[SpeedDreamin]

Apparently Renault owned the licensing for the NRS and has licensed the design to Bianchi since Giant came up with their own design. That's what I hear anyway. Does anyone know more about this?

Bianchi

 

[lovemonkey]

Sure as hell looks like an NRS. I know a fair number of people will be pleased to fing that out.

 

[frankenbike]

I wonder if that is a Euro bike only? I checked the Bianchi USA site mountain bike section and only saw hardtails.

 

[AndrewTO]

Yup, all gone. Bye bye.

There's a thread about this in the Giant section here on MTBR, just in case you missed it.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=153818

 

[drunkle]

hmm... did they also license the "when giant birds attack" paint scheme?

http://www.awcycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b8s1p4906

 

[shiggy]

I wonder if that is a Euro bike only? I checked the Bianchi USA site mountain bike section and only saw hardtails.

Probably. Giant had to work out a deal with Specialized to sell the NRS in the US (FSR/Horst Link patent).

 

[Jayem]

Great, a company has found a way to perpetuate that crappy-riding bike.

As a giant dealer, I'm glad that giant finally decided to make some decent suspended XC bikes with the 2005 and on lines.

The NRS was a hard bike to sell, because about the only people I could sell it to were hardcore racers, not people just looking for a nice riding XC bike.

 

[AmosIv]

I for one love the NRS.

Great, a company has found a way to perpetuate that crappy-riding bike.

As a giant dealer, I'm glad that giant finally decided to make some decent suspended XC bikes with the 2005 and on lines.

The NRS was a hard bike to sell, because about the only people I could sell it to were hardcore racers, not people just looking for a nice riding XC bike.

No, it is not the plushest riding bike but I can cover a lot of ground fast - up hill and down hill. It isnt made to be a cruiser, it is made to go fast and be a true cross country bike. Just because most people are not into this style of riding doesnt make it a crappy riding bike. Mine doesnt ride crappy, it is very responsive and pretty tight. Rides like a hard tail until you need the rear shock - no bounce peddling up hill! What a great concept.

 

[Duckman]

He's always saying stupid things like that. Thats like saying HTs are crappy riding as well. We all know sales at the LBS are mostly low end cruisers anyway. Something more his speed me thinks.

"He's" not a dealer, the shop he works at atm "is".

 

[Jayem]

No, it is not the plushest riding bike but I can cover a lot of ground fast - up hill and down hill. It isnt made to be a cruiser, it is made to go fast and be a true cross country bike. Just because most people are not into this style of riding doesnt make it a crappy riding bike. Mine doesnt ride crappy, it is very responsive and pretty tight. Rides like a hard tail until you need the rear shock - no bounce peddling up hill! What a great concept.

Oh, so every other bike that works better is designed to be a "cruiser"?

The NRS was designed to be more race-oriented, but back in the days when they designed this bike there weren't really many choices for full suspension bikes, you either got the "race" XC version, or something with a lot more travel than you needed. The problem with the "race" orientated NRS was that most people were just looking for a nice XC FS bike, not the harsh ride of the NRS. Now even the "race" bikes work much better, and the NRS is simply outdated technology.

Yes, going uphill the NRS suffers from some of the exact problems that hardtails do, beacuse they'll skip over bumps rather than "dig in" and give you more traction like a fully-active (and not oversprung) design will.

Suspension technology has surpassed the NRS by a good deal. I can't think of a single reason that i'd recommend one. If someone was dead set on it and that was what they wanted, I'd get it for them of course, but my advice would indicate the much better bikes available that simply work better.

 

[AmosIv]

Opinions are like ass holes...

Oh, so every other bike that works better is designed to be a "cruiser"?
Where did you get that from? I didnt say it.

What is up with you wanting to slam a bike just because someone else likes it? I get that you dont like the NRS. I do and there are plenty of others that do as well. Lets leave it at that.

 

[DakotaJockey]

The NRS is still a viable XC frame. Designed for speed and efficiency, it won't appeal to those looking for a plush ride it's true. But nothing outside of a hardtail hauls ass when pressed like a NRS. Nothing. As to Jayem's comment that, like a HT the NRS doesn't stay stuck on climbs and bounces over bumps...what a maroon.
BTW, MONTHS after the Anthem was available to the factory Giant team, Adam Craig was still racing on his carbon NRS. That says a lot. Well...if you're not Jayem.
BTW, the rear-end redesign on latter NRS's did much to improve small bump compliance.

 

[RobW]

Don't worry about the slam to the NRS - consider the source. 'Nuff said.

 

[DakotaJockey]

Don't worry about the slam to the NRS - consider the source. 'Nuff said.

lol...not worried..I could care less whether he understands different rear suspension designs.
Don't you think that when Renault designed the NRS they were aware of how to make the Horst Link fully active and they CHOSE not to?? It was by design that the axle was placed above the crank's centerline. It was by design that they went with geometry that works with no sag. Hell, it would have been EASIER for them to make it a fully active Horst rear end and just blend in with all the others (that BTW are STILL using this "outdated" design).
The DW link and even Maestro are nothing more than Horst with a REAL short chainstay!!

 

[Jayem]

The DW link and even Maestro are nothing more than Horst with a REAL short chainstay!!

Now there's ignorance for ya.

It's about the axle path, not the linkage arrangement.

 

[shiny_car]

simply realise that it's horses for courses. i have an NRS and love it. i don't race, i ride recreationally. what i love in general is high-tech design and lightweight, and the carbon NRS suits me perfectly, particularly for the XC riding i do.

i would no doubt enjoy other bikes too. but so what? i love what i have and enjoy every minute on it (except when i fall off!).

so i think unless there's something constructive to add to this thread, best not reply at all - me included.

 

[DakotaJockey]

Now there's ignorance for ya.

It's about the axle path, not the linkage arrangement.

Jayem, are you really such a simpleton that you don't understand what you've read?

On either a DW or Maestro, the lower link takes the place of the Horst pivot. Of COURSE it's about the axle path you twit!! That's why Faux bar have the forward arc to the axle's travel. All the Maestro (and DW before that) did was move the chainstay pivot so far forward that it's almost at the front of the chainstay. The "chainstay" itself on Maestro is really part of the dropout/seatstay. THAT'S why I referred to the link itself as the chainstay.

Jayem...try and keep up.

 

[jaco]

Yup, all gone. Bye bye.

There's a thread about this in the Giant section here on MTBR, just in case you missed it.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=153818

good ridance......

 

[Jayem]

Jayem, are you really such a simpleton that you don't understand what you've read?

On either a DW or Maestro, the lower link takes the place of the Horst pivot. Of COURSE it's about the axle path you twit!! That's why Faux bar have the forward arc to the axle's travel. All the Maestro (and DW before that) did was move the chainstay pivot so far forward that it's almost at the front of the chainstay. The "chainstay" itself on Maestro is really part of the dropout/seatstay. THAT'S why I referred to the link itself as the chainstay.

Jayem...try and keep up.

You don't even know what you're trying to argue. You're saying that it's "still a 4 bar design". Well that much is obvious, there's 4 members to the suspension still, but that is irrelevent to the axle path, because the axle path determines the suspension charecteristics.

It's almost like you're trying to argue that it's the "same thing" as the horst link? It's not the same thing when the axle path is different, a different axle path will give different suspension characteristics, and your "argument" is akin to trying to say the VPP is the same as the DW link is the same as the Rocket 88 is the same as the Karpiel. Just because they all have two-linkage systems and a solid rear triangle.

 

[DakotaJockey]

You don't even know what you're trying to argue. You're saying that it's "still a 4 bar design".
I'm sayin WHAT is still a four bar design...the DW or Maestro (or VPP)?....You should stick to actual quotes rather than trying to rephrase what someone says. It makes you look stupid to not be clear

Well that much is obvious, there's 4 members to the suspension still, but that is irrelevent to the axle path, because the axle path determines the suspension charecteristics.

Look...it's simple, but I'll try and make the comparison in terms even YOU can understand. It makes little difference whether the pivot is located close to the BB shell as in Maestro,DW or VPP, or back near the dropout as in true horst link (NRS and others) ...what a link BEFORE the axle does is determine a near vertical axle path. As the suspension compresses, the section of the rear end holding the axle doesn't arc forward because of the pivot.

It's almost like you're trying to argue that it's the "same thing" as the horst link? It's not the same thing when the axle path is different, a different axle path will give different suspension characteristics, and your "argument" is akin to trying to say the VPP is the same as the DW link is the same as the Rocket 88 is the same as the Karpiel. Just because they all have two-linkage systems and a solid rear triangle.

See above explaination. It is true that there is variance in how the different types of these react to small bumps, but that is due more to the leverage advantage that a true horst link has because of the chainstay length BEFORE the pivot. I am done with you Jayem. It seems that I am not the only one here who sees you as you really are. (A Giant dealer...lol)