Until now, particularly small riders have often been excluded from the Nicolai S16 MGU. Shorter riders didn’t always get on well with the S frame size. That’s why Nicolai is making improvements and introducing the new XS size for the S16 MGU e-MTB. But it wouldn’t be a Nicolai mountain bike if the Mini-S16 weren’t tailored down to the last detail to suit smaller riders. We took a look at the details of the new Nicolai S16 MGU XS at the Bespoked trade fair.
Conclusion
It’s great to see that Nicolai is also thinking of the younger riders out there and is introducing a new frame size for the S16 MGU. Especially in enduro riding and on a heavy e-bike, bike control is absolutely essential. With the lower chassis, Nicolai gives shorter riders greater freedom of movement, which should only have a positive effect on the handling of the S16 MGU XS. - Jan Timmermann, editor at BIKE
The Nicolai S16 MGU XS in detail
- Area of use: E-Enduro
- Suspension travel: 160 / 160 mm
- Wheel size: 29” / Mullet
- Motor system: Pinion E1.12 MGU
- Battery capacity: 800 / 1060 Wh
- Frame material: aluminium
- Weight: from 26.9 kg
- Price: from 11,399 euros
- Special features: Motor-gearbox unit, belt drive, customised specifications and design available, made in Germany
Aluminium frame with MGU
The Nicolai S16 MGU combines a German-made aluminium frame with a motor-gearbox unit that is also produced locally. The E1.12 MGU from Pinion delivers a maximum of 600 watts and 400 per cent assistance. It delivers up to 160 Newton-metres of torque. At the same time, the unit offers the durable gear-changing function of an integrated gearbox. Nicolai reports that the Pinion MGU has so far covered 50,000 kilometres without any measurable wear and tear, and promotes it as a particularly hassle-free e-bike system. If desired, Smart-Shift can even shift gears fully automatically. The battery has a capacity of either 800 or 1,060 watt-hours and can be removed for charging.
In keeping with its low-wear drive system, the Nicolai S16 MGU comes fitted with a Gates belt. The belt drive does not require greasing and promises a long service life even with minimal maintenance. Specially designed pulleys keep the belt taut on the full-suspension bike. In typical Nicolai fashion, the complete bikes can be fully configured to suit individual requirements. The show bike for the Bespoked trade fair is fitted with DT Swiss wheels and Continental tyres. Braking is provided by Magura brakes and the suspension is from Fox.
Don’t call it a low-step model!
Until now, the Nicolai S16 MGU frame was only available in size S. Riders who found this too tall in terms of top tube height had to order a bespoke frame. At the Bespoked trade fair in Dresden, the German company is now presenting a new, standard XS size. This move was prompted by repeated customer requests for smaller frames. However, the S16 MGU’s frame wasn’t simply scaled down. Instead, the normally straight top tube has been replaced with an angled tube, which is designed to offer plenty of freedom of movement over the bike even for riders of smaller stature. Nevertheless, Nicolai insists that this is not a special “women’s model”, but rather an additional size option.
What do you think: have you ever had trouble finding a suitable e-MTB as a young rider? Share your experiences in the comments!
Jan Timmermann
Editor
