which I killed). Now sporting 180mm Travis forks but suitible for 200+mm DH tripple crowns etc – the rear shock can also be adjusted to drop the bottom bracket and slacken all the angles off for pure DH fun. Rear shock is a custom tuned Fox Vanilla with the Push race system – rear travel is 180mm, and the bike as is weighs in at 43lbs with DH tubeless tryes etc.

I’ve got a complete spare drivetrain, a rear hub, two bottom brackets and other odds and sods.

It’s basically a downhill bike with gears that allow it to be winched up to the top – the gears are low – the 14 spd Rohloff gearbox is geared similar to a 20 front and 34 rear, and the top end would be like a 36 front and 11 rear – but can easily be changed by changing out the front chainring.

Frame number is 36… and possibly one of the last Nucleons of this design built.

So… what do the STW forum dwellers think will I get for it if I flog it?

Ahhh.. Frame number 36… £36?
Being so helpful, I’ll give you £66 ? 😆

Useful answer 😀

It’s not about the money – I know it’s not going to get me much… Big question is how much would I regret selling vs. how much will I regret keeping it and tripping over it in the garage…

I know… bung it in the loft 🙄

that is a fantastic machine. If you want to keep ownership, but don’t want to bung it in the loft, i can “look after it” for a few years 😉

you could gamble and ebay it with no reserve. That’ll tell you how much its worth.

Is there a Nicolai owner’s forum?

mtbr has a nicolai owners forum, might be worth posting on there?

What about stripping it, selling the bits and keeping the frame?

Stick it in the loft, ton’ll have it off you when he’s fit again 🙂

If you do decide to sell it. Let me know please.

It’s currently got no brakes on it – I will have some spare soon and once I’ve built it up again I think I’ll give it a spin, lend it to a few mates for a shottie… and then decide what to do.

It’s a work of art – but it would be shame to have it hanging up in the house when it could be in the mountains where it should be.

whoah. That looks off-the-scale rad.

I’ve not got any money.

That’s a toughie. Incredible bike.

I have to admit, I don’t know what I’d do.

Although realistically, if it’s not being ridden is it really worth keeping…?

keep it, tell the grand kids about it

I loved this bike when you first posted it, but the weight always put me off it.
Superb bit of engineering IMO, just keep it.

I know I’m going to regret this but it’s currently on the evil-of-bay.

Nucleon RHS by thepimpmessiah, on Flickr

I’d rather not go that route so if anyone is interested from here let me know.