FIRST LOOK: 2019 Norco Range C9.2
For 2019 the Norco Range carbon has had a bump up in travel - we've got this hard hitting 29er on test!
Words and photos: Tim Bardsley-Smith
The Norco Range has always been one of those benchmark bikes for a long travel 29er, and it’s a category that’s finally starting to heat up.
How big is too big?… Do you think about this question often? Maybe the new 2019 Norco Range will answer all your questions…. yes I’m talking about trail bikes.
The 2019 Norco Range C2 is the mid value build for the carbon framed leggy 29er, but the Range “range” is one of the biggest for the brand with 6 models available in 29” wheeled carbon and aluminium bikes and a further 6 available in the same builds and materials but with the smaller 27.5” wheels.
Apart from wheel size a slight difference in the length of travel sets them apart. The 29ers have a whopping 170mm front and 150mm rear and and 27.5” wheeled offerings running a further 10mm front and back at 180/160. The 27.5” bikes cater for all sizes running from XS through to XL. The 29ers run from an M through to XL with the bigger wheels only really suiting the larger riders. The latest Norco Range was released in early 2017, and has been popular since then.
It’s no secret the 2019 Range C2 29er is aimed squarely at the Enduro racer or Bike Park rat, with the bike excelling for both types of riders. It’s long wheelbase, slack angles and long travel suspension make it set to be a downhill weapon, that hopefully climbs well enough. It’s rugged build point to a bike that clearly wants to be abused on the roughest trail you could possibly find.
With SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed gearing, Fox Performance level suspension, 35mm RaceFace bar and stem and a tough set of DT/e13 wheels there is not a lot left to want.
This year also sees an additional 10mm of travel to the forks of all models of 2019 Range trail bikes slackening head angles and offering confidence all round. But is it at all to the detriment of the bikes all-round use and handling? Are 29ers with 150mm travel or more too big? If you want to know more about this beast of a bike. Checkout an upcoming issue of AMB.
RRP: $5999
From: Norco Bicycles Australia
