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Submitted by
Rod C.
a Racer
from Locust Valley, NY
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Blue Mountain | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | No Bob. Great Specs. Massive value. Made me a better climber and all around rider. | | Weaknesses: | Ghost Shifting (until you realize how to eliminate it)
Python tires suck! The tubeless version flat easily. | | Similar Products Used: | DiamondBack Carbon Fiber Hardtail | | Bike Setup: | Egg Beatters, Monkey Lite Carbon, Mavic CrossMax Tubeless, IRC Serac tubeless tires, Thompson seatpost, Fizik Alante saddle | | Bottom Line: | Two things:
End ghost shifting by taking the rear deraliur cable out of the couplings that are on the seatstay. Instead of securing the cable in the couplings, use zip ties to secure it along the seatstay. I tried everything before learning of this solution. It's the only thing that worked at the cost is a few pennies for two zip ties!
Second Problem is the Python tires. I'm 147 pounds and ride light. I used to run Kenda Karisma tires and tube setup at 38 psi on my previous bike and never flated.
With the tubeless setup, running both Pythons and Comp S tubeless tires, I had at least 15 flats due to sidewall cuts in six months.
I switched to IRC Seracs and Kenda Karisma's (both tubeless)and have had only two flats (both from thorns) in 15 months.
Everything else about the bike is great. So happy with Giant that I bought a TCR 2 road bike. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a Weekend Warrior
from Tracy, CA
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | Pleasanton Bicycles, CA | | Strengths: | This is a follow-up status
No BOB, Good Components, disk Brakes, Light ~27lbs
Loves to climb
Tires last a long time and generally a good all around tire - does not lose a lot of pressure and has never given me any flats
| | Weaknesses: |
1) Rear cassette can come loose from axle bolt loosening out. When this happens it causes Rim to flex. You can tell when you put 2.1 tires because they will rub frame, also can tell when peddling out of the seat because
the rear feels like some thing is loose. Its an easy fix, but its comes loose over 200-300miles. I use to think this was rim flex but it isn’t! Easiest way
to check is to grab rear cassette with hand and see if there is any play when
pulling cassette in and out, is so the axle bolt next to cassette needs to be tighten a little.
2) Chain jump/Ghost shift - at first, can be fixed
Fix by stretching cable-pull on it to quicken the stretch.
Once the cable is done stretching the problem goes away.
Note, all new bikes go through this phase till the cable
is stretched!
Part of my chain jump was due to a broken tooth on the smallest cog that I never noticed till I cleaned the bike!
Once replaced cog, the chain jump on that cog stopped.
3) Chain slap on bottom rail
Remove 2 links so that chain does not hit bottom rail
on smallest cog, then add a lizard skin - stops the problem and helps reduce the Ghost shifting.
4) Pythons generally good on everything but real loose terrain, can not peddle over wet roots or rocks, will just spin, so you have to go over those types of obstacles with momentum. Replace rear with a IRC SERAC and everything is perfect!. IRC SERAC has tons of traction. I leave the Python on the front because it rolls fast and last for ever- no flats in over 1yr and the tread looks new still.
5) After 700 miles you will notice that the cables
will rub the paint down! have to put those round
sticky felt stuff on cable and will stop the paint
removal
| | Bike Setup: | 178lb rider
1" rise Bars from LP. I had Answers but they broke easily in a crash and had no flex what so ever. The LP has a better warranty, has lasted through many crashes, can handle bar ends, and has way more damping characteristics than Answer!
Lizard skin on bottom rail
11.3mm front fork sag 1.75 turns out rebound- best setting
2mm Rear shock sag / 2.75 turns in Rebound - stops the back end from kicking and improves the plush-ness over small bumps - a must!
8mm shorter TiTec stem - I am only 5'8.5" so do not want to be bent over so much
35psi rear tire pressure, 33psi front tire pressure
Stan’s NoTubes Liquid Latex - Works great! No flats yet!
Quick adjust seat post clamp for those long, steap down hills, can lower the seat w/o any effort or tools
Hutchinson front tire, IRC SERAC rear – Best combo!
LP braid Jr bar ends
2 links taken out of chain – to minimize chair rub/slap/skip
| | Bottom Line: | -Love the bike! it climbs without effort.
-Plan to purchase another for my wife
-Its light – 27lbs due to disk brakes
-Fork, shock, tires all hold air pressures.
Tires might loose a little till you put in the Stan's goo
-Once the cable finished stretching & remove 2 chain links; the ghost shifting will end.
-Python tires roll very fast, do not flat or puncture easy, tread last for 1.5-2yrs
would prefer a back tire with a little bit more knob
but all tire reviews for Tubeless are horrible except for SERAC.
Michelin Comp S UST Tubeless & IRC have similar tread patterns that look a bit more aggressive and would be an alternative. I am using the IRC SERAC and the
Tire has plenty of grip - I read that the IRC works well but very difficult to put on.
I let the tire sit in the sun, and lube the bead with grease and had no problems putting it on. Also the Hayes disk brakes are the easiest to service out of all brands. Down load the instructions from Hayes web sit. I use a syringe from the pet store and a tube from the HW store – total of $4 for the parts.
So only major stock weakness is rear tire, and chain skip due to cable stretching.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Craig Jones
a Cross Country Rider
from Belmont, CA
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Skegg's Point | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | The Bike Connection, Palo Alto | | Strengths: | Awesome climber - no bob on the uphills and with a quick twist on the rebound adjust it descends great - very smooth and the bike holds a line well. | | Weaknesses: | Giant's choice of tires could have been better. The tread pattern of the Python's leaves a lot of room for improvement. On loose trails it loses traction easily. Changed it immediately after my first ride. The geometry of the bike takes a little getting used to compared to other bikes. I'm 6'2" tall and I noticed that on my 20.5" ride that the front end seems to pop up no matter how I position my seat and stance over the bike on climbs. | | Similar Products Used: | Santa Cruz Superlight, Specialized FSR | | Bike Setup: | Stock except for upgraded XT shifters and front derailer. Picked em' cheap on ebay to round out the XT rear drive! | | Bottom Line: | Picking this bike up at the end of the season saved me some bucks but even if I had payed the full price this would have been the best money spent! I am totally psyched by this bike. The Superlight was a more plush ride but it would have also cost a lot more with the same component set up so in my mind this was a better choice! If you want to maximize your value vs. quality this should be the bike of choice!! | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
robert wooldridge
a Cross Country Rider
from temecula
Date Reviewed: May 11, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | daily ranch | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | sun bike milpitas | | Strengths: | THIS BIKE IS A SCREAMER. climbs like a hardtail light,very fast,stops on a dime.tires are great all around,sand,mud,rocks.shoxs are also very fore giving. front air shox works great under any condition. back shox responds exelent. love the diskbrakes. | | Weaknesses: | had problem with front air shox sent back to rox shox they fixed it. going strong. | | Bike Setup: | full xt. monkey lite bars. carbon fiber stem. | | Bottom Line: | if you got the cash your in for a blast. this bike will do everthing you want it to do and more. this thing is a rocket | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a Weekend Warrior
from Tracy, Ca
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | Pleasanton Bicycles, CA | | Strengths: | No BOB, Good Components, disk Brakes, Light ~27lbs
Loves to climb
Tires last a long time and generally a good all around tire - does not lose a lot of pressure and has never given me any flats | | Weaknesses: | 1) Rims flex if you are >175lbs. You can only tell when you put 2.1 tires(Panaracer's) because they will rub frame! Have to stay with 2.0 tires with the stock rims. Or put Crossmax wheelset so that you can use 2.1 size tires.
2) Chain jump/Ghost shift - at first, can be fixed
Fix by streching cable-pull on it to quicken the stretch.
Once the cable is done streching the problem goes away.
Note, all new bikes go through this phase till the cable
is stretched!
Part of my chain jump was due to a broken tooth on the smallest cog that I never noticed till I cleaned the bike!
Once replaced cog, the chain jump on that cog stopped.
3) Chain slap on bottom rail
Remove 2 links so that chain does not hit bottom rail
on smallest cog, then add a lizard skin - stops the problem and helps reduce the Ghost shifting.
3) Seat is kinda hard. But could be due to me not using
shorts with cushion.
4) Pythons generally good on everything but can not peddle over wet roots or rocks, will just spin, so you have to go over those types of obsticles with momemtum.
5. After 700 miles you will notice that the cables
will rub the paint down! have to put those round
sticky felt stuff on cable and will stop the paint
removal
| | Bike Setup: | 178lb rider
1" rise Hell Bent Bars from TiTec
Lizard skin on bottom rail
12mm front fork sag 1.75 turns out rebound- best setting after trying 8mm-17mm
2mm Rear shock sag / 2.75 turns in Rebound - stops the back end from kicking and improves the plushness over small bumps - a must!
8mm shorter TiTec stem - I am only 5'8.5" so do not want to be bent over so much
37psi tire pressure
Stan’s NoTubes Liquid Latex - Works great! No flats yet!
Quick adjust seat post clamp for those long, steap down hills, can lower the seat w/o any effort or tools
Have on order the remote fork lock out. | | Bottom Line: | -Love the bike! it climbs without effort.
-Plan to purchase another for my wife
-Its light
-Fork, shock, tires all hold air pressures.
Tires might loose a little till you put in the Stan's goo
-Once the cable finished stretching & remove 2 chain links; the gost shifting will end.
-Python tires roll very fast, do not flat or puncture easy
would preffer a back tire with a little bit more knob
but all tire reveiew for Tubelss are horible. So will
stay with Python's till something better come a long.
Michelin® Comp S UST Tubeless & IRC have similar tred patterns that look a bit more agressive and would be an alternative. I read that the IRC works well but give a slight harsh ride due to harder carcass and very difficult to put on. Kenda Kharisma UST Tubeless rear tire looks like a good tred that would still roll fast- gets good review but is expensive. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil Abbiss
a Cross Country Rider
from WGTN NZ
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Leaping Lizard | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1750.00 | | Purchased At: | Penny Farthings | | Strengths: | This Bike is awesome, I had my reservations after riding a top Rocky Mt hardtail for years. I thought the uphill speed would be compromised to the extent of negating the downhill advantage. How wrong I was! I am 190 lbs and a fairly aggressive (ex MX) rider. I ride all single track and generally fairly technical. This bike has excelled in all terain in my area including rocky up and down, trees and roots up and down and a mixture of fast and slow. The geometry is fast enough for tight single track slalom but stable enough for fire road blasts. The suspension once set up to weight (I ride with the rear with no sag)is a beautiful thing, combined with the discs I am now jumping the last stutter bumps, roots etc into corners and then slamming, not possible on my old hardtail. I am having more FUN than ever and riding a bit quicker with less fatigue. Enough Said I think!!! | | Weaknesses: | The rear shifting is a bit flighty (see all the previous reports re ghost shifting) but I have found that if I ride properly and don't try to crunch down gears under serious pedal load the gears change fine. If I do change underload they tend to ghost. I don't perceive this as a problem, just a lesson in correct riding technique! Discs tend to bind a wee bit in the mud but that I guess should be expected as crap fils up the callipers. Otherwise no weaknesses surfaced as yet. I have only riden 20hr+ and expect things may loosen up a bit soon!! | | Similar Products Used: | FSR specialised tested | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | Great bike for x-county weekend warriors that like a bit of speed. Good enough to race up to sport level although a bit heavy for the real serious stuff (by a NRS air!)I am in love and look forward to every ride. If you are looking, take one for a test, you owe yourself that much. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick Twine
a Cross Country Rider
from Perth - Australia
Date Reviewed: March 31, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Helena Valley south/anything steep rocky and uphill | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Cyclerama | | Strengths: | Front end is still amazing. Have not had to adjust anything and feels planted. Brakes are strong. Rear suspension a great compromise. Mavic rims are unbreakable(I've tried). Atac pedals are quick/strong and don't care how much mud they fill up with. Frame is still rigid. | | Weaknesses: | Still going through a drive train every 2-3 months, and have gone to steel chain rings,sram 7 cassette, and 105 for my road wheelset, for longevity. Rear Formula hub is shocking shocking shockingly cheap, bad, rubbish!! It failed three times in warranty & then one month out of warranty it failed again and Giant told me to go jump! Now replaced with XT with the bike shop pitching in - Thanks Cyclerama!! Saddle is hard. | | Similar Products Used: | Nothing for any length of time | | Bike Setup: | All XT shifters, deraileurs, and now rear hub. Riser bar. Specialised "Enduro" tyres. | | Bottom Line: | This is an update on a review I did after having the bike for a short time. A bit more knowledge before buying would have gone a long way and I would have replaced all the cheapy bits with aftermarket & saved myself a long walk and some bucks. However I have now done about 11,000km and I love it. It is now set it up properly and can go just about anywhere. Might not be the fastest but it will get there. If it wasn't for Giant giving me every reason not to buy another one, I would. Sorry Giant but your warranty policies suck! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Edgar Poe
a Racer
from Castro Valley
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | secret singletrack | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1100.00 | | Purchased At: | eden-my local | | Strengths: | once dialed, she shreds in every situation imaginable.
she has never once talked back to me. | | Weaknesses: | hutchinson tires can suck in some wet conditions, but work well generally. | | Similar Products Used: | countless hardtails of every material but metal matrix and borylium | | Bike Setup: | large xtr cranks. easton carbon bar. deore front deraileur. | | Bottom Line: | i am unbelievably happy with this bike. from the disc brakes, to the consistant performance from both shocks, this young lady was worth every penny i paid for her. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brandon Baker
a Racer
from ashburnham Ma
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | mid state/ leominster state forest | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1376.00 | | Purchased At: | O'neils bike shop | | Strengths: | Great handlin, no bobbing, tube-less tyrs | | Weaknesses: | deore frt. derailer
Not the plushest ride if set-up for xc racing use(then again none are) | | Similar Products Used: | sugar, fuel | | Bike Setup: | tubeless wild. grippers to save weight after hutchinsons wore out, bar ends | | Bottom Line: | This bike is a great deal and a great no-hassle xc ride. You can ride it hard and put it away wet. It won't fail and can easily upgraded to be an even better racer/ trailbike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steven
a Weekend Warrior
from Northridge, CA
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1700.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Doctor | | Strengths: | Hayes disc brakes rock! | | Weaknesses: | Tubeless tires are killing me... | | Similar Products Used: | First bike - just started biking Aug '02 | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | I like this bike a lot. There is no apparent bob when climbing, and it's fast climber. The brakes clamp up tight, and that's one thing I have to get use to. Overall, for a first bike, and compared to other friends' bikes, I really enjoy my ride.
One more thing - tubeless tires are killing me. I keep on punturing those suckers. My friends and I will go through similar terrain, and sometimes there will be some thorny stuff on the trail that will stick to the tires, but the tubed folks will be fine while I'll be there patching the $H!T up! Oh well, I still think it's a killer bike.
DISCLAIMER: I'm just beginning, and I know I have a lot to learn. Plus, I don't ride with any experienced riders, and the group I ride with is just having fun trying to figure this whole sport out. Also, I apologize for not using any technical biking terms. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
MC
a Weekend Warrior
from Madison, MS
Date Reviewed: January 31, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Womble | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Bike Rack | | Strengths: | Weight, No Bob, good stock components(except F Derail), Tubeless, suspension tuning | | Weaknesses: | Front Derail | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | Great climber...very nearly like a hardtail. Takes some time to get suspension tuned but worth it! No mechanical problems at all. Would have preferred a little better stock front deraileur. A little sceptical about tubeless but they have been great...can run much lower pressure for better grip and feel. Highly recommend this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott Chilcote
a
from Cary, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | All Star Bikes | | Strengths: | (Already Covered in Detail) | | Weaknesses: | Integrated headset. What have bike manufacturers been smoking lately? Have your shop the standard headset adapters and put in a King. | | Similar Products Used: | Looked at Fuel and Sugar. | | Bottom Line: | Just a follow-on note for those who have been having the ghost-shifting problem. Please refer to the News posting for 01/03 on www.angryasian.com.
According to this News posting, the problem with ghost shifting is due to the fact that the 2002 NRS frame has a small amount of flex in the right seatstay during hard pedaling uphill. Since the rear derailleur cable is routed through stops at either end of this seatstay, and it takes a very small amount of cable motion to shift Shimano 9-speed SIS, this allows ghost shifting.
The recommended fix is to remove the rear derailleur cable from the stops in the seatstay, and use a single piece of cable housing starting from the end of the top tube all the way to the rear derailleur. Attach the cable housing to the seat stay using zip ties.
Just FYI. Apologies for making this a review, but it seemed like the most general location here.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
john bakke
a Cross Country Rider
from siloam springs
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | california 59 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | lewis and clark outfitters | | Strengths: | This bike is super fast and climbs super solid. Most of the components are great. The yellow paint job also adds a litte flare. | | Weaknesses: | It took me and my shop an entire month of figureing out why it would ghost shift like all hell on steep climbs. It was not the bottom bracket or either of the derailers. Turns out it was the terrible shimano chain which only lasted about 150 miles. The tires are definately not intended for anything other than solid conditions. This is my first set of tubeless and they are great as long as im running a tubeless sealant to keep the thorns out. Im guaranteed a thorn flat per ride without it. LX has got to go. This is still a great bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Fuel 90
specialized fsr comp | | Bike Setup: | whipperman conexx chain
lp carbon barends
everything else is stock but not for much longer. Old xtr front and back will make this bike top notch. New xtr if you can afford it. | | Bottom Line: | Buy this bike. Im sure in 03 many of the problem have been resolved with the now infamouse ghost shifftin problem. I think was something to do with the wrong bottom bracket on the ealier models. Find a good set of wet conditions tires if you need, swap out the LX in the front and this baby will keep you smiling all day. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Weekend Warrior
from Lake Geneva, WI
Date Reviewed: December 31, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | Wheel and Sprocket | | Strengths: | Light frame
Front Fork (SID SL)
Hayes Brakes
Awesome looks! (people approach me asking about the bike all the time - it's an ego trip) | | Weaknesses: | Rear Rock Shox Shock loses air in negative chamber
Race Face Bottom Bracket shot after 6 months of riding
Tires are terrible in wet and mud
Ghost Shifting
| | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | SPD Pedals
Serfas Seat
Serfas Grips
HellBent Handle Bars (Well worth the money) | | Bottom Line: | Overall I love this bike. I can conquer hills I could only get half way up before with my hardtail. I have also increased my average speed by 1.5 mph around my favorite single track.
Like many others I am dissapointed with some of the components: Namely the Rock Shox rear shock losing air in the negative chamber and the poor quality Race Face Bottom Bracket. These are currently being fixed by the great techs at my LBS. They are also working on the ghost shifting corrections suggested by the reviewers below.
Overall I love this bike. I simply feel Giant should have placed some higher quality components on a $2000 + bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stinky Pete
a Cross Country Rider
from Northern Virginia
Date Reviewed: December 9, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | you name em, I love em | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1650.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bike | | Strengths: | Durable Frame
Strong Components
Light
Great in all conditions - hard pack, mud, sand, snow, water, rocks, fast downhill, grinding uphill.
The bike is better than I am. | | Weaknesses: | Drivetrain goes out of allignment easily
SID's front shock died.
Chainsuck issues
Bottom Bracket | | Similar Products Used: | Superlight, S-Works | | Bike Setup: | Stock except for XTR rear der, XT front der, XT shift pods, Wildgripper Tubeless in back. | | Bottom Line: | **FINAL REVIEW**
I have a love-hate relationship with my bike. When all is working as it should, I love it. Thankfully, this is the way it is most of the time. When it is not working as it should, and this happens enough to be annoying, I hate it. BIGGEST ISSUES -
DRIVETRAIN-GHOST SHIFITING - Just when I think I have this problem licked, it comes back at the worst times. I can spend an hour with the bike on the rack adjusting it so the drivetrain is perfect, but when I get on the trail, boom, it is not the same. Removing a link in the chain really helped, but I think it is a design flaw on Giant's part. Hopefully it will be fixed in future models.
SID FORK DIED RECENTLY - I ride hard, several days a week, all year round, but a fork should not die in less than a year. The SID lost its ability to rebound, and bottomed out badly. The fork went back to Rock Shox, and after a giant pain in the ass dealing with the bike shop and the manufacturer that cost me about a month of prime riding time, I got a replacement from Rock Shox. They did the right thing and I am really happy about it.
BOTTOM BRACKET - Developed a great deal of play after 6 months and was replaced. Again, this should not happen on a 6 month old bike that is well maintained.
WHAT DID I LIKE?
HAYES BRAKES - They just plain kick ass! They worked as advertised. Once you learn to bleed them without making a mess, and you learn to reseat the pistons when necessary, they are easy brakes to deal with. Much better than any non-disk brake.
UST SYSTEM - The Mavic Rims, XT Hubs, and Hutch Pythons were great. I still have my front tire (after a hard year of riding and a few races, including a 24 Hour funfest at Snowshoe. I replaced the rear after the sidewall ripped with a Wildgripper, and I have found that the tire is also excellent. Very good in loose conditions.
SUSPENSION SYSTEM - At first, I was jealous of my friends with their PLUSH riding bikes, but I soon became very attached to the ride of the NRS. I set it up so that it is slightly plusher than is reccomended, but it still retains most of its no-bob characteristics. I can clime just about anything using any line I please (or any line I am forced into). I can haul down the biggest hills without worrying about ruts in the trail. I can launch over nice jumps without fear. I can take just about any log pile in the woods.
THE BOTTOM LINE - When everthing is running well, you can't beat the bike. It is a great value and a whole lot of fun to ride. The pesky annoyances will cost only one chili.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Team Shu
a
from Aptos, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: November 24, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Bottom Line: | This is another (and probably final) follow-up from earlier reviews to finalize my evaluation of the bike. I have had the bike for about nine months now and have put on almost 700 miles. My original concerns were all fairly minor but irritating issues. The “Red Rum” that came out of the neg. chamber of the fork when making air adjustments has stopped. It may return after maintenance but it only lasted for the first few months (and the fork still seems to perform as well as it always has). I did have some ghost shifting problems during climbs when the bike was brand new, but as stated earlier the problem was resolved with some fine-tuning of the derailleur cable at the shifter and has not been experienced since.
Maintenance does not seem to be much of an issue for a full suspension bike either, other than the usual items that are done on most/all bikes anyway. I do choose to re-set the air in the shock/fork/tires before each ride just ensure consistency. A five minute task, no big deal, worth the time and I have had zero problems (other than the “Red Rum” issue) with the RockShox suspension parts since day one. Even the Hays brakes have stayed quiet. All you need to do is re-center the caliper once in a while, a two minute job. The only thing to watch out for is when you clean your bike or ride in the wet you HAVE to spray all of the suspension hinge points with a liberal dose of WD-40 (for those that don’t know, the WD stands for “Water Displacement”) followed up later with some Tri-Flow, Liquid Wrench etc. or you will wind up with a wicked squeak that will absolutely wreck you rides.
In a nut shell I do not regret my choice of the NRS one bit. I never find myself yearning for any other bike I see out on the trails and I still get excited every time I’m able to get out and ride. Worth every penny! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Chattanooga, TN, USA
Date Reviewed: November 22, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | 1. No bob design
2. Tubeless tires
3. Hayes disc brakes
4. SID shock
5. Great handleing up and down hills
6. Relatively light weight for a bike with discs | | Weaknesses: | 1. Chain slap (get a good ole' lizard skin)
2. Deore front derailleur (functions OK...I will replace mine soon)
3. Hutchison tires (trend is fine for dry hard packed trail, but needs to be more agressive design)
4. Some problems with ghost shifting, but have resolved that issue with regular tune-ups. Stay on top for your maintance! | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | As compared to other bikes in this price range you get mucho bango for your dollar. I had some problems with chain suck on the first few rides, I tried adjusting the derailleurs but discovered that my small chainring was bent. Did I bend it or was it from manufacturing? I don't know...I just replaced it and chain suck vanished. But with a great bike comes great responsibility, you really need to clean the drive train after messy rides and keep it tuned! I love the ride you get from this bike. You will float over rough terrain and scream up and down hills. Fear not in purchasing this bike, there are no truely perfect bikes. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Weekend Warrior
from Elkhorn, WI USA
Date Reviewed: November 11, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | John Muir Trails | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | Wheel and Sprocket | | Strengths: | Fast (Even with a 245lb guy on it)!
Grips corners
Climbs like a turbo-charged goat
Rides like a Cadillac (even in the rough stuff)
Looks like a million bucks
Handles like a demon | | Weaknesses: | Chain slap (get a lizard skin to fix)
Grips offer no cushion (get replacement grips) | | Similar Products Used: | Looked at Sugar 3+, Fuel 90 | | Bike Setup: | Stock + Lizard Skins,Serfas seat, Serfas grips | | Bottom Line: | I have researched getting a full-suspension bike for the past year. My wife finally gave me the green light last Saturday. I was out of the house with money in hand within an hour. I ride the John Muir trails in Southeastern Wisconsin (Intermediate - Expert single track). This bike is amazing! It has the speed of a Ferrari with the comfort of a Cadillac, even with a big guy like me on it. I don't buy that this bike is not cut out for guys of 200+lbs! I have conquered hills that I could not get up with my hard tail! I picked up the bike as a demo for $1,400. The bike is worth every penny of full retail. If you are researching other bikes, stop now and go out and get the NRS1 you will not regret it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Abington, PA
Date Reviewed: November 7, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Fairmount Park System, Philadelphia | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | Guy's Bicycles, Philadelphia | | Strengths: | -light, fast, feels good.
-climbs so well! no pedal bob.
-tubeless is amazing. no flats yet. | | Weaknesses: | -Ideal for lighter riders, 120-190lbs.
-Time Alium's are hard pedals to learn on.
-Pythons are neither racing nor high traction tires.
-Cables stretch first month; re-tune rear derailler. | | Bike Setup: | stock, replaced Deore front derailler with XT, added Lizard Skins fork boots. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is faster than my car! Looks unbelievably sexy. Handles and climbs very well. Also consider the new 2003 Giant VT... it has more travel but climbs just as well as NRS. http://www.giant-bicycles.com
FRAME: 27lbs built. has only a little flex and rear suspension blots out larger bumps to increase your chances of having kids. Not as plush as Specialized FSR or Epic... takes the edge off things nicely but sacrifices plush for weight.
SID SL: put on lizard skin fork boots to reduce maintainance. Set negative chamber higher for a more active, smoother ride. (2003 NRS1 has the sweet SID Team w/remote lockout)
DRIVETRAIN: Performs sooo well. cables will stretch during first month causing ghost shifts. Re-tune rear derailler to fix. Replace Deore front derailler!! (2003 NRS1 comes with LX front derailler)
DISC BRAKES: Hayes hydraulic are very reponsive in any weather. Don't touch the rotors with bare skin.
TIRES: tubeless is amazing. Get Hutchinson Tubeless Patch Kit. Pythons are all-around tires, "okay" but not really good at racing or traction. Panaracer Fire XC are better tires but heavier.
PEDALS: Time Aliums are difficult to learn clipping and unclipping. Many crashes. (2003 NRS1 wisely uses Shimano M505)
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nathan
a Cross Country Rider
from Newport News, VA
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Any thing at Snowshoe | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Weight for full susp., no bob, climbs like a bat out o' hell, brakes, pretty much everything about it. | | Weaknesses: | Not to happy with the Python tires. | | Similar Products Used: | Kona Mano Mano, Gaint AC1, | | Bike Setup: | Stock other than Eggbeaters. | | Bottom Line: | This is my second reveiw of this bike with alot of more miles on it and a few races with it. This bike just simply kicks you know what. I don't even ever ride my hardtail any more, even on rail trails. I can't say enough good things about it, still not getting any real ghost shifting problems that other people talk about, haven't had to do anything with brakes or shocks other than clean and regular maintaince. The tires are the only thing that I have anything bad to say about it (pythons)but I'll just replace them once they are worn out. They have lost air a number of times with sidewall impact. I'm sure next years will be even better. I would definatly buy this bike again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Frederick Md USA
Date Reviewed: November 4, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Black Hills Park Germantown MD. | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | Frederick Schwinn Frederick MD. | | Strengths: | Responsive, Light weight (27lbs), good components | | Weaknesses: | The thin walled alluminum scared me with the horror stories about bike racks creasing the frame tubes but, i have had no problems and feel its worth it's "lack of weight" in gold! | | Similar Products Used: | Older steel GT with NO suspension! still a great hard tail bike until this one! | | Bike Setup: | Standard with the exception of Bontager Bar Ends, an xt front derailler, s-ram chain upgrade, and a Shimano flight-deck computer. | | Bottom Line: | First time in ten years for me to get "back on the horse" and i wanted full-suspension with disk brakes and with a reasonable component group. I ride cross-country although, we jump a few minor obstacles through the course, and find lots of rocks, streams and roots ... it's a "damm good ride". It takes a lot of beating so you do not have too. We ride flat out for one hour (about 8.5 mile) and the bike has always performed well. also, ... i ended up with XT hubs although not in the brochure (nice surprise!) i am sure NRS 2003s will be even better (NRS1 owner because NRS2s were out of stock!) ... Buy this bike is you like XC riding if you want to down hill or extreme concider the AC of DH Giants. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wade Pegram
a Cross Country Rider
from long Beach, CA USA
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | El Moro | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | Jones Bikes - Long Beach | | Strengths: | Climbing, Climbing, Climbing. Technical Downhills | | Weaknesses: | Haven't found one yet. | | Similar Products Used: | GT LTS 1 | | Bottom Line: | The bike climbs like a Hard Tail. The light weight of this bike makes it dance uphill, and with the lockout SID Fork upfront powering through the steep sections is no problem. Very responsive in single track and technical sections with enough travel to absord the bigger hits. The Hydraulic Hayes Disc's are outstanding. FOr the money a can't miss bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Martijn van der Heiden
a Cross Country Rider
from Den Haag, Netherlands
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Houffalize (Belgium) | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2100.00 | | Strengths: | Rear suspension design, wheels/tires, price/quality! | | Weaknesses: | Stifness of front fork (SID XC), standard saddle and seatpost, modulation of brakes. RaceFace Prodigy crack set. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek fuel, GF Sugar 3, various hardtails | | Bike Setup: | 2001 European model (Mount Snow), Rock Shox SID XC front and rear, Fizik Nisene saddle | | Bottom Line: | An absolute great bike for the money! Incredible up- and downhill performance, great tracktion, no bobbing at all. One of the best all rounders available. In this setup a bit too heavy for XC racing but the perfect bike for large (40-120 kilometers) all day trips. Bought it for XC Marathons in the Alps. I am originally a serious road racer but this bike makes me love the brown stuff. The geometry of the bike is very relaxed (=upright) for a XC bike, not nervous at all. I like to sit deep or stretched and have removed all the spacers in the steering and I now have a perfect fit; comfortable enough for all day riding but deep enough to be able to apply the power to the rear wheel. Had small niggles with the right brake lever but that problem was easily solved. Modulation of brakes requiers some getting used to but brakes give awesome stopping power. Have not had a flat tyre in 10 months!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim From Olympia
a Cross Country Rider
from PNW
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | All of them | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1650.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Value, rear supsension design | | Weaknesses: | Rock Shox SID fork, ghost shifting | | Similar Products Used: | Pro Flex 857 | | Bike Setup: | Stock+: 2003' Marathon SL 105, Easton Carbon Monkey riser bars , Flite saddle, XTR 8spd cass., 8spd XT pods, Sachs 8spd chain, Panaracer Fire XC tubeless tires, Race Face grips | | Bottom Line: | For pedaling efficiency and value there is no better bike.
Rock Shox SID forks suck-suck-suck for reliability unless you are sponcered and get your for rebuilt after every ride/race, Marathon or Black. For the ghost shifting do this: lengthen the rear d. cable at the seat post 2" and keep the housings fresh and adjusted properly. Tubeless is the way to go, don't listen to the winers! That is it, now get off the net and go ride.
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Submitted by
john
a Racer
from co.
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Great climbing, sprinting, all-around ride | | Weaknesses: | not sure yet, may have just created one | | Bottom Line: | I have rated this bike before and I have had no problems with it, only components. I am 6 ft 200 pounds and like to muscle the bike. My first bike problem turned out to be a cracked XT drive side crank arm. It was replaced with another XT crank arm that cracked on the practice day at the 24 hours of Moab. I replaced the cranks with Raceface cranks that came with the drive side spacer. Immediately I discovered the feared "Ghost" shifting. In the space of an hour my bike had never had a shifting problem, to gears jumping all over the place. Shimano tech looked at the bike and made sure all was adjusted well, chain and casset was less than a month old. I can't explain what has developed in my bike, but it sure seems to coincide with replacing my cranks. It may be spacer related or stiffer crank related I am not sure, but it aint going away. I would be interested if people having problems with shifting are running bb with spacers or not. Or maybe stiffer cranks put more torque on the frame. any feedback would be welcomed.
Love the bike, hate the new problem. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bryan
a Cross Country Rider
from Billings, MT
Date Reviewed: October 19, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Chalet Sports, Bozeman | | Strengths: | Climbing, descending, component specs, brakes, price, and much more (too much to list) | | Weaknesses: | None | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | Great FS bike for your money. I got mine on an end of the year sale and saved a bundle. I also had a ghost shifting problem, but it was just cable stretch (thankfully after what I read in other reviews). Other than that, I have had no problems. Very happy with this puchase. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from Canmore, Alberta
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Nordic Center | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | Rebound | | Strengths: | Climbing and descending. Fast. Great suspension. | | Weaknesses: | Ghost Shifting. I have tried everthing to get this fixed. I am continually adjusting the cable. Can anyone help? Also have blown out a formula hub and free wheel. | |
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$ 2000.00
