Sure, enduro is all the rage, but riding a bike that’s crafted for a specific purpose on trails that suit it perfectly transforms an otherwise good ride into an otherworldly one. And that’s what happened here. Norco’s Revolver tames an FSR suspension to perform under hard pedaling both up and down the mountain, and the rest of the frame lets you maintain that speed while whipping through the tight and twisties. Check the One Ride Review video above, and head past the break for more pics…
I’ve long been impressed with Norco’s full suspension bikes. They’re supple and able to soak up the terrain well, which is a good thing since their home turf is the ultra technical North Shore of western Canada. With the Revolver, the suspension is built on the same Horst Link design, but tuned much more for speed and efficiency than comfort. Over root gardens like this, the bike skittered over the top rather than trying to absorb every little depression. It gave only enough to maintain traction while hammering through it, which is exactly what I wanted from a bike like this. Being able to speed over them without getting bounced around meant I could maintain my posture and cadence, which ultimately means faster overall lap times.
Even in size XL, the Revolver 29er has an incredibly low head tube and stack height. Throw in a reverse rise stem and you can get into a really low, aggressive race position.
Ports and guides are there for front derailleurs and dropper posts if you want them.
The 2017 Norco Revolver carries the same frame as 2016 models, but gets SRAM Eagle specs in X01 and XX1 trim. Hit those links for more tech details.
