Eurobike 2016: Norco
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Eurobike 2016: Norco

September 19, 2016

There were a couple of new bikes on the Norco stand at Eurobike, and they were one of the few companies showing a fatbike this year too. First up though, their brand new plus-tyred full suspension bike.

Eurobike 2016: Norco
This is the Torrent FS+ 7.1, which is brand new for 2017.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
It ships with Maxxis’ new 2.8 Minions, both DHR II and DHF.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
Not often you see Spank rims specced on a bike as standard. These are Oozy 395+, built up on SRAM hubs.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
It’s no secret that some riders have found the first plus offerings from various manufacturers a bit fragile for some types of riding. Staff on the stand said Maxxis Plus tyres are finally getting burly enough for all kinds of trail.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
SRAM Guide 4-pots will be handy for quickly stopping that extra spinning mass.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
All suspension on the 7.1 model is by DVO. Others ship with Rockshox. 140mm travel at the front…
Eurobike 2016: Norco
… and 130mm at the back. DVO was formed by engineers and other staff who left Marzocchi, suspension fact fans.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
Neat looking headtube, and graphics matched to DVO’s bits.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
Cable routing is all external, though the dropper cable ducks into the seat tube.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
Clamps run above and below the downtube.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
They’ve also specced Raceface’s new-for-2016 Aeffect cranks.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
Turbine dropper takes care of the dropping. This bike is equipped for stopping, dropping, and rolling (though hopefully not all at once, or in that sequence).
Eurobike 2016: Norco
That’s some very nice machining on the remote.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
Neat, integrated chainstay protector. Is there anything quite like the mild annoyance of building a new bike, then realising you forgot to do anything like this at the end of the first ride, when you spot the cluster of tiny oval bite marks in the chainstay? Norco have you, and it, covered.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
UK pricing is TBC, but it ships in January and this model is €3599.00. As well as the Torrent FS+ 7.1, there’s also a 7.2, and two plus hardtails too. See more over at Norco.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
This cabling caught my eye. It’s electrical tape, wrapped like bar tape to neaten cables and hoses. I asked if this was standard, and they said…
Eurobike 2016: Norco
“No, it’s just something the German guys we hired to build the stand did. We decided it looked neat, so we kept it” (After this, I did spot a couple of other stands that had the same taping).
Eurobike 2016: Norco
This is the Norco Ithaqua 7.2, and one of the few fatbikes on show at Eurobike this year.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
Perhaps more use in a Canadian winter than a milder UK one, but fatbikes are not just for snow: they perform surprisingly well in mud.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
The Ithaqua is rigid and full carbon, with Thru-axles front and rear.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
There are three different models, but all have carbon frames and rigid forks.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
They ship with 4.5″ tyres, but have clearance up to 5″.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
Chipps once lent me a full carbon fatbike. I was a sceptic, but when he asked me how it was later, I grinned and said “I felt like a viking riding a giant puppy”. Downhill, it maintained a solid 20mph on bridleway mud patches that usually swallow 2.4 tyres and bring a dead stop.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
No front mechs here! The Ithaqua is 1x specific.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
Again, integrated chainstay protection. This is the Ithaqua 6.2, equipped with SRAM GX 11 speed gearing. The 6.1 gets X1, and the 6.3 gets NX.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
All cabling is internal. There are various fillets you can put near the head tube, for up to five cables or hoses. Once in, the frame is completely sealed.
Eurobike 2016: Norco
Novatec hubs are a solid and popular choice. The Ithaqua is available with three different builds or as a frameset; once again, read more at Norco’s website.


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David started mountain biking in the 90’s, by which he means “Ineptly jumping a Saracen Kili Racer off anything available in a nearby industrial estate”. After growing up and living in some extremely flat places, David moved to Yorkshire specifically for the mountain biking. This felt like a horrible mistake at first, because the hills are so steep, but you get used to them pretty quickly. Previously, David trifled with road and BMX, but mountain bikes always won. He’s most at peace battering down a rough trail, quietly fixing everything that does to a bike, or trying to figure out if that one click of compression damping has made things marginally better or worse. The inept jumping continues to this day.

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2 thoughts on “Eurobike 2016: Norco”

  1. Why is that ape-like human hiding his beer, staring a little too hard at that woman who’s appears to be all “nah you didn’t just say that” at the bloke who’s pretending to be interested?

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