What should I do with my Nicolai?

You would get more money from that selling as is on ebay.

Echo said:

I thought about that but it just sounds like a recipe for ebay disaster. I like my 100% positive feedback score.

Click to expand...

Now thats funny.
Seriously though, some of those euro's that get on here love those things so i totally think it would sell as an "as is project" OBO kinda thing.
Betcha get more than $200.
The shock was old anyway so not having it on there gives the buyer freedom to spec it.

Sell it on ebay and be sure to list all of the issues. People will still buy it. I just sold my 1st gen powerbook that has some major issues without a problem.

list all issues ans sell as is on ebay.

The sickest donation bike ever!

got any pics of the damage? those frames are sick.

broke a shock bolt. This in turn trashed a sleeve/bushing frammus and a couple of other small parts

Click to expand...

doesn't sound like anything your local machine shop couldn't replicate.

echo, put it on your wall along with all the rest of your broken dreams

Damn, that's cheap! If I didn't have a bike I'd seriously look into that! (mind you, my bike has a nice layer of dust on it from such overuse!).

Since the M-Pire is the more 'common' Nicolai frame, couldn't you contact the US rep and see how much/how available the parts are? Matt should still be there: usa@nicolai.net

edit: When I called last year to get a couple things for my Nucleon ST, Matt had them there in stock. Of all frames Nicolai has, it's one of the more rare and he had the longer dropouts, new in a bag. I think he works out of Casino Bikes somewhere in CA.

As far as I know the people at nicolai aren't complete retards and probably speak english. If that fails you could always take pictures of the parts that you need and then type "this broken, need new, how much $" into babelfish and send that

stinkyboy said:

The sickest donation bike ever!

Click to expand...

another great avatar

Echo said:

So now I have an extremely nice high end front and rear triangle, but it really isn't worth anything as far as I can tell. I'm imagining the nightmare of trying to explain to a German company what parts I need and waiting 6 months for the wrong parts to arrive. The only reason I would fix it would be to sell it anyway. A buddy offered me 200 bucks for the triangles, rear wheel, and bottom bracket, but he is dirt poor and his payment plan was like 5 bucks a week for the next year.

Should I bother fixing it? Or is there a market for such a thing?

Click to expand...

Echo - post it for sale here, NSMB.com and on MTBR or any other bike-related sites you can think of.

Price it reasonably with an "as is" clause giving full disclosure that the suspension linkage (dog-bones, push rods, etc) will not be included with the sale.

BUT,

Look at it this way:You could be comedian Eddie Griffin :biggrin:


...yeah that WAS a Ferrari Enzo

"I'm imagining the nightmare of trying to explain to a German company what parts I need and waiting 6 months for the wrong parts to arrive."

pZyteX said:

then type "this broken, need new, how much $" into babelfish and send that

Click to expand...

This is an amazing idea. I am now translating emails into chinese and back to english for some engrish client communication goodness.

for $200 i wouldn't mind dealing with nicolai...


what size is it?

Transcend said:

This is an amazing idea. I am now translating emails into chinese and back to english for some engrish client communication goodness.

Click to expand...

I need to do this for all my internal emails here at the office...why didn't I think of this before!!!!

PM sent brotha...if that is a medium I will have money in your paypal tomorrow!

Booner

Um, Sounds like you just need to make some new shock bushings and a bolt? A competent machinist could fix your issues in less than 30 minutes.

SuspectDevice said:

Um, Sounds like you just need to make some new shock bushings and a bolt? A competent machinist could fix your issues in less than 30 minutes.

Click to expand...

ssssssssssshhhhhhhh........

hehehehe....JK!
Seriously though, if you want help fixing instead of selling it let me know.
If you have the original sales slip you are all set for warranty.


Booner

The warentee is transferable too.

You should definitely not sell it "as is". I cringe. "As is" sales ought to be called "go ahead and rape me, I'm too lazy to stop you" sales. Get the small parts, clean it up, and sell it with the wheel and bb (don't fool yourself into thinking you'll use those on any other frame!) as the German exotic that it is. You had a crappy shock, not a crappy frame. Sell it for a grand, then take that grand and buy yourself the new Bighit frame, ride it for a week then thank me with all your heart.

rosenamedpoop said:

You should definitely not sell it "as is". I cringe. "As is" sales ought to be called "go ahead and rape me, I'm too lazy to stop you" sales. Get the small parts, clean it up, and sell it with the wheel and bb (don't fool yourself into thinking you'll use those on any other frame!) as the German exotic that it is. You had a crappy shock, not a crappy frame. Sell it for a grand, then take that grand and buy yourself the new Bighit frame, ride it for a week then thank me with all your heart.

Click to expand...

dude put down the crack pipe. you've got to be out of your mind if you think in any way that a specialized big hit is comprable to a a Nicolai. (You didn't flat out say it, but you implied it).


besides, you missed the point, he's not selling it to buy another dh/fr bike. He's selling it because he doesn't want to have to keep dealing with the hassle and expense that is owning a rig like that. I know Echo personally and he's been trying to figure out what to do with this bike for quite some time. At this point I don't blame him for considering selling it 'as-is'. He would get the hassle of his hands, and someone else would get a killer deal. $200 for what still works, and it would cost probably just the same to get the new frame parts it needs? I don't know how you are equating selling 'as-is' to 'go ahead and rape me' in this situation... maybe a little bitter because you've been burned in the past on 'as-is' sales? Echo is straight up one of the nicest guys I know and he definitely would not try to screw someone on this deal.

jonKranked said:

dude put down the crack pipe. you've got to be out of your mind if you think in any way that a specialized big hit is comprable to a a Nicolai. (You didn't flat out say it, but you implied it).


besides, you missed the point, he's not selling it to buy another dh/fr bike. He's selling it because he doesn't want to have to keep dealing with the hassle and expense that is owning a rig like that. I know Echo personally and he's been trying to figure out what to do with this bike for quite some time. At this point I don't blame him for considering selling it 'as-is'. He would get the hassle of his hands, and someone else would get a killer deal. $200 for what still works, and it would cost probably just the same to get the new frame parts it needs? I don't know how you are equating selling 'as-is' to 'go ahead and rape me' in this situation... maybe a little bitter because you've been burned in the past on 'as-is' sales? Echo is straight up one of the nicest guys I know and he definitely would not try to screw someone on this deal.

Click to expand...

Chill, buddy. I don't think he was saying anything about the performance of the Nicolai. I don't think that he was suggesting that Echo would screw anyone, just that "as is" sales are generally risky from the buyer's perspective and a little bit of work cleaning up the bike could go a long way in price.

sell it to a grom and tell him its the sweetest thing out there.

jonKranked said:

dude put down the crack pipe. you've got to be out of your mind if you think in any way that a specialized big hit is comprable to a a Nicolai. (You didn't flat out say it, but you implied it).


besides, you missed the point, he's not selling it to buy another dh/fr bike. He's selling it because he doesn't want to have to keep dealing with the hassle and expense that is owning a rig like that. I know Echo personally and he's been trying to figure out what to do with this bike for quite some time. At this point I don't blame him for considering selling it 'as-is'. He would get the hassle of his hands, and someone else would get a killer deal. $200 for what still works, and it would cost probably just the same to get the new frame parts it needs? I don't know how you are equating selling 'as-is' to 'go ahead and rape me' in this situation... maybe a little bitter because you've been burned in the past on 'as-is' sales? Echo is straight up one of the nicest guys I know and he definitely would not try to screw someone on this deal.

Click to expand...

Firstly, thank you JRogers.

"you've got to be out of your mind if you think in any way that a specialized big hit is comprable to a a Nicolai"

No I'm not out of my mind to my knowledge, but I have owned multiple Nicolais including an M-pire. Nicolais are beautifully made and the bearing interface is unmatched. But they are hideously expensive both to purchase and maintain. I was turned on to the new Bighit by two guys who raced as a pro and a semi for specialized and refused to ride Demos for DH because the Bighit frame is far superior for racing (if you'd like more info on that ask).

"He's selling it because he doesn't want to have to keep dealing with the hassle and expense that is owning a rig like that"

I'm not sure what "a rig like that implies" but the feeling I got from from Echo is that he wants to financially simplify his DH experience. This is precisely why I've suggested a Bighit, which is in no way exotic, but is in every way a great feeling, functional, and affordable DH frame.

"At this point I don't blame him for considering selling it 'as-is'. He would get the hassle of his hands, and someone else would get a killer deal"

If someone is getting a "killer deal" it would indicate that someone else is getting a raw deal. In this case Echo would be getting the raw deal. He owns something of value. My feeling is that if it takes effort to see the value out of something, and the value is substantially greater than the invested effort, then the value outweighs and therefore justifies the effort.

"maybe a little bitter because you've been burned in the past on 'as-is' sales"

Fortunately, I have never had to sell anything "as is", so no bitterness there. But I have seen so many friends get burned by selling "as is" that I'm frustrated every time a good person feels that this is the logical route to take, only to take a major $ hit and have a selfish buyer complaining that 'it doesn't work' after the sale. Just fix it before you sell it. It'll almost always be better that way.

"Echo is straight up one of the nicest guys I know and he definitely would not try to screw someone on this deal"

I'm sure Echo is a true gentleman and I assure you his honor was never in question. I merely wished to lend Echo a brotherly helping hand.


As for the crack pipe, NO NO NO NO NO NO NO I will NOT put it down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ill buy it

rosenamedpoop said:

No I'm not out of my mind to my knowledge, but I have owned multiple Nicolais including an M-pire. Nicolais are beautifully made and the bearing interface is unmatched. But they are hideously expensive both to purchase and maintain. I was turned on to the new Bighit by two guys who raced as a pro and a semi for specialized and refused to ride Demos for DH because the Bighit frame is far superior for racing (if you'd like more info on that ask).

"He's selling it because he doesn't want to have to keep dealing with the hassle and expense that is owning a rig like that"

I'm not sure what "a rig like that implies" but the feeling I got from from Echo is that he wants to financially simplify his DH experience. This is precisely why I've suggested a Bighit, which is in no way exotic, but is in every way a great feeling, functional, and affordable DH frame.

"At this point I don't blame him for considering selling it 'as-is'. He would get the hassle of his hands, and someone else would get a killer deal"

If someone is getting a "killer deal" it would indicate that someone else is getting a raw deal. In this case Echo would be getting the raw deal. He owns something of value. My feeling is that if it takes effort to see the value out of something, and the value is substantially greater than the invested effort, then the value outweighs and therefore justifies the effort.

"maybe a little bitter because you've been burned in the past on 'as-is' sales"

Fortunately, I have never had to sell anything "as is", so no bitterness there. But I have seen so many friends get burned by selling "as is" that I'm frustrated every time a good person feels that this is the logical route to take, only to take a major $ hit and have a selfish buyer complaining that 'it doesn't work' after the sale. Just fix it before you sell it. It'll almost always be better that way.

"Echo is straight up one of the nicest guys I know and he definitely would not try to screw someone on this deal"

I'm sure Echo is a true gentleman and I assure you his honor was never in question. I merely wished to lend Echo a brotherly helping hand.

Click to expand...

This is much better clarification than in your original post, where you offered no supporting reasons for why to get a big hit, leaving it open for interpretation. "Sell it for a grand, then take that grand and buy yourself the new Bighit frame" is exactly what you said, which I took to be "buy a big hit, its cheap." And yes I will vouch for the Big Hits being more race-y than the demo's. I used to ride the s-works DH (which was the predecessor to the big hit) and have toyed around on some of the early gen big hit's, but not the newer ones. The demo's are free-ride bikes through and through.

And you're right, Echo does want to simplify his DH experience, but he also doesn't want the hassle of owning a DH bike (as stated in his original post). Where he lives there is no downhilling (I used to live there as well - and there is only mediocre freeriding at best, and tons of XC), in order to do so, he would have to travel (like he said, diablo, whistler). Traveling with a bike raises costs, especially (and greatly) if you have to fly. For the amount of downhilling echo actually does (if last season is any indication lol) he's having a hard time justifying simply owning a downhill bike.

just to add. when i bought my nicolai, they didn't have the rear shock i wanted in stock. let alone any really...

if you do a search for nicolai through out rm and mtbr, you'll see they most the time people just get the frame anyway, then the shock shows up sometime later. if thats all that is missed is shock and hardware.
you should still be able to sell it for a lot of money. besides, look at all the other rear shocks for sale on rm. and you know a couple machinists

Echo said:

A buddy offered me 200 bucks for the triangles, rear wheel, and bottom bracket, but he is dirt poor and his payment plan was like 5 bucks a week for the next year.

Click to expand...

I'll give you $10 a week for the next 6 months!!!!!! That would be paying it off in half the time.

ah, re read that post. that buddy of yours will never pay you. he still owes me

DHS said:

ah, re read that post. that buddy of yours will never pay you. he still owes me

Click to expand...

Al needs to just suck it up and get a REAL job. or at least start cooking at a real restaurant and not the montage.

ah i remember that now. $200 sounds worth it.

just take pics and tell the story. sell it as is. could be good extra backup parts for someone that owns one

build it up and let Al ride it like it is. It would only take a few rides to get back in that condition anyways.

wait wasn't the rear wheel a 150mm hadley? just sell that on rm for 200.. its already laced up. then just put the frame in your garden outside as art

the rear should be a 165 or something like that...
That M-Pire has a big ol butt!

Echo said:

I think it's a Ringle hub and it's some wierd size.

Click to expand...

ok then. sell it for 150, the wheel. and have some nice art

just post it in the classifieds already and see