What stands out most about the new Norco Torrent DH is what it isn't. It isn't trying to be the most technically complex bike on the mountain. It isn't loaded with adjustability features. It isn't for people who spend more time clicking settings than riding. The launch video says it all: dad cams, donuts in parking lots, laughing with your buddies on jump lines. This is the spirit of mountain biking for so many people.
Highlights
- 200mm of travel front and rear
- Mixed wheels only
- Full aluminum frame
- Horst link “Virtual Pivot Suspension” layout
- External cable routing
- Replaceable shuttle guard, chainstay protector, bashguard, & integrated fork bumpers
- Custom-tuned air shock (coil compatible)
- Five sizes (S1 to S5) fits riders 5'1" to 6'5"
- Weight (size S3): 39.5 lbs (17.9 kg)
- MSRP: A1 Build - $4,499 USD | Frameset - $2,999 USD
Aluminum. External cables. Oversized bearings. Nothing weird going on here, and that's the point. The frame comes with ample protection so you can use and abuse: shuttle guard, chainstay protection, bashguard, integrated fork bumpers. Throw it in the truck, come back the next day and do it again.
The Torrent uses Norco's version of a classic Horst link four-bar layout, which they call VPS (Virtual Pivot Suspension). It's a proven system and it works. The VPS layout is tuned to stay composed under hard braking and repeated hits while still being poppy enough to boost lips and send it. The air shock is custom tuned with an added end stroke ramp so you don't blow through it when you go big or mess up big. It's also coil compatible.
Geometry
Norco is offering the Torrent in five sizes. S1 fits riders down to 5'1", which means most groms are covered. The head tube angle sits at 63 degrees, and size-specific rear centers—430mm through 450mm across S1 to S5—means that the bike scales proportionally, not just in reach.
One Build Kit, Two Colors
The Torrent DH comes in one build and one frameset option. The build is called the A1 and it comes in two colors, Gloss Floating Blue and Raw Alloy Silver. The frameset is Gloss Floating Blue only.
The parts list is exactly what you want to see on a park bike at this price. BoXXer up front and a Vivid Air out back. Mavens, GX DH drivetrain, Assegai up front and DHR II out back is basically the default correct answer for DH tire setup.
For $4,499 USD you are getting a great bike. The frameset comes in at $2,999 USD with the Vivid included.
People get so caught up in nerding out over the bike that they forget to become better riders. More adjustability, more gizmos, more clicks. But most of the time that's just a distraction from the real problem, which is that they haven't put in the time to figure out how to actually ride the way they aspire to. Go faster, go bigger, develop your style, whatever you want to do on your bike, your pivot height and mass damper isn’t going to figure it out for you. Less thinking about how your bike could trick physics into making you 0.5% better and more time practicing actually riding will pay better dividends in time.
That’s what Norco has going for it with the Torrent. It reminds you to get out of your head and get on your bike.
That’s what Norco has going for it with the Torrent. It remind you to get out of your head and get on your bike. No distractions getting in your way from thinking you’re not having fun because your flip chip is in the wrong spot today. Whether you're lapping jumps with your buds or pinning it between the tape at a regional race, the Torrent DH is going to do its job. It's tough, it's straightforward, and it's priced well. Ride it, beat it up, enjoy it. This is exactly what a lot of people need.
I'll tell you one thing it is, way cheaper to buy in Canada! $2800 CAD vs. $2999 USD, that's close to $1000 difference!
At one point this was the top of the line carbon build in The Demo Center at Whistler. I rode 4 top end bikes in 3 days & they all told me...ride the Norco day 3. You'll be stoked.
It was the MOST fun day I've had on a DH bike & that was like...10 years ago? Would love to play on one again. I'd immediately swap the rear for a coil & some sticky rubber. That's all. Wonder if Norco is doing full dad cam package sponsorships? 🙃
I like that my Stumpy EVO could be 2 or 3 different bikes if I wanted it to. But I also keep the Float X, and Grip X 36 just to simplify the setup a bit because that high-speed/low-speed rebound isn't going to shave any seconds. The answer is for riders to stop fiddle-f**king with clickers and stop reading marketing-driven mtb media dissections of minuscule, fractional gains of some particular part. It seems, in fact, that certain cough--wireless--cough components seem to be marching us in the opposite performance direction of mass-centralization, unsprung mass, and system weight.
External cable routing! heck yeah
This feels like my DHR only with bigger wheels, longer reach, taller stack and shorter rear center.
I miss external cable routing so much. Remember swapping rear brakes at a race in five minutes or less? Thank you, Norco. Hopefully others will follow.
I was saying this exact thing to a buddy last weekend that I used to race with years ago. It was common practice to keep a spare rear brake set up and swap it if needed mid practice or before a race run in minutes.
In the 2000's we all took our trail bikes to Nationals. Not because we thought we'd ride them.
But because we ran uncut brake lines on them & could rob them of parts in a must have scenario.
Still can't believe bikes do something that stupid.
Anyone tried these?
ZENO
Plenty more hydraulic quick connect options on the way!
No, but color me curious.
You don't have to miss it Charlie! I went with the Simonetti method on my Dreadnought with help from @JankyEric and I like it! There is the occasional rattle here and there but definitely a must when swapping brakes often. Amazon's where it's at.
I am kind of with you though. There's a good chance my next bike won't have internal routing for that reason.
Love to see it.
I’m also a big proponent of the external brake cable. But I also will happily just zip tie it to my down/top tube if you force me to make your bike uglier.
Even if you include internal routing options I don’t see why you can’t include some tabs for external for those who want it. It can’t be that much of an additional cost.
external routing and a water bottle holder would be glorious. it looks like it could sit on top of the cables.
Exactly! My buddies Trek Session had internal and external routing. The internal was admittedly kind of jank but the external was super nice when he decided to buy different brakes halfway through a bike park trip last summer. Let’s follow Trek bike industry.
I love my Forbidden but unsure why they couldn’t have put a couple zip tie tabs on the outside just like the Supernought to give me the option.
I watched the promo video they did for this bike and I really dig their thought process. Having fancy suspension layouts and off the wall design can be cool, but having something simple and easy to maintain is a HUGE selling point for me personally. I would take a headache free, easy to fix bike over 2% better small bump sensitivity any day.
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