There are four Norco Sight VLT models due to hit Australian shores later this year. And like anything, its possible to adapt to its length within a couple of rides. Norco Sight VLT Details Three battery options including 900Wh Wheel size: 29" only Travel: 160mm front, 150mm rear 64-degree head angle 78-degree effective seat angle 462mm chainstay Weight: 25.6 kg Sizes: S, M, L, XL I now feel qualified to birth a calf or spay a heifer. ", "I've been riding one of these in the same spec with the 900 battery. Swapping the battery isn't as easy as you'd expect. Although I think 600 may be too much. Just because there's a single (or more) bicycle component on some unregulated motorcycles doesn't erase the fact that the pedal power aspect can be easily removed to facilitate it being operated as a motorcycle. This is the new Focus Jam2 and Sam2. In fact, its the most stable 160/150mm travel e-MTB weve tested. Norco Sight VLT A2. And this brings us to our next point the fact that the Norco Sight VLT is 29er specific, with no option to fit a smaller 27.5in rear wheel. This sort of mayhem is no match for the Sight. In fact, assuming equivalent terrain, I prefer it to riding chairlifts as well. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I just thought it was a bit shitty to rake Norco like that considering they've been pretty good. Its an easy bike to feel comfortable with across a broad range of trail types, and that makes it more appealing to a wider range of riders. I externalized the derailleur and dropper cables and secured with zip ties. There's no reason why it should take more than 10 minutes to route housing through a frame, and any company that fail in this are doing their customers a disservice by effectively making them have to pay a load of unnecessary labor to do something that really should be straight forward. No complaints here at all. As for the tyres, we set those up with 25psi in the front and 27psi in the rear. Along with the robust frame and slack head angle, the Sight VLT is as sure-footed as they come. Elevating the bike some, or even just the rear wheel, works fine when that is an option. There's another carbon. Have had my sight VLT2 since December. And don't even get me started on the incompatibility with the three 1.8" steerer lower bearings/ crown race parts (One from ACROS and two from FSA) that are available but within a framework of a total lack of publicly available information and clear part number labelling. These weren't mounted for all 1180 kms of this test, but I'd guess they have seen at least 650 of those. I generally have bad days and okay days, with the occasional good day sprinkled in. > "What does seem pretty clear though is that you don't like ebikes and have some pretty biased views of them and and people who ride them. Or perhaps even a dropout flip-chip, with short and long settings, so that riders can choose between the two. the last step, through the chainstay, involved detaching the stay at the pivot and reaching in (chainstay is open at the pivot end) with a tool to press the housing into the exit hole. Confirmed weight for our Norco Sight C1 VLT test bike is a substantial 25.32kg (without pedals). Norco Sight VLT C1 29 2020 on the other hand is the most expensive at 7499 USD. relates to the overly stiff Deity Skywire 35mm carbon bar. Flow Mountain Bike 59.6K subscribers The new Norco Sight VLT features improved suspension performance, the excellent Shimano EP8 motor, and the option to fit a whopping 900Wh battery. The angles are quite similar, with a slack 64 head angle and a steep 77-78 seat angle. 3 Battery Upgrade Options: 540Wh, 720Wh and 900Wh. The Assegai up front however was perfection. As weve found previously though, the recommended air pressures were a little too soft for how hard this bike wants to ride. The. It's all you need to swap your battery. Ultimately the Norco Range VLT C1 is a good bike with an intended user and terrain, if it's in your wheelhouse, you will enjoy what it offers. bike still rode but no level displayed. Norco Sight VLT A2 E-Bike. Granted, there are land use- and access issues tied to ebike use, no doubt. The middle-ground 720WH runs $1,300. no issues since. gotta love those "holy shit i didn't die" moments. Model Year. And sadly there will always be a couple of bad actors out there using the same toys as us, but making bad choices about their use. The charge port door is also awkward to grasp and open. Eventually I managed to put some pressure on the hose and advance the housing inside with my thumb and forefinger, a couple of millimetres at a time. I wonder if the ride would be hugely different. Three proprietary battery options available (sold separately), Select your ideal capacity from 540Wh ($749), 720Wh ($999), 900Wh ($1199), Proprietary batteries featuring 21700 lithium ion cells, Batteries remove and install in seconds with a single onboard tool, Removable batteries for off-bike charging, bringing a spare, or selecting the However its says battery can only be removed by dealer, so similar to the Focus Jam. You can really feel more power coming on when you increase your effort, while the Norco feels more linear. With a bike that's between 30 and 35 lbs, bailing out is second nature. 2021 Identiti Mettle Mountain Bike 16" Small Frame Full Suspension 160mm Enduro. Hopefully none of those cables are touching the steerer. Time and again it seems like bike designers get to two days before the deadline and have an "oh fuck we have to route cables through this thing!". This means that going for a big pedal ride with my buddies can be stressful because I don't know what to expect. It holds its line assuredly through off-camber corners, and even when plummeting down the most brutal rock-filled gullies, we never felt like we were being pushed off-course. The Merida eOne-Sixty continues to be one of our benchmark e-MTBs because its such a fantastic all-rounder. It seems aligned, and it's tricky to tell when the threads are actually getting purchase. There are no internal guides and there are two exit holes, one for SRAM and one for Shimano, although the Shimano one is blocked. As Andrew rightly pointed out, you did specify your angst with the Norco C1 in particular. This things rips! Im beyond stoked to ride it. Doing it upright works but there isn't enough room for the battery to slide all the way out without lifting the rear wheel. It's not for everyone, and certainly not for me all the time, but it's a blast and a great alternative for this 56-year-old bastard. The back end delivers a smooth and active feel, though its now much more resistant to bottoming out, in part thanks to the addition of the MegNeg air can. The Trek Rail 9 features an alloy frame, though it up-specs to a RockShox ZEB, which is a brilliant fork. If so, is it common that it does? The spec isnt dissimilar between the two bikes. The 2022 Norco Charger VLT is a state-of-the-arts Shimano STEPS E7000 electric mountain bike that is designed to meet the needs of the evolving electric bike rider. i had a similar near death experience on that rock roll on the marin (the distended downtube hooked the top edge of the rock resulting in a very not welcome forward pitch). Norco went a unique route here and is selling batteries separately. Tasty - according to website not available in UK? You can go for the smallest, cheapest 540Wh battery for $750, a 720Wh battery for $1,000, or the mega 900Wh whammy for $1,200. The Dyname motor on the Rocky is more powerful and provides a more progressive power curve. Ha! Heres how it panned out; No doubt about it, the Sight VLT absolutely crushed the competition with just shy of 2,500m of elevation gain. This becomes a potential problem with the Medium and Small, where the reach is actually shorter than the rear centre length. The Specialized Levo Pro we reviewed comes in at almost double the price of the Norco Sight C2 VLT. I think I have Canada's supply of ACROS 1.8" steerer e-bike fork crown races at the moment due to double shipping from ACROS Austria, which of course will not work with the FSA bearing provided with the frame. In the greater scheme of things, you'll find the additional weight more than makes up for the greater range! Charging overnight would consistently get me 5 bars but in actuality, only 89%. Wed also love to see the option of a mullet setup for the Norco Sight VLT. Has anyone tried to lighten their Sight VLT? Removable batteries also allows Norco to fine tune the VLT's. The batteries come in three sizes, and can be purchased separately. The Shimano manual has instructions for a removable battery. :). I'm not ranting about any particular brand :D, https://si.shimano.com/api/publish/storage/pdf/en/dm/EP800/DM-EP800-03_ENG.pdf. However, a smaller battery would still only see the complete bike weight drop to 24.63kg (720Wh) or 23.94kg (540Wh). 2023 Thok TK01 R Review | A surprising package from an Italian e-MTB specialist, Trek Rail Review | A plush, powerful & frustratingly near-perfect electric mountain bike, 9 tuning tips to get the most out of your Bosch electric mountain bike | Bosch Smart System Review, 4 upgrades & 7 updates on our Fuel EXe long-term test bike | Trek Fuel EXe Review, This website requires Javascript for optimum viewing purposes. To help us quantify the limit of its capabilities, we subjected the Sight VLT to our shuttle range test. Been waiting for this release. Is it shock size too? Norco Sight VLT A2 29 Mountain E-Bike - 2020, X-Large, Mechanical Shifting $4,589.99 In Stock Specifications Frameset Frame Hydroformed Aluminum Fork FOX Rhythm FLOAT 36, 44mm Offset, E-Rated, 160mm Shock FOX FLOAT X2, Performance Elite Chassis, Custom Factory-Level Spec and Tune, 210x55mm Motor Shimano STEPS EP8, 85Nm max torque Battery Posted: Jan 31, 2022 at 13:10. Its a more manoeuvrable bike as a result, with less effort required to boss it about on twistier trails. I kept having to pull my arm out and re-evaluate things to determine why I was unable to thread this needle. How many people travel with their bikes usually? Heres how the weight stacks up against some of the other e-MTBs weve tested over the past year or so; Given its substantial bulk and raked-out geometry, itll come as no surprise that the Norco Sight VLT offers a ridiculous amount of stability. Has Norco hit its competitors for six in this very hot e-MTB segment? I'll either be very cautious or riding around next time. But it also makes sense to be careful about our conversations and not be consumed by infighting. I'm not sure why the cable for the power button can't go to the right side but I'm sure there is some engineering rationale. For everyday riding, it allows you to run Boost all the time, without need to toggle down the power just to meter out the battery life. Had a derailleur problem after a stack and replaced the NX with XO. the 630watt battery is superior to my friends 500watt 2022. Batteries can be purchased separately, so you can always upsize at a later date if you decide you want more range. If I pushed from the bottom, the housing would simply push straight toward the front of the bike and buckle rather than making the corner. Santa Cruz Megatower 2 CC Frame 2023 3,699. I imagine the Norco frame is heavier but not hugely. I've now been cohabitating with the 2022 Norco Sight VLT for longer than any eMTB I've tested. Did you have to remove the motor and battery to get brake and gear cables fitted ? 00. . It's seriously time to ask which ebikes serve to "democratize", which are for the outsider trying to buy the greatest/latest/most expensive eMTB as a status symbol, and which are plain unregulated motorcycles with the "ebike" slapped on it that were never designed for mountain bike trail infrastructure. However its says battery can only be removed by dealer, so similar to the Focus Jam. I've since ramped the HSC up front to 0 out (full compression) pumped the fork to 95 and pushed the rear back up to 110. 0 bids. I rolled up my right sleeve but it wasn't long before my right forearm got stuck. Norco's VLT GEN 3 720W battery is the goldilocks battery choice for Norco VLT riders who want the best of worlds. However, the plastic shrouds surrounding the motor are flimsy and seem unfinished. First the bike has foreign balance, then its too heavy, too powerful, then its ugly, then it belies your assessment of what Norco is, then its destructive, dangerous, etc etc. Both the Fox Factory Float 36 and the Fox Factory Float X2 are world class dampers and an excellent match for this ride. Mine is almost imposable to remove. The Maxxis Dissector DD MaxxTerra in the rear has also stood up well, but I'd prefer to see a DHR II back there for better grip in varied conditions. Norco's online documentation is excellent. You can choose which of the three battery sizes you want at the dealer. It used to be that I'd have a similar kind of fall if I was out of shape, and particularly when my core strength was poor; I'd plant a foot after losing my balance, feeling like I was safe, and then find myself flung to ground like a cartoon rabbit. Tell me again why external routing is bad? The power mode is indicated by text, and more usefully, colour. This gives riders the choice of what battery (and weight) they want to run. Stepping down in travel to 160/150mm, the Norco Sight VLT will be the bread-and-butter eBike for a majority of enduro and aggressive all mountain riders. Where is the speed sensor located? Check out our Merida eOne-Sixty review for more. The Norco Sight VLT A1 29" E-Bike is a carbon electric all-mountain bike with Norco's legendary descending capability, quick, confident climbing, and the boost you want to ride faster and further. If your criticisms of eMTBs echo Mike Vandeman's complaints about all mountain bikes, there might be something going on in the background, and it's entirely possible that involves a bruised ego. However, its worth pointing out that the rear centre length is identical on all four frame sizes. Anyone on here ride a Sight VLT, I just got mine and had some issues trying to get it charging, the manuals that came with the bike were no help at all. Seeing the prices published and thinking about those of normal Norco MTBs that have excellent quality but are not cheap there I find enough in line if I think of those of the other top brands, indeed, talking about a carbon frame if for example comparing prices with the Specy Levo 2019 we are still something lower but with the best components on the Sight. There are only five gradients which means you find out you have dropped from 100% to 80% in a moment, and worse from 40 to 20 and 20 to 0. That said, it doesnt offer the same kind of brainless, warp-speed stability as the Sight VLT, which operates like a Sherman tank in comparison. My horrible experience with Rockshox Zeb Ultimate 2023, Raw / Polished - Bikes & Frames - No paint allowed, My kids just outgrew their 24" bikes. COLOR: Deep Red/Cherry Red Size: Buy now OR Add to cart I think your judgement was accurate. Bear in mind that the peak of Mt Kosciuszko (Australias highest mountain) stands at 2,228m above sea level. Offering more than 66% range than the 540W battery ensures that you'll never experience range anxiety. The bikes overall length and bulk is also noticeable on faster and flowier trails, where the Sight VLT requires significant upper body input to flip it over between alternating corners. You are using an out of date browser. Dropping your battery is a little easier than replacing it. Because of the lack of bottom bracket clearance, and my clumsiness, this almost ended badly. If you think riding an eMTB isn't a good workout, or physically demanding in general, find riders who are doing this sort of thing and tag along. Thankfully there were no witnesses because I'm sure this was a comical sight. Yikes! I have a good sense of how to reel it in on my mountain bikes, but the extra mass of bikes like the Sight VLT changes that equation. Pulled the trigger, Sight VLT 29 C2 on the way. One of my favourite elements of riding eMTBs is how it levels the playing field. The Maxxis Assegai DD MaxxTerra up front has been surprisingly durable considering the number of road miles that I've put in getting to and from the mountains. It's not the end of the world, but it's the sort of operation that should be slick for quick and easy execution. This MacGyver by Deniz lasted for several rides and was still going strong when I decided to do the repair. Charging <3.5hrs gets me 100% everytime. Like most things in mountain biking, these prices have increased by as much as 15% (the 540wh) since these bikes were released. REAR SHOCK Fox FLOAT X2, Performance Elite Chassis, Custom Factory-Level Spec &. I could even say the same thing about mtb's too as I've seen more than enough newbies making the same sort of mistakes you mention. Weve not had any issues with the drivetrain itself, though the SRAM NX shifter continues to be an ergonomic annoyance with its bulky clamp. 2022 Norco Sight VLT eMTB Review Norco's second biggest e-brawler - with a modular battery system - over the long haul in all kinds of weather. Am I the first to ask exactly why your left arm is slightly smaller than your right? Moreover, wear the right clothing. As it stands, the geometry is very similar between the two bikes, which is understandable given they share the same mainframe and swingarm (a longer fork, shock and a different linkage is what gives the Range VLT its extra travel). 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