Shock (F and R) setup for 2004 Giant NRS1?

Hello,
I recently purchased a 2004 Giant NRS 1.
I'm a little confused about how to set up the front and rear shocks.

It would help if the instructions available through Giant and the shock's
manufacturers (Fox and Manitou in this case) were consistent with each
other, but they aren't.

I understand that both the front shock (Manitou Skareb w/ SPV) and rear
shock (custom Fox Float w/ AVA) are air shocks with a correct main cylinder
pressure depending on the weight of the rider. Then the rear shock has the
AVA adjuster to change the volume of air in the main cylinder and it also
has a rebound damping adjuster. The front shock has adjustable SPV pressure
and volume in addition to its rebound damping adjuster.

I guess my main question is that once I get the cylinder pressures correct
on both shocks (a simple function of my weight), what is the propper step-
by-step sequence in adjusting the rest of these settings?

Should the cylinder volume of the rear shock (ie, the AVA adjustment) also
be a function of my weight? How should I adjust this for different
terrains? Or should I set it up once and leave it alone? What about the
rebound dampening in the rear shock? Adjust this for different terrains or
set-up once and leave alone.

Then onto the front shock. How do I figure out the correct SPV settings?
Are the SPV volume and pressure a one time set-up according to my weight?
Or are they adjusted differently for different conditions? What about the
shock's rebound dampening?

Thanks in advance for helping a suspension newbie.

- Boyd S.

Boyd Speerschneider wrote:
Hello,
I recently purchased a 2004 Giant NRS 1.
I'm a little confused about how to set up the front and rear shocks.

I have the same bike (an '01), but with SID F&R shocks. What has worked
for me is to just try different pressures and settings and then go ride.
Take your high pressure pump with you for awhile and fiddle with the
pressures.

Each rider has different tastes, especially WRT dampening, so it's hard to
make an absolute formula for shock adjustments - that's why they're
adjustable in the first place.

After getting it dialed in pretty well, I made labels and put them near the
various valves to remind me what to inflate them to.

Enjoy your new bike! Mine has been (and still is) awesome!