I have just taken the opportunity and taken advantage of the "Ride to Work Scheme". Last year I bought my Boardman road bike. This year I decided to get a new MTB instead.
I settled on a brand that I had never really heard of, Norco is a Canadian company better known for its extreme downhill bikes. Now they've crossed over into more main stream bikes. The Nitro 6.2 model is a middle to top end bike that is definitely geared towards fast cross country riding. The frame is super lightweight, with the whole bike coming in at only 12kg.
A lot as changed in the world of MTB's since I last bought a good bike, namely disc brakes. They're Avid Exlir 3 hydraulic brakes fitted, excellent pieces of kit that stop perfectly. The forks are Rock Shox Recon Gold TK air action, these were dialled in at the shop to suit me. The 2 major differences that I noticed on the ride were that there only two chain rings on the front instead of the usual three. This is made up for with a massive 11-36T rear cassette on the rear. I must admit, I didn't notice a difference. Also the gear shifters are a push push system unlike the push pull shimano system I'm used to, this will take a bit of time to get used to.
Overall, the thing that impressed me most was the lightweight feel to the ride, I've raced on heavier road bikes in the past.
After the first ride I give it 7.5/10, hopefully after my fitness gets something like I'll appreciate this lean, mean machine.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
2 comments:
Hi, I'm very close to buying the bike myself. Would you suggest it to be a good buy, or would you choose another bike if you had your time again.
Hi Niall,
Tough, tough question! The Norco ticks every box. Superb frame, lightweight, excellent forks and kit and a nice feel.
There is just something that I'm unable to put my finger on.
This could be down to me swapping my time between road and MTB. Never giving myself enough time to get used to one discipline. Also my own fitness is still an issue and getting the most out of the Norco as been difficult.
I would definitely want a triple chain set and a smaller rear cassette, the gears have to be dialled in spot on. I can't fault the forks, even with my weight on them I'm still getting good travel out of them. Brakes are superb and the contact points are good.
In conclusion, I would hate to think I'd paid full price the the bike, but the is count as more than made up for any short comings. So yes, I'm happy with the bike....
Post a Comment