Norco 2009 Launch - The 6" and 5" bikes
Words by Stuart Kernaghan. Photos by Stuart Kernaghan.
We looked at the big bikes in the first part of this article. Now it's time to look at the new 6" and 5" bikes from Norco for 2009. Norco has broken down its line by intended use, but I'm going to compare bikes based on travel. Because I'm difficult like that...
Design and Build Philosophy
6" of travel seems to be the height of fashion (and let's be honest, function) these days. Norco has a few bikes that fit into this category, but they're designed for very different types of riding.
The Six is designed for freeride-lite usage - medium-sized hits, technical terrain, some uphills but plenty of downhills and possibly some bike park action. These bikes fall between the full-on freeride tendencies of the Shore and the all-mountain characteristics of the Fluid LT series. The Fluid LT is an all-mountain / back country / epic bike that has been built for riders who want the travel to absorb the bumps during a long day in the saddle, but not the weight that goes with big hit bikes.
And then there's the Vixa, Norco's new women's specific-freeride bike. Low standover, lighter tubeset, lighter parts, an extra small size frame and adjustments to the angles make it the perfect bike for the ladies.
When you get to the 5" category, the biggest revelation is the Empire 5, a slopestyle-specific bike designed by team rider and Crankworx Slopestyle '07 winner Ben Boyko. Rather than just shrinking the Six, Norco went back to the drawing board to build a bike whose sole purpose was to go really, really big.
Without further ado, I give you the 6" and 5" bikes from Norco for 2009...
The Six
The Six has been around for several years now, and in that time, it's undergone significant changes. It barely resembles the Six I tested in 2005, which is a good thing. That bike was a tank. The new iteration still has a freeride feel to it, but it's not a "big bike" by any means.
Each of the three bikes in the Six line share several characteristics: 1 1/8" forged head tube that has been highly machined, 135mm x 12mm Maxle rear axle, revised dropouts with a new gusset, a revised derailleur hanger and a modified downtube shape.
Spec reflects the new less-is-more mindset: 2.35" tires, air shocks on the top two models, 8" front rotors and 7" in the rear, lighter parts and a dual chainring / bashguard set-up.
The Six One looks like a bit of a fire truck. Thankfully, the rims aren't red. That would have been overkill.
The Six One is the top bike in the line. It gets a RockShox Lyrik Solo Air fork and Marzocchi TST air rear shock, Sun Jumping Flea hubs, a Truvativ Stylo OCT crankset with e.13 DRS chainguide and shiny red bashguard and Hayes Stroker Trail brakes. Drivetrain is all SRAM X-9.
The coolness of the machined headtube takes a bit of a beating when it's stacked up against those bars.
Norco carries the sublimated graphics theme over to the Six series, matching the bar to the frame. Speaking of the bar, I found the FUNN Fatboy bar to have a really high rise. It wasn't so bad once you got used to is, but it sure looks excessive.
Norco went with the pierced headtube forging to drop a little weight but still maintain strength at this junction.
Sizing choices on the Six are limited to small, medium and large. Numbers have stayed the same for '09, with the head angle at 66.9° and seat angle at 72.1°. Top tube lengths are 568mm / 590mm / 615mm, respectively. For those of you out there who are tall and wondering if the Large is big enough, I'm 6'4" and the large is fine in places like the bike park but it would be a little small on trail rides. Wheelbase is on par with other bikes with this much travel, at 1117mm / 1140mm / 1165mm.
The SixTwo gets a Marzocchi fork, and fewer colour-coordinated parts.
Pricing for the Six line breaks out at $4,450 for the Six One, $3,600 for the Six Two and $2,950 for the Six Three. But if that's still too rich for your blood, Norco has one more option for you in this category: the all-new Stryk.
The Stryk
The Stryk is essentially the same as the Six, but without the bells and whistles. In other words, it's for people who want a bike they can ride in the park but don't have enough cash to drop on a Six.
The perfect combination of parts, performance and pedigree.
Components are further down the food chain - a Marzocchi 55RS fork and Fox Van R coil shock, SRAM X-4 drivetrain, and Hayes Stroker Ryde brakes - and the frame loses the forged headtube, but it's still a capable bike for people who want to enjoy the park or technical trails. MSRP for the Stryk is $2,100.
The Fluid LT
The Fluid LT (LT for long travel, naturally) is the quintessential back-country bike: lots of travel, lots of gears, not a lot of weight. Norco also feels comfortable calling the Fluid LT a "freeride lite" bike, but I'd have to imagine that designation has as much to do with the rider as it does the bike. Ryan Leech was riding his Fluid LT in the bike park, but when I did a lap, I was wishing for more bike.
Bikes in this series have adjustable travel, allowing riders to move between 137mm and 158mm by changing the upper shock mount position. The link arm has been redesigned for '09, and is now forged. Like some of the big bikes, the LT gets revamped and beefier seatstays and a forged chainstay clevis. Add a new lighter downtube to the mix, and you have a sexy bike. Improve the tire clearance from the '08 version (as Norco did) and you now have a very versatile bike.
The Fluid LT Three (because the LT One photo sample didn't look this sharp), ready for action.
The LTs come with 160mm of front travel and are spec'd with 20mm thru-axle forks. They also get 7" rotors, triple chainrings and Fox DHX air shocks.
The new forged link arm is almost as swoopy as the frame.
Spec on the top-of-the-line LT One are hard to beat: RockShox Lyrik 2-Step air fork, a Crank Bros. Joplin adjustable-height seatpost, Avid Elixir brakes with carbon levers, a DHX Air 5.0 shock, Industry 9 custom colour wheels with DT Swiss rims and a Thompson stem. Drivetrain duties are handled by the luscious SRAM X.0 component group, and Truvativ Stylo OCT cranks keep the wheels turning.
The anodized Fluid LT One, chilling at the Roundhouse. Spokes are a burnt orange colour, and are coordinated with the handlebar clamps on the grips and the headset.
Thankfully, sizes for the LT range from extra small to extra large, so there's a bike for everyone. As with the Six, there hasn't been any change to geometry for '09. Head and seat angles are 67.5° / 73°, with top tube lengths running from 550mm all the way up to 625mm. Wheelbases start at 1104mm and go all the way up to 1171mm.
MSRP for the LTs is $6,900 for the LT One, $3,600 for the LT Two and $2,500 for the LT Three.
The Vixa
Possibly the biggest news for Norco this year is the launch of its women's-specific line of bikes designed by Norco team rider / freeride darling Darcy Turenne. At this point, the line consists of one freeride bike called the Vixa and three hardtails, but it's a very important start. And the freeride bike is damn cool.
The Vixa is a medium-travel bike that offers shorter women (or men) a 26" wheel option with plenty of standover. The toptube drops dramatically from the head tube and it's a fair bit shorter than on the Six - toptube on a small Vixa is 548mm while a small Six is 568mm. In addition, the parts are lighter than those spec'd on the Six and the seattube angle is slightly steeper. The result is a bike that should be going to fit riders that are closer to the 5' mark.
The Vixa is a sweet looking ride. Decals on the production bike will match the purple hubs.
Parts spec on the Vixa is good but not top of the line - a Marzocchi 55 ATA fork and Fox DHX 3.0 shock, SRAM X-5 drivetrain, Truvativ bar / stem / crankset and Avid Juicy 3 brakes with 7" rotors. This is definitely a package worthy of future upgrades. The Vixa comes in extra small, small and medium sizes, with an MSRP of $2,999.
There isn't a lot of room between the bottom bracket and the saddle, but Norco fit everything in.
And if you're wondering what Vixa means, ask Darcy the next time you see her at an event. You can also ask someone who's German - provided it's not your grandmother.
The Empire 5
The Empire 5 is Norco's new purpose-built 6"-and-5" slopestyle bike. It's designed for park / DJ / freeride / slopestyle riding, and was heavily influenced by input from Ben Boyko. Standover and seat height on the bike are quite low to allow for plenty of can cans and whips, and parts are spec'd with rough landings in mind.
The Empire 5 is one of the best looking bikes in the Norco 2009 line, and it's right at home in the bike park.
Norco had a prototype of the Empire called the Five kicking around for a while, but that bike has been revamped. The Empire gets a new toptube and downtube, new link arms and a Maxle 135mm x 12mm thru axle rear end for added stiffness. There are two sizes to choose from - short and long.
A close-up of the seat mast assembly and the colour-coordinated linkage.
The Empire gets a Marzocchi 55 ATA travel adjust fork with 120-160mm of travel, a Marzocchi TST Air rear shock, SRAM X-5 drivetrain and FSA cranks with an e.13 LG1 chainguide. Pricing for the Empire is $3,650. Expect to see Ben defending his Crankworx title on this ride in a couple of weeks.
There you have it - a sampling of the new 6" and 5" bikes from Norco for 2009. These bikes should start shipping in early fall, so keep an eye out for them on your local trails. And as always, stay tuned for full product tests here on nsmb.
Drooling over the new Fluid LT One? Think the Vixa would be perfect for that short chick in your life? You know where to go to talk about it...
