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Giant
2001 XTC NRS AIR Frame Set
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Submitted by
Jason
a Racer
from Hamilton
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Kelso Baby!!!!! | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Ancaster Cycle | | Strengths: | no bob, stiff, flys | | Weaknesses: | its a giant their are none | | Similar Products Used: | none this is one of a kind | | Bike Setup: | 2002 nrs2 with hayes hydralics time pedals easton cockpit ond race crank/bb | | Bottom Line: | this bike /frame cannot be beat. i rode a feul 90 disc for a year and it was medioker(lots of bob) and when i saw this bike i had to have it. i've beaten it to the ground and it just keepes on tikin. my advice BUY 1. the price is in cdn$ | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from Silver Spring, MD
Date Reviewed: August 12, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$950.00 | | Purchased At: | Speedgoat | | Strengths: | Light. No bob. | | Weaknesses: | Bushing lack durability. Low profile headset. Seatpost shim. | | Bottom Line: | Very efficient frame. No bob but very firm ride even after switching the shock for a Cane Creek AD10 (for better tunability). The bushing durability sucks. The lower bushings require frequent lubing (I use chain lube) to prevent squeaking. The upper pivots are lose and knock on the trail. Low profile headsets suck. They are dependent are frame manufacturing tolerances - way loose in my frame. I currently use the adapters and a Chris King headset. Much better but the adapters do creak a little when stressed. The seatpost shim (not my Thomson post!!) creaks a little also. When I buy a new frame, it won't be another NRS. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Olaf
a Cross Country Rider
from Hannover, Germany
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Deister | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Giant | | Strengths: | Light, no bob, stiff, anodisied black frame. | | Weaknesses: | SID SL. Very thin frame. | | Similar Products Used: | Tried different fullies from Specialized to Rotwild. | | Bike Setup: | XTC Team 2000, Hope, SRAM 9.0 SL, XTR Crankset/BB, Shannon seatpost, Mavic X517, Michelin-Tires, some RaceFace Parts. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is made for Marathon-Racing.
It absorbes most of the shocks but no energy. The NRS-System definetly works. If we do OnRoad-Training i still use my MCM Team but on the trail i use the XTC. The frame even doesnt't mind my weight (210lbs) but my SID SL does.
I recommand this frame to all who mind weight and do not look for the most comfortable bike. This bike is made for CC-Racing (not for RF or DH) and that includes that you sometimes have to maintain this bike.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex Langley
a
from Toronto, ON
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$460.00 | | Purchased At: | Chain Reaction | | Strengths: | Great for xc downhill riding.
Very nimble around corners.
Sexy paint job. | | Weaknesses: | Compared to my hardtail, I feel that the full suspension loses a lot of power hammering up steep hills.
SID rear shock seems to slowly leak air. (needs to be checked before each ride) | | Similar Products Used: | Giant ATX 890 frame (hardtail) | | Bike Setup: | Manitou Mars Super Fork, XTR Shifters + Brake Levers, XTR Front and Rear Derailleurs, XT Disc hubs laced to Sun Ringle Double Wides, Avid Mechanical Disc brakes, Chris King headset, Race Face Next LP cranks, Race Face Riser Bar, Thomson Seatpost and Stem, Sram chain, LX BB (my store ran out of XT lol) | | Bottom Line: | Fantastic frame for the value. I bought the frame at cost through the lbs I work for, but even at the retail cost it is still a steal.
Basically I trashed my cheapo ATX 890 frame trying to bunny hop over a traffic calming island. There were dents in the top tube and the race face BB became permanently sealed. I saw the frame in the shop along with the XTR NRS1, but wanted the stealth look so I grabbed the XTR Air.
I was reluctant to buy a FS bike because I have been a diehard hardtail fanboy for years. Increasingly, though, I have had a lot of lower back pain in the races. With the new FS frameset, these pains have been virtually eliminated.
The Sid rear shock works like a champ. The rebound is silky smooth and very predictable. The frame is stiff, yet lightweight (relatively speaking). I love the geometry, it suits my long body perfectly.
All in all, I am very happy with my new XTR AIR frame. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
L.K. Foster
a Cross Country Rider
from Surprise, AZ
Date Reviewed: December 17, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Morro Bay State Park, central CA coast | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$590.00 | | Purchased At: | Cowboy, Tainan Taiwan | | Strengths: | No Bob
Adjustable rear suspension travel (3" or 3-3/4").
More sealed rear pivot bushing than the 2000 frames.
Cantilever bosses on the rear triangle that the 2000 frame doesn't have.
No ugly NRS Air paint scheme.
No cables or hoses on the top of the top tube. | | Weaknesses: | Not as plush as the other dualies.
Shim needed (supplied) if you run a 27.2mm seatpost.
Cables and hoses on the bottom of the top tube makes trunk racks a question. | | Similar Products Used: | 1998 Specialized FSR Comp
2000 Giant XtC Team
2000 Giant MCM Team | | Bike Setup: | RS 2001 SID SL, XTR deraileurs and shifters, Shimano XT discs, Hugi/317/DTSwiss DB wheelset, Continental Explorer Pro/Escape Pro, Easton CT2 seatpost and handlebar, Giant carbon fiber/aluminum stem, Selle Italia Trans Am Flite | | Bottom Line: | This is a review for the 2001 XtC Team frameset. Differences are two rear travel choices, Cu92 alloy instead of ALUXX frame material (my Taiwanese bike shop owner doesn't like the ALUXX because "it's made in Taiwan"), and a much nicer paint job than the 2001 NRS Air. Check out the Giant UK webpage for info on the frameset and better technical manual that I got with the frame.
Rear travel feels less plush than my old/wife's new 2000 XtC Team frame, more compression and less rebound damping. I'm a pretty tame XC rider and have so far only been able to use about half of the 3-3/4" travel in position 2, even less in position 1 (3").
I almost waited for a 2002 frame with the revised rear triangle that eliminates deraileur slap, but decided not to after I found that I tune the sound out anyway.
No problems yet with dented frame tubes, though I have seen it on one guys bike (handlebar hit the top tube in a involuntary dismount). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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