What they like? Good, or old skool awful?

I like mine, so much so I can’t justify replacing it with something newer.

I love mine. Doesn’t get as much use on the big stuff since the Enduro turned up, but I’d rather not be without the NRS for all day epics!
A very good suspension design.

I recently built one out of spare bits and cheap forks and it is REALLY good. climbs well and feels like it really wants to GO down the hills. might be the cross countryesque position that makes it feel like that. I also have an enduro (SL) for general duties but will be using the NRS for epic slogs when I visit my strange northern friends. (Still think the enduro is better though).

I’ve had an NRS for 4 years and it has been great. Has taken a lot of abuse and come back for more. Very efficient and agile.

A mate had one. I always thought it looked ‘right’. Unfortunately he had nowt but trouble with it. Bearings going, original fork died, shock packed up. Wasn’t lack of maintenance as he always took it to be serviced regularly. Having said that maybe he just got a ‘lemon’. I think I would have one if the price was right.

I have a couple of mates ride them, like them a lot, great xc bike. As per above, one of those bikes people get that just feels right so they stick with it for many a moon.

Is it true the NRS had the “zero sag” thing going on?

How and why? Am I miss-remembering this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&item=270385358711

Watching that, but that’s too much for me I think. Would need to get rid of my scandal to fund it,

never mind

Yes, zero sag.

How does that work for traction then?

Why the zero sag? Genuine question.

I think it was Giants idea of a full suss that goes like a hardtail till it hits something.

It’s designed to completely eliminate pedal induced bob. You CAN set it up with sag, but it was designed to be set up so that the shock is right at its full extent just as you sit on it, as you pedal you effectively extend the suspension and it “locks” against the max point, hence behaving like a hard-tail on climbs and under power but “relaxes” back into a 3-3.5″ bouncer when not pedalling.

The earlier shock was not fully strippable and the damping side failed. The newer shock was fully servicable but you have to be quite careful to clean the shock and strip and de-grit it if used in mud a lot as it gets mud under the seals and chews up the shaft (as with any shock). You MUST take care of the pivots or they eat they wear the frame and the rear end (just the seat-stay bit) is 140+vat!, having said that if you get one with good condition pivots and install one of the full ball bearing mod kits you can buy it’ll last forever.

Mines a 2004, I got it in 2007 and it’s been fine for me for that time, managed DH courses in the alps (done at pace, not pootled down) and weighs in at 28lb built in a not particularly light fashion.

I love it. I miss my longer travel on the downs and the suspension can take a little setting up but once it’s right it feels lovely and sprints really well.

Thanks CK.

A friend had one some time ago, and I tried it out a bit. (although it was a bit on the large side for me so I didn’t get a feel for it really)

Never really understood the sag thing at the time. Pedalling extending the shock rather than compressing it still seems a bit , well odd, but I guess that was designed into the linkage then?

My friends next bike was the first Spesh epic. Supposedly a similar
ride. He hated it.

Edit. And the traction thing…does the lack of sag negate the suspension’s grip?

DD, there’s still plenty of traction.

CK, Where would I buy the full ball bearing mod kit you mentioned. I can find enduro bearing kits. whats the difference?.

Cheers Jon

Didn’t realise eveybody liked them so much 😆 or indeed that alot of peopel had them.

Had mine since 2005, been through many stages, used as the main bike for 3 years, doing all duties from XC woodland runs, to Scotland all day epics. Never let me down, and been a great ride. Now in Xc race mode, as i have a bouncier bike for all day duties in peaks/Wales etc…

Think everybody should show there Giant NRS bikes. Here is mine:

Different seat and post now, also some summer tyres 😆 Ow and XT rear mech and shifters.

It’s a great frame or bike. I miss mine now but unfortunatly I bought one that was too small for me.
I had the 2005 Carbon NRS. I think the thing to remember is that it’s not a ‘full on’ suspension bike, more a comfortable race bike or fast trail bike. And another thing, you need to consider the fact that the newer Anthem or Trance is really Giants replacement for the NRS so you might be taking a backward step getting the NRS even though it is a great piece of kit.
Now I really wish I had my old Sugar.

I have just bought a 2001/02 ish team one with the daft sponsors list). There are some new bearings in the post for it but the shock seems fine: hopefully will be built and shaken down for the set2rise next weekend. I am not a post your bike up sort of person (it will be all mis-matching colours and unaligned tyre logos anyway!) but the frame looks like this with a little dent, wear on one rocker and some heel rub:

oh which of the 2 shock postitions is for what travel? Ususally the ‘inner’ (ie makes a smaller triangle) one makes longer travel but my maths/geometry isn’t what it used to be…

And i am putting 100mm rebas on. Sensible or chopper handling?

My old one at Strathpuffer.
I love those old black NRS’s.

Inner bolt for 3.75″ and outer for 3″ i think i tried it with 3″ once, decided there was no point, so swapped back.

My brother has the team frame, very nice frame indeed, although the shock did fail once, just didn’t return, so popped a NRS shock and been fine since then.

I have 85-115mm rebas up front, run them mainly on 85mm, but used to run on 115mm all the time when it was the main bike. Handled fine.

My other half’s NRS, got a bearing kit from Enduro fork seals, came with some bearings for the lower link which didn’t fit this model, Betd do a full set of bearings which converts the lower link to bearings instead of the stock bushes. Giant only sell the bushes as part of a full bearing kit .

My ’05’ composite

agreed …excellent cheap FS frame . linkage bearings do need a fair amount of attention though but apart from that my mate and I have hammered 2 for 5 yrs without complaint.

Oh go on then…

Now with new wheels, drivetrain, grips, seatpost, brakes…

Love it. Bargain bike, getting a bit of a battering now. Might upgrade next year, but is great fun to ride.

Julian you say “2001/02 ish”

There was a difference, the 2001 had some issues with the seat tube cracking around the shock mounts. 2002 onwards had some extra strengthening. You can tell by as 2002 had V brake bosses where as the 2001 and 2003 (but had the extra plates) onwards did not.

Great bike. Had a 2002, initially with 85mm Dukes the 100mm Pace was fine with both.

Nice paint job captain. Where you get it done? Was thinking about getting mine done.

here is my old one after an army anti radar paint powdercoat by my local PC bloke £20.!!, i thrashed it around plenty and it always delivered, sold to fund my 456 but it was a real nice bike for a bit of everything.

I loved mine – a 2004 NRS 2. Still got the frame in the garage and can’t bring myself to sell it. I upgraded it a fair bit over the years and it ended up nice and light, was running U-Turn Rebas which were perfect for it. It climbed really well and was great fun on singletrack………hmmm, tempted to build it back up again!

Will – sorry, the previous owner had just got it done when I bought it. Do love the blue though.

*cough* mine’s on eBay finishing tomorrow*cough*

100mm is fine on the NRS

I run Reba on mine, with the travel adjuster. 85mm on the ups makes it nice and tight, 100mm on everything else, aprt from the full 115mm on bigger DH sections. At the 115mm setting it is a bit chopper like, but as long as you remember to wind it back down when you reach the bottom, it’s all good!

Finbar thats a bugger, I’ve always fancied an NRS, but its too small for me, and I have a 165mm shock sitting waiting for use in something too.

Pepper – Might be selling my NRS frame now. Picture above.

Anybody interested, let me know.

What size? Swap for an 18″ scandal frame and some cash?

For those looking for the bearing kits:
http://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk/items.asp?CategoryID=62&Name=Giant+Replacement+Bearing+kits

Somewhere near the bottom theres “FULL BEARING KIT” for about 55 quid, it comes with one of everything and a replacement for the horst link bushes in the form of a bolt-in ball-raced alternative, works a treat, even better if you dont have an already worn frame like I did (slight play).

OOOH i do like that blue NRS – looks very nice! Temping to re-spray!

I’m running 110mm bombers on mine with no problems BTW.

Now I just need to find a) a seatpost that doesnt need a shim b) a QR seat collar of the right size and finally some new shock bushes.

Sorry mate, it is a 21″ large, so thats what size i would be needing, otherwise sounds a good offer 🙁

Shame, it’s a large I’m after, but can’t afford to buy another frame 🙁 how much you thinking of selling it for?

Ummm…tbh i’m not sure really. i’ll have to think mate 🙂

Also responded to your email 🙂