[DHCorky]

Mod Edit: After receiving a few PMs about this I have decided to edit this post with a disclosure just to let people know that DhCorky is a rep for Nicolai.

This weekend I had a chance to take my Nicolai M-Pire and ride it at Keystone where I rode my Intense M3 all last summer. I have my M-Pire built with the same parts that came off my M3 except the fork. Today I also switched rides for a run with my teammate who is still on his M3 waiting for his M-pire to arrive. I can say I prefer the ride of the M-Pire over the M3.

The M-Pire is a very different design from the M3 and I like the way it rides much better. The first thing I noticed was how easily you could lift the M-Pire over things. I have not actually weighed my M-Pire but, it is around 4 pounds heavier than both M3s I have ridden. With the extra weight the M-Pire is still easier to bunny hop and lift over obstacles in the trail. Just quickly un-weighting the bike allows you to clear over small obstacles. The M-Pire’s rear suspension feels more active and responsive. Small hits go unnoticed on the M-Pire. On the M3 you can feel the small hits, they do not affect the ride of the bike you can just notice the tire going over something. The rear suspension of the M3 does not seem to be able to move as freely. On the high-speed sections at Keystone it made for a vibration in the M3 that did fatigue my legs.

Cornering both bikes I am starting to like the M-Pire over the M3 as I adjust my riding. The M-Pire really likes to squat and carve corners. On the M3 I felt I had to power the bike through the corners and let it slide around. I am still adjusting to the M-Pire and I am getting the bike to hook in the corners but, then over turn as the bike unloads exiting the turns. I am finding you can get a lot of energy stored in the bike as you corner and then release it (accelerating) when you exit the corner. With open high-speed corners both bikes handle very similar. If you do not keep your weight in just the right place both bikes will start drifting wide.

Overall the M-Pire is a more responsive bike that wants rider input. The bike holds its line trough rough sections until you tell it differently. If you compress and preload the rear suspension it gives that energy right back with very little loss. You just have to hope you have set yourself up correctly for when the bike responds. The M-Pire has helped me push my limits knowing it is responding to everything I tell it to do.

Everyday on this bike it impresses me more and more. It is a definite blast to ride!

 

[Daver]

What shocks were on both?

 

[DHCorky]

A Romic on the M-Pire and Swinger on both M3s.

 

[Toshi]

did you post a review thread like this last season for the m3? i'd be interested to see what you wrote back then.

 

[kidwoo]

Yeah m3s suck.



with swingers


Send me that extra one. I need a paperweight.

 

[DHCorky]

I do not think I did. It would have been similar because the vpp bikes have always been "dead" feeling. I went from a original V10 to a Azonic Recoil. I hated how that bike rode and I had a weekend at Diablo on a borrowed M1(just sold the recoil) and it was not much better and I could not wait to get back on a VPP bike, that is when I ordered the M3. The M3 was a definate improvement over the original V10. I was nervous about if I was going to like the M-Pire, I am very happy so far.

 

[DHCorky]

Yeah m3s suck.

Yes they do...really the M3 is nice but the M-Pire is more fun to ride.

 

[S.K.C.]

Damn - so your team is running M-Pires for racing this season? You guys must have some serious bling to pick up a couple of those.

There was a guy that lived in the area that brought his M-Pire in to get serviced at the LBS where I get my rig worked on. He needed some new suspension parts for his M-Pire - apparently he is one of a few guys to ever break one of the push-rods that connect to the shock. Anyway - his rig came in at a leg snapping 52lbs. Keep in mind he had Double-Wides for rims, but yeesh. So how heavy is your M-Pire? Just curious.

 

[DHCorky]

Just a rough guess my bike is weighing around 45lbs with a 66 on the front. My Boxxer World Cup will be here this week, that will shave some weight off the bike.

 

[S.K.C.]

Wow - that's not too bad. My Demo 8 was around 43 lbs. and I raced DH with it. With the right parts you could get it to around 42 lbs. I bet.

I love Nicolai bikes - if I had the cash I'd get a Nucleon TST Evo...

 

[vitox]

A Romic on the M-Pire and Swinger on both M3s.

ah that goes a long way towards explaining your findings

 

[Fonzie18]

ah that goes a long way towards explaining your findings

Agreed, the shock makes a huge impact on how the bike rides. The suspension designs must also be considered...Obviously the suspension of the M-pire will be more active through all its travel as opposed to the M3's VPP which is harsh (as mentioned). The tradeoff is pedaling performance...that is my experience having ridden both these bikes for many hours.



Do you have pics of the M-pire? It's always cool to see other Nico's built up.

 

[downhillracer]

Yeah m3s suck.



with swingers


Send me that extra one. I need a paperweight.

my m3 with a fox dhx out-performs the m3s with swingers by far!

 

[ChrisKring]

Cory: at what point will you disclose that you are the Colorado Sales rep for Nicolai?

 

[Bicyclist]

Cory: at what point will you disclose that you are the Colorado Sales rep for Nicolai?

Ah, that's a pretty important fact when reading the review.

 

[binary visions]

Cory: at what point will you disclose that you are the Colorado Sales rep for Nicolai?

Nice.

Figured he was just sponsered, always good to know that he actually has immediate financial reasons to post a good review too

 

[Bicyclist]

Nice.

Figured he was just sponsered, always good to know that he actually has immediate financial reasons to post a good review too

Yeah, real helpful indeed.

 

[atrokz]

With myself doing some work for Nicolai as well, I don’t want to come accross like a walking billboard but I doubt he's being dishonest in his review (edit: and at any rate, his association is right in his sig and I doubt he makes much coin off of the deal, maybe just enough to support a bit of his hobby). I sold my first generation M-Pire to a Quebec rider who raced a M3. We switched for a few runs and he offered me an amount I couldn’t refuse. His M3 was set up nicely with a DHX and was still harsher and less controllable (not uncontrolable, just less able to point and shoot over the realy rough stuff) at Bromont, so trying to not sound like a pitch; I understand why porky would like it better. Not saying the M3 is anything less than awsome though.

 

[DHCorky]

Yes I am a Rep for Nicolai. At no point did I say the M3 is a bad bike. I was careful to do a a honest comparison. I actually enjoyed getting to do a run on a M3 yesterday and would not turn down the oppurtunity in the future. Just ask people that have ridden M3 or a VPP the bikes simply are not as active as other simpler designs. That is all my comparison shows.

This is information for others to see and use in what ever way they want.

When comparing the two bikes they are both great I just think personally the M-Pire is more fun.

I will have some more pics after this week, waiting for the new 07 Boxxer which nothing changed on even the color but the price increased:mumble: :redhot:

 

[BillT]

This is information for others to see and use in what ever way they want.

Yes, but when you don't preface your 'review' with the fact that you are a sales rep for the bike in question and only really disclose after being called on the fact, it really makes you sound less credible at best.

I guess next we'll be seeing 'Sunday vs Demo 8' by the North East IH rep...

 

[DIRTWRKS]

Yes, but when you don't preface your 'review' with the fact that you are a sales rep for the bike in question and only really disclose after being called on the fact, it really makes you sound less credible at best.

I guess next we'll be seeing 'Sunday vs Demo 8' by the North East IH rep...

Yeah, I agree that's dishonest that you are a rep and did not state that up front, also until someone gets a podium on the World Cup with a Nicolai, I think will stick with my M3 for racing !

 

[atrokz]

Yeah, I agree that's dishonest that you are a rep and did not state that up front, also until someone gets a podium on the World Cup with a Nicolai, I think will stick with my M3 for racing !

Might want to brush up on that history

Male and female Champs in 95 (Donovan and Lopes on rebadged Nicolai's), and 04 (or was it 05??) 2nd at Calgary world cup, with quite a few top 20 finishes.

Dont forget that Nicolai is not exactly a large company with the $$$ to spend on top tier racers, and even at such their racers DO in fact place well at WC level. I also believe the french junior champ is on a Nicolai.

Even so, to place your belief in such a manor is kind of like saying: Intense hasnt won a WC yet this year so their bikes must be poo. Even so, rememer that at pro level, its the RIDER and not as much the bike......

But dont belive me, why not pick up Dirt's review on the bike, or the countless other reviews they've had, all of which seem to agree that they are well performing bikes.

 

[DIRTWRKS]

Might want to brush up on that history

Male and female Champs in 95 (Donovan and Lopes on rebadged Nicolai's), and 04 (or was it 05??) 2nd at Calgary world cup, with quite a few top 20 finishes.

Dont forget that Nicolai is not exactly a large company with the $$$ to spend on top tier racers, and even at such their racers DO in fact place well at WC level. I also believe the french junior champ is on a Nicolai.

Even so, to place your belief in such a manor is kind of like saying: Intense hasnt won a WC yet this year so their bikes must be poo. Even so, rememer that at pro level, its the RIDER and not as much the bike......

But dont belive me, why not pick up Dirt's review on the bike, or the countless other reviews they've had, all of which seem to agree that they are well performing bikes.

Wow talk about ancient history, lets compare bikes in this century !

I am sure someone got a DH podium in the past on a Gary Fisher also!

That Calgary World Cup was a second palce finish in 4X not DH by Roger Rinderknecht.

What Junior French rider are you talking about, Antoine Badourd is current Junior champ and he rides a Specialized Demo 8 .


I think you just failed your History exam !

 

[binary visions]

With myself doing some work for Nicolai as well, I don’t want to come accross like a walking billboard but I doubt he's being dishonest in his review

Yes I am a Rep for Nicolai. At no point did I say the M3 is a bad bike. I was careful to do a a honest comparison.

That's all well and good. However, by not presenting the relevant facts, you skew your review.

Neglecting to say that you will directly profit (no matter how little) from the further sales of only one of the bikes in your review is no different than leaving out that, say, one of the bikes was set up for someone who weighed 100lbs more than you do. People are not given the right information to make their decisions.

Plus, now that the information comes out from someone else, and you didn't come clean in the first place about it, it kills your credibility.

 

[OlyBob]

I think this guy was spancerd by Intense last year got his frame then dropped Intense mid season because he got picked up by Yeti and was bad mouthing Yeti becasue they would not give him a 303....

Edit: Upon reflection, he said Yeti would not support him (by giving him a 303), so he would not support yeti.

 

[Andy_B]

Cory: at what point will you disclose that you are the Colorado Sales rep for Nicolai?

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[DHCorky]

I think this guy was spancerd by Intense last year got his frame then dropped Intense mid season because he got picked up by Yeti and was bad mouthing Yeti becasue they would not give him a 303....

Nice first post!

Next time get your facts straight.

 

[zmtber]

but they are so expensive, i would never be able to buy one of those bikes and if i could there are other bikes out there that i am more likely to buy, maybe even two of them

 

[DHCorky]

Th G-Boxx bikes are very pricey. The standard frames are right there with most other boutique companies. With Nicolai you can also get things customized for very minimal. They are not just a company where you buy what comes out of the mold.

Here is link to the current Nicolai Team they have had some solid results so far in the World cups. Sram Nicolai They do have english translations in the riders profiles.

 

[Bernard]

I'm watching this thread for a while and I totally disagree that an empire would be better than a M3.

I rode an Empire for the last 2 seasons and this season I switch to an M3... and I should have done it, way earlier!!!

I could never really get used to the empire. Why?

• The headangle was to steep(like 69 degree with a 58cm axle to crown height, taking a longer fork would make the bike to tall
• The bottombracket to high (in the lowest shock position)
• The suspension pumped like a mad man while pedalling(with a 6way swinger)
• It had lots of pedal kickback while going to his travel
• The BB drops a lot because of the 1 pivot system and the short chainstay's, and you end up touching the ground a lot with your MRP
• Rear suspension stiffens under harsh braking
• The empire in size M weighted 6.8 kg --> like 13,5 pounds ?1?!?!
• And most of them break around the linkarea. Mine did and my team mate's did!

During the last two season's I tried every thing to make the bike better, different shocks, different springs, different forks but it never worked out!

This season I'm riding the M3 and it was love at first sight! From the first run everything felt perfect. Right headangle (65 degree), pedals well, suspension works great even when braking, geometry works for me(active, jumps perfect and drifting is much better controlable), nice low BB-height but somehow the BB doesn't touch the ground as the empire did

 

[atrokz]

.....

Joris Bigoni, 2005 French national champion. My mistake about juniors, as he was a cadet :/ (edit, just noticed he got 3rd in junior at Vigo and 2nd in Junior at Willingen) . Even so, there certainly are more podiums than what I mentioned (why not search for yourself . German Masters, Maxxis cup, etc)

even so, this discussion is entirely irrelevant to how the bikes perform. B

Bernard: 69 degree? Are you sure about that? My 1st gen had a 66 head angle with a similar length fork, measured with a starrett protractor.......

Oh the internet....

 

[BillT]

Maybe Bernard is just the Netherlands rep for Intense and just forgot to mention that fact...

 

[Shyrmp]

This thread is subliminally funny.

Here's a fully raced and fully ridden 3 yrs and 3 month old Mpire.
Bike is still mint but the pilot is currently broken for 4-6 weeks.

Uhm, new petroleum-based rubber.

Got a wide butt.

This racing steed will be sitting on the sideline this summer.

Disclosure statement: Not a US Distributor or dealer for Nicolai. This post is SPAM Filter certified. Oh, Hutchinson rocks.

 

[seismic]

Awesome looking bike !