If you go onto the Nicolai website, there is a picture that shows the Ion 16 is being launched at Eurobike, complete with zerostack head tube.
I can understand why you think that. If I was a better rider and could justify the extra bikes I'd happily own an Ion14 and 16.. the ion looks crap imo.
Aha, well spotted. What would be the point in an Ion 16? I'm not sure but they're definitely working on it and I suspect there will be other changes to other models coming down the line that might explain the Ion 16.Slight differences in the shock mounts to an Ion 18 so it might just be an Ion 16. But what would be the point?
Am interested also if in fact it is going to have a really slack SA, but the final position of the saddle is in the correct spot, kind of like my AM 29er or the AFR was....So the Ion 16 will be fixed travel but variable geometry. No clues yet as to what that geometry will be but long and low is likely.
I'm going to speculate a little:
65.5 HA
74 SA
Medium at 595mm TT
Large at 610mm TT
BB +10mm
Were those chainstays designed ultra-short so that they should not fit to the gearbox? Did Karlheinz clarify his argument a shade more? Perhaps you could ask him via e-mail (past EuroBike) and face a reply.I was considering a Helius AM Pinion...so much so that I had the deposit ready,...then news came out about the impending ION 16 release..
reset - so now it looks like I have to consider the ION 16 too as it seems to be a replacement of the Helius AM.
Well, I jsut got an email from Kalle himself stating that the Pinion gearbox will not be available with the ION 16 due to it not being able to fit with it's chainstays. Looks like my decision has been made for me: I'm sticking with a 2012 Helius AM Pinion
Just thought I'd pass along the info about 'no Pinions on IONs'