Norco Range Carbon 7.1 (2015) Frame

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I loved the 2014 Carbon Range so much that I now have a 2015 Range. The few small things that bugged me about the 2014 Range have been fixed. The cable used to sit against the frame near the bottom bracket and it actually rubbed away some of the frame's material over time. They added a metal guard to better hold the cable and protect the frame. They also added little plugs that hold the hoses tightly in position so that they don't rattle inside the frame. I also just personally like this year's colors better. You can't tell from pictures, but the 7.3 model is a BRIGHT neon yellow and looks amazing.

Riding the Range is like seeing an old friend for coffee and picking up where you left off - It just feels right. They move the rear center forward or back depending on the frame size to make sure you alays feel balanced, and I really believe this works.

I have a 170mm Lyrik (it comes stock with a 160mm fork in 2015) but saw that in 2016 they made them with 170mm forks, so it slackens the head angle from stock 66 to about 65.5 degrees. This makes the bike feel a little more vague on the steepest climbs, but it makes a big difference when headed downhill. The Range is not the longest bike out there, but because of that, it is a playful bike and is just a lot of fun to ride. It feels steady in the air, composed at speed, and due to the more "average" reach, corners very easily at speed or slowly around switchbacks. It also feels very balanced. I never feel like I'm too far back or forward and it just feels right. Norco really nailed this bike, and I love the swooping carbon lines and chunky joints and headtube that scream "ride me harder and faster!"

If I had to complain, its that the bike is not the lightest out there, and the seat-tube angle should be steeper. It would be difficult to get this bike below 29 lbs in a size large. I'm sure with carbon everything, you could probably do it, but for a carbon bike I expected it to be a bit lighter. However, it is a chunky, 160mm, enduro race machine and Norco have made it as such.

I've ridden it on XC trails, pump tracks, DH shuttle trails, bike parks, and raced enduros on it, and its always a fun bike to ride, just know that it is a 160mm enduro race bike, and would be overkill for riding flatter terrain or less technical stuff.