Norco bikes11/7/2023 I never had an issue with wheel slip when shifting my weight forward to move over an obstacle, making technical sections of trail a breeze. The Fluid was an efficient climber, and it was quite quick considering it is an aluminum trail bike weighing over 30lbs. The 76.6-degree effective seat tube angle made for an aggressive, yet comfortable seating position. It zipped down the trail carrying me and my ear-to-ear grin with it. Accelerating and maintaining speed on the Fluid was never an issue. Even with its aluminum tubing I detected very little flex in the frame, supplying a supportive, stiff platform for pumping and cornering. The Fluid agreed with everything I threw at it, punching well above its class. I often found myself riding this bike like a 160mm long travel machine when choosing lines and features to jump. Long climbs, flowy descents, rock rolls, and shuttle laps, the Fluid saw it all. Hundreds of miles were logged by four different riders on the Norco Fluid FS A1 during the test period. The size Large that was tested had a 480mm reach, 635mm stack height, 65-degree head angle, and 1,245mm wheelbase. According to Norco, if you follow their bike setup guide ( here), the body position for each rider should stay the same no matter what size bike you are on. It has altered reach, seat tube angles, and steering geometry to ensure each rider can maximize the performance of the bike. This technology does more than slap on a size specific chainstay. In addition to spec’ing this bike with quality components, Norco Bicycles is trickling down their Ride Aligned technology to the new Fluid. The size Small is equipped with a 150mm dropper post, the Medium and Large with a 170mm, and the XL and XXL come spec’d with a 200mm dropper post. The Fluid comes in sizes Small to XXL, which Norco claims will fit riders 5’1” to 6’7”. The suspension outfitted on this bike is impressive, but so is the Shimano XT drivetrain, four piston TRP Trail Evo Brakes, 203/180mm brake rotors, and long travel dropper post. Norco has put a lot of effort into creating an entry level full suspension bike that performs well and it shows. They went over dyno data and fine-tuned the performance of the shock to best suit the bike, even at the $1,999.00 price point. It’s common to see many brands working with a company like Fox or RockShox on custom tuned suspension for a bike that is double or triple this price, but as mentioned in the Dissected Feature on the Fluid ( here), Norco’s product manager Paul Burnett shared that Norco spent a ton of time working to custom tune the ride for every level bike and shock from Fox to X-Fusion. Norco worked with various shock manufacturers to provide custom tuned dampers on shocks across the range. We did a pretty in-depth look in our Norco Fluid Dissected feature when it first launched, so check it out here if you want all the nitty gritty details. The frame features a Horst Link suspension design aimed to keep anti-squat values low and efficiency at a maximum. Built out of 6061 aluminum the Norco Fluid frame packs 130mm of rear travel with a 140mm fork. A sparkly, green paint job, 29” wheels, Kashima coated Fox Factory fork, internally routed cables, Vittoria tires, and other quality components are enough to stop anyone in their tracks. Right out of the box the Norco Fluid FS A1 is a showstopper. Norco’s new Fluid is a short travel trail bike that packs a punch in both ride performance and build kit options, so let’s dig in. There is no doubt that mountain biking has one of the highest barriers of entry out of almost any sport, so when a brand remains committed to offering top-shelf tech in a more entry level performance product, we take note. When we found out a new and improved (yet still affordable) Norco Fluid was on the horizon several months ago, we were very excited.
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