SATURN 14 GPI
TRAIL
from 4249.00€
SATURN 14 GPI
The radical gearbox driven trail bike
NICOLAI’s interpretation of a radical gearbox driven trail bike is called the SATURN 14 GPI. The SATURN 14 GPI inspires the rider with its modern and balanced GEOLUTION TRAIL geometry on home trails, in the bike park or crossing the Alps. Agile, smooth running, easy to climb and low maintenance describe this bike best in four ways. You can say goodbye to going ‘over the bars,’ a wandering front wheel on climbs and daily maintenance. The SATURN 14 GPI does exactly what a trail bike should do. Two possible wheel sizes, PINION & GATES CarbonDrive (GPI) and plenty of room for water bottles, it is the most versatile gearbox-driven NICOLAI we have ever built.
The NICOLAI SATURN 14 has been established in the trail and enduro market for over a year. It is difficult to confine it to a box, its wide range of capabilities makes it too versatile. As a result, the SATURN 14 has become the “egg-laying, wool making and milking sow” for many of our customers. To suit the incoming season, NICOLAI presents the SATURN 14 in the GPI version.
GPI stands for GATES PINION. The PINION P1.12 transmission is integrated in to the heart of the frame, and the GATES Carbon Drive broaden the capabilities for the everyday rider and create a unique bike: downhill, the GEOLUTION geometry combined with the low centre of gravity as well as reduced unsprung mass at the rear wheel, provide undreamed-of downhill potential. Uphill, the combination of GEOLUTION and a full 600% gear range results in unlimited climbing ability. Upon the SATURN 14 GPI, you can be competitive in enduro races as well as having great fun on your home trails. With its low maintenance and unrivalled spectrum of use, the SATURN 14 GPI is a bike for all occasions: enduro racing, Trans-Alp or day tours – you decide!
Continuing frame production in Lower Saxony, it is easy for NICOLAI to offer a reinforced version with full bike park approval too. This frame is given the suffix ST and has a thicker-walled down tube, seat tube and top tube as well as gussets at the head tube.
What the hell is Bikepark approval? All of our MTB frames easily take the strain of everyday riding. However, a frame with bike park approval must meet further requirements at NICOLAI: It must be able to withstand loads caused by riding errors or falls. 25 years of experience in frame construction have shown NICOLAI that “riding error frequency” is considerably higher in a bike park than on home trails or long rides. The SATURN 14 GPI ST guarantees against these errors.
The SATURN 14 GPI can be individually specified as a complete bike in our configurator. Components from manufacturers like FOX, ROCKSHOX, INTEND, HOPE, MAGURA, TUNE, CONTINENTAL, SRAM, and LEVELNINE are available. Complete bikes are available from 6499€. The frame including gearbox, cranks, a GATES CarbonDrive weighs 7360g in Large size.
Like all NICOLAI bikes, the SATURN 14 GPI is a complete in-house development. From the first drawings, through FEM-supported optimisation, to production and final assembly, all stages of the process are carried out under one roof. Of course, the SATURN 14 GPI contains all the ingredients that define a true NICOLAI: A tube set optimally suited to the area of application is combined with distinctive CNC machined parts. Experienced welders construct precisely the unmistakably wide and flat NICOLAI welding seams to create a total work of art. There are quad-sealed industrial grade bearings on all pivots of the four-bar rear suspension and ensure a smooth response with maximum rigidity and low maintenance. With a total of 5 standard sizes (S to XXL) NICOLAI has the right frame size for every rider, from 1.60 to over 2 metres.
As usual, frames can be customised in colour with robust powder coatings, lightweight anodised colours or simply in the legendary Fac-Raw finish. Coloured accents can be selected to match components using anodised “Extra Love Parts.” Even custom geometries are possible for an extra charge with our Tailormade program.
REINFORCED TUBESET + GUSSETS
NOW EVEN TOUGHER WITH THE ST UPGRADE
We offer the SATURN 14 in two versions. The SATURN 14 with the suffix ST (SUPER TRAIL) is manufactured with a reinforced tube set and extra gussets. This gives the bike clearance for forks with a length of up to 570mm A2C and a stanchion diameter of 36mm. The standard SATURN 14 GPI is not approved for bike park use and the fork length A2C is limited to 550mm. The frame weight increases by about 300gr depending on the frame size for the ST version.
#GEOLUTION TRAIL
MORE SPEED, MORE FUN
“We don’t care about trends! All that matters is lap times, driving pleasure, safety and the physical facts.” This quote is our approach to the development of new mountain bikes. This mission statement has made us one of the most innovative bicycle companies in terms of chassis performance, steering dynamics and geometry.
GEOLUTION is the geometry concept on which all current Nicolai models are based. Over the past three years, NICOLAI has been working with Chris Porter on GEOLUTION. To summarise this for people who have not already heard about the future of bike geometry, we can focus on four main points:
- Longer reach (frame length) means that even the tallest rider can take advantage of modern short stems and wide handlebars without being cramped
- Slacker head tube angle reduces the risk of ‘over the bars’ crashes, improves front wheel grip and high-speed stability
- Longer wheelbase centralises the rider in the bike to give a more stable ride when climbing and descending
- Steeper seat tube angle makes climbing easier, especially on steep sections by reducing front wheel wander
The GEOLUTION TRAIL concept is less ‘extreme’ than the geometry found on the G1 enduro bike, but still years ahead of the average cross country racer. Fun, agile, fast, stable; characteristics that will leave you itching to get out for the next ride.
WHEEL SIZES & SUSPENSION TRAVEL
ONE FRAME, TWO WHEEL SIZES
27.5”, 29”, both? Thanks to the Mutator chips located on the seat stay and 13mm deep (available from RESET RACING or CANE CREEK) lower headset cups to change the stack height, one SATURN 14 GPI frame can be configured anyway you choose. Big wheels for big riders, small wheels for smaller riders or a hybrid mix for those who want the best of both worlds: huge front wheel grip, fast speed generation from pumping the terrain and unparalleled cornering response on unknown trails.
A frame with a pair of 27,5″ wheels can be built up with either a 210x55mm or a 210x50mm shock: The resulting rear wheel travel is 138mm or 130mm. The 29″ frame version should only be used with a 210x50mm shock and 130mm travel. Although a 210x55mm shock on this frame would also give 138mm of travel, the increased travel reduces the tyre clearance, so this configuration is not recommended. 27,5″ wheels can only be used in a SATURN 14 GPI ST frame due to the mutation. The 29″ can be ordered in both versions.
TENSION-BAR
ABSORBS LOADS AND REDUCES FORCES
Nicolai has always been good for the other solution. The tension bar increases the fatigue strength of the frame without increasing the weight.
Wondering what that black thing is hidden behind the shock and seat-tube ? Every iteration of the Saturn since 2004 has featured a tension bar. This is an extra connection between the lower shock bolt and the rocker link pivot, why? When the suspension bottoms out at full compression, forces continue to try and move these pivot points away from each other (you can see many frames break around this area).
The tension bar resists this and keeps the maximum forces in check, meaning that lighter tubing and machined parts can be used in this area to reduce overall weight.
WELDING TECHNOLOGY
A NICOLAI IS ALWAYS RECOGNIZABLE BY ITS WELDS.
We design a unique jig for every model and frame size. The tubes and machined components are turned and milled as necessary and then mounted in the jig, fitting perfectly together. Then, these parts are tacked together by spot welding. The frame is then welded in several passes by TIG (tungsten inert gas) to reduce distortion. By reducing the distortion as much as possible it improves the alignment of the frame. Our flat, fish-scale welds are time-consuming but ensure that the material is properly fused, improving strength.
The wide and flat welded bead distributes force over a larger area, improving the strength of the frame. Sometimes we add gussets to reinforce parts of the frame that receive particularly high forces, such as from braking or jumping.
This extra care and attention to detail ensures that your frame will give you years of fun, even under the most demanding riders and conditions.
BOTTLE HOLDER
BACKPACK, HIPPACK OR CLASSIC BOTTLE CAGE?
The decision is yours. The SATURN offers space in all frame sizes from size S to size XXL for an easily accessible and protected bottle holder in the main frame triangle.
From now on we can also deliver your NICOLAI directly with the FIDLOCK drinking bottle. With the 0.6 litre TWIST bottle, Fidlock sets standards for the optimal function of a drinking bottle. The bottle can be magnetically snapped into the down tube without an ugly plastic or wire holder with an intuitive rotary movement. Jumps and stone fields cannot harm the bottle. Rattle or lost bottles are the past.
FRAME SIZE AND TAILORMADE
WE MANUFACTURE YOUR CUSTOM-MADE FRAME
The NICOLAI SATURN 14 GPI is manufactured in 5x frame sizes and offers a suitable option for the majority of mountain bikers ranging from 160cm to 205cm
Of course, there are also mountain bikers whose body measurements do not fit on a standard frame. Be it a very long upper body, short arms or any kind of “extreme” body size.
Of course there is the possibility to push these customers onto a standard frame by using stem length or seatpost offsets. But, at NICOLAI we take a different approach. We offer these customers the possibility to have their frame made to measure. This TAILORMADE process is subject to a surcharge, but offers the customer the possibility to get a frame that is optimally adapted to them – not a compromise in geometry or durability. The SATURN 14 GPI now offers the basis for custom-made frames in the gearbox TRAILBIKE sector.
TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZED STRUCTURE
A bicycle frame and its components are exposed to extreme forces during use. In order to develop a durable, robust but also lightweight bicycle frame, all components are designed at NICOLAI GmbH using topology optimization.
Topology optimization is a computer-based calculation method by which a favorable basic shape (topology) for components under mechanical load can be determined. This text from the textbook abstractly but aptly describes which processes we use to develop new components. In topology optimization, an algorithm calculates the optimized mass distribution in a component based on defined installation spaces, defined forces, material properties and component geometries.
Thus, lighter and stiffer structures can be developed. However, these procedures are only a tool and one of many. However, the most important tool for an engineer is professional experience. The combination of many years of professional experience and computer-based optimization software creates components that are second to none, both technically and optically.
PINION GEAR
CONTROLLED PERFORMANCE.
Many NICOLAI models can be equipped with a Pinion GmbH gearbox on request. The transmission is low-maintenance and optimally integrated into the bicycle frame. The central centre of gravity and the lighter rear wheel bring noticeable advantages in handling, driving dynamics and rear-end performance. The transmission reacts to shift commands at lightning speed.
MODELS
Type | P1.18
Gears | 18
Overall ration | 636%
Increments | 11.5%
Gearbox weight | 2700g
Type | P.12
Gears | 12
Overall ration | 600%
Increments | 17.7%
Gearbox weight | 2350g
ANGULAR CONTACT BEARINGS
4 WAY SEALED
The rear triangle of a full suspension bike is not a statically rigid component and is exposed to extreme loads during driving. Critical points are the ball bearings, which ensure low breakaway torque and optimum response of the chassis. In order to extend the maintenance intervals of the frame, Nicolai products rely exclusively on full complement, double-sealed ball bearings.
These are protected by two additional O-ring seals. Thus, the bearings are optimally protected against moisture and dirt.
Full complement bearings have a higher load rating than standard ball bearings, as a higher number of balls are used in these bearings – in summary, they are more robust.
Rado
Rear Aligning Dropout
So that you can hit every lane on the trail, we mount a form-fit sliding, exchangeable dropout for track and camber adjustment on all frames. Due to the differently milled, right dropouts for adjusting the lintel, the rear only needs to be slightly readjusted after installation. This takes the strain off the material. The respective lintel height is milled into the RADO with the digits 0, 1, 2 or -1 and -2. After the toe and camber have been set, the RADO is fixed ex works with a pin. This makes the original setting easily reproducible during replacement. This is the only way we can guarantee that NICOLAI products work precisely on the track.
MANUFACTURING QUALITY
Made in Germany
The manufacturing quality itself is not yet an added value for a customer. The following two added values “durability & precise driving characteristics”result from production quality. Only if the welds are welded deep into the root and have no notches, a bike frame can withstand the impacts from the ground for many years without breaking. Precise riding characteristics are achieved when the rear wheel is precisely straight to the front wheel and even a layman notices that an oblique bike rides strangely (but usually he thinks it’s because of his riding ability).
Over the last 20 years, we have continuously optimized our production in order to further increase production quality and, of course, to be able to implement ever more sophisticated designs. Of course you can also outsource a production, but then you have to plan a certain additional effort to check the processes at others. We do not do this, because we manufacture everything in-house. However, this trivial fact leads to the next reason:
Customer-specific adaptation options
Since we only manufacture a NICOLAI bike when we have received an order from a customer, it is easy for us to implement different wishes such as colour, train guidance or even a special geometry. The possibilities and limits can be evaluated in a personal discussion with our sales and technical team. Oh, and here’s another reason:
Personal Advice
Personal contact continues even after purchasing a NICOLAI bike. There are customers with whom we have been friends for 20 years and if after a few years of hard work a bearing needs to be changed or a frame needs a new coating, you can simply call the guys from the service department. Since we also manufacture all small parts on our machines, we can also produce all spare parts for older models if required. In three words:
10 years spare parts availability
We do not follow any trends, but test everything ourselves and come to our own convictions and that for 20 years. We have a great deal of experience. In my opinion, it borders on insulting customers to announce a bike as a novelty in one year and to discontinue the same model as a discontinued model next year. A NICOLAI is timeless. Straight drawn round tubes paired with elaborate CNC milled parts and beautiful detail solutions result in a frame design that will please even after many years. I call it that:
Durability and value stability
The manufacture of products close to the customer is environmentally friendly. This applies to bread, milk, meat and any other product. And it applies above all to large objects. I do not want to transport bulky bicycle frames, which consist almost exclusively of air, in containers across the oceans. I just want to produce the things that are needed. For more and more customers this sustainability and the jobs here on site is a reason to choose a NICOLAI bike. Worn phrase:
sustainability
But back to the bikes. Every NICOLAI frame is developed in Lübbrechtsen. The bike is designed, prototypes built and tested until we are satisfied. The feedback of our team riders, our customers and our own experience as bikers is incorporated. Our goal is always the same: To make best function, durability, reliability and the good better. And that’s the best reason:
The best bike
regards
Kalle Nicolai
7020-T6 ALUMINIUM
ALUMINIUM IS NOT ALUMINIUM
We at Nicolai exclusively use the alloy 7020-T6 (AlZn4,5Mg1) for our frames. Compared to our competitors, who mostly use aluminium 6061-T6, this grade has much better strength values.
The tensile strength of 7020 compared to 6061 aluminium is about one third higher. The elasticity is about one fifth higher. These properties, coupled with high quality welding, result in a bicycle frame that is far superior to the average in terms of durability.
In comparison to carbon, aluminium is much more robust and tough, so that bottom contact, falls or stone impacts cannot harm the structure.
COLOR VARIETY
Extralove
With a NICOLAI frame, you decide the design. Every Nicolai frame can be produced in any colour according to your preferences. Choose from different frame colours, anodised colours for reversing levers and pull holders as well as frame decor to add your individual touch to the frame.
Frame color:
Powder coated, anodized or factory-raw – you decide what your frame looks like. Powder coating is a melted plastic coating that is significantly more resistant to scratching and impact than conventional coatings.
Lacquer. Anodising is an electrochemical process used to colour the surface of aluminium. The oxide layer is even harder and more scratch-resistant than any powder coating. Additional weight is not applied during anodising. However, the thin oxide layer can be penetrated more easily. With a powder coating or lacquer you can hide flaws in the surface. Scratches, scoring and tool marks can be filled and smoothed like skin folds with make-up. An anodizing does not hide anything, reveals every flaw; the brighter the anodizing tone, the clearer. This is why different colours are produced on welded frames during anodising. However, the current trend is towards frames which are delivered “factory-raw”. The frames are not coated after production, but move directly to assembly. You get your frame without coating (also no clear lacquer). Over time, an oxide layer/patina forms on the frame, causing the shine of the raw aluminium to fade slightly. With the help of a polishing fleece, however, the old shine can be restored in a few easy steps. In addition to the unmistakable look, the “factory raw” look best reveals the manufacturing quality and technical charm of the frame.
Click here for the colour samples!
Decor:
You can choose between the Nicolai standard lettering or the NICOLAI BIG N logo for the decors. The decors are available in different colours and finishes – you decide.
bellcrank assembly:
You have the choice of adjusting the colour of your bell crank, the tension brackets and the preload covers to your frame. We offer various anodising colours with which you can refine your bike. Due to the process, there may be colour deviations between the components of light anodised colours due to material properties.
10 YEARS SPARE PARTS AVAILABILITY
If after a few years of hard work a bearing on a Nicolai frame needs to be replaced, a RADO needs to be replaced due to a fall or a frame needs a new coating, the NICOLAI service staff is the right contact. Since we at NICOLAI manufacture all small parts on our machines, we can also produce spare parts for older models if required. We therefore guarantee spare parts availability of at least 10 years for all Nicolai products.
Bike Configurator
The SATURN 14 GPI can be individually specified as a complete bike in the configurator. Components from manufacturers FOX, ROCK SHOX, INTEND, HOPE, MAGURA, TUNE, CONTINENTAL, SRAM, and LEVELNINE are available. Complete bikes are available from 6749€.
SATURN 14 GPI
Ride
Trail
Frame Size
S-XXL
SPRING DEFLECTION
130/138 mm
Weight
7.36 KG (frame size L incl. Gear, Crank, GATES Drive)
Wheel size
29" | 27.5“ | Hybrid (29" + 27.5")
Warranty
5 years
Tech Sheet
SATURN 14 GPI
