Almost 3000kms in and still loving my 2020 VLT 27.5 C1. Sure it's not the most modern geo, but it's a blast on the majority of trails. It even makes XC focused trails fun.
Got mine since September, and i agree to what you say, it is not an all-arounder at all, it’s a shuttle/downhill type of bike. Yes i can do some techy climb on it, but it’s long, it’s slack, and it’s quite heavy. Plus I’m on an XL , so the wheelbase is MASSIVE. Fortunately, i ride exactly the kind of trail it’s ment for (steep rocky chunky at relatively high speed) so i love it. A nice upgrade is the Sprindex coil, which make it easy to dial in the suspension tune.
What are your thoughts as a tech climber? Where I'm at many of the best riding is accessed by tech/steep climbs (or by hour paved road long shuttles, so I prefer the trail climbs). Can this big rig handle step ups and steep techy puzzles that require precision and some body english? How about just plain old steep trail lclimbs?
@@snigs5T5 for the steep, it’s very good, long chainstay give you more weight forward, so very good in the steep. My issue is a bit more with the bottom bracket, it’s not that it is too low, but more that the wheelbase of 1332 on XL is so long that the bb will catch rocks that it probably won’t on a trailbike with 66 HTA. Also , long wheelbase means that you will need to lift the back to get around some very tight corner. It’s not that it can’t do techy tight climb, it’s is simply that it doesn’t perform as well as trail bike in it.
If you are a beginner rider I’d recommend going short or mid travel at most so that you’ll still be able to get out of trouble while not getting too reliant on the suspension in rougher stuff. I went from hardtail to a 170/150 full suspension and haven’t looked back but the 3.75 years of riding that hardtail definitely made me better on the full suspension since I had a strong foundation.
I like the battery options. Love my YT but wish i had more battery sometimes. I do have 2 batteries and guage ride accordingly. But a big and smaller battery would be nice.
Hi Do you need some great lighting for your car to help you better driving and off road at night? We're the pro auto lighting manufacturer for nearly 20 year and we're looking for sponsorship!
Thoughts on the RockShox (peasant) varient? I just bought one and it's being ride-wrapped rn lol. I may go with the vorsprung coil fork upgrade. FYI the deore mt420 brake levers are awful
beware we brought one for $4000 aus and after 8 months the seals allowed water into the bearing in the pedal crank . no warranty as it is part of shimanos motor . so norco said it was up to me to sort it out with shimano . not their problem . no help care factor zero
I got a sprindex and a MRP progressive springs on my Range VLT. You do lose a little smoothness on medium repeated chunk with the progressive but gain with big drop capacity and smoothness. My bad knees favor the progressive spring, but I think if you can handle the Kerchunk on big hits, the linear spring is likely the better bet for smoothing out trail chatter. I do notice I get a bit more pop with the progressive spring as it starts ramping earlier and gives a bit more platform when compressing.
@@Alanvictoryoung I got the C2 2022 and i just installed the mrp progressive spring because I bottomed out the bike too often ( 215 lbs with 550 lbs spring rate ) . I chose 550 lbs progressive ( to 660 I think ... ) . Anyway it's winter here so I gotta wait a couples of months before trying it . Can't wait !
@@mathieubonin9191 If you liked the feel of the 550lbs spring and just wanted a bit more bottom out i think you are going to love the change. I put a Vorsprung Smashpot coil conversion on my Zeb fork with a 40lbs spring which feel quite soft to me. That is why I wanted the softest initial spring rate at the rear I could use without harsh bottomout all the time. Having Coil front and rear is pure pleasure! You can ride all day for days and still be pretty fresh!
Awesome review, loving it. Thumbs up. But I don't understand how extra preload on the coil would prevent a bottom out on 4:25 . That just seems wrong? Can't wait for your e-bike shootout, that's going to be awesome :)
@@robertomariscal well they are quite different things. But you can add preload to a coil, you simply turn the preload ring. But it doesn't do anything to help with bottomouts, and it barely helps with anything else either. As you say, stiffer spring or more compression (or losing weight) is the only way to prevent bottomouts, all other things being equal.
Those are all pretty solid bikes Chooch! If you want a planted ground hugger that's smooth, plush and ready this is a good option, but it's heavy, a lot bike and not for everybody. The Kenevo is a super fun all arounder but Specialized bikes do seem to have some electrical quirks. The Bullit is a ton of fun as well but does have some VPP suspension issues on square-edge hits as we pointed out in our reviews of their bikes... Each bike has a tradeoff and I think I'd personally buy a different bike out of those 3 if I lived in Squamish, Arizona/Utah or the East Coast... Really it's a matter of your terrain, riding style and what you want to sacrifice. Hope that helps
@@TheLoamWolf thanks brother I’m also looking at the trek 9.9 now. I live in Chattanooga area really close to Knoxville, rode vee hollow last week and I really wished I had a ebike for that kind of riding.also would like something Walden’s ridge opening up soon!!
Great review, went for the Sight VLT A1 and super happy. Heard with interest your upgrade of bars and went and checked your bar reviews as well. If I keep my 35 mm clamp , PNW or a carbon bar for my eBike?, want to make it easier on the wrists, I am noticing fatigue, thanks in advance and keep up the great work. Just concerned with having a carbon bar: tightening / safety, etc.
@@TheLoamWolf Perfect 👌 It's going to be a good (& rowdy) trip for you guys. Vee Hollow and Baker will be great runs for the e-bikes. On Windrock, there is the downhill park, but also the "XC" (more like enduro, despite the name) trails... I would definitely plan a day to hit Windrock XC on the e-bikes, there are some "must ride while you're in Knoxville" trails there, such as Mixtape, MR2, Deer Run, North Side, Full Contact, Southside, & more. Enjoy the trip. Stoked to see more people ride here.
@@TheLoamWolf do you think is a better option to get two 540 batteries for a lighter bike if it’s easily switched out (at the car) then 1 heavier battery (720)? Or will it not really be that noticeable with a heavier battery on the dh or worth the extra cost of two smaller batteries? Thanks
@@ssjj9584 if we were going the two battery route for this bike specifically, we would likely do a 720 for slightly longer days in the saddle. And then a 540 for short jump trail days. This Sight is a heavyweight compared to others in the category, so the 1.5 pounds you save between the two batteries is hardly noticeable and won't change the ride characteristics much at all.
Norco has one of the worst warranty my frame broke down five months ago and I’m still waiting for them to warranty my frame my e-bike was only one year old and if they send me a new frame it will be different color 😡
Almost 3000kms in and still loving my 2020 VLT 27.5 C1.
Sure it's not the most modern geo, but it's a blast on the majority of trails. It even makes XC focused trails fun.
Got mine since September, and i agree to what you say, it is not an all-arounder at all, it’s a shuttle/downhill type of bike.
Yes i can do some techy climb on it, but it’s long, it’s slack, and it’s quite heavy. Plus I’m on an XL , so the wheelbase is MASSIVE.
Fortunately, i ride exactly the kind of trail it’s ment for (steep rocky chunky at relatively high speed) so i love it.
A nice upgrade is the Sprindex coil, which make it easy to dial in the suspension tune.
Lucky you! living and riding this bike in the terrain it's meant for is a great thing.
What are your thoughts as a tech climber? Where I'm at many of the best riding is accessed by tech/steep climbs (or by hour paved road long shuttles, so I prefer the trail climbs). Can this big rig handle step ups and steep techy puzzles that require precision and some body english? How about just plain old steep trail lclimbs?
@@snigs5T5 for the steep, it’s very good, long chainstay give you more weight forward, so very good in the steep.
My issue is a bit more with the bottom bracket, it’s not that it is too low, but more that the wheelbase of 1332 on XL is so long that the bb will catch rocks that it probably won’t on a trailbike with 66 HTA.
Also , long wheelbase means that you will need to lift the back to get around some very tight corner.
It’s not that it can’t do techy tight climb, it’s is simply that it doesn’t perform as well as trail bike in it.
If you are a beginner rider I’d recommend going short or mid travel at most so that you’ll still be able to get out of trouble while not getting too reliant on the suspension in rougher stuff. I went from hardtail to a 170/150 full suspension and haven’t looked back but the 3.75 years of riding that hardtail definitely made me better on the full suspension since I had a strong foundation.
Or an Ebike that is 10-15lbs lighter
If you go fast enough there’s not “too much ebike” however I miss a more compact “trail” ebike from Norco in this new gen
they have the 130 mm fluid vlt and the 150 mil sight vlt
I like the battery options. Love my YT but wish i had more battery sometimes. I do have 2 batteries and guage ride accordingly. But a big and smaller battery would be nice.
Oh my god I absolutely love this bike 🚲
Have mine on order at 209cm tall I’m hoping that A lot of bike you speak of will be perfect for my tall frame
Personally really like the look of the Norco lineup.
I love mine!!
Nice jacket!
Thanks! It's a warm one.
A1 with 900Wh battery, without pedals, is just under 61lbs. Might want to go carbon if you can afford it.
Does it rip out of corners like a two stroke?
Oh yeah! haha. Rips you right off the back of the bike. 😂
@@TheLoamWolf add to cart.
So much weight and suspension. Would love to try one.
Hi Do you need some great lighting for your car to help you better driving and off road at night? We're the pro auto lighting manufacturer for nearly 20 year and we're looking for sponsorship!
How does this compare to the rocky altitude pp?
Any orbea rise H reviews coming up?
We've just started riding ours.
Thoughts on the RockShox (peasant) varient? I just bought one and it's being ride-wrapped rn lol. I may go with the vorsprung coil fork upgrade. FYI the deore mt420 brake levers are awful
beware we brought one for $4000 aus and after 8 months the seals allowed water into the bearing in the pedal crank . no warranty as it is part of shimanos motor . so norco said it was up to me to sort it out with shimano . not their problem . no help care factor zero
Did Shimano help you out with your bike?
@@BruhMoment-fr4zr no they put the blame on the seal not fitted properly by norco . stalemate i lose they win
@@laurietuddin801 So Norco just left you high and dry? That's shameful. I'm going to opt for another bike company based on the complaints I'm hearing.
I put down a deposit for the new orbea rise hydro (h15). Would be interested to hear a review on it!
Please post a review of Orbea I'm looking at that as well.
Love the new Norco. Do you think it would benefit from a progressive shock spring ?
It could if you're heavy or regularly sending large drops.
I got a sprindex and a MRP progressive springs on my Range VLT. You do lose a little smoothness on medium repeated chunk with the progressive but gain with big drop capacity and smoothness. My bad knees favor the progressive spring, but I think if you can handle the Kerchunk on big hits, the linear spring is likely the better bet for smoothing out trail chatter. I do notice I get a bit more pop with the progressive spring as it starts ramping earlier and gives a bit more platform when compressing.
@@Alanvictoryoung I got the C2 2022 and i just installed the mrp progressive spring because I bottomed out the bike too often ( 215 lbs with 550 lbs spring rate ) . I chose 550 lbs progressive ( to 660 I think ... ) . Anyway it's winter here so I gotta wait a couples of months before trying it . Can't wait !
@@mathieubonin9191 If you liked the feel of the 550lbs spring and just wanted a bit more bottom out i think you are going to love the change. I put a Vorsprung Smashpot coil conversion on my Zeb fork with a 40lbs spring which feel quite soft to me. That is why I wanted the softest initial spring rate at the rear I could use without harsh bottomout all the time. Having Coil front and rear is pure pleasure! You can ride all day for days and still be pretty fresh!
missed oppurtunity to call it the "Very Long Term" review lol.
Awesome review, loving it. Thumbs up. But I don't understand how extra preload on the coil would prevent a bottom out on 4:25 . That just seems wrong? Can't wait for your e-bike shootout, that's going to be awesome :)
he ment compression, the only way yo ad preload is a stiffer spring 🤙🏼
@@robertomariscal well they are quite different things. But you can add preload to a coil, you simply turn the preload ring. But it doesn't do anything to help with bottomouts, and it barely helps with anything else either. As you say, stiffer spring or more compression (or losing weight) is the only way to prevent bottomouts, all other things being equal.
True, you are 100 right! 🤣
Range or Reign?
Hey bro would you buy norco range, Santa Cruz bullit, or sworks kenevo??!!! I can’t decide want something that can do it all
Those are all pretty solid bikes Chooch! If you want a planted ground hugger that's smooth, plush and ready this is a good option, but it's heavy, a lot bike and not for everybody. The Kenevo is a super fun all arounder but Specialized bikes do seem to have some electrical quirks. The Bullit is a ton of fun as well but does have some VPP suspension issues on square-edge hits as we pointed out in our reviews of their bikes... Each bike has a tradeoff and I think I'd personally buy a different bike out of those 3 if I lived in Squamish, Arizona/Utah or the East Coast... Really it's a matter of your terrain, riding style and what you want to sacrifice. Hope that helps
@@TheLoamWolf thanks brother I’m also looking at the trek 9.9 now. I live in Chattanooga area really close to Knoxville, rode vee hollow last week and I really wished I had a ebike for that kind of riding.also would like something Walden’s ridge opening up soon!!
Great review, went for the Sight VLT A1 and super happy. Heard with interest your upgrade of bars and went and checked your bar reviews as well. If I keep my 35 mm clamp , PNW or a carbon bar for my eBike?, want to make it easier on the wrists, I am noticing fatigue, thanks in advance and keep up the great work. Just concerned with having a carbon bar: tightening / safety, etc.
Knoxville eh?
What trails systems are you guys eyeing up out here?
We're gonna do Baker Creek Preserve, Vee Hollow and head over to Windrock a couple times for the bigger bikes.
@@TheLoamWolf
Perfect 👌
It's going to be a good (& rowdy) trip for you guys. Vee Hollow and Baker will be great runs for the e-bikes.
On Windrock, there is the downhill park, but also the "XC" (more like enduro, despite the name) trails... I would definitely plan a day to hit Windrock XC on the e-bikes, there are some "must ride while you're in Knoxville" trails there, such as Mixtape, MR2, Deer Run, North Side, Full Contact, Southside, & more.
Enjoy the trip. Stoked to see more people ride here.
If you have 2 batteries is it easy to remove the battery?
Easy yes, takes about 10 minutes or so to swap the battery and hardware.
@@TheLoamWolf do you think is a better option to get two 540 batteries for a lighter bike if it’s easily switched out (at the car) then 1 heavier battery (720)? Or will it not really be that noticeable with a heavier battery on the dh or worth the extra cost of two smaller batteries?
Thanks
@@ssjj9584 if we were going the two battery route for this bike specifically, we would likely do a 720 for slightly longer days in the saddle. And then a 540 for short jump trail days. This Sight is a heavyweight compared to others in the category, so the 1.5 pounds you save between the two batteries is hardly noticeable and won't change the ride characteristics much at all.
@@TheLoamWolf thank you
Mine’s a blast to ride, but the Shimano motor needs much more torque on a bike this big.
Preordered in august. Still waiting….
When's 2022 the trek rail long-term review
Norco has one of the worst warranty my frame broke down five months ago and I’m still waiting for them to warranty my frame my e-bike was only one year old and if they send me a new frame it will be different color 😡