Van Nichols seems pretty legit based on their website. Their frames are made in house IIRC. With bikes like these the ability to ride and check them out before purchase is pretty limited due to lack of distributors in the states.
I'm in the market for a Ti mountain bike and have checked them out. If you are feeling froggy give them a call. See what they seem like as a company from what little you can glean on a phone call and scour the net for other owners. At the end of the day its "just" a bicycle : )