Field Test: 2023 Norco Fluid - The Reasonably Priced One
PINKBIKE FIELD TEST
Norco Fluid
Words by Mike Kazimer; photography by Satchel Cronk
Norco Fluid
Words by Mike Kazimer; photography by Satchel Cronk
The Norco Fluid FS A1's $3,999 price tag looks like a screaming deal compared some of the expensive carbon bikes in this Field Test. Yes, it's the only bike with an aluminum frame, but still – you could buy one Fluid, buy another one to have as a spare, and still have $3,000 left over to spend on food and gas for all of your riding adventures... or you could purchase one top-of-the-line Scott Genius.
A good price doesn't automatically equate to a good time on the trail, but it sure seems like Norco did everything they could to make sure the Fluid delivered, equipping it with a smart mix of parts and geometry numbers that should work well in a wide range of locations.
A good price doesn't automatically equate to a good time on the trail, but it sure seems like Norco did everything they could to make sure the Fluid delivered, equipping it with a smart mix of parts and geometry numbers that should work well in a wide range of locations.
Norco Fluid FS A1 Details
• Travel: 130mm / 140mm fork
• Aluminum frame
• 65° head angle
• 76.7° seat angle
• 435mm chainstays (size L)
• Reach: 480mm (L)
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL
• Weight: 33.8 lb / 15.3 kg
• Price: $3,999 USD
• More info: norco.com
• Travel: 130mm / 140mm fork
• Aluminum frame
• 65° head angle
• 76.7° seat angle
• 435mm chainstays (size L)
• Reach: 480mm (L)
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL
• Weight: 33.8 lb / 15.3 kg
• Price: $3,999 USD
• More info: norco.com
The Fluid's geometry seems to hit the sweet spot when it comes to an all-rounder, especially for riders who want a trail bike that feels at home in steeper, more technical terrain. The head angle sits at 65-degrees with a 140mm fork, and the fairly tall head tube combined with the 76.7-degree seat angle helps create an upright, centered ride position. The chainstay lengths vary depending on the size, coming in at 435mm for the size large we tested.
The Norco weighed in at 33.8 lb (15.3 kg) with control Maxxis DoubleDown control tires installed. That makes it the heaviest out of the five bikes on test, but not by as much as you'd expect – it's only 1.1 pounds heavier than the much pricier Yeti SB140.
Climbing
The Norco's weight never really entered my mind when climbing or descending. Yes, if I hopped off the 30-pound Scott and right onto the Norco I could notice the little bit of extra heft while climbing, but it was really only in those direct comparisons that it was apparent. Otherwise I didn't think twice about it, usually because I was trying not to fall off whatever weird skinny log ride I'd discovered in the woods of Whistler.
Riders who are used to pedaling around longer travel enduro bikes will instantly feel at home with the Norco's seated position. The tall headtube creates a cockpit position that's nice and upright, even with the 140mm fork – there aren't any hunched over, stretched out XC shenanigans going on here. The Fluid's handling is fairly neutral, especially for a bike in this category, but it was slightly easier to zig and zag through tight climbs compared to the longer and slacker Scott Genius. Of course, the Scott has 150mm of rear travel and a 64-degree head angle, so it's not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, and at the end of the day both bikes will get up just about anything without much fuss.
The Float X shock did dip into its travel more eagerly than the Santa Cruz Hightower or the Trek Fuel EX, which meant I'd occasionally flip the climb switch for longer fireroad climbs. It's still calm enough to run it fully open for any non-road riding, though, with a good amount of grip to help it keep clambering its way upward. Interestingly, the Fluid ended up placing second in the efficiency test, so it's no slouch when the stopwatch and power pedals are out.
Descending
The term 'aggressive trail bike' still seems a little strange to me – why is it so angry? – even though it really is the best way to categorize the Fluid. This is one of those bikes that doesn't shy away from the occasional sketchy move (or three) despite having the least amount of front and rear travel in this test.
The geometry numbers aren't worlds apart from the 125mm Optic that impressed us back in 2020, but there is a noticeable difference in how the two bikes ride. On the Optic, the shock tune felt like it prioritized support over everything else, while the Float X on the Fluid offers better small bump compliance, along with those extra five millimeters of travel to further take the edge off bigger hits.
The Fluid has a fairly long head tube, which increases the stack height and makes it easier to stay centered while descending, instead of feeling like you're getting pulled over the front end. For comparison, the Fluid has a 135mm head tube, and the Yeti SB140's measures 100mm; even with a 160mm fork the Yeti still has a lower stack height than the Fluid. As always, a bike is the sum of its geometry numbers, and looking at one in isolation doesn't tell the whole story. Still, Norco has cooked up a tasty recipe with the Fluid, especially when it comes to tackling steep terrain.
I ended up putting down my 4th fastest time on the Fluid, just one second slower than my 2nd and 3rd place times, and two seconds slower than my fastest time, which was on the Trek Fuel EX.
As far as the overall handling goes, the Fluid has a solid, ready-for-anything feel, although its manners fall more on the neutral side of the spectrum rather than being a zippy, lively thing. It's not that it's sluggish, it's just that it doesn't have the same level of get-up-and-go as the Fuel EX, or the Santa Cruz Hightower. Those bikes were more responsive in rolling terrain, with more of a platform to push against and generate speed.
Does the Fluid need $7,000 worth of upgrades to match the performance of those much more expensive competitors? Definitely not. It did very, very well against those carbon contenders, although there were a couple things that could be improved. A chainguide would be the first upgrade I'd make – we dropped the chain a handful of times, something a small upper guide would have prevented. The second component quibble has to do with the 170mm dropper post. It wasn't the amount of drop that was an issue, it was the fact that the very short seat tube meant I was running the post at the minimum insertion mark. A 200mm post on the size large would prevent this, and it's something that taller or longer-legged riders should keep in mind.
At the end of the day, the Norco Fluid has great suspension, good brakes, and a solid, workhorse drivetrain. It offers an excellent price-to-performance ratio no matter your ability level, and could be just the ticket for the rider who's looking for a trail bike that won't hold them back when things take a turn for the technical.
Pros
+ Great geometry and well-chosen components for a reasonable price
+ Solid, ready for anything ride feel
+ Norco's suspension setup guide is one of the best out there.
Cons
- Could use a chainguide and a longer dropper post.
- There are lighter & livelier options in this travel bracket
The 2022 Fall Field Test is presented G-Form
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
Ok, it does not work only for Poland, Slovakia, Chech Republic and Hungary
If money was no object, you'd possibly purchase a 10k mtb too
Given that there's a recession going on in Europe and Asia, and that the US is at least seeing a bit of a slowdown, and given that the Covid boom put a lot of bikes into the market (at least some of which are turning up on the buy/sell as not all those new mountain bikers stay with the sport), we may see that sort of reversal. In the meantime, though, there's solid value to be had. Vitus coming to the US as a direct to consumer brand shows what's possible; Polygon has been churning out well sorted bikes at good values.
PS: I like nice things and usually will upgrade wheels with DT hubs and lighter rims. It's very very nice. I still have a great time without them.
$439. Plus tax plus and labour which is a 100 and spokes which are 90. It adds up fast.
I agree though, the lower engagement and weight weren't ruining the ride. Sure it could be better but it was functional (until it wasn't)
I remember a 250lb customer folding over a 50t NX cog, I try to keep that in mind for perspective lol.
Now, I'm not talking about points of engagement. I'd say more points of engagement could theoretically make the freehub less smooth but I haven't made comparisons. DT Swiss offers different star ratchets so I could try that if I wanted to go German-like scientific. I'm not saying this is reserved for super expensive freehubs either as a regular Shimano freehub is more than smooth enough.
But yeah, a hub with a not so smooth freehub could ruin your ride as you'd drop your chain more. If you do coast, that is.
I have not found freehub binding / chain push to be an issue on new wheels with cheap-ish hubs (with a couple exceptions) - rather that they need service sooner than a higher quality hub. so if you can clean and grease the thing occasionally, you don't "need" a nice hub to have a good bike ride.
As said before, I'm a sucker for DT swiss wheels on every bike (except the non-coasting one
What I was responding to was the comment about having to upgrade hubs. I think the mentality of "OEM wheels suck, you have to upgrade" is inaccurate and the kind of attitude that makes the sport seem way less accessible than it is. SOME riders need and/or want nice wheels (i do!) but OEM wheels work perfectly fine for most riders.
Are you listening Santa Cruz???
The derailleur is a weak link. It's not SX bad, but it's flexy and prone to all sorts of issues with the clutch. That drivetrain has been over-hyped on this sub since before anybody rode it.
I'm not saying it's "bad," but it's not significantly better than NX. Both get the job done about the same, and have similar reliability.
This was my son's 5th NICA (now Georgia Cycling Assoc.) season. As a sophomore, the lights came on this year -- he got a bunch stronger and more coordinated. I can't keep him on the climbs at all any more, but I can usually reel him in on the downs and in the twisty, techy stuff. I'm guessing that advantage goes away next season at this rate.
But yeah, he's my riding partner now and I wouldn't trade that for the world.
And when we ride alone, we prefer to be by ourselves.
~ Hat tip to George Thorogood
*Update: I just tried it, have autoplay turned off, and the dang ol' thing still autoplays!! Come on man!
The other item that been shown with autoplay is that many people who may not have actually clicked to watch the video get drawn in and end up watching even if they never intended to... so they're getting more "real" views with autoplay as well.
my personal setup is XT shifter and cassette, SLX mech, Deore cranks... best of all worlds while saving some weight and some money?
the clutch of my gx is weak making the bike louder. the derailor stands out way to much making it a victim of rock strikes and branches quickly. i broke the x01 shiftlever after few kilometers. x01 needed more power to shift than my deore. multiple shifts at once are not a thing with sram, a massive deficit in rolling terrain. shimano chains last longer. shifting is much smoother with shimano cassettes.
sram drivetrains are just not at the same quality level, and have worse value. there is no reason for going sram except longing for electronic shifting (which i do not want on my bikes).
In seriousness, this is about as sane as saying SRAM has the best clutches. maybe don't blame manufacturers in place of whoever set up your X01 drivetrain...
Sram clutches are pretty bad, wearing out extremely quickly and aren’t that firm to begin with. They don’t shift quite as well under load too, but other than that they are great, and most of the difference is personal preference
Sure...but what about in this price bracket?
So I guess Norco is kinda crushing it
Companies always want your money, whether you have it or not. Don't go into debt for biking, its supposed to be a relaxing escape, not a burdensome shackle to the modern world.
does Norco need a new copywrite advertiser?
You're using financing the right way.
But companies won't stop you from using it the wrong way too.
You could walk into a Range Rover dealership and drive away with a $100 000 car in half an hour. And the sales people would congratulate you for making the best decision of your life.
Translation: spending more generally leads to more complications.
Naaah. Just slag on “poor people” who can’t afford a five figure bike, complain about the weight of bikes that are meant to be thrashed, then put your tablet away and ride home from the coffee shop on the bike path.
This is not to say that some components don't add appreciably to your comfort level and speed. Specifically, geometry/fit, tires, suspension components (if well set up) + travel and brakes. But in this case, there are plenty of bikes out there for $5k or less that offer top-tier geometry, brakes and suspension. There is zero gained by paying for the more expensive bikes like SC, Yeti, etc.
PB how about a slow motion video of just Matt turns and drops?
A bike that doesn’t cost a fortune.
Durable (time will tell) without being over built
Right there with the carbon frames on weight.
No headset routing
Bottle cage in triangle
My question to myself: Is 140 too much for what I typically ride that isn’t lift serviced. I still think yes.
Me also: 33lbs for 130? NO WAY
Santa Cruz $9.8k bike with grip damper.
That sentence right there basically says it all.
-signed, every other endurobro on the east coast riding an enduro and thinks we are in Les Gets
This makes a Polygon Siskiu, Marin Rift Zone or Canyon Spectral a much better deal.
Its a shame since I really like the look of the Norco frame best.
www.jensonusa.com/trail-all-mountain-mountain-bikes
Ripely would fit this bracket better.
I thought high stack was just on the wish list of creaky old men like me. If it's the new hotness that's awesome, more bikes that don't hurt the aging lower back
For the price of the Yeti/Scott/Trek/SC in this test you could have this Norco, the new Polygon enduro bike, a Nukeproof Scout and still have some money leftover for a riding trip!
Maybe the Stumpjumper Expert is a sweet spot in this category? $6k carbon with same level components as the Alu Norco (and better brakes), just under 30lbs ...
So many of us riders cannot afford something more than $4000USD once every 5-10 years as it is. When I was selling bikes 7 or 8 years ago, $4000 would be damn near top of the line. I get it, prices go up, things inflate, but $10,000 being an average high end bike is insanity. The amount of people I'd love to introduce to the beauty of mountain biking is reduced to near 0, simply because of how insane prices are. That includes used. Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi.
What trail bike is there that can be built up under 30 lbs these days that has good geo?
Basically - unless it went backwards when you pedaled, it's gonna destroy EVERYTHING else in the 'test'
Other than bragging rights for "I've wasted more money than you" on a dentist rig.
If they wanted real challengers in this 'category' then how about
Meta TR (getting old - and the TEMPO too new I guess);
Alloy Fuel EX (I guess you can infer the result from the top-of-the-line 'bling rig' tested);
Marin Rift Zone or the new Merida 140 (now thats a nice looking rig!) are within the same price point
If this comes as a frame I would definitely have it in my want top five.
This is a well-spec’ed $4k aluminum but.
And @satchscratch - good job on the photos - esp profile shot at bottom.
*vision of ball getting whacked out of park/field*
Related to that, the other bikes in this test are so ridiculously poor value that anyone who considers price when purchasing a mountain bike should, in my opinion, disregard them. For around 10k, you could buy THREE Fox Factory equipped bikes from Radon for this price: 130mm carbon DC bike, 140mm carbon trail bike and a 170 mm Al park bike.
When I’m taking value, I mean durability and performance. These days, full suspension bikes under 4K have significant parts compromises in the form of flimsier wheels, less durable drivetrains and poorer performing suspension.
Move above 6k, and you abruptly hit diminishing returns. Even a pro would struggle to notice a performance difference if they test rode 6k and 12k bikes back-to-back.
The bike industry should be pushing the performance envelope down to make riding more awesome for beginning riders. Instead it’s focused on selling bikes that don’t perform better, but cost 3x more than they need to.
If we want our sport to grow, we need good affordable gear to be the target companies are focused on. Instead the r&d funds are going to build the 8th or 9th bikes for affluent, often inept riders to brag about owning to their friends on the links or at a cocktail party.
After one spends $6k on a bike, you are getting more and more marginal returns on the performance as a function of cost. A $10k bike is so expensive for what you are getting, it makes the manufacturer look really out of touch.
So no, not a cheap sport - but probably the most accessible of the ones that scratch that very specific itch.
Its heavy like an all mountain bike and has aggressive geo but its built up like a trail bike. for aggressive riders but not quite enough travel to back it up completely. It seems to stop short in many ways that collectively add up just by design. Then you have the chain drop, the short dropper/seat tube issues, tektro brakes made of wood, poor hubs and questionable rims.
But it’s $4k and you know what they say, price over performance. Its a bike and I can have fun on it, just like on my ‘95 Trek 830 Antelope.
So if you want to spend a significant, but not that significant amount if money to get whatever the f*ck, fill up that duffle bag and we got you a bike.
Why are you gay?