2025 Norco Sight VLT CX C1 E-Bike

Vital has spent 7 months aboard what may be our favorite full-powered eMTB of 2025, the Norco Sight VLT CX. This full carbon, high pivot rig gets 150mm of rear travel with a 160mm fork up front, and despite the numbers, feels considerably longer travel than advertised. Powered by the tried-and-true Bosch CX system with long-lasting 800Wh battery, this Gen 4 Sight VLT continued to surprise us over and over again with its ability to handle big, nasty terrain, but also remain playful and nimble in tight-handling scenarios. We expected the high pivot suspension layout to gobble up bumps but were equally impressed by the Sight's lively, fun-loving nature. At 49 pounds (22.26 kg) for our size 3, the Sight's ability to make us forget we were on a full-powered e-bike was one of its strongest suits. 

Highlights

• Full carbon frame
• 150mm rear travel, 160mm front
• VPS-HP (Virtual Pivot Suspension - High Pivot) Horst Link rear suspension design
• Mixed wheel only
• Bosch CX drive system
• 800Wh battery
• 2025 model is 20% lighter than previous generation
• 4 Sizes - S2, S3 (tested), S4, S5
• Weight - Size 3 C1 with pedals, 49 pounds // 22.26kg
• Price - C1: $9,999 (tested), C2: $7,999, C3: $6,699

Norco Sight VLT CX Details

There are four sizes of the Gen 4 VLT CX (all are mixed wheel) and three build options are available starting at $6,699. We were sent the highest end C1 model that retails for a buck under 10 grand. All Sight VLT CXs feature Norco's limited life time warranty, and Norco’s easy-to-use Ride Aligned setup guide provides fantastic baselines for suspension tuning and setup.

Vital Recommends Bosch Systems

The 800Wh battery of the Sight VLT CX is huge plus for us. If we’re going to lug around a big ebike, we want all the range and power possible. The Sight's battery size paired with the proven Gen 5 Bosch CX drive system deliver the range and power we crave. On that subject, we’re not going to bore you with details on the Bosch CX system; it's been discussed a billion times on the internet already. It should be noted however, that at the time of this test, near the end of 2025, the Bosch CX and SX systems are highly recommended by Vital. It can be a paralyzing time to be in the market for an ebike, considering how fast the tech can change. We feel the most confident with what Bosch offers in terms of performance, features and reliability. If problems arise, their large, global dealer network should be able to effectively support you and their product well into the future.

Geometry

A key geometry hit of the Sight VLT is size-specific chainstay lengths. Keep in mind this is a high-pivot bike so the static chain stay length numbers grow as a rider settles into sag and Norco made sure to include the at-sag measurements in their geo chart. The Sight’s geometry is modern. Our testers (between 5'9" and 5'10") who usually run bikes with reach numbers in the 460mm range found themselves in between the S2 and S3. Opting for the longer S3 with a 472.5mm reach worked out very well, and to our surprise, even with its full-powered heft, the Sight never felt long or cumbersome. We figured in berms or on jump faces we'd notice the growing chainstay length steal away some of the bike's snappiness. We're glad to report that wasn't the case.

On the Trail

On the trail, the Sight encouraged confident, aggressive riding, making our test pilots feel capable and composed through sketchy sections. Suspension smoothed out chatter and big hits while showing no hint of wallowing in g-outs, low-speed compressions or through berms and jump faces. While not quite as poppy as a standard four-bar bike, the Sight held its own on flow trails as it easily maintained momentum and zipped in and out of corners. In dynamic situations where direction changes were quick, this full-size e-bike was surprisingly responsive. Our favorite descending terrain on the Sight was steeper and chunkier, where it performed like a bike with more travel than it actual had. The Sight became a true all-terrain vehicle for us during the test period. 

If we were spec’ing the Sight, worrying about weight would be secondary to including a 38mm chassis fork. Though we never felt truly held back by the Lyrik, pairing the sturdiest fork with a full-size ebike only seems to make the most sense to us. 

Any impact an idler-equipped, high-pivot design may have on climbing wasn’t noticed by us during testing. This is a full-power ebike, so smashing up and over obstacles was never a problem, regardless of the suspension platform's pedaling efficiency. The idler-based system is a bit noisier on the climbs, especially in the easier gears, and there is a lot of torque put on just a few teeth of the idler itself. Even with our purposeful torture test of drivetrain maintenance neglect, we never had an issue throughout the duration of our test...the drivetrain remained smooth and free from skipping no matter how poor our gearing choices were. The idler is an additional component that should be watched, however, and may need to be replaced as other drivetrain components wear out, too.

What's the Bottom Line?

For a big, ole high pivot ebike, the Sight VLT CX is an eye-opener. Far from sluggish, this responsive, nimble powerhouse of an eMTB is also ready for the most demanding, steep, chunky descents. If ever there was an exploring machine, this would be it. The Bosch CX system and 800Wh battery will give you exceptional range as the full-carbon build and thoughtful spec keeps our bike below the 50-pound range. When you’re not going on big adventures, the Sight is more than happy with quick romps at local bike parks and flow trails, too, proving that today’s 150mm travel bikes are designed to do it all.

Visit www.norco.com for more info on the Sight VLT CX.

View key specs, compare e-bikes, and review the newest Norco Sight VLT CX models in the Vital MTB Product section.