Ye olde 2020 Norco Sight A2. If it ain’t broke. Run what you brung. Etc.
Who are you then?
Mark Alker. Owner, Singletrack magazine.
What size is this bike?
Medium.
What’s your favourite component?
The ‘heritage green’ Fox 38 fork. I overforked the bike several years ago with this 170mm fork and not regretted it.
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Where does this bike excel?
Technical terrain.
What’s the next tweak for the bike?
I don’t really want to change anything. This bike has been a faithful servant. And it was pretty progressive in its day but… Benji is forcing me to mullet it by sticking a 27.5in wheel in the back on doing some jiggery-pokery with the shock length. Changing the 185 x 52.5mm shock for a 190 x 55mm. Or something. I’m pretty game actually.
Fork – settings?
I can’t remember the psi. In terms of knob twiddles, it’s generally done by feel but rarely strays far from one or two clicks from middle.
Shock – settings?
I’ve really badly neglected this thing (sorry Fox!) and it’s been leaking air very slowly for quite a while now. My ‘solution’ is to pump it up to 220psi at the start of a ride and pray that by the end it hasn’t gone too flat! I know, I know. Again, in terms of knobs, I think they’re pretty middling. I will admit to not doing much twiddling with the rear shock because it requires getting Allen keys out.
How is the suspension set-up generally?
In a word, absent.
What do you think it weighs?
29lbs. [try 35lbs – Benji]
Specification & geometry
Frame // Norco aluminium, 150mm
Shock // Fox X2
Fork // Fox 38 170mm
Wheels // Black
Front tyre // Pirelli Scorpion Enduro
Rear tyre // Pirelli Scorpion Enduro
Chainset // Praxis Cadet
Brakes // SRAM Code R
Drivetrain // SRAM NX Eagle
Stem // Norco
Handlebar // Truvativ
Grips // ODI x Vans Waffle
Seat post // TransX dropper 170mm
Saddle // WTB Volt
Head angle // 63.5°
Effective seat angle // 76.8°
Seat tube length // 395mm
Head tube length // 100mm
Chainstay // 435mm
Wheelbase // 1,222mm
Effective top tube // 593mm
BB height // 25mm drop
Reach // 455mm
Nice. Medium interested in the shock mod for mullet. I’ve got a 2020 Optic that might be interested in something similar, along with being up-forked (forked up?). On the other hand, it’s not broken…
One thing I’d be looking for, if that was my bike with the Stridsland “Ride Slow.." sticker, would be some tape the right shade of green to cover over the T of Sight, just to encourage or excuse lingering at scenic stops.
I had one of these. It was an insurance replacement for my stolen Geometron and it was the best bike I could get during lockdown. It wasn’t exactly a reluctant purchase but I didn’t have much choice at the time.
It was my first 29er and it convinced me that 29er’s could be agile and fun to ride. The rear suspension was very mushy and improved greatly with a Cascade link.Â
Ultimately, I didn’t enjoy the full big wheel experience on the bike I wanted to use for bikeparks, uplifts and messing around in the woods. I scared myself a couple of times being buzzed on the crack by the rear tyre while diving into steep sections.
I got mullet curious just as Airdrop released the Edit MX so I switched. That bike does exactly what I wanted the Sight to do and I prefer the cornering and handling of the smaller rear wheel.
I do keep one eye open for a Norco Range. That’s a bike I’d like to try but there’s not many around. I can’t wait to see what their next production DH bike looks like.
This was mine on collection day…
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Mmm. Pistachio envy.