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G-BOXX Planetary, first pics

vinny4130

Monkey
Jun 11, 2007
450
207
albuquerque
The expensive sensitive not so durable derailleur, with a programable button is why I would put it in a box and not on a regular bike. Also the bcd dual shock Couch, and the inedibl(sp). Come to think of it I think the inedible(sp) only had one shock.
 
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csermonet

Monkey
Mar 5, 2010
942
127
bolt-on as in replaceable if damaged? instead of writing the frame off in the event of a massive crash/case/unfortunate event. if so that's awesome
 

Wilhelm

Monkey
Aug 10, 2003
444
19
Not a genuine gearbox bike but one that uses a jackshaft (EB15) ...

BTW a quite insane beast of a prototype by the BAHR bros' KINETICWorks in which everything comes down to hydraulically actuated on-the-fly adjustment of geometry. Ulrich BAHR was granted a patent (1,2) on that special mechanism.

























Courtesy of MtB-News.de
 

Wilhelm

Monkey
Aug 10, 2003
444
19
Rumor was reported that Rob METZ' PINION P1.12 powered ZERODErailleur trailbike project was moving forward and the first batch should be done in 2016. The high-pivot swingarm and shock linkage design (now horizontal instead of former vertical shock position) and chain transmission would have been heavily reengineered. Otherwise: 650B, 165mm of travel, HA 65°, reach 440mm (size L), chainstay length 432mm. I'm curious.

Moar pics of the 2014 one-off test bike (new idler pulley, slightly modified chain tensioner position):











3D printing rapid prototype
Pics courtesy of MtB-News.de
 

ianjenn

Turbo Monkey
Sep 12, 2006
2,998
702
SLO
I think I am gonna order an XL and run a 35mm stem. I could go LG and a 50mm but would prefer the more aggressive longer reach I think.
 

Wilhelm

Monkey
Aug 10, 2003
444
19
Recently, NICOLAI have matched the PINION P1.12 gearbox & GATES Carbon Drive CDX belt drive of the 'Ion GPI' with 'Helius AC PINION'. Hence, the 140mm AM/trail bike 'Helius GPI' was born. While the manufacturer's website is not updated yet, the 2016 catalogue is out now.

Pricing (€ incl. VAT)
  • Frame only: from 3,649.00
  • Complete bike: 6,699.00 ('Tech line' package)
Specs ('Tech line')
  • Fork: ROCK Shox Pike ECT3 SoloAir 140mm
  • Shock: ROCK Shox Monarch RT3
  • Headset: RESET Flatstack A4
  • Stem: HOPE AM 50mm
  • Bar: TRUVATIV BooBar 780mm
  • Brakes: HOPE Race EVO E4 180mm
  • Hubs: HOPE Pro II Evo
  • Rims: WTB KOM i25 27.5''
  • Tires: CONTINENTAL Trail King Protection 27,5 x 2,4″
  • Saddle: ERGON SME3-S
  • Seatpost: ROCK Shox Reverb Stealth
  • Crankset: PINION forged 175mm
  • Shifter: PINION P1.12
  • Gearbox: PINION P1.12
  • Belt type: GATES Carbon Drive CDX
  • Pulley front: GATES Carbon Drive CDX 39 T
  • Overall weight: 16,3kg (size 'S')

Pics courtesy of MtB-News.de
 

ianjenn

Turbo Monkey
Sep 12, 2006
2,998
702
SLO
The Zerode Trail is close. The molds are made he is just waiting to raise a bit more capital before the first batch is made.
 

Wilhelm

Monkey
Aug 10, 2003
444
19
and people complain about 29ers blowing out switchbacks....
They should all go for 29er GeoMetrons... :D
Has anyone thought I made a joke? :brows:

PINKBIKE TECH
Chris Porter Talks: GeoMetron 29" Prototype
Dec 22, 2015
by Paul Aston



I think the big wheeler might need a hug after reading this.


I took a first ride on the Nicolai Mojo GeoMetron earlier this year. Since then I borrowed another similar version from one of the Nicolai engineers, which I put through it paces over a couple of weeks on the Italian Riviera. Passing through Risca recently, I dropped into the Mojo unit for a chat (coincidentally my forks were due a service, and I needed a coffee) and there she was: Hanging majestically from the work stand, I lay my eyes upon her, having no idea of her credentials. Hang on a minute, are those 29" wheels? Chris replied "Yes, it has just come in, I still hate them, but I wanted to build one to shut you, Steve Jones (from Dirt Magazine) and Alan Muldoon (MBR) up, as you guys never stop going on about how much you love 29ers. I'm going to prove they're not better." Over the course of drinking my americano, I persuaded Chris to let me take it on my onward journey to Madeira for a couple of days. It took a while to fit it into the bike bag, and further issues came when trying to get it out of the bag, getting it to fit on the bike shuttle, in the public bus and into the hotel room – even some of the streets struggled with its size. I had a great time on it, and would love to do some back to back runs with both sizes in the future. For now, here's the caffeine-fuelled chat as we watched Paul the technician gently ramming the monster into the bag.

Yes, it has just come in, I still hate them, but I wanted to build one to shut you, Steve Jones (from Dirt Magazine) and Alan Muldoon (MBR) up, as you guys never stop going on about how much you love 29ers. I'm going to prove they're not better.



How have sales and feedback been from the 27.5" bike?

Sales of the 27.5" version have exceeded all expectations. We’ve sold more in six months than we planned for the first year. The general acceptance has been amazing! No-one has ridden it and not liked it (Alan Muldoon from MBR had some criticisms, but he was riding the wrong size and using his ‘test ride’ as a geometry experiment – we weren’t in control of what changes we made, he was asking for them). In fact, the number of people who have bought bikes following test rides is amazing. Quite a hit rate!


Do you think people have gotten over the initial shock of the 'crazy' angles, and now accept this as a viable option?

I reckon the fact that all of the Nicolai staff have been using versions of our GeoMetron and they have released the Pinion gearbox equipped bike with our ‘crazy angles’ shows a level of acceptance. A real production bike with our angles. Everyone that rides it accepts the geometry without question. After an initial “it climbs OK, turns well, seems pretty good in tight corners” period, they all just shut up and ride! The major feedback I get is when people go back to their normal bikes and email me afterwards to say how awkward, small and twitchy they feel.


We talked a lot about wheel sizes when I came to test the GeoMetron. You seemed very anti-29" at the time. What has changed, why have you built this?

I’m still not a fan of 29-inch wheels. There’s too much gyroscopic effect at speed. They feel OK in certain circumstances but when it gets fast and direction changes are at speed they feel very limited. The reason I built it was literally to show that the 27.5 version is better! There was quite a bit of talk amongst 29er fans of how much better this bike could get if it had 29-inch wheels. That’s why I built it.... The 27.5 GeoMetron has a lot of the good traits of 29er's (speed over rough ground, speed through turns, calmness of steering, etc...), but also steers well at speed and is very much more dynamic than the 29ers.

"Looks good from afar, but far from good"...

...the opposite is true with the Nicolai, she's a beauty in the flesh.

Can you explain why you think that the 29" bike won't be as good as the 27.5?

The 29" version has a much lower bottom bracket in relation to the front axle, so front wheel braking traction and turning traction (at the corner entry point) will be compromised as the weight transferred to the bike from the feet is pushing under the axle and pushing the bike forwards. The lower BB height also means you can’t manual and hop properly. Basically, anything other than an SPD pull-up to lift the bike takes more effort and more time to achieve and time doesn't always allow for this on the trail. It encourages a wheels on the ground riding style. I feel that you have to lift the body to change direction... It’s just a feeling but it is definitely harder to change direction from one side to the other and it feels like it’s a fight. I think that’s precession (gyroscopic effect). I find it nervous in a straight line until it's up speed then it's great. But then at speed, it won’t turn.

The GeoMetron looks suspiciously normal with the big wheels.

Will you be putting these into production?

We’ll build them! I’ve sold 3 of them already, if people want to buy them they are still an interesting bike, they share pretty much all of the geometry numbers of the original, just adjusted for the wheel size. It’s not like we just built a Tall Boy copy!


Somebody builds a one-off bike to 'prove' it's not as good as another, but then sells three of them with zero advertising or promotion – what does that tell you? Specialized had a good stab at long legged big wheelers with the Enduro 29, then seemed to back off the offence as they put more effort into 650b and plus sized tires. A few other brands have had a pop like Banshee, Evil and On-One for example. But nobody has really gone all in, yet, with designers seeming to make things shorter and steeper compared to their little brothers to offset the supposed negatives of big wheels, or maybe just to make numbers look more controllable on paper. Time will tell, but interesting times are here. - Paul Aston

MENTIONS: @mojosuspensionmedia / @paulaston
 
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Happymtb.fr

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2016
1,907
1,252
SWE
Hi, first post here!
There is an article on pinkbike about the Anakin eqiped with the Effigear gear box. I cannot post a link since I am new here...

Do some people here have experience with some of the gearboxes mentioned in the thread?
 

ianjenn

Turbo Monkey
Sep 12, 2006
2,998
702
SLO
Sounds like it doesn't shift as well under load and needs a bit more on the service side. I have not ridden either so can't comment. That is why it is supposedly and not for sure. Also why the hell are these people using belts when a chain costs so little and has almost no wear on a gearbox?
 

Happymtb.fr

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2016
1,907
1,252
SWE
Thanks ianjenn!
I never tried a gearbox either but I found the idea appealing for several reasons:
- less unsprung weight
- lower maintenance and less exposed drive train
- better ground clearance
- antisquat and pedal kick back can be tuned more precisely
- shifting without pedalling

Like you I don't understand why gearbox should be associated with belt...
 

troy

Turbo Monkey
Dec 3, 2008
1,006
739
Sounds like it doesn't shift as well under load and needs a bit more on the service side. I have not ridden either so can't comment. That is why it is supposedly and not for sure. Also why the hell are these people using belts when a chain costs so little and has almost no wear on a gearbox?
It requires no lubrication, it is quiet, it is lighter, doesn't stretch, provides consistent efficiency, lasts much longer, cleans itself.
 

atrokz

Turbo Monkey
Mar 14, 2002
1,552
77
teedotohdot
isn't some fault of the engagement using ratcheting rear hubs vs fixed?

Pinion is also working on servo shifting. This is an application that makes sense on a bike. I just hope they don't get dumb like sram and go for wireless. No thanks.
 
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StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
isn't some fault of the engagement using ratcheting rear hubs vs fixed?

Pinion is also working on servo shifting. This is an application that makes sense on a bike. I just hope they don't get dumb like sram and go for wireless. No thanks.
The gearbox itself has a pair of freewheels with 12 PoEs each. :stosh:
 

atrokz

Turbo Monkey
Mar 14, 2002
1,552
77
teedotohdot
So just run a fixed rear hub. If the deg isn't far past what's on a normal hub, I don't care. I am not trials riding the bike.