02 history born ... 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 The fabrication of a high end bicycle frame involves a vast number of individual pro- duction steps that we at NICOLAI carry out under our roof. The basic raw material from which we build our frames is aluminium. This is delive- red to us as blocks and tubes. We use several butted tubesets from EASTON® as well as aircraft grade 7020 and 7005 aluminium tubing. Milled parts which are not welded are made out of Al Cu Mg 1 aluminium, however from raw materials to a NICOLAI frame is a long way. Read on to gain a better understanding of the pro- cesses that take place to make your frame. The first step is the precise cutting of the tubes known as mitring. This is in order to reduce welding distortions as much as possible; the tube must be cut exactly to fit flush against the part to which it is to be welded. A single tube can have up to four mitre cuts. Because of the large variety of different tubesets and thus the different clamps they require, this work can turn out to be quite complex and expensive. This is why we have built a new machine specifically for this task. All milled parts are made in-house from raw aluminium or from semi-finished extru- ded aluminium profiles made especially for us. Here too, precision has to be coupled with a high production rate. To accomplish this, we have now three CNC (Computer Numeric Control) work stations in use: two of the most modern CNC tapping centers and a BROTHER® TC-32 A. These produce the majority of the 220 different mill- led parts that we use to make our frames and components. Since June 2004 we that your Nicolai rides straight and true the frame is measured and exactly aligned once more. The camber and toe-in of the rear dropouts is adjusted and the disc brake mounts are also faced for a hassle free mounting of the disc brake caliper. The replaceable derailleur hanger is pinned, the correct shock for the rider's weight fitt- ted and the decals are put onto on the frame. After one final check and a thorough cleaning the frame moves to the shipping department where it will be assigned its final destination. What do a Saville Row suit, a 30 kg Italian Espresso machine and a Nicolai frame have in common? All three are timeless products whose existence and production process exists outside the societal norms of mass produced disposable products. These are products with a high value due to a creation process which is a constant quest for perfection, the skill employed in their manufacturing and their long term durability. Building a Nicolai frame takes longer because we really do take the length of time we consider necessary to acheive our goal. Give us the time we need - you deser- ve a product that fulfills our high standards and meets your demands. Radical amusement have had a dedicated milling workstation (a STEINEL® CNC with a 8 palette chan- ger) to produce the parts for the new G Boxx frames. Our new machine, a Weiler CNC turning lathe with powered tools, enables us to pro- duce very technical and intricate turned parts, for example the new separable rear hub of the 2005 Nucleon TFR and TST models. It allows us also to quickly and pre- cisely manufacture parts that are required in large numbers - for example bearing axles or bottom bracket housings. However, a lot of parts are still made on a regu- lar turning lathe: mainly small production parts like tailored bolts, special spacers, head tubes with a modified length and for prototypes and fixtures. For each model and for each size we have a specific welding jig on which the tube- set with the milled parts are fitted together. Afterwards our welders tack weld this assembly in precisely defined points in an exact sequence. Then, in order to mini- mise distortion and warping, the tubes are TIG (tungsten inert gas) welded together in multiple passes. Our smooth and evenly scaled welding seams are obtained through a very slow welding speed that operates a deeper penetration of the mate- rial than a spread seam. The wide and flat form of the seam provides for an optimal force distribution at the welded joint. People often ask: were these seams welded by a robot? To that we must answer no and point out that all our frames are welded by hand by our experienced welders. A Nicolai frame can always be identified by its welds. After the welding process the frame is trued (straightened). Welding changes the microstructure of the aluminium and makes it softer and thus it is easier to true the frame at this point. Two or three days later would require a much greater effort. Finally the frame is put into a special oven for 14 hours for heat treating. In the oven, the microstructure of the aluminium is renewed and the material gets back most of its original stiffness. The next step is the reaming of the upper seat tube and the drilling of the axle bores. The frame is then ready for finishing. Frames undergoing powder coating are clean- ed and degreased and any ridges or scratches removed, and the frames to be anodized are bead blasted with steel beads. Thanks to our powder coating facility we can realise almost any of your color or design fantasies. There is more detail on powder coating further on in this catalogue. After the coating process all the bearing, axle seats, and the inner surface of the head tube and the bottom bracket housing are reamed and faced on a special lathe. This ensures that all faces are parallel and true. Lastly the bottom bracket housing is machined to the precise dimensions and the threads are tapped. The last step of fabrication is the final assembly. A technician performs a final quali- ty control check on all parts and any burrs or ridges are removed. Bearings and axles are then pressed in and parts are mounted on the frame. In order to ensure The fabrication Nucleon TFR Prototype Ro20 / Ro24 Nonius Nucleon ST Nucleon FR Argon Road Nucleon DH Nucleon Prototype Saturn 2MXTB Jib Trombone 2000 Nucleon virtual Argon UFO DS Lambda Helius (Helium) Bass (Virus) BMXTB Lambda Trombone Mongoose Amplifier made by NICOLAI Nucleon TST Nucleon TFR series The “N” at the page index is a flip-book. Check it out, it’s rotating.