Opus Nelson: Bike Check
Canadian company Opus ventures into the long travel market in 2010 with their brand new Nelson series of freeride machines. Built around a virtual pivot rear suspension with 175 mm of travel and featuring a long travel Totem fork, the Nelson 1 that we take a closer look at inside looks to be ready for battle!
Read on...![photo]()
Opus offers two models of the Nelson, the less expensive Nelson 2 at an MSRP of $2960 CAD, and the higher end Nelson 1 that we're going to have a closer look at below. Both bikes are built around the same triple butted aluminum frame and feature Opus's Virtual Pivot Point suspension that delivers 175 mm of travel and a 1.5" headtube up front. The top end Nelson featured here has an MSRP of $4160 CAD.
Frame Detail
Opus has clearly put the Nelson 1 together with the demands of high end freeriders in mind. Up front you'll find a 1.5" head tube that not only increases strength and stiffness but will also let you run any fork of your choice down the road, be that the 1.5" Totem that it comes equipped with or a standard 1.125" steerer, or even the latest crop of tapered steerer tubed forks. Opus's choice to use the larger headtube size also allows the rider to fine tune the bar height or even headtube angle by installing headsets with different stack heights.
![photo]()
Hydro-formed top and down tubes curve to provide great standover room as well as clearance for any fork knobs that may have come in contact with the underside of the frame otherwise. If you do barspins on your FR bike, or are planning to, there is nothing holding you back on the big Opus. Cable routing takes a clean route beneath the downtube, although riders who hang there bikes over the tailgate during shuttle runs my take issue with this choice. The rear end is tied together with a 12x135 mm Maxle system for both stiffness and quick removal.
![photo]()
Suspension on the Nelson is a Virtual Pivot Point affair with two short links joining the front and rear triangles. This system can be found throughout Opus's complete line of mountain bikes and is put to good use on the Nelson, the longest travel bike in their lineup. The Fox DHX 4.0 is not mounted to the front triangle, but instead floats between the upper and lower links. All pivots rotate on sealed bearings for durability.
![photo]()
Geometry for a medium Nelson
Have a look at geometry for both the small and large Nelson here.
The Parts...
Opus equips the Nelson to be a turnkey freeride machine with a nod towards reliability as opposed to light weight. RockShox and Fox tag team the suspension duties, both handled with coil instead of air. Out back a DHX 4.0 manages the 175 mm (6.8") of travel while allowing the rider to adjust rebound, ProPedal, and Boost Valve pressure. Opus spec'ed RockShox's long travel, single crown, 1.5" Totem up front. With 180 mm (7") of travel and adjustments ranging from rebound, preload, and Mission Control, the Totem should be ready for any freeride adventures you have in mind.
The cockpit sees an assortment of FSA goodies, including a Gravity-Lite 710 bar and Gravity-Lite 60 mm stem. Controls are handled by SRAM, Avid, and Truvativ. If you have some big moves planned you'll be stoked to see the use of Code brakes to slow this heavy hitter down. A big 8" rotor can be found up front and is combined with a slightly smaller 7" disc out back.
Other standout components include the not often spotted Geax Neuron tires wrapped around Mavic's EN521 rims, and Truvativ's Holzefeller cranks in a galvanized finish.
![photo]()
Nelson 1 Specs
![photo]()
![photo]()
Visit Opusbike.com to see their other models or for more info about the Nelson series.
Opus is available through OGC in Canada.
Read on...
2010 Nelson 1
Opus offers two models of the Nelson, the less expensive Nelson 2 at an MSRP of $2960 CAD, and the higher end Nelson 1 that we're going to have a closer look at below. Both bikes are built around the same triple butted aluminum frame and feature Opus's Virtual Pivot Point suspension that delivers 175 mm of travel and a 1.5" headtube up front. The top end Nelson featured here has an MSRP of $4160 CAD.
Opus has clearly put the Nelson 1 together with the demands of high end freeriders in mind. Up front you'll find a 1.5" head tube that not only increases strength and stiffness but will also let you run any fork of your choice down the road, be that the 1.5" Totem that it comes equipped with or a standard 1.125" steerer, or even the latest crop of tapered steerer tubed forks. Opus's choice to use the larger headtube size also allows the rider to fine tune the bar height or even headtube angle by installing headsets with different stack heights.
The Nelson 1 and 2 both sport 1.5" headtubes
Hydro-formed top and down tubes curve to provide great standover room as well as clearance for any fork knobs that may have come in contact with the underside of the frame otherwise. If you do barspins on your FR bike, or are planning to, there is nothing holding you back on the big Opus. Cable routing takes a clean route beneath the downtube, although riders who hang there bikes over the tailgate during shuttle runs my take issue with this choice. The rear end is tied together with a 12x135 mm Maxle system for both stiffness and quick removal.
The Nelson's rear suspension
Suspension on the Nelson is a Virtual Pivot Point affair with two short links joining the front and rear triangles. This system can be found throughout Opus's complete line of mountain bikes and is put to good use on the Nelson, the longest travel bike in their lineup. The Fox DHX 4.0 is not mounted to the front triangle, but instead floats between the upper and lower links. All pivots rotate on sealed bearings for durability.
Lower suspension link. Notice the floating shock mounted just above the forward pivot
| Head angle | 66 |
| EFF Seat Angle | 68 |
| EFF Top Tube | 59 cm |
| Chainstay | 43.4 cm |
| Actual Frame Size (seatube length) | 42.3 cm |
| Headtube | 12 cm |
Opus equips the Nelson to be a turnkey freeride machine with a nod towards reliability as opposed to light weight. RockShox and Fox tag team the suspension duties, both handled with coil instead of air. Out back a DHX 4.0 manages the 175 mm (6.8") of travel while allowing the rider to adjust rebound, ProPedal, and Boost Valve pressure. Opus spec'ed RockShox's long travel, single crown, 1.5" Totem up front. With 180 mm (7") of travel and adjustments ranging from rebound, preload, and Mission Control, the Totem should be ready for any freeride adventures you have in mind.
The cockpit sees an assortment of FSA goodies, including a Gravity-Lite 710 bar and Gravity-Lite 60 mm stem. Controls are handled by SRAM, Avid, and Truvativ. If you have some big moves planned you'll be stoked to see the use of Code brakes to slow this heavy hitter down. A big 8" rotor can be found up front and is combined with a slightly smaller 7" disc out back.
Other standout components include the not often spotted Geax Neuron tires wrapped around Mavic's EN521 rims, and Truvativ's Holzefeller cranks in a galvanized finish.
| Frame and Size | Opus Nelson triple butted alloy •175 mm/6.8" of travel |
| Fork | Totem Coil •180 mm of travel | Shock | Fox DHX 4.0 •8.75x2.75 |
| Headset | FSA Orbit Z 1.5 Deep Cup |
| Crankarms | Truvativ Holzefeller, galvanized w/ 36t ring |
| Bottom Bracket | Truvativ Howitzer |
| Cassette | PG950 11-28 9spd |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM X.9 |
| Shifter Pod | SRAM X.9 |
| Handlebar | FSA Gravity-Lite 710 |
| Stem | FSA Gravity-Lite 60 mm |
| Brakes | Avid Code, 8" front/7" rear rotors |
| Front Wheel | Mavic EN521, 32h•Novatec 20 mm hub |
| Rear Wheel | Mavic EN521, 32h•Novatec 12x135 |
| Tires | Geax Neuron 230 TNT |
| Saddle | Selle San Marco Ischia |
| Seatpost | FSA Gravity-Lite |
RockShox 1.5" steerer Totem Coil fork
A 12x135 mm Maxle rear end keeps everything stiff and in line
Visit Opusbike.com to see their other models or for more info about the Nelson series.
Opus is available through OGC in Canada.
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
http://www.astroeng.com.tw/products.asp
Look around on there. You'll find the Sette Vexx, the KHS Lucky 7, and now this bike under the freeride category.
God, it's a good looking frame but a $4000 msrp? Good luck.
edit: just scrolled down, someone beat me to it.
www.simplon.com/mountainbikes/fullys/elvox.html
DW-Link and Maestro are different suspension designs without floating lower shock mounts.
am i right or am i right?
i agree with you that ironhorse had it done packed well.
It's been happening for years, think of the Azonic/onyx etc from early 2000's etc It's just an efficient way of doing things in the global economy, really pays to shop around as these frames can be picked at $699 US else where under Astro's own label though.
UMF duncan/sette/lee cougan/poison/bella coola etc there is dozens of these out: doesn't make them any worse: at least you know where it's coming from and that the product has years of backup/experience in getting the process right.
Opus has specced it well: a good option against the new faith or similiar.
Astro made good frames, but have a poor quality paint. Here in bRazil we got lot of models
(dh, fr, xc...)personally I'll never buy one ASTRO model.
It's still nothing like a Stinky though haha.