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Just canvassing some opinion. I'm going to buy a nicolai. I don't want to pay the extra for ano, but the craftsmanship on these bikes (IMHO) is too good to cover up with paint. Almost every bike I've had has been black or raw so I'm of a mind to get some colour. The trouble is, raw looks good for ever.
Anyhow, first up we have semi permeable yellow glaze which as the name suggests is a glaze rather than a paint so the welds are still visible.
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Then we have the raw. Easy to clean, easy to keep looking nice and possibly better resale if the time comes.
[img] http://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/die-argon-gallerie.562982/page-16 [/img]
Opinions gratefully received.
I can't see the pictures. 🙁
I cannot either.
Piss. Stupid ipad.
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First one
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This might be the 2nd?
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Regardless of the 2nd one, go lairy.
Lairy.
This is easy. Go lairy until it looks shabby then strip it.
Go obnoxious
Enduro lairyness all the way.
[url= https://www.dropbox.com/sc/8jk80x56g7fjsl4/AAC8yqJkcKbJ0HvErf7U82mEa ]my lairy rallon[/url]
It looks good.
Lairy fo shiz.
Lairy
You're spending loads of dosh on a bike, you should make it stand out
Lairy, definately.
+1 lairy 8)
In my earlier post I meant to say lairy looks good, get that!
Lairy.
Although my Yeti is anodised black and the only real wear is to the laser etch decals. All my other bikes are chipped and scratched all over but the Yeti still looks fairly smart despite getting on for 8-years old and being laid in the boot with just odd pair of gloves/camelbac shoved between it and the next muddy bike laid on top of it.
+1 throbbing lime
Reminds me of that Only Fools and Horses Christmas special
Lairy 8)
Lairy! How much extra is the anodising? It's tougher and lighter than paint!
Pay the extra for the ano if youre getting a Nicolai do it right the others will date.
Ano orange is nice 😀
[img][url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5602/15371579297_81c440a454_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5602/15371579297_81c440a454_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pqkmZg ]2014-09-06 14.43.51[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/120231558@N03/ ]rlockwood64[/url], on Flickr[/img]
Another lairy vote here
400 euro!
I'm getting a HT, so whilst comparitively expensive, not too extravagant.
Thanks for the input, a bit of validation is always welcome!
+1 to Lairy.
That first colour Wrecker poster is really nice.
The only thing with lairy is that people expect you to ride like Sam Hill.
Lairy looks awesome.
safe..... just joking, Lairy!
Sweary Fairy,
Hairy Mary
Fairly Lairy
The new Nicolai stickers look good...
The new Nicolai stickers look good...
I thought so too until I found out they attract additional cost. The customisation is great but extra for different stickers?
Anyway, lairy it is. Deposit going down tomorrow.
Not the lairy one! You'll need to buy a matching poc helmet, and then you'll look like a right tool.
Get green or this [img] 
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Yellow glaze looks ace
Not the lairy one! You'll need to buy a matching poc helmet, and then you'll look like a right tool.
I think that ship has sailed mate. As stated, I'm not paying 400 euros for a fancy ano colour.
Go lairy. Ffs its not a Volvo V50 is it?
400 Euros! Well, that's a lot cheaper than metallic paint on a car... 😉
The only thing I'd change about my Spitfire is to turn it from stealth black ano to proper lairy, yellow or orange or green or something. I hate cleaning bikes but at least bright colours look clean after a quick wash - ano black requires concors level obsession to get that brand new look back...
We saw an awesome Nicolai. Moss matt green frame and ruby red decals. Noice.
Lairy's fine for a frame providing you don’t then introduce other colours and gaudy-fy the build.
I've just gone lairy with the latest paint job on my Intense. Took a few days to get used to but love the colour now.
Only 6 week lead time. Can't wait, I've not had a HT in years!
Out of the two free choices i'd go raw. Not that raw looks special or anything but that transparent green is awful (probably why it doesn't cost anything). On a simpler frame design that green might not look so shite, but on an Argon TB it's like putting a tu-tu and lipstick on a tank.
As always it's your money, your bike and your distinct lack of style or taste. Enjoy 😀
Which frame is it, btw?
You didn't go for a Switchback in the end then?
I had a mate with a lairy coloured car - biggest ball-ache for him was everyone mentioning that they'd spotted him driving along the road at various times. You're Bristol based aren't you? I'll look out for it around AC 😀
wrecker - Member
Only 6 week lead time. Can't wait, I've not had a HT in years!
I think Nicolai look great, but don't, whatever you do, put daft long forks on it. Keep them reasonably short and you'll really appreciate having a hardtail.
It's designed for 150-160mm forks. One of the reasons I haven't had a HT in years is because I just don't like steep bikes, and they've all been too steep, particularly when sagged. It's only now with 66 odd deg HAs I'm interested. I appreciate that you're a dirt jumper so have your own preference, but I couldn't live with it.
You didn't go for a Switchback in the end then?
I wanted to, I really did. It's just too small, I didn't want something even shorter than my SC.
You're Bristol based aren't you? I'll look out for it around AC
I don't really ride there often. I think I've been two or three times. With south wales so close, I don't see the point (no slight on the trail builders, they have done a brilliant job with what they had to work with).
Is it custom geo or straight off the rack? Has it got one of those crank based gear boxes?
Neither mate. The gearbox versions are approx 3k!!!! Rest assured, I won't be getting one although they do appeal.
The standard geo looks great for a man of my (fairly average) proportions. Custom, I imagine is a fortune.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0ApNhXyVGHlPldDkxZjBWbUJpQWhPYjdpNkpqRjBibVE&single=true&gid=53&output=html
I think you've made an excellent choice - lovely bike. Burly but not too heavy, well made with a slack geo ... & 650b.
I looked at Nicolai Argon's and Curtis AM7's before deciding on the Switchback.
Looks pretty downhill friendly!
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I think you've made an excellent choice
Thanks! I hope so, it ain't cheap.
Looks pretty downhill friendly
No joke! I'm a plodder uphill anyway. I just hope my old bones can take it!
Geo aside, I really like the look of the thing. The ano blue is stunning (but not 400euro stunning!)
Nicolai bikes are works of art to me. I've always wanted one and it would have to be in raw to show off all the weld and machining detail for me to look at. In my mind form should echo function and a raw Nicolai epitomises that for mountain bikes in my book. Mountain bikes should look like machines not like dainty painted road bikes.
I may have had too much gin.
My current bike is painted after 15 years of raw or silver anodized frames. It is a wonderful bike but I can't help thinking it would look better naked.......
Yeh, it looks sick. Steel bikes with long travel forks and sky high BBs have been done to death. This is gonna be something else. If you're getting the lairy colour, then it needs some of them purple marzocchi 55's they used to do.
I may have had too much gin.
😀
then it needs some of them purple marzocchi 55's they used to do.
*sigh* if only. Mega excited about it though.
Strangely enough we've got a bike for sale at the moment....
Helius AM, medium, Orange ano, white shock linkages and bearing covers......... purple Marzocchi 55's.......
1 1/8th headtube with the matching fork. It's had some use but in very good condition - reasonable offers considered.
The geo is almost identical to my NP Scout. 5mm more reach on the large Scout and a shorter seat tube - the Argon has a lower BB by a few mm.... that's it - it seems.
The wheel base on the Argon is longer though?
I went raw. Have never regretted it, although I would like a lairy Ion 20 to complement it.
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