[Wilhelm]

First pics of Karlheinz NICOLAI´s all-new G-CON (http://www.g-boxx.org) compatible "G-BOXX Planetary", with a built-in Rohloff Speedhub. The gearbox is installed in the all-new NICOLAI Nucleon AMX (all pics were taken by Fränky G. [http://www.mtb-news.de/forum/member.php?u=16232, http://www.mtb-news.de/forum/showthread.php?p=2956000#post2956000]).

Wilhelm

 

[downhillracer]

now hikers really are gonna think we're riding motocross bkes.... anyways, any idea how much that gearbox weighs? It looks complex and weighty.

 

[Wilhelm]

So far I know, the weight of the UNIVERSAL TRANSMISSIONS/NICOLAI "G-BOXX Planetary" is not yet published. However, the weight of the SR Suntour "V-BOXX-FR9" (http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/SID=si24d0e67dca9d0dcff6182c250511ca/index.php?screen=ne.detail&pid=75&type=news, http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164572) should be 3.000 g (with crank arms), according to the SR Suntour catalog 2007 (http://www.srsuntour-tuning-base.com...alog07-low.pdf).

 

[dhkid]

ok, can someone explane whats the fuss is about this?

 

[BurlyShirley]

hussefelts, the best they could do?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

So far I know, the weigh of the UNIVERSAL TRANSMISSIONS/NICOLAI "G-BOXX Planetary" is not yet published. However, the weigh of the SR Suntour "V-BOXX-FR9" (http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/SID=si24d0e67dca9d0dcff6182c250511ca/index.php?screen=ne.detail&pid=75&type=news, http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164572) should be 3.000 g (with crank arms), according to the SR Suntour catalog 2007 (http://www.srsuntour-tuning-base.com...alog07-low.pdf).

KG, not g, methinks...

This is like watching a re-run of motorcycle evolution in the first half of the last century...

 

[Thrillkil]

Looks too expensive for mass consumption.

 

[Bicyclist]

Isn't that just the same as the G-Boxx that's been around for a few years now?

 

[Wilhelm]

The new "G-BOXX Planetary" is conform to the G-CON transmission housing and mounting standard now. So it is no longer welded to the frame, but bolted-on. The diameters of the chainwheels as well of the primary drive as well as the secondary drive are much bigger in diameter now. So the ground clearance of the gear unit is reduced. Only the Rohloff cartridge could be nearly the same, but the chain is at the right side now! The rear brake can be mounted at the left side. The rear hub of the Nucleon AMX is a common standard hub, but without a free-wheel.

 

[partsbara]

You Will All Learn To Recognise Superior German Engineering !!!

 

[Wilhelm]

... ...

 

[partsbara]

... ...

does frank still ride for nicolai ??? rode with him a burg frankenstein 2 years ago... great guy...

 

[offtheedge]

You Will All Learn To Recognise Superior German Engineering !!!

double post

 

[offtheedge]

ok, can someone explane whats the fuss is about this?

oh, just a little evolution

 

[Toshi]

KG, not g, methinks...

This is like watching a re-run of motorcycle evolution in the first half of the last century...

europeans tend to delineate thousands, millions, etc. with the period, and use the comma as the decimal point. strange but true.

 

[partsbara]

double post

double ender

 

[EVRAC]

First pics of Karlheinz NICOLAI´s all-new G-CON (http://www.g-boxx.org) compatible "G-BOXX Planetary", with a built-in Rohloff Speedhub. The gearbox is installed in the all-new NICOLAI Nucleon AMX (all pics were taken by Fränky G. [http://www.mtb-news.de/forum/member.php?u=16232, http://www.mtb-news.de/forum/showthread.php?p=2956000#post2956000]).

Wilhelm

What we see here is the new G-con compatible G-BOXX 1, which still uses Rohloff internals and 2-cable shifter.

Soon we should see prototypes of the G-BOXX 2 which is non-Rohloff planetary, and uses a SRAM 9-speed shifter. Lighter, more compact and a trigger shifter sounds good to me. It also does away with the cheesy inclosed-chain primary drive.

Hopefully www.g-boxx.com will come to life soon.

 

[Thrillkil]

As I see it, the first step towards making a commercially viable bicycle gearbox is eliminating the horrendously expensive Rohloff hub completely, which luckily seems to be the trend du jour.

 

[Wilhelm]

Here comes another pic of the NICOLAI Nucleon AMX (pic was taken by Würfelbrecher [http://www.mtb-news.de/forum/member.php?u=49253, http://www.mtb-news.de/forum/showthread.php?t=236267]).

 

[Wilhelm]

New pics of the NICOLAI Nucleon AMX (http://www.g-boxx.com, http://212.227.38.137/web/bike-sport-news/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=12379&mode=&order=0&thold=0), of a V-BOXX equipped GHOST DH prototype, and additional informations from "Universal Transmissions" about G-BOXX 1, G-BOXX 2-14 speed, G-BOXX 2-7 speed, G-BOXX 2-9 speed (http://www.g-boxx.com, http://www.g-boxx.com/pdf/UT-brochure-eurobike-2007-NP.pdf) and "Bike Sport News" (http://212.227.38.137/web/bike-sport-news/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=12379&mode=&order=0&thold=0).

 

[Thrillkil]

can anyone explain to me why all these designs use a single pivot concentric front drive cog? Is there anything prohibiting a VPP-style linkage with a Rohloff tensioner to eat up the chain growth?

 

[EVRAC]

can anyone explain to me why all these designs use a single pivot concentric front drive cog? Is there anything prohibiting a VPP-style linkage with a Rohloff tensioner to eat up the chain growth?

No. it's an open standard giving frame designers lots of flexibility.
However, with a tensioner, you've still got chain-slap, the risk of deraillment, risk of hitting the tensioner and the need for chainguide systems. Makes it all pointless.

 

[EVRAC]

What we see here is the new G-con compatible G-BOXX 1, which still uses Rohloff internals and 2-cable shifter.

Soon we should see prototypes of the G-BOXX 2 which is non-Rohloff planetary, and uses a SRAM 9-speed shifter. Lighter, more compact and a trigger shifter sounds good to me. It also does away with the cheesy inclosed-chain primary drive.

Hopefully www.g-boxx.com will come to life soon.

- looks like I was wrong. The pic is of the g-boxx 2-14 speed. The one I'm stoked on is g-boxx 2, 7 or 9 speed.

- g-boxx.com is online. check it out.

 

[sriracha]

i thought that they were incorperating the suntour gear box instead of rohloff.
glad they put the chain on the right side. and i still don't see what prevents them from using a freewheel so that the chain doesn't spin while coasting. maybe they want the chain to spin for shifting reasons...but it seems like extra drag to me.
i want one.

 

[sethimus]

the price of the g-boxx 1 and 2 is very interessting, nicolai doesn't cover the prices correct in their pdf. use foxit pdf editor to look what is under the black...

 

[SOil]

i thought that they were incorperating the suntour gear box instead of rohloff.
glad they put the chain on the right side. and i still don't see what prevents them from using a freewheel so that the chain doesn't spin while coasting. maybe they want the chain to spin for shifting reasons...but it seems like extra drag to me.
i want one.

It is intentional for the chain to spin during coasting enabling gear changes when not pedalling, under braking etc.
And yes, some friction due to that is the price to pay. One can always use a different hub to avoid that, but I'm sure the benefits of gear changes with no pedalling are worth it in a DH run

 

[xy9ine]

It is intentional for the chain to spin during coasting enabling gear changes when not pedalling, under braking etc.
And yes, some friction due to that is the price to pay. One can always use a different hub to avoid that, but I'm sure the benefits of gear changes with no pedalling are worth it in a DH run

the rohloff gearset shifts without the chain spinning anyways, so its moot (on the g-boxx 1, anyways). maybe the new gearboxes do not.

 

[EVRAC]

With a freewheel at the rear hub, you would have 2 freewheels, which would mean twice as much slop between ratchets if you know what I mean. That would be lame. I don't see what's wrong with a spinning chain and think of how beautifully simple the rear hub could be. Imagine a 6 bolt disk mount on both sides and just bolt the cog on.

 

[Wilhelm]

May be a G-BOXX 2-18 (=2x9) speed based on the G-BOXX 2-9, with two trigger shifters (similar to shift like a derailleur drive train) would be nice.

 

[Wilhelm]

The new NICOLAI 2007 catalogue is online now, G-Boxx related informations/pictures included (http://www.nicolai.net/download-area/pdf/katalog-2007-low.pdf).

 

[Wilhelm]

Here comes a brand new video report with something special (G-BOXX 2-14 included):
http://si6.mtb-news.de/eurobike2006/eurobike2006_alutech.mov

 

[sjcX3oldtown]

looks like they machined the cranks to clear something ???

 

[Wilhelm]

I could not see that the carbon cranks have anything to do with the AluTech gearbox bike "Pudel" (http://www.alutech-bikes.com/de/news/index.html#news1). The cranks are produced by THM-Carbones (http://www.thm-carbones.de). The box comes from Universal Transmissions (http://g-boxx.com) and has "Husselfelt" crank arms installed are made by Truvativ (http://www.sram.com/en/truvativ).

 

[Wilhelm]

A short video sequence with Karlheinz NICOLAI and his children G-Boxx 2-14 + Nucleon AMX: http://si6.mtb-news.de/eurobike2006/eurobike2006_nicolai.mov

 

[atrokz]

So Orange is working with both G-Boxx's now. Interesting.

 

[Wilhelm]

... and it seems that they are doing it very thorough (http://www.soulbiker.com/de/news/reports/article/eurobike-2006-die-messeneuheiten-fuer-2007/, http://www.soulbiker.com/de/photos/album/gallery/eurobike-orange-2007/, http://www.singletrackworld.com/article.php?sid=2125&PHPSESSID=e87672d534b85f8b58c7cfe7346d12d6). Great!

 

[Wilhelm]

Additional pics of NICOLAI´s 2007 Nucleon bikes from the Eurobike 2006 fair in Friedrichshafen:
http://www.soulbiker.com/de/photos/album/gallery/nicolai-2007/

 

[BMXman]

now that I'm in Canada maybe I will have better luck getting ahold of another Nicolai frame...D

 

[atrokz]

now that I'm in Canada maybe I will have better luck getting ahold of another Nicolai frame...D

Let me know

 

[BMXman]

Let me know

Are you back to distrubuting Nicolai again?...D