Nicolai Helius RC – RAW

Sure, it may not descend as well, or be as fun as most modern trail bikes; but in the hands of an experienced rider, the Nicolai Helius RC is one hell of a fast bike in our local trails, thanks to its low weight and efficient cross country geometry.

This build was conceptualised when the owner was upgrading from his trusty titanium XC hardtail, and requested for a quick/lightweight short travel full suspension bike for local terrain. It couldn’t have too much rear travel like a regular trail bike, and it had to be reliable.

We’re big fans of internal drivetrains at AttitudeBikes, and we know that there’s nothing more reliable than keeping them sealed, away from the elements.

Hence we spec’ed the Helius RC with the 14-speed Rohloff Speedhub. Installation was a breeze thanks to the Rohloff cable guides on the frame.

The Rohloff chain tensioner and the bottom bracket mounted Carbocage XC guide keeps the chain nicely secured.

With just around four inches of rear wheel travel from the DT Swiss rear shock, pedalling efficiency is not compromised, but it is still forgiving when things start to get rough in the trail. Not like it really mattered to the owner though, cause he already had blistering pace on his hardtail!

The entire raw finish on the frame (except for the bronze anodised chainstay) wasn’t meant for weight savings, it was for aesthetics, and we LOVE it.

Check out the beautifully CNC’d headtube! The raw finish simply brings out the details to another level.

With the new longer travel/trail focused Helius TB replacing the Helius RC in 2013’s Nicolai line up, we’re excited to see how it performs against the RC. But one thing is for sure though, we’ll definitely miss having a super fast XC race fully in the Nicolai line-up!

All photos courtesy of Benjamin Teo/Oh Cheese Visuals for AttitudeBikes.