Norco Sight Review | The Norco Sight A1 Is An Absolute Beast Of A Bike
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ค. 2024
- For 2020, Norco completely overhauled the Sight with more travel, beefier parts, and super slacked-out geometry. Is it a better bike than the previous version? As Wil found out, that really depends on how you approach it.
2020 Norco Sight A1 Review: flowmountainbike.com/tests/rev...
Norco Sight price, specs and range overview: flowmountainbike.com/post-all...
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2020 Norco Sight A1 Video Review
0:20 - Intro
1:10 - Geometry & suspension
2:17 - Wheelsize variants
2:43 - Sight A1 spec overview & pricing
3:25 - Complete bike weight & frame weight
3:52 - Sizing
4:19 - Ride Aligned
5:01 - Suspension, cockpit & tyre setup
5:59 - Strengths
6:37 - Comparison with old Sight
7:30 - Descending
9:09 - Weaknesses
10:07 - Climbing
11:00 - Suspension notes
11:29 - Component highlights
12:23 - Frame construction
12:48 - Component lowlights
13:21 - The Verdict
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That colour 😍. Keep up the good work Will and Flow MTB.
Best review of this bike yet. Great work
Thanks for watching and for the feedback Edward!
[Wil]
Just got mine A1 today. and I'm so happy with it..👍👍👍
Fantastic review. Well put together.
has to be one of the best looking bikes out there. That colour too!
Love my 2020 Sight! On my first two rides I snagged 2 KOM's and a load of PR's. It's fast! I went with a 170mm fork to suit my riding style and trails.
Which one did you get? I got the A2 and am bumping the Fox Rythm to 170mm.
@@buckeyee3 I am on the C3 but stripped all the parts and built out what I wanted. 170mm is the way to go, you won't regret it! Waiting for the DVO Jade X to be back in stock. I prefer the coil over air as we have lots of off camber techy trails
@@fullpullmtb Did you have to get the progressive coil or standard?
Great review. Really appreciate the level of detail.
Thanks Simon, glad you enjoyed it! [Wil]
My XL A2 is an absolute beast at technical climbing and find traction to be quite good. Can't wait to get to know this bike better.
Good work, great review.!
The Sight has a nice clean look to it. Great colour too! I think it looks better than it has done in the past. The geometry does appear to reduce its versatility, with a downhill bias, but they seem to have a well thought out spec. Great review, Will. Thanks.
Agreed Chris, the lines on this bike are a big improvement over previous versions of the Sight. Thanks for watching and for the feedback mate - much appreciated! [Wil]
Flow Mountain Bike. No problem. I always enjoyed your reviews when you were over here in the UK, Wil, and you’re still keeping the same level of quality, so keep it up.
Another fantastic review👍
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed watching! [Wil]
Looking at this bike very seriously is the 27.5 model more playful? I live in the PNW so lots of gnar which you mentioned this is good at however how does it feel jumping and in flow?
waiting for my XL A2 arriving in April- soooooo keen!!!
Nice, my xl A2 is here in 2 weeks!
Mine is coming shortly! Went with the purple
Love my 2020 A1, so right with staying on the front on dissent, sticks like glue, ride align is pretty good but I’m slightly over the top weight they do and used the top weight as a starting point but have had to max out volume spacers and nearly max psi to really be happy with the rear shock, still more fiddling around to get it perfect but fork and brakes are amazing!
Good to hear you're enjoying the bike Nicholas! In regards to the rear shock - have you considered a MegNeg air can upgrade? If you're already running the maximum number of volume spacers, then a MegNeg could be a useful upgrade to help increase support and bottom-out resistance. [Wil]
any issues with cable rattle in ports? the one side with the grommet is fine, however the other side with two cables has been causing me some grief.
Most new enduro bikes are 170mm forks. Is this blending the current 160mm trail bikes with geo closer to enduro bikes? i.e. best of both?
Cheers for the vid Will. I’m getting the A2 in Feb/Mar and was going for the large as I am also 175, but now I will think about the medium. I have ridden the large ( not on trails ) , it felt right, but it did feel big, but I’m used to a 27.5 and put it down to that. But I will try the medium now for sure. Thanks.
No worries Brad, and cheers for watching!
Definitely worth having a look at a Medium frame size. There's a 30mm difference in reach between the two, and the Large also has a 10mm taller head tube and 5mm longer chainstays, so it is a considerably bigger bike. Personally, I wouldn't want the Medium Sight to be any bigger, also because I have a fairly short BB-to-saddle height, so I wouldn't be able to fit onto the Large anyway.
See if you can swing a leg over a Medium size to check it out, and be sure to let me know how you go!
[Wil]
I have a large 2020 27.5 Sight and I'm 175cm too! It feels just about right on the trails and I ride steep loose stuff for most of my riding. Size wise the longer wheelbase is quite noticable on the up, but not overbearing in my case. I am able to climb quite comfortably on it thanks to the steep ST. However as the review said, it really does shine on the downhills!
viperrules24 thanks mate, I will try both. I can demo a medium at a local shop ( gonna cost me $100 though). How do you find it on the flatter trails like Will mentioned in video, is it harder to get going? I will be going 29 though.
@@Brummieinthesun On the flatter stuff it's a little hefty. Like WIll mentioned in the video, the Optic would be the better bike if you're on more of the flatter stuff (although that bike will feel more at home with the steep downhills than the flats). That being said, the SIght is still a very capable machine. It's a lot fairer to say that it does everything well but excels at the steeper rougher stuff! And between the 27.5 and 29, you will have a very similar experience not counting the pros and cons that the wheel size difference brings. Try the different frame sizes out! Either way it's a solid bike for sure!
Hello! I just have a question!!! I an looking at getting a sight and I'm trying to decide to get a medium or a large. I'm 5'9 but still growing. I also have pretty long legs
Great reviews. Seriously. It's a nice rig, I just find the weight spec to be pretty disappointing though. My trance advanced carbon has spoiled me over the years in terms of how easy it is to whip around.
So when are you doing a full review on the 2020 Optic? Should I buy that or keep my old 19 model Sight! Is what I wanna know!
We should have one on the way soon mate! I'm really looking forward to comparing it directly with the Sight. Stay tuned to the website for more on that! [Wil]
If you like your current bike I don't see any reason to get a new bike after a year.
Great info will up there with Henry from gmbn on how to deliver an informative video to us mtbers.good work and your missed here in West Yorkshire
Thank you very much mate, that's very kind of you to say! Given the amount of 40+ degree days we've had this summer, I'm missing West Yorkshire a lot too :-) Glad you enjoyed the video. [Wil]
Today's ride round calderdale was 3c with just enough of a frosting to keep the worst of the mud down .
knott 4me - Crispy mud, love it!
Thanks for your review! I’m about to take this bike for a test ride and I’m not sure what size would suits me better. I’m 177cm and Norco recommend me for L size. However, I’m on the short side of the L scale. I want the bike to be stable on fast and choppy terrain but also to be as nimble and playful as possible (I’m taking into account that it’s a 29er). Do you reckon I should go with M or Large? Cheers.
try both?
hummer694life I will but I wanna hear Will’s opinion to.
@@eden4x4 - That's a really good question!
The reach measurement increases from 455mm to 485mm on the Large, which is a decent jump, and the stack is also 10mm higher. Along with the longer wheelbase (1262mm vs 1222mm), that gives the Large a considerably bigger footprint than the Medium. Given you're on the edge between the two, I'd say that if you want the bike to be as nimble as possible, then it might be worth trying out the Medium.
Whichever size you end up demo'ing, I'd be really interested to hear how the test ride goes and how you find the fit mate!
[Wil]
Flow Mountain Bike thanks very much Wil! I’ll let you know 😊
Flow Mountain Bike so I’ve tested today both M and Large. The reach on M felt a bit cramped for me because I have relatively long arms. The L on the other hand, feels a bit long. If the reach on the L was 15mm shorter, that would be perfect for me. but I feel like on a steep and rough descent, the L will be more stable and confidence inspiring. I think I’ll go with the L first and I can always swap it to M within 30 days from the purchase date, without extra charge.
Mine Will be under me in a couple days haha!
Norco range review pls
Have you tested a 27,5 version? Wondering if the impressions you had would be the same with the smaller wheels.
I haven't - that would be a great comparison for sure! The 27.5in version will no doubt be sharper in its cornering abilities, though the overall wheelbase is basically the same between the 27.5in and 29in bikes.
One additional note that shorter riders will want to take into account - I had a bit of arse-buzz from the rear tyre when riding really steep descents and hitting big compressions. The smaller 27.5in wheels will give a bit more clearance in this regard, which is something that those who would need a Small or Medium size will also want to take into account.
[Wil]
@@FlowMountainBikeTH-cam Yeah i'm almost exactly same size as you and have been thinking about getting a 27,5 size M, A3 cause of budget. I would probably be completely fine with an Optic for my local trails, but there's only a 29 inch version of that and I just find 27,5 wheels too fun and more nimble to not wanna go for bigger. Would also be riding in a bike park occasionally where the Sight would be the superior choice in turn.
What happened to the description?
To be fair though, it doesn't matter what rims you have, if you only run 23psi at Maldon you will destroy your rims. Other than that, great review, I've had mine for about a month now and absolutely love it, the only thing I've done to mine is cut the bars down to 780, I've been running 800mm bars on my bikes for the last few years, but I'm not sure why but these bars feel wider than 800, maybe it's the long reach or the long bike in general, but trimming the bars was major improvement to comfort and handling.
Hullo there Matt!
Don't worry - I run 'special' tyre pressures just for Maldon :-)
The worst dint happened on a much smoother bit of trail early on in the test period, after having setup the bike as per Norco's recommendations from the Ride Aligned app. I figured that would be a good way to see how accurate the recommendations are, and what the experience would be like for the average consumer.
That's a curious point you make about the bars. One thing I've found with the Ergon GE1 grips compared to most other grips, is that the flared ends actually increase the total bar width by around 10-15mm. They also encourage a wider elbows-out stance, so that could be the sensation you've described. Glad to hear you're enjoying the new bike otherwise, and thanks for watching mate!
[Wil]
Question. I’m considering the Ebike version of this bike. What’s your take?
Good news - we've just finished reviewing the Sight VLT 29er, and the video review is now live; th-cam.com/video/b92zOwE9xFY/w-d-xo.html
If you had a choice between the A1 and C2 what would you go for? I'm torn.
Personally, if I had the cash I'd go for the C2. You'll get a lighter frame, and the Fox suspension and Shimano XT groupset are all high quality, known performers. I haven't ridden the C2 personally, but I know the Fox Float X2 shock has better bottom-out resistance, and that would be a good thing for the Sight. [Wil]
Hey guys I'm looking at Buying the 2020 Trek Remedy 8 at was wondering if you guys were doing a review on that bike
a 2020 trek remedy is the same as a 2019 iam pretty sure awesome bike btw.
Hullo there Jordan! No plans to test the Trek Remedy in the near future, and I've not personally ridden the latest version myself, so I can't help you out there. All reports are that it's a great All Mountain bike, though if in doubt, see if you can get a test ride! [Wil]
@@FlowMountainBikeTH-cam thanks guys will sort one out
Jordan Roache-Doherty hey mate. I have the 2019 remedy 8. Very good bike. Couple things I don’t like about it. The knock block. I know it has to be there because of the straight down tube but never liked that limitation. Also it’s a fairly small/short bike. I’m 173cm tall and was recommended an 18.5” frame. Wish I had have sized up but was still a fun bike. A bit more playful than my new enduro, but I like each bike for different reasons. Hope that helps 👍
@@Renton81 thanks legend will look into that sizing 👍
Norco getting a lot of things right with these bikes, I wish more companies would do nice alu frames & good spec
I'm torn between this and the specialized enduro. I don't know what to do as there are no places to demo where I live.
Teddy Bandaruk well one big difference is that it’s a quite heavy bike compared to the enduro.
Enduro is a more planted ride, I have demoed both and ended up buying the Sight, more playful bike but still absolutely rips downhill and both climb similar.
AustiSpeed Films77 my s3 enduro with pedals and all my spares and tools in the swat box is nearly 2 kgs heavier than this sight 😧🤫
I have only rode the enduro for a test ride and I own the sight and it’s heavy for I mainly because I’m a little guy
Was this tested in Victoria. Trails looked familiar? I ride the you yangs a lot. Too much bike?
Good spotting Dean! The riding footage was filmed mostly around Mt Tarrengower in Maldon. The Sight would handle the tracks at You Yangs without issue - it'll likely feel a bit big and cumbersome on some of the easier trails, since the geometry is really designed to thrive on the steep stuff, so you do need to push it a bit harder to get it to track as intended. [Wil]
Awesome flow thanks for that. I’ll do some thinking keep up the good work.
🤟 got the a3 model with the super deluxe 17kg with plans to go full coil. Mini dh weight. Just under 20kg
Whoa - what a beast!
@@FlowMountainBikeTH-cam new Marzhocci bomber z1 coil is defitnely on the list. Going to change out the fork first.
17kg with stock shock? What size frame?
@@ryndym size large in the a3 29 model with a super deluxe on
@@ross_rusher0243 how have you been finding it? Just ordered mine after a couple of month research for my next bike. Cant wait, should have it in a few weeks.
Wow, thats insanely heavy. I'm usually not a stickler for weight, but over 4000g for the frame is just insane. Thats nearly a full kilogram more than its competitors. Thats where you'd rather start using a highter-grade aluminium alloy overall instead of just putting more material on the critical spots.
What is rider height and your size? I need to choose betwen M and S
Hi there Dominik! I stand at 175cm tall and I've been testing the Medium frame size. [Wil]
Vs Alpine 7?
Ho wants the name of the intro song 😁😁
Seems odd with the Sight having a slacker head angle than the Range
new Range dropping sometime this year.... expect to see suspension design similar to their DH bike.
feel like that many spacers is a hazard to your sternum
I bought a 2022 Sight A2. IT Looks amazing. But the Weight ist to high. My Range A3, 2018 weights 15,22 kg. The A2 Sight 16,7 kg. The Range has almost similar components, the Sight Aluminium frame is extrem heavy
i'm torn between this and a canyon strive this has more modern geo but im worried it wont be as fun to ride as maybe the strive being more conservative currently ride a trek remedy and like it but want more stability at speed, but also not loose all the flick-a-blity the remedy has....
Good question Adam!
If you're after general flick-ability, then the 29in Sight wouldn't be at the top of the list. It's actually pretty easy to throw about at speed, but at slower riding speeds and on slower tech-trails, it's a big ol' bike, and it can be hard work to thread through the tight stuff - particularly the hefty alloy model that I've been testing. You might want to consider the 27.5in version, which will trade up some of the raw speed for ease of manoeuvrability. Even still, it'll have a big footprint on the trail, since the geometry is very similar between the 27.5in and 29in versions.
The Strive is quite a different bike due to the Shapeshifter technology, which gives you two distinct suspension flavours in the one bike. However, that obviously adds complexity with the additional mini-shock and the handlebar remote, which some riders will prefer, and others won't. It's also only available in carbon, and not alloy like the Sight is. To me, the Strive is a nicely balanced bike that performs well in less hectic situations. Overall it feels like a tighter and racier bike.
In comparison, the Sight's suspension platform is simpler overall, and the chassis places a clear emphasis on strength, durability and being able to smash down hills as rapidly as possible.
Hope that helps mate, but just yell out if you've got any other questions!
[Wil]
@@FlowMountainBikeTH-cam thanks mate very informative answer, think i may need to demo an optic and sight back to back
11:15 ??? its only 18%, most coil ready bikes are 30-50%
13:11 But tubeless inserts will make that bike even heavier... Its pretty much as heavy as a downhill bike at this point.
Excellent review! Near $6K for an alloy framed bike, tho...crikey. Yeah, it's great kit, but that's a lot of scratch...