herzalot
iMTB Hooligan
So a guy says to me at the Top of the World he says, "I've got a Norco Range in XL at the shop I'd love for you to try..." OK, they get great reviews and it sounds like he is offering this opportunity for free. I'm in.
Weird moment when I called the shop (CycleLogical - Dana Point) - "Hi, maybe you can help me. Some guy riding a carbon Norco Range - I think his name was Bill - said I could demo your XL Range..." Shop employee Ryan "Is this Herzalot?" Wait, what? I did not tell Bill anything about my handle and I don't know him. Ryan is someone I know from trailwork, but how did he know it was me? So I asked. He said "your number came up when you called..." OK, but I've never called that shop before. I guess universal caller ID put my first and last name up on his screen. He knows my handle from STR.
Anyway, I took the bike out today. Mind you, it was the $2500 aluminum version with lower end spec. Here's the bottom line: the rear of the bike is very plush. It is a Horst Link design, so very active. The geometry seems spot-on (BB height, head and seat angles, CS length, etc). This bike would have real potential in the carbon version, or even aluminum with a better spec.
Spec = Fox 34 CTD Fork (non Kashima, less expensive version), Fox CTD shock (lower end version), Deore Brakes, Deore rear derailleur without clutch, long stem, no dropper post, Schwalbe Nobby Nic in front (with all the good stuff) and harder Nobby Nic in back, set up tubeless. I ran 29psi in back and a little less in front. 2x10 setup with 36-24 in front and 11-34 in back (very similar to my own).
Hilarious that it is exactly same color as my own bike!
For the record, I set the fork at about 79 psi (at least 20 under recommended for my 210lb unkitted weight). I had the rebound set moderate for that pressure. I tested the suspension by doing the 3' drop to flat at the top of Lynx until I was using almost all of the travel, but not bottoming. This test has worked perfectly for me on my own equipment. The shock was fine. The drop pushed the rubber o-ring to the very bottom, without blowing it off.
The front end was a problem. I have never had to go slower on the Rock-It rock garden in my life. I came in with a fair amount of speed, lined up my two favorite slots, but by the time I got through my first slot, the front end was getting pushed left and right with little precision available to me. It was bouncing like it had too much pressure and not enough rebound (neither was true - I know how to set up and test a fork). I had to slow it down before I went sideways. I don't know if the 90-100mm stem contributed to the front end wildness, but it didn't help. The back was fine. We will have to chalk this up to the fork. The 34 chassis with a 15mm axle may not be enough for my burly self.
Braking bump absorption was very good. The bumps were still there, but the bike handles them as well as my own bike. Left-right-left handling was good. Climbing was OK considering it probably weighed 30lbs or better. Climbing Cholla in Trail mode gave enough platform to feel like effort at the pedals pushed the bike forward, with enough suspension to smooth the features and gain traction. I think it lost traction a little easier than my bike does, (and my own rear tire isn't great).
The brakes SUCKED!!!! On my first little descent - the small "hump" on Coyote, I almost blew off the trail coming down. It felt like they were greased. Now I know what skyungjae was feeling on his new bike. Very unsafe. True they weren't "bedded in," but dayumm - good thing I wasn't attempting any steep trails.
The derailleurs were fine, once I adjusted the high stop on the front D. But I don't know how we tolerated the noisy chainslap before the invention of the clutch derailleur. I knew from the first ride on one that the clutch derailleur was a game changer, and it is.
So - the Norco Range Killer B could probably be a killer bike with the right spec. Most of the problems I experienced had nothing to do with the Norco frame or design. I would like to try the carbon version with a better front end and brakes.
Weird moment when I called the shop (CycleLogical - Dana Point) - "Hi, maybe you can help me. Some guy riding a carbon Norco Range - I think his name was Bill - said I could demo your XL Range..." Shop employee Ryan "Is this Herzalot?" Wait, what? I did not tell Bill anything about my handle and I don't know him. Ryan is someone I know from trailwork, but how did he know it was me? So I asked. He said "your number came up when you called..." OK, but I've never called that shop before. I guess universal caller ID put my first and last name up on his screen. He knows my handle from STR.
Anyway, I took the bike out today. Mind you, it was the $2500 aluminum version with lower end spec. Here's the bottom line: the rear of the bike is very plush. It is a Horst Link design, so very active. The geometry seems spot-on (BB height, head and seat angles, CS length, etc). This bike would have real potential in the carbon version, or even aluminum with a better spec.
Spec = Fox 34 CTD Fork (non Kashima, less expensive version), Fox CTD shock (lower end version), Deore Brakes, Deore rear derailleur without clutch, long stem, no dropper post, Schwalbe Nobby Nic in front (with all the good stuff) and harder Nobby Nic in back, set up tubeless. I ran 29psi in back and a little less in front. 2x10 setup with 36-24 in front and 11-34 in back (very similar to my own).
Hilarious that it is exactly same color as my own bike!
For the record, I set the fork at about 79 psi (at least 20 under recommended for my 210lb unkitted weight). I had the rebound set moderate for that pressure. I tested the suspension by doing the 3' drop to flat at the top of Lynx until I was using almost all of the travel, but not bottoming. This test has worked perfectly for me on my own equipment. The shock was fine. The drop pushed the rubber o-ring to the very bottom, without blowing it off.
The front end was a problem. I have never had to go slower on the Rock-It rock garden in my life. I came in with a fair amount of speed, lined up my two favorite slots, but by the time I got through my first slot, the front end was getting pushed left and right with little precision available to me. It was bouncing like it had too much pressure and not enough rebound (neither was true - I know how to set up and test a fork). I had to slow it down before I went sideways. I don't know if the 90-100mm stem contributed to the front end wildness, but it didn't help. The back was fine. We will have to chalk this up to the fork. The 34 chassis with a 15mm axle may not be enough for my burly self.
Braking bump absorption was very good. The bumps were still there, but the bike handles them as well as my own bike. Left-right-left handling was good. Climbing was OK considering it probably weighed 30lbs or better. Climbing Cholla in Trail mode gave enough platform to feel like effort at the pedals pushed the bike forward, with enough suspension to smooth the features and gain traction. I think it lost traction a little easier than my bike does, (and my own rear tire isn't great).
The brakes SUCKED!!!! On my first little descent - the small "hump" on Coyote, I almost blew off the trail coming down. It felt like they were greased. Now I know what skyungjae was feeling on his new bike. Very unsafe. True they weren't "bedded in," but dayumm - good thing I wasn't attempting any steep trails.
The derailleurs were fine, once I adjusted the high stop on the front D. But I don't know how we tolerated the noisy chainslap before the invention of the clutch derailleur. I knew from the first ride on one that the clutch derailleur was a game changer, and it is.
So - the Norco Range Killer B could probably be a killer bike with the right spec. Most of the problems I experienced had nothing to do with the Norco frame or design. I would like to try the carbon version with a better front end and brakes.
