Any opinions on the 2005 Giant NRS base model for 1400$. Any ideas on bike's weight?
-thanks

The 2005 Giant NRS is really a great buy for $1400. I've been riding NRS since 2000, I sold my 1st one because it was an DS/2 and I wanted DS/1 level components, so I bought an '03 NRS 1 that was a year old. I also bought super cheap another 2000 DS/2 in January that is a freak time capsule (kept in someone's garage since it was bought, riden for maybe a summer, the original tires still had the casting nubs), I will be selling it soon.

Anyway, I've riden many other suspension designs, many of which work as well or better than the NRS, only difference is the price versus component level. To get the same or better level of components, ride, pedaling characteristics and performance as an NRS, you have to spend more than a few more dollars.

On the other hand, the 2005 Trance 3 is only $200 more than the NRS 1, and the new Maestro engineering looks to be even better than the NRS. The T3 has exactly the same components as the '05 NRS, even the same shock and fork. It has 4" of travel, instead of 3.75".

I am tempted to sell both of my NRS bikes and get a Trance 1, and I probably will at the end of the year. I have riden the Trance, but only on pavement and curbs around the shop, but I can say it is noticably smoother than the NRS. It also feels like a lot more travel, even though it's only about 2-3 tenths of an inch more. I think the little extra (4.2" I think the spec is) puts the suspension in a more usable travel range.

Anyway-either one, I don't think you can go wrong. I put a lot of serious xc miles on my 2000 DS/2, and three xc races, and never had a single problem with the rear suspension pivots or the frame. As far as weight is concerned, I believe anything that is decently under 30 lb(NRS or the Trance), and has 3.75"-4" of travel is perfectly in the ballpark as a sturdy bicycle, capable of having fun on trails, going up, going down, occasional duty as a sport level xc racer and surviving for a few years. Anything lighter than 25 lb with this kind of travel and it's either astronomically priced, or it will be a one season racer, if you don't fall down!

Ed

Did the Trance have more noticeble sag than the NRS or did it feel stiff when you sit on it like the NRS? I am looking at either the Trance 3 or the NRS and can't find a bike shop with either in stock to see. I am 235 lbs. and want the least amount of sag when I am peddling.

I had an NRS2 I bought used from a rental fleet. It was a good bike, but was pretty tired when I bought it. The rear SID air shock was reliable for the XC riding I was doing. After contiunuously replacing parts due to the rough life the bike had as a rental (no fault of the bike IMO) I decided to upgrade to a Santa Cruz Blur. Sure the Blur was more bucks, but what a great bike.

I have not ridden the new Trance, but it looks like a similar design to the Blur. With the VPP type design you get a plush ride without much bob. If the trance rides like other VPP style designs I'd go for the Trance.

NRS3 weight around 33lbs.

My friend's dad's stock NRS1 was around 28lbsish...

My 2003 Rocky Mountain Instinct is pretty reliable and its just below or around 25 lbs....just to comment on FS Tech's post

Ming

wow this is an old thread, but i stilll have my 2004 nrs 3 so thats why im posting here.

The nrs3 really does weigh a heavy 33 lbs! The stock rear shock works well but the stock front rockshox pilot isnt good, ive changed that fork into a marzzochi mx comp w eta when i bought the bike in 2004 and its much much improved, but the weight still was 33 lbs.

This week i got new american classic wheels and new rst first platinum forks, these are about the lightest wheels and forks for the money and have brought down my nrs3 weight 4 pounds lighter. My bike now weighs 29 lbs.

The nrs comes with a 80mm travel fork but my new rst first platinum fork is 100mm, ive reduced the air in the forks to have a lower ride height to simulate the geometry of an 80mm fork. The bike does handle better with an 80mm fork.

with the prices of new bikes today i opted just to buy wheels and forks for my 7 year old nrs.

Ive test rode the 2011 specialized camber and it felt sluggish compared to my nrs. I feel i have a better bike than the camber while spending less than half the price for a new bike

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Keep us posted how your F1rst Plat. works for you after you've had some time on it. I've been curious about them. Good to see some more higher-end RST prodct out there.

You're running too much sag to compensate for geometry changes? You're sacrificing fork performance if that's the case.

I had a 2004 NRS3!!! Not that that my statement has anything to offer,,,, but then neither did resurecting this thread?

Agreed^^^ Either run the current fork at the correct settings or get a 80mm fork.

The NRS is a great XC bike, I still have and ride my '03 Team.

I read the first two posts in this thread before looking at the dates. I think it's a riot to dig these old things up every once in a while to confuse and entertain. Keep 'em coming!

Thanks, i will try running the fork with the correct sag settings.

I havent taken it out on my usual off road trails yet but the rst first platinum seems plush enough for an air fork running up and down the sidewalks compared to my marzocchi mx comp and even compared to a ride buddy's 120mm coil suntour xcr. The fork rebound adjustment is very effective. I like the compression damping adjustments too, it acts like a lockout at high compression damping settings eliminating most of the fork bob while sprinting.

compression damping adjustments are very easy to do on the fly, the knob is at the top of the right fork leg.. Rebound adjustment knob is at the bottom of the fork so you have to get off the bike to adjust this.

The lighter forks, wheels and tires make the suspension react better to bumps, the bike is also noticeably easier to accelerate and flick around