[Closed] Nicolai Helius AM creaking help!!

Do you know if the pivots are running on bushings or bearings? My helius ac runs on bushings so it could possibly be worn or dry bushings needing some tlc or replacement, just a guess

Thanks Lion but I haven't a clue I'll look into it

We had a nightmare trying to locate a creak on @ahsat’s nicolai. I think it ended up being the top bearings in the link

I have a Helius too and I get this problem periodically. To locate it IF it is a bushing I loosen individual bushings off one at a time until I have isolated the creak. The upper pivot of the bell crank was the most recent culprit. In the past I had a noise that took months to trace. It only 'appeared' after a long dry period (rare here in Wales), so was a right pain to find. At the base of the seat tube, just above the BB there are two grub screws that are used to locate the main pivot for the swingarm. They were a tad loose.

Thanks Ambrose sounds like a plan

If you email nicolai directly they are pretty helpful and respond quickly. There are exploded diagrams of the pivot assembly's lurking somewhere on their website or they will email them over if you ask

Thanks Lion I'll try that I've contacted simons nicolai on here and sorry Ambrose I've looked and I don't have any grub screws .

I'm off to email Nicolai now thanks for the input

I really should update my username given we're no longer the distributor.

Creaks are hard - sometimes come when the bike has been ridden in dry dusty conditions for a while and it goes after a wash...  Ambrose's method for locating problem is sound.

Tech manuals are here -  https://www.nicolai-bicycles.com/tech-manuals/

You *will* have grub screws.  Look at the square section on just above the bottom bracket that the seat tube is welded to.  the back of that will have two small holes and there are grub screws in there that anchor the main pivot axle.  Get any dirt out so that you don't round them off.

AM runs on bushings on all the pivots.  I've still got a little stock of the 'bearing' style and a lot of IGUS washers and top hat bushings.  Can you sell you those at a good discount if you want/need them.

Found the grub screws took them out greased them and the creak isn't as bad but still there so reckon I am in the right area

From memory mine was running bushings on steel axles which had pitted and corroded badly, they weren't creaking but had developed loads of play and needed replacement. If your able to disassemble the back end of the bike down to the main pivot and then clean and regrease that could sort it

The top hat style bushing is no 1 offender. After that the rearmost bushings on the chainstay , make sure they are tight by loosening the grub screw, tighten bolt, re tighten grub screw. Next is other grub screw/bolts and shock bolts.

Nicolai bushings tend to wear a bit but rarely need replacement, just a tighten up. Also just go finger tight, not too much.

Finally check the shock bushings, they can really creak when needing replacement.