Whenever we talk about the most popular brand bikes all across the world, many names would appear before cyclists.
One such brand that has certainly gained the attention of the international cycling community is Norco.
Being the largest and most popular bike manufacturer in Canada, Norco produces some of the top-rated mountain, off-road, gravel, electric, and kid bikes.
Today, apart from reviewing all Norco bike categories in general, we will also take a look at its after-sale service.
Combined with that, we will share insights on the history of how Norco managed to ace the world with the production of unique bicycles in the market.
Let us dig deep down, without any further ado:
Why We Love Norco Bikes
Unique Bike Design Approach
Compared to other brands, Norco discreetly chooses the construction materials of different MTN and off-road bikes.
While keeping the demands of professional mountain riders in mind, the company focuses on designing and creating bikes to assist the users in every possible way.
The design and shape of any bike that Norco produces are certainly unique, more reliable, and in fact, more durable respectively.
Gravity Tune Technology
The weight distribution of a biker is of utmost importance, especially when we talk about going uphill or downhill courses.
That said, instead of just making one frame and then optimizing it later, Norco keeps its focus on fine-tuning both rear-center as well as the reach. In doing so, it offers the best weight distribution to mountain bikers.
One other benefit of this gravity tuning technology comes in the shape of better handling and control of the bike. Riders feel more comfortable and confident while riding a Norco MTN bike uphill or on a rough trail.
Latest Suspension Technologies
Since the introduction of suspension bikes, manufacturers have been focusing a lot on introducing innovations in this field.
As far as Norco is concerned, it invigorates multiple layers of front and rear suspension depending upon the type of bike it makes.
Suspension technologies like High Single Pivot (HSP), Horst Hanging Link, as well as Horst Rocker Link being used by the brand, takes the suspension game to a whole new level. It also produced Advanced Ride Technology suspension system back in 2011.
Meanwhile, the company will introduce a unique suspension layout for a trail bike and an enduro comfy bike.
Therefore, these suspension technologies help a rider a lot in maintaining comfort while riding on a bumpy or harsh terrain on different types of bikes like XC (Cross Country), enduro, Trail, or DH (Downhill Mountain Bike), etc.
Tested a Thousand Times
Last but not the least, what makes Norco mountain bikes extremely resistant to harsh conditions is that they are properly tested.
We are not saying that the bikes get tested from one perspective only. Considering the wilderness of Canada, professionals at this company take new bikes for a ride that no one expects.
The bicycles only get approval to come into the market once they are tested multiple times from different angles and perspectives during the development process.
Now that you know the importance of having a Norco Bicycle in your life, we will get back to the types of bikes it offers as under:
Best Norco Mountain Bikes Reviewed
Norco specializes in making some of the most reliable MTB bikes for its customers based in Canada and other countries. It covers huge bike ranges when we talk about trail and mountain biking.
You will see roundabout 120 different models of mountain bikes in different categories including;
- All-Mountain Bikes
- Enduro Bikes
- DH or Downhill bikes
- Trail Bikes
- Fat Bikes
- Cross Country Bikes
- Cross Country Race Bikes and
- Dirt Jump Bikes, etc.
With so many categories, you can effortlessly choose the type of bike that suits your ventures the best and give it a ride to see how comfy your journey gets with Norco.
Similarly, the brand also makes it easy for users to choose the type of MTN bike they want.
In this perspective, its organization of beginner or inexpensive bikes starts with high numbers. In the meanwhile, the expensive or upgraded bikes have got low numbers.
For instance, any flagship model that this company introduces in the market is labeled with 1.
Not only that, but Norco also labels the bikes according to the primary construction material used in them. You will see bikes labeled as S (Steel) A (Aluminum) and C (Carbon Frames) as well.
This type of organization helps bikers find the option they want the most and pick it up conveniently.
Talking of the mountain bikes further, you’d be surprised to know that the “Norco’s Full Suspension Mountain Bikes have been ridden by many professional cyclists around the world.”
In case if you are a beginner or you need a mountain bike for some low-end trails, then series like Revolver, Storm, and Fluid would suit you the best. All bikes in this series start from an affordable price tag along with an aluminum frame.
If you take mountain biking seriously and need a full-suspension bike, then check out the latest Aurum, Sight, or Optic series from Norco. These bikes are specifically designed to help serious types of riders get across harsh trails conveniently.
For those who want to go riding in all-wet conditions, Norco has got something interesting for them. Bigfoot is a fat bike from the company that has got superb traction, especially on wet surfaces.
Bigfoot may or may not entertain you with a front or rear suspension and that’s up to you. These bikes, however, are perfect for all-year riding as well as for backpacking.
Best Norco Road Bikes Review
If you visit the official Norco website, you’ll find a subcategory labeled as “Road.”
But, that does not mean the company has started producing bikes intended for smooth and plain roads.
In fact, the bikes in this category are “drop-bar road bikes” and they are used for gravel roads, all-road riding, and cyclocross respectively.
Although the bikes are meant for less bumpy terrains, bikers could try them out on paved roads too but the comfort won’t be as good as you’d expect.
That said, the closest you can get to a Road Bike from Norco is by exploring the Section series.
These bikes have got 32mm stable tires with aluminum, steel, or carbon frames respectively.
According to many Canadians, “The Gravel and Cyclocross Road Bikes from Norco offer a comfortable and properly handled travel experience.”
That said, if you love hitting gravel roads, then we’d suggest you explore the Search models that are compatible with 700c or 650b wheels. Meanwhile, bikes in this category have got the steel, aluminum, or carbon fiber frames.
More specifically, the Search XRA is a perfect bike that comes with the latest front suspension technology. This gravel bike is suitable for riders who want to hit dirt roads with comfort and convenience.
Moving forward, cyclocross enthusiasts should look no further than the Threshold series from Norco. The aggressive and durable XC bikes in this series can fulfill the demands of professional cyclocross bikers in an instant.
With that being said, the Road Bikes section does not specifically mean that Norco specializes in on-road bikes. The brand maintains its focus on off-road biking and continues to produce models that intrigue many professional cyclists.
Best Norco City Bike Reviews
Up next, we have the category that entices fitness riders or those who want a taste of urban riding via bicycles.
Norco produces top-of-the-range urban and hybrid bikes for fitness freaks or daily commuters. Many models in this category offer an affordable price tag and are sturdy enough at the same time.
Not to mention, the City Bikes from Norco will keep a rider comfortable on the way. Those who love riding mixed terrains should consider choosing the XFR models from Norco to enjoy a thrilling bike experience.
More specifically, city riders and daily array of riders would get surprised with the Scene Series models from Norco.
These top-of-the-line bikes have got an attractive and unique frame, a proper swept-back handlebar, and durable plus comfy tires.
In general, the Urban and Hybrid models produced from Norco have got the aluminum frame construction primarily. When it comes to tires, you can choose from 29”, 700c, or 650b variants accordingly.
All in all, if you are someone who wants a touch of riding urban trails in all kinds of weather with complete safety and protection, any Urban Bike model from Norco will do a perfect job in this scenario.
Best Norco Youth and Kid Bikes Reviews
Norco does not want to disappoint the youth and kids who are interested in biking at any cost.
Depending upon the wheel size, the brand has produced many models for youth and kids to help them enjoy a safe and comfortable traveling experience.
Same as the adult bikes, those meant for kids and youth only have the wheel size difference evident in them.
For instance, series like Fluid, Rampage, Storm, and Check models are already available for youth with a wheel size ranging from 20” to 24” respectively.
Young mountain bikers can also consider getting Norco hardtail bikes as well as some variants from the Fat Bikes category to enjoy the thrill of the journey.
Coming towards the next section, i.e. kids bikes, the tire sizes available from Norco are 110”, 12”, 14”, and 16” respectively.
The kid bikes category might include pedal and balance bikes that might not only help the kids but allow toddlers to get started with biking as well.
In general, most kid models that the company produces come with wide tires, rear and front brakes, as well as a plethora of color options to choose from.
The range of Youth and Kid bikes allows parents to choose the best model for their children according to their age and color preferences.
Norco’s E-Bikes
Seeing the potential of electric bikes for the future, Norco did not hesitate at all to start working on futuristic bike technology.
Producing a long range of VLT e-bikes, Norco has taken over the industry by storm as bikers seem quite satisfied with the technology this brand offers.
No matter if you’ve got an injury or you don’t want to paddle more than a certain limit, a Norco VLT E-bike will certainly take care of you.
The manufacturer mostly produces electric mountain bikes as well as electric urban bikes to cater to the needs of a professional riders as well as a casual rider.
Have a look at the e-bike categories as follows:
Best Norco E-MTB Bikes
Currently, the electric variants are available in Sight, Bigfoot, Charger, Fluid, and Range series only. In the meanwhile, you will also find some decent XC, enduro, as well as fat e-bikes available on the official website of Norco.
All these models have got an upgrade of high-capacity batteries paired with SHIMANO STEPS electric motors. Thus, riders will enjoy a ride uphill without actually tiring themselves.
Choices are elaborative. From the wheels POV, you can either choose a 27.5” or a 29” wheel size. Moreover, the two basic bike types available are hardtail as well as full-suspension bikes.
Coming towards the full-suspension or all-mountain bikes, they are backed up with SHIMANO EP8 drive flagship units. Combined with that, you can get in-tube battery options of 900Wh, 720Wh, and 520Wh, respectively.
Discussing the hardtail models, they usually have low power compared to full-suspension cycles. The e-bikes in this category are powered up by SHIMANO STEPS motors along with either a 600Wh or a 500Wh removable battery backup.
E-versions of both hardtail and full-suspension bikes (Range VLT C1) offer a smooth pedaling experience. More concisely, they can help the riders enjoy cruising through rough and harsh terrains conveniently.
Norco E-Urban Bikes Reviews
The story does not end on E-MTB bikes only!
Norco also produces some of the best electric bikes for mixed terrains and city riding.
The flat-bar models from this company have got popularity especially in Canada and to be honest, they’ve proved themselves according to the experienced riders.
Currently, in the E-Urban line, you will get entertained with the following models;
- Norco Scene VLT
- Norco Indie VLT 1
- Norco Indie VLT 1 ST
The last two models are flagship and equipped with SHIMANO mid-drive motors. The battery capacity in e-urban bikes is around 504Wh, which is more than enough to help the riders get through some local hills without pedaling.
What entices the users more about e-urban bikes is that they’ve also got extra accessories. These accessories could make the commute much safer and comfortable as well.
Norco Ride Aligned™ System
Taking the compatibility, comfort, and fit to a whole new level, Norco has introduced its patented Ride Aligned™ system to facilitate bikers perfectly.
From a technical perspective, this system takes into account a rider’s height, skill, gender, weight, and body type and then gives a final verdict on the type of bike a person might need.
Apart from the size factor, the Ride Aligned system also offers the correct tire pressure, how to adjust the bike’s build according to the user’s body and how to maintain the suspension level.
This cool feature could be accessed via Norco Bike Setup Guide. Just click on Get Started and leave the rest of the job to the system.
Before rushing forward, it’s important to know that Norco currently offers its Bike Setup Guide compatibility with the following series only:
- Optic
- Sight
- Sight VLT
- Range VLT
- Revolver FS
If you own a bike from one of the above-mentioned series, simply use the Ride Aligned System from the company and adjust your bike according to the official guidelines.
Here is how the menu looks like after we tried this system with random information:
[Image]
Source: Norco
Although Norco suggests different metrics about the correct adjustment of VLT bikes, it does say that bikers can adjust the numbers if they are not feeling comfortable with our system settings.
Try it out and see whether this special system works for you or not.
Norco After Sales Support
After sales support of Norco is quite supportive as the brand works on maintaining its customer support to facilitate users in every way possible.
To get started, you can contact the official support system of Norco bikes via support@norcobicycles.zendesk.comemail address.
On the other hand, the retailer you pick for choosing the bike will also offer you complete assistance regarding your bike.
The company does offer the owners to register their bikes officially with Norco so that it can remain in touch with the users.
Other than that, Norco also offers a crash replacement program where the original owners of the bike can claim damages done to the frame in case of an accident. The warranty period might play a big role here though.
That leads us to discuss the warranty offered by the brand, which is as follows:
Norco Warranty on Bikes
First things first, Norco asks all its users to get registered as soon as they purchase a new bike from an authorized Norco Bike Dealer.
In case you don’t get registered as the bike owner, you simply cannot claim any warranty on your bike no matter how expensive it is.
Secondly, Norco officially offers a 1-year limited replacement or repair warranty on all the bicycles you purchase from it.
You will need to contact the authorized seller and the company will also need your ownership proof for the warranty to become effective.
Other than that, the company offers a warranty ranging from 3 to 5 years on the bike frames and suspension forks of the bikes.
Here are the complete details of each bike model and the warranty users could enjoy on its frame and forks:
Source: Norco Warranty
With that being said, some exclusions are also there. For instance, the bike components are excluded from the frame’s warranty.
In the meanwhile, components from other brands will be subjected to their own warranty and Norco will not cover it.
The brand does not cover color fade in case of UV or sunlight exposure.
Similarly, any warranty claims made outside Canada will be subjected to extra fees and some restrictions as well.
Norco officially states that it will not cover the shipping or transportation fees and that it must be taken care of by the owner only.
Brief History of Norco Bicycles
Founded in 1964 by Bert Lewis in a Chicken Coop located in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Norco became a big success in the bicycle market and that too in a vast country.
The Canadian brand had a rougher start but it rose to success after the production of 10-speed bikes in 1973. Followed by that was the introduction of full-suspension impressive BMX bikes that increased the brand’s popularity to a whole new level.
Norco became one of the first mountain bike manufacturers in North America back in 1984. Norco Rampage was one of the first MTN bikes introduced and it got the hype it deserved at the start of its release.
The company started selling bikes worldwide back in 1995 and to this day, it has sold around 150 models of bikes across the international market.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Are Norco bikes any good?
Norco utilizes technologies like gravity tuning, full-suspension layouts, and frequent testing to maintain the quality of the bikes it produces. That said, Norco bikes are quite durable with a sturdy frame and suspension fork. They can withstand hash trail conditions with ease and can work for many years to come.
Does Norco produce road bikes?
Although there’s a separate category of Road Bikes listed on Norco, you will not find any pure road bike there. Most of the bicycles listed over there are meant for gravel and cross-country riding. You can consider them for on-road biking though. You want an amazing bike for daily commute, you should check out this category as soon as possible.
Are Norco mountain bikes any good?
Norco maintains its focus on producing high-end mountain bikes with some upgraded technologies. The weight distribution in these bikes is extraordinary. Plus, the suspension system stands out among other bike brands. Not to forget, the brand uses components from renowned bike companies such as Shimano, Fox, SRAM, and RockShox, which already speak for their durability and sturdiness.
Final Takeaways: Norco Bicycles Review in 2021
Founded in 1964, the Canadian bike manufacturer has made its way with some top-of-the-line mountain, gravel, aluminum CX bikes, and VLT e-bikes in the market. Being one of the biggest bike manufacturers, it has also produced amazing FS bikes recently.
The bikes from this company are the epitome of durability, sturdiness, comfort, reliability, and better mileage (e-bikes).
Not only that but the after sales and warranty support is more than better when we compare Norco with other bike manufacturers.
So, that’s all about Norco Bicycles Review!
Do you own an amazing bike from Norco? Let us know about your biking experience in the comment box mentioned below.
We have two Scene E bikes.
Awesome ride and a pleasure to to use.