Project O - The Norco Optic is released

Photos: Michael Owen

Norco have not stopped work – and the new Norco Optic is testament to the brand’s continued growth and development. Even with the new Aurum, Revolver FS and Torrent rolling out in the past 12 months – Norco have still been hard at work on another bike. Project O has been a long-term task, working to build a light and agile trail bike that would have the same ride whether it was in a 27.5″ wheeled option or 29″ version.

The trail bike market is absolutely flooded, but Norco have worked hard to find out what isn’t being achieved in the market, and finding a bike and platform that can suit the demands of riders who might feel they aren’t being catered for. The Optic is touted to be a lightweight, fast pedalling bike, still capable of taking on bigger hits, according to Norco.

Sitting between the Revolver and the Sight, the Optic is set to be one of Norco’s most versatile bikes.

The Norco Optic is a trail bike, but it has been built around aggressive geometry. Put bluntly – it’s been designed to ride fast and hard, not to sit back and just roll over things. The brief was to create a lightweight trail bike that pedals exceptionally well. There are five models in the range (two aluminium and three carbon, in each wheel size) spanning a price range from $3499 to $8999. The 27.5″ wheeled Norco Optic C7.2 we tested sells for $6249, it has a 130mm travel fork, with 120mm travel in the back. This is the same across all five 27.5″ models, while the 29″ models have 120mm travel forks, and 110mm travel at the rear wheel.

All Optic 27.5″ models have 130mm travel forks. The C7.2 runs a Fox 34 Elite.

Owning a Revolver myself, the handling and position on the bike has more in common with the Sight. Norco’s engineers based the handling more in line with the Sight and Range, but then worked on it to make it more agile. At the same time, the agility is more akin to the Revolver, but with a more upright stance, and plusher suspension.

The Fox Float EVOL is plush – but with 3 positions of compression damping you can get a lot out of it.

While developing the bike across two wheel sizes, Norco ended up with the largest fleet of prototype frames they have ever had, to make sure their design worked not only in both wheel sizes, but also in all frame sizes. They kept all the parts on the prototype fleet the same, to make sure their tester’s feedback wasn’t biased by component performance. With riders doing back-to-back tests on both the 29″ and 27.5″, all the time giving feedback to the engineers, Norco were able to refine the geometry of each frame to optimise fit and handling.

Like all Norco performance bikes, Gravity Tune is used to make sure each size handles like it should.

The basis of the geometry is a low bottom bracket, long top tube, a compact back end and a 0.5 degree steeper head angle on the 29″ compared to the 27.” frames. By using Boost (148×12) spacing in the rear, engineers have kept the chainstays to 430mm on a medium frame. The Optics use Norco’s Gravity Tune, so smaller frames have shorter stays, while larger frames have longer stays – to keep the bike riding correctly for a given size.

The bikes are Boost spec – for the frames but not the forks.

With the Norco Optic, the team at Norco have also chosen to take stem length into the bike sizing, speccing a 60mm stem on all 27.5″ models, and a 50mm stem on all 29″ models. While Norco use the reach and Stack measurements for much of their sizing, combined with the stem, they use the terms ‘Reach Plus and ‘Stack Plus’. In use, I found the front end of the large C7.2 really high, and ended up dropping it below the spacers. The bars were too high to keep traction on the gravelly dirt where I live.

The frames come in both carbon fibre and aluminium, denoted by the model name with a ‘C’ or ‘A’. Our C7.2 test bike has a mid-modulus carbon main frame with an alloy link and swing arm. The Carbon frames use most of the main Norco features, including Armorlite, Smooth Core and Size Scaled tubing. All those mean pretty much what you’d expect. The carbon uses a resin that optimises compaction which helps with impact resistance, Smoothcore explains that Norco ensure the frame’s internals are finished properly, to maintain strength. Size scaled tubing is just that – bigger frames get thicker/larger tubes, while smaller frames are more slender for smaller riders. Along with Gravity Tune – it’s all really common sense stuff, but that doesn’t mean it’s always a common practice.

iGizmo in action. There are plugs that fill any unused ports.

What’s new is the iGizmo, new port covers for internal routing. Instead of the individual options that are on the Revolver, Sight and Range, the iGizmo lets up to 3 hoses, cable outers or wires enter the frame. The location has also been tweaked to work for side swing front derailleurs. It makes internal routing much easier as there’s just a bigger whole to grab a hose our outer from. It should also mean less need to snip an olive off the end of your brake line if you’re swapping routing for left-to-rear or right-to-rear preferences. The Optic’s alloy swing arm allows the cable outer to run internally, which is nice and neat, and keeps it out of the way too. The alloy frames use external guides.

While on the C7.2 and C9.2 have front derailleurs, the routing allows a fast moving side swing mech.

One of the aims with the Optic was to keep weight low. Norco claim 2200g for the 27.5″ frame in medium. It’s about 400g more than my Revolver frame stripped down – but that’s a really good weight for a trail bike frame. The total weight on this large C7.2, setup tubeless but without pedals was bang on 12.5kg.

Norco wanted to make sure each model had dialled spec for the price, and there are a few traits found across the whole range, like stealth dropper routing (and all bikes are equipped with a stealth dropper post), aggressive front tyres matched with faster rolling rear tyres, Fox Float EVOL rear shocks, 1×11 SRAM drivetrains (except for the C7.2 and 9.2 which run XT M8000 2×11), sealed bearings, a bottle mount in the frame, wide bars, wide rims and 180mm front rotors. And save for the entry level carbon and aluminium models, each bike gets a custom tuned Fox Float 34 too.

Just the C7.2 and C9.2 get the XT M8000 2×11 group – but the bike comes with a direct mount 1x ring if that’s your preference.

Building and inspecting the Norco Optic

Pulling the early release C7.2 out of the box, the colour was a bit of an affront – but no more than the rest of the Norco range. In all honesty though, it’s bright and looks great when it’s all built up. I put it in the workstand right away, to check out some of the features. The iGizmo setup is really neat – and if you are working on your bike at home you’re likely to appreciate the larger cable port. I know I would have loved it to be introduced on the Revolvers! What’s also important is that the iGizmo setup holds tension on the outer or hose really well – I didn’t get any noise from inside the frame when testing the bike. Like the rest of their range, stand over height is immense, thanks to the dropped top tube.

There’s lots of standover height thanks to the dropped top tube.

With the Boost spacing in the back, there’s quite a lot of tyre clearance, even with 2.25″ tyres in there. Norco claim to have fitted wide rims to all the bikes, but to me the Easton AR 24 rims are good, but just not that wide. Very few brands are sending bikes out with 30mm rims on stock models – but I’m looking forward to when that’s the norm. The tyres inflated easily enough with the stock tape and some valves with Stan’s sealant, but it did take a few repeated efforts to seal them properly. I did need to use compressed air, my track pump didn’t cut it. That matches with my experience with Schwalbe tyres of late. Since they sealed up, they have been fine though.

The 35mm RaceFace stem and bar combo is solid, and the RaceFace crank set with the BB30 setup in a PF92 BB shell is pretty interesting. The cranks come with a single ring as well (ok, ours was missing as it was an early release), so if 2x isn’t your thing, you can take the shifter off, remove the front mech, put the 1x ring on and shorten your chain. Best of all, the front mech mount is also removable, it mounts onto the ISCG05 mounts on the frame. This is a really big bonus, as you can have a really clean frame for a 1x setup, or run 2x, or run a full chain guide. This really is the best of both worlds, and in my mind makes the XT specced models tremendous value.

Apart from getting the shock pressure tuned there wasn’t much left to do but ride.

Note: the spec sheet denates a Shimano XT crank set coming stock for the C7.2.

The C7.2 and C9.2 are the only Shimano equipped bikes in the Optic range.

Riding the Norco Optic

Having just stepped off testing the Norco Torrent, taking the Optic to the same trails felt a little odd at first. It is amazing how easily you can get used to 3″ of tyre providing more traction than you know what to do with. But even riding out of my driveway and onto the street, the Optic certainly felt spritely. And with the 27.5″ wheels, it even felt more lively than my own Revolver, and was certainly easier to get moving than the Torrent.

I have to climb to get to singletrack, and the rolling climb on the way to singletrack reminded me just how plush the Fox EVOL rear shocks are. While the ART suspension design by Norco is efficient, this bike prefers a little more compression damping on fireroad climbs. That said, the same suspension design and shock helps find traction on loose and off camber trails, keeping the rear wheel stuck to the ground for braking, accelerating and turning traction.

Up, down and along trails – the Norco Optic is a blast.

Coming off a 27 Plus bike, I was over-steering a little at first, make no mistake, this bike handles with agility close to an XC bike. But in the same way a 2y plus bike takes a bit more oomph to get around corners, the Optic relies on minimal, but precise, rider input. It responds to changes of direction very quickly, and makes short work of trails littered with logs, rocks, pinch climbs and corners. With relatively low weight, it gets up to speed quickly, and also changes line precisely as well. It didn’t take long to get used to how the bike rode, and how quickly you could move it around on the trail.

Components wise, the Optic C7.2’s XT group set, Easton wheels and Fox suspension didn’t really leave me looking for much to change. I would have liked to try it in a 1x setup – but I know what that feels like anyway. Given how important it is to get your tyre setup right, I would have loved to have some more time on the bike with a wider tyre – even a 2.4″ on the front – to really get the most out of the bike on looser trails.

The position on the bike is pretty neutral – you’re set over the middle, and with a dropper post it’s easy to get way back for steeper trails. With a head angle of 68 degrees, the Optic will still let you point and shoot down some pretty steep sections, although it doesn’t have quite the same stance, and confidence, as the Sight in similar terrain.

With every model coming stock with a stealth dropper – Norco have nailed the component spec.

Climbing on the Optic was fine, and even reasonably pleasant. It does better with sitting and spinning, and I actually loved being back on a 2×11 setup for that very reason. Norco do claim that the bike is designed to work just as well in trail centres as it would in marathon rides and races, and I agree to a point. It’s fast, light for the build, and has a great mix of capability on technical and steep trails, as well as agility on tight trails. But I think if I was to be riding this bike hard, I’d really like a remote lever for the rear shock. To get the most out of it, riding hard up, down and along my local trails, I did need to reach down a lot, to flick the blue lever on the Fox shock one way or another. This is a personal preference – and there aren’t many similar bikes on the market that do offer bar mounted lock out.

On faster, rougher, descents, the Optic isn’t as sure footed as a longer travel, slacker bike. But that’s not really what the designers set out to do. I did find it kept me alert, and by looking well up the trail it was easy to pick fast lines down rougher sections. The suspension is capable, but it just takes a steadier hand to guide it where you want to go. I do think a wider rimmed wheel and larger tyre combination could work in your favour if your trails, or riding, had more fast and rough sections.

If you consider that the Optic is entering a market thick with competition, it’s small details on personal preference that will make the difference. Bikes like the Specialized Camber, Trek Fuel EX, Orbea Occam and more all occupy the same space, agile trail bikes. Having ridden a couple of those, I can really appreciate how the Optic stands out with it’s agility – which should not be underestimated. Having a bike that’s confident at speed, but still agile on tight trails isn’t always a given. In terms of handling and geometry, Norco have really hit the mark when aiming to make a light and agile trail bike.

Norco Optic pricing

Model pricing is the same for both the 29″ or 27.5″ wheel options. You can see the full spec online.

A.2  $3499

A.1  $4249

C.3  $4999

C.2 $6249

C.1  $8999

Final thoughts on the Norco Optic

What Norco have achieved with “Project O” and the Optic is far from revolutionary. But that’s not to say it isn’t important. Norco have filled a gap in their product line up, as the Norco Optic fills the pretty wide gap that was between the 29″ 100mm travel Revolver FS, and the 140mm travel 27.5″ wheeled Sight. By offering a bike that promises to have the same handling regardless of the wheel size, and in both aluminium and carbon models, Norco have built a bike that can suit a wide variety of riders. If I was looking for a trail bike to ride fast, and with the occasional event like a teams 24hr, half distance marathon or even something like a Rocky Trail Rollercoaster round – this bike stands out as a winner.

More details: Contact Advance Traders