2015 Norco Range 7.1: Intern Bike Review

Let’s start off this review by stating that I did not get hired by NSMB.com for my riding abilities or bike testing abilities, but rather for my photography. These intern bikes were supplied to Matt Lee and I to take us on adventures we may otherwise miss out on, to provide a unique review perspective, and for me, take me to locations to shoot. A detailed look on the specs can be found in the first look.

I have been shooting mountain biking since 2012, but I didn’t start riding until July 2013. In the past year I’ve gone from holding people up on B-Line at Whistler to comfortably riding the black tech trails and clearing half the jumps on the black flow trails. As for climbing, until recently most my riding was assisted by shuttling or chairlifts, but I’m gaining some experience at earning my vert. To be clear this review was written by an intermediate rider, hence the unique perspective.

The Frame and Small Issues
Word on the street is that Norco’s aluminum bikes have a good track record-and my Range bears that out. Over the past few months I’ve thrown quite a bit at it: local Shore rides, Squamish Loam; as well as Gargamel and countless Park laps in Whistler. Not only has it been under me for joy rides, I’ve been riding it to get to places to shoot photos. The frame itself has been solid and the only issues I’ve had with the bike are the dropper post actuator lever that went AWOL and a derailleur cable snapping after 2 months. However, the linkage has become loose at the pivot, but that was easily fixed with a few turns to its torque specification.

I’ve had trouble with the KS E-Ten dropper post since day 1; the cable wouldn’t reset all the way once I let go of the lever and the seat would slowly come down as I sat on it. Constant tuning (roughly every 1-2 weeks) of the barrel adjuster was my solution. After 3 months, the pin that held the dropper post actuator (on the seatpost) fell off, resulting in the actuator falling off as well.

Norco has made a few changes to the Range for 2015 including the bolted rocker arm to replace the welded Hollo-form unit and the head angle has been slackened a half a degree to 66 on the money. The seat mast support tube has been replaced with a gusset to clean up the look, and the previously unbowed top tube is now slightly curved.

The Ride
After spending 3 months riding bike parks, I had lost my early season fitness. However, while the Norco Range was helping me get me to the trailhead it was also hoisting me back in shape. I even challenged myself to some technical climbing sections, something I had always tried to avoid. With a little practice I figured out how to distribute my weight properly so the rear wheel gained traction without the front wheel coming off the ground. The 66° head angle made challenging pitches a little more difficult, but I was able to manage most intermediate climbs. Heading up fireroads, I had the Pike set halfway between fully open and locked out, with the Fox Float in the rear set to Climb.

Once the Range was pointed down, the fun began. The faster I went and the harder I pushed it, the bigger my smile. The rear end took whatever I threw at it, including slow tech, fast tech and drops. I felt comfortable on the steeps and the low 13.5″ bb kept me planted in corners. On the flowy jump trails, the bike felt randy (thanks Drinky Cow). The bike was very easy to pop and felt very balanced in the air.

I’m a relatively short person, standing at 172cm, and have been quite weary of bigger wheels. 29″ wheels felt too big and clumsy for me but I feel very comfortable on the 27.5″ wheels. I found that the 27.5″ wheels had basically the same maneuverability as a 26″ wheel, but are able to roll over roots and rocks more easily. The Sun Ringlé Inferno rims have taken quite the beating, but both wheels are as true as new. The tires aren’t tubeless, something I’m not bothered by but others may want to make that change. After getting a rear flat in the second week of riding, I’ve been flat-free (it has been 3 months as of this writing).

I’m more accustomed to Maxxis Minions and prefer them to the Schwalbe Hans Dampfs spec’ed on the bike; If the bike was leaned too far into the corner at speed I could feel the front tire slipping. Apart from that, the tires held up well over the last 3 months, and had very good grip in the rainy season; wet roots and rocks were no problem for me.

Component Specs
Overall I was happy with the components on the Range. Norco made a savvy move spec’ing the bike with 780mm bars, meaning you can cut the bar to your preferred width rather buy a new bar altogether to lengthen it. I switched the 2x system to a 1x for simplicity’s sake; I had problems with the chain falling onto the granny when I rode hard. The switch to 1x for me was a relatively inexpensive swap; since the bike came equipped with a clutch derailleur, all I needed was a narrow-wide chainring (perhaps you’d want a new cassette, but I made do with the existing one). The 1x system robbed me of the higher gear ratios, but the tradeoff was a more reliable drivetrain system, and of course, less weight. Shifting became less challenging and the ride became quieter as well. The Gamut TTr narrow-wide chainring I installed costs $64.99, and that was all the conversion cost me.

I initially had the Pike set to 75psi, but the fork didn’t have much small-bump compliance and blew through its travel rather quickly. If I lowered the pressure to improve small bump performance I didn’t have enough support for the harder hits and vice versa. After installing one Bottomless Token (which was a very simple task), I immediately felt a difference, and after a few rides I settled at 70psi. I never completely locked out the Pike (other than on road rides) as I liked to be able to preload to help the tire get over obstacles.

I’m enjoying my time on the Range and I’ve had some of my best descents on it. Despite being a 160mm travel bike, the Range was a capable climber with a weight of 33lbs. The Range 7.1 is the high-end aluminum model, at $3580CAD, with the lower-end 7.2 (sans dropper post, with a Marzocchi fork up front and X-Fusion in the back) at $2550CAD. Carbon models start at $4015CAD and the top model is $8240CAD. Carbon framesets with a Cane Creek Double Barrel Air can be had for $2995CAD.

The Range is an affordable, do-it-all bike that will please everyone from weekend enduro racers to trail and all mountain riders looking for something that can handle more aggressive terrain.

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Has Kaz found a keeper?