Norco Fluid LT1 full review

Well as I praised in my previous review the Norco Fluid LT1 is a great bike.

As stated before the XC and single-track capabilities of the bike are great, but the Fluid LT1 is an extremely capable descender as well.  With great stand over, slack head and seat tube angles the bike is well suited for technical downhill.

With the Rock Shox Lyric set in 6” mode, fast, loose steep trails are soaked up.  The bike calls for response from the rider and demands more.  There was no hesitation attacking some of the more difficult North Shore trails and stunts with the useable 6” travel both front and rear.  And yes it was well used with my 200+ pound frame on the bike.  Over all the bike felt like a super light downhill machine, capable of being thrown around anything that it rides over.

After riding the bike for some time I am starting to work out some of the kinks in the ride to work to my advantage.  Some of the negative items I found that may not effect all riders are tire size, can be a little small for technical riding, and stunts, I had a lot of pinch flats that could have been avoided with a larger diameter tire.  (note the bike is designed for all round back country riding)  One other thing, when attacking larger stunts the Fluid may have been a little too light for my needs.  (remember 200+ pounds)  In some instances a heavier feeling bike may have felt a little better, but the bike still was more the capable of sticking the landings and rolling through.

2009 Norco LT1 midrift. Fox DHX Air shock, Truvativ Stylo cranks, X0 deraileur, Industry Nine wheels.

Still ranked high on my list of bikes the Norco Fluid LT 1 is an exceptional do all bike, for riders covering various riding styles from technical XC, steep descents, and stunt riding.  The suspension is easily adjustable for any condition you take the bike into.  Parts are reliable and work in the worse conditions.

Norco FLUID LT 1 - Summary
I love it when I’m able to hang onto a bike for an extended period of time. Such has been the case with the Norco Fluid LT 1 as I’ve had it in the stable now for three months. The weather has been pefect but my body hasn’t been as cooperative as I’d wished, I’ve still pedaled my way up and down plenty of trails as I’ve discovered what made the LT 1 such a great ride.

The squish is handled adeptly by the Rockshox Lyric 2 step, with 20mm axle and the Fox DHX-Air 5 rear shock. The overall geometry on the LT 1 isn’t entirely “slack” on paper, but it feels slack on the trails. The 68.0 degree head-angle does provide for slightly floppy handling during parking lot tests. When on the trails, the front-end does exhibit some wandering, but a little body english goes a long way toward keeping things under control. Note with the adjustability of the Rockshox Lyric the head angle changes enough to increase performance when needed. Under all but the steepest climbs, I felt like I could keep things tracking straight with the front wheel planted in the dirt. That said, the quality of travel delivered by the Fox DHX-Air 5 is smooth and predictable.

I was also very impressed with the ride quality delivered by the EX-5.10 DT Swiss rims and Industry Nine hubs. With excellent lateral stiffness and a smooth roll, the wheels were solid.  And wow the color turned heads everywhere I rode.

2009 Norco LT1 midrift. Industry Nine wheels. I could stare at them all day long

For me where the bike performed best was on the downhill. I keep telling people that 4 bar linkage is tried and true and all it takes is a few seconds of gravity-induced goodness and you’ll instantly fall in love with the way the LT 1 simply devours the downhill. There’s no denying that this bike is one of the most comfortable downhillers in the 6″ All Mountain category.  What makes it descend so well, you ask? The overbuilt chainstays mean business and the cold forged rocker arm adds to the lateral stiffness strategy going on back there. The FSR designed rear triangle is a must for low maintenance working rear suspension design.

Opinion: The LT 1 has been a stellar steed this Summer.  I’ve enjoyed it on short rides as well as longer rides with 2000 vertical feet of climbing. An adjustable-travel front fork made this rig unbeatable out-of-the-box, the FLUID LT 1, is pours down the trails!

Plus:
Amazing downhill capabilities
Responds well to hard cornering
Rear-triangle is stout
Solid parts spec (as it should be)
Sram XO Rear Derailleur and shifters were smooth as silk
Excellent weight-to-fun ratio (32 lbs!)

Minus:
A tad bit of front-end wander when things are steep and technical
A little pricey for the weekend warrior, but the LT 2 and LT 3 can fix that
Slower climber than other bikes in this range (or maybe I’m the slow one)

Website: http://www.norco.com/bikes/mountain/all-mountain-lt/fluid-lt-1/

MSRP: $6859 CDN


Rating: 5/5