2024 Norco Range C1 VLT eMTB

After spending a good deal of time on the Norco Sight VLT, I was keen to try the new version. Alas, that was not to be. Norco decided to put most of their apples into the Range cart. There is only one Sight model; the C1 which retails for 14,000 CAD, while the Range has two carbon models (both with Al rear ends) and one all aluminum version ranging in price from 12K CAD to 9K CAD. Word on the street is that many more Ranges were produced making the 2024 Sight a rarity.

The 2022 Sight I rode for several years never felt too small. I over-forked it to 170mm with a Zeb and the 150 mm rear end always felt like enough, even on the most challenging trails. Or so I thought. The 2022 Sight (same as the 2023 Sight) was one of the most sorted dual suspension platforms I'd ridden, boosted or not. It had some pecadillos to be sure, but I loved riding it in virtually any terrain.

This made my enthusiasm for the Range a little muted. Not only did it have more travel with 180 up front and 170 in the rear, it was a high pivot platform with an idler pulley and a mullet set up rather than the dual 29s of the previous gen. Sight and Range. Obviously bikes of this ilk are incredibly capable going down, especially at speed. They are also known for a tendency to bog down in compressions due to the rearward axle path and to feel a little glued to the ground, even when you are looking to leave the earth for a time. It was possible, I thought to myself, that I may not get along with this bruiser at all.

I have been wrong many times in the 24 years I've been writing about bikes, but this was a particularly stunning example of my preconceptions missing the mark. On my first ride on the Range, it felt different of course but not in the ways I imagined. Instead of bogging down it carried speed incredibly well and, with help from the 27" rear wheel, it tucked into corners with remarkable agility. And rather than being disappointed with an overly planted feel, I marvelled at the way it smoothed out chunk and kept me in control while still being willing to get off the ground.

When I first began testing bikes I was a mess if the grips weren't perfect or the geo wasn't what I was used to. As it turns out, riding different bikes all the time makes you more adaptable. I can jump on most bikes now and, with a few minor tweaks, perform close to my meagre best in a short time. Despite this, I've never got on with a bike as quickly as I did with the new Range VLT. I don't use Strava but on my very first ride I'm almost certain I would have nailed some personal descending bests on sections of trail I've ridden countless times. I had a smile on my face that felt painted on like the Joker's. I find it undignified when reviewers gush, but it turns out I was smitten, at least at first.

What's Going on Here?

If you've been paying attention to Norco's design arc, you'll know the company has gone deep with their version of the oh-so-hot high pivot and idler design. Norco calls their interpretation of this platform the VPShp. This is one of the elements that makes this a blank slate redesign. Virtually every important design consideration has changed for 2024 as well.

2023 - dual 29. 2024 mullet.

2023 - Shimano Steps system. 2024 - Bosch Performance CX

2023 - Modified Horst Link. 2024 - VPShp high pivot plus idler suspension.

2023 - 4 sizes. 2024 - 5 sizes

2023 - one rear centre measurement for every size. 2024 - rear centre grows by 4mm for each jump in size.

Compared to Previous Platfrom

As I mentioned earlier, I was a big fan of how the previous bike rode. It had some issues, some related to the off-brand battery and cable connections. Rather than be restricted to Shimano's battery and connectors, Norco went on their own, which produced some connectivity issues for some riders, including me. Beyond that, the carbon seat stays weren't as robust as they could have been and the bearing seats in my VLT failed early on the non-drive side, and later on the drive side. Both of these issues have been addressed directly with a complete Bosch system and an all-aluminum rear end on all models, which is a bold and sensible solution. The rear end of the Range VLT is as stiff and precise under pressure as any bike I've ridden. This sort of accuracy is a bit jarring at first because of how directly the rear of the bike responds to inputs, but it didn't take long before I responded positively to this solid state feel.

Component Spec.

This is the top of the line Range but Norco didn't go as crazy as they could have. Some examples of restraint are Crankbrothers Synthesis aluminum wheels, which feel great and have done the job admirably, a GX T-type rear derailleur rather than XO or XX, and a Trans Rad+ 200mm seatpost for sizes 4 and 5. These all have performed as well as more expensive components in the same categories thus far.

Where it counts, Norco has thrown down, with top of the line suspension and braking components. Brakes are SRAM Code RSC with H2 rotors (220/200) which suit the character of the bike perfectly. Damping comes from a RockShox Vivid Select+ in the rear which I really like, and a 180mm Zeb Ultimate up front. Both ends surprised me with excellent levels of traction, composure and smoothness. The Vivid Select+ feels more like a coil than any air shock I've ridden, but with more support through the heart of the travel, and the Zeb 180 feels spectacular.

Aluminum Vs. Carbon

Looking back I wish I had stated my preference for either of the two lower models; the C2 and A1. I often wonder if Aluminum on eMTBs is little more than an affectation. In fact, I have begun to believe that a moderate decrease in weight does little for the performance of an eMTB. The suspension seems to work better on heavier bikes, at least for lighter riders, because there is more mass to overcome breakaway forces, and cornering seems to benefit as well, likely because much of that mass is slung low, and some below the front axle. Of course there's putting your bike on a rack or a tailgate, or on the wall, but otherwise I don't think there's much downside to riding a 56 lb bike over a 58 lb bike (24.4 to 26.3 kg). This makes the advantages aluminum has in terms of durability and cost even more attractive. Carbon bikes are strong and stiff, and light, they look nice and their structures are more easily crafted into complex shapes, but they aren't always the best solution for bikes, particularly considering how far aluminum manufacturing has come. Don't get me wrong though, I am enjoying the carbon front end and the fairly high-end components of the Range VLT C1 but there may be more value in the C2 and the A1, despite some component misses, like a SRAM NX drivetrain on the A1.

Bosch Motor and Controls

I've been very pleased with the Bosch motor. Its four modes have many adjustments, including one for initial acceleration. This is great to crank up if you are doing a steep technical climb but you'll save a lot of battery if you keep it lower on more modest ascents.

Bosch tells us their CX motor produces a max of 85nm but it feels like more to me. It does fairly well even at lower RPMs and is easily controlled on very rough descents or tight switchbacks. The wireless toggle works seamlessly and makes me wonder why other manufacturers aren't able to employ a similar system; less wires is more.

I find it takes some time to plumb the depths of a new motor and really get to know it but I've had no issues thus far and it has performed really well. I'll have more to say in the full review.

Trail Time

Yesterday's ride out at Eagle Mountain included a masterfully reworked trail called Mossom Creek (incredible work - thank you TORCA!). It's what I'd call a technical flow trail with beautiful berms that are tighter than most. And they swap sides with alarming and thrilling frequency. This may not be where you'd expect a bike like the Range to shine but it definitely lit up. Carrying speed here requires angling the bike radically and then slapping it the other way as fast as possible. You might expect it behave like a linebacker playing pickleball but it felt right at home. I even made some tricky gaps on my second time through.

Mossom was all gravity but one of the advantages of the motor is that you can be overbiked and make up for it by getting on the pedals. So far I haven't regretted receiving the Range over the Sight and not once felt like the Range is too much bike.

Of course the bike is particularly at home when things get lumpy and unpredictable and the 63º head angle (the slackest of any bike I've tested) blasts through nasty holes and misplaced rocks and is particularly adept at dealing with holes at the bottom of slabs.

Minor Gripes

My first grumble is one Bosch and Shimano share; rattling from the motor in rough terrain. Earlier Bosch motors seemed quieter to me, although the Canyons I rode in Tuscany were among the loudest. This one was quiet at first but as it's broken in it sounds a little like muffled nickels in a tin can. It's not loud, but the metallic nature of the sound is a little unsettling.

Unlike most bikes, which attach the rear wheel sensor to the brake rotor, this one is wireless and is placed below the valve stem's lock ring. Aside from the extra weight placed where there is already extra weight, on a spinning structure, the valve stem isn't long enough to accommodate this making it a challenge for many pumps.

This is the first eMTB I've seen that's capable of in-bike storage but the opportunity has been missed. There is a large triangular void in front of the rear shock that is just begging for some sort of custom solution to fill the hole. The challenge is that the void of each size Range has different dimensions so there would need to be five custom solutions. I remain hopeful that some industrious soul will figure this out as I puzzle it out on my own. If anyone has ideas I'm all ears.

As detailed above, the only display on the bike is a coloured LED light bank. There is no speedometer or trip display, which I miss much more than thought I would. Bosch has a display that will work and I'm hoping to get my hands on one.

The WTB crank arms are nice and short at 165mm but the combination of boot at the bottom of the arm and the guard on the drive side chain stay makes for regular contact. This is most pronounced when the bike is on the ground and riderless without any sag but I have had it bump on both the guard and the stay itself on most rides. Generally though there is enough weight on the cranks that they clear.

The last one is a bit rich, but after having a 900Wh battery on the Sight VLT for a couple of years I miss it. The range is pretty good with the 750Wh Bosch motor and I've done a 32 km ride with 1400 metres of climbing and finished with juice to spare, but I'm a glutton with a serious dislike of range anxiety. A 250Wh range extender is apparently in the works.

How's it Going?

So far I like the way this is going. Each time I saddle up the Range VLT I'm more keen than the last time as I figure out how far the bike can be pushed. I'm looking forward to some big mountain adventures this summer to truly plumb the depths of this very capable machine.

Norco Range VLT C1 12,000 CAD / 9,000 USD