I like to keep to myself, I'm introverted and sparing with words towards strangers. Small talk? Only involuntarily. And yet, on this sunny Sunday afternoon, I roll into the car park of the bike park in Oberammergau with the Nicolai G1 GPI in my luggage. Looking back, I have to say: I couldn't have chosen a more unsuitable bike for a relaxed day trip. Because as soon as the rear wheel plops off the loading sill onto the gravel, the comments start: "Wow, great bike!", "Hey, that's the one with the gearbox, isn't it?", "Is that yours?" The comments come at me faster than I can pull up my knee pads.
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It was to be expected that this bike would attract attention like a moth to a flame. The pink anodised finish and the geometry with an obviously super-slack steering angle are hard to miss and the Pinion gearbox with Gates belt drive is still a rarity in the mountain bike mass market. Incidentally, the name GPI also comes from the exclusive drive: G for Gates, PI for Pinion. But the real highlights of the pink aluminium colossus are not so easy for park visitors to spot as they pass by. That's lucky, because otherwise I'd probably have one conversation after another until the lift closed.
The G1 forms the enduro platform in the Nicolai portfolio. Perfectly engineered weld seam sequences designed to minimise heat distortion combine 7020 T6 aluminium tubes and CNC milled parts to create a frame made entirely in Germany. The four-bar rear suspension with Horst link offers 162 or 175 millimetres of travel depending on the flip-chip position. Suspension forks with 170 or 180 millimetres of travel are used at the front.
The facts about the Nicolai G1 GPI
- Price: Complete bikes from 9499 euros
- Weight: 18.90 kg without pedals
- Spring travel: 170/175 mm
- Impellers: 29/27,5"
- Drive: Pinion SMART-Shift with Gates belt
GPI: more than stress-free switching!
A fresh oil bath every 10,000 kilometres - that's all the maintenance the Pinion gearbox needs to run reliably. Without an exposed rear derailleur, one of the most failure-prone components on the bike is also eliminated. However, in addition to the practical advantages in terms of durability and maintenance, the GPI system also contributes to downhill performance because the absence of a rear derailleur and cassette reduces the weight on the rear wheel - a boost for the suspension function. The lower the unsprung mass, the more smoothly the bike follows the ground.
Another highlight: Smart Shift. The gear ratios are controlled electronically, the lever assignment can be customised via app and the starting gear can also be engaged automatically when the vehicle is stationary.
Goemetry: it couldn't be more variable!
We don't care about trends - the boutique label has made a name for itself with this attitude. The team around company founder Kalle Nicolai prefers to impress with innovative and sometimes radical geometry approaches. The G1 is no exception: 485 millimetres reach in size M, 63 degree head angle and a wheelbase of 1284 millimetres - with a small 27.5 mm rear wheel, mind you. This means that our test bike is longer and slacker than the entire enduro test field from BIKE 04/25.
So far, so impressive - but that's just the beginning. With its adapters in the chain and compression stays - so-called mutators - the G1 can be flexibly trimmed to different wheel sizes: 27.5 inch, mullet or standardised 29 inch. As soon as the basic configuration is set up, the real tuning fun begins. The three chainstay mutators of different lengths and six compression strut variants open up up to seven further mutation options per frame size, allowing the chainstay length, bottom bracket drop and steering angle to be changed.
This means that one platform combines a whole range of characters - from ultra-progressive fun bikes to balanced race enduro bikes. One bike, countless possibilities. The only catch: If you want to experiment outside of the standard mutations, you should know exactly what you are doing. This is because the length of the belt is usually only compatible with one mutation.
If you take a closer look at the geometry data for sizes S to XXL, you'll also notice that the geometry is growing proportionally: Nicolai has opted for a proportionally increasing geometry on the G1 GPI. In addition to the usual values such as top tube and chainstay length, the head angle and seat angle also change significantly depending on the frame size. At the same time, Nicolai keeps the reach-to-stack ratio constant - all tricks that ensure that the main contact points, i.e. the hands on the handlebars and the feet on the pedals, are loaded evenly across all sizes. The result: the same load distribution between the front and rear wheels - whether on a compact S or a full-blown XXL bike. No other manufacturer is so precise in this respect.
How the Nicolai G1 GPI rides
For our test, Nicolai provided us with the G1 in size M with the standard version and Mullet tyres. As I push the bike past the lift queue in the direction of the piston saddle, eyes are once again glued to me and the G1. I quickly put my goggles on my face and look down - hopefully no one will think to approach me. Once on the forest road, I sit very compactly despite the long reach, with sufficient pressure on the front - thanks to the steep seat angle. The rear end remains pleasantly stable. Efficient climbing? Check. At least as far as the suspension is concerned. The higher pedalling resistance of the Pinion gearbox is particularly noticeable in the lightest gear setting. There's no doubt that derailleur gears convert the watts from your legs into propulsion more efficiently. The G1 GPI then goes downhill all the faster. The test track is the Fichtenschreck, a rough, root-ridden downhill track and a reference for enduro bikes. After the first half, I'm certain: I've never ridden down here so quickly and confidently. Nicolai demonstrates impressively: length works. You can immediately feel that the unsprung mass on the rear wheel is lower than with a conventional drivetrain. The rear suspension reacts ultra-sensitively to small bumps and generates excellent traction. Thanks to the central and low centre of gravity of the gearbox, the G1 GPI is also easier to handle on narrow trails than you would expect from a 19-kilo bike. Also pleasant: the belt drive doesn't make a sound, only the rumble of the tyres can be heard. However, physical effort is required on winding trails, as the bike, with its long and flat front end, needs to be actively manoeuvred around tight bends and tends to tip slightly when riding slowly.
Conclusion Max Fuchs, BIKE test editor
Lower unsprung mass, less wear-prone parts, lower centre of gravity - the Pinion gearbox offers nothing but advantages in terms of downhill performance. Combined with the almost endless possibilities of customising the Nicolai chassis to suit personal preferences, the G1 GPI with the "Made in Germany" seal of quality becomes the object of desire for downhill-loving individualists.
Max Fuchs
Editor
