![]() ![]() Brakes: Shimano BR420 disc brakes (180/160mm rotors). ![]() Drivetrain: Shimano XT rear mech, SLX shifters, chain and 10-51T cassette.Suspension: RockShox Pike Select 130mm travel, RockShox Deluxe Select rear shock 120mm travel.Terrain: Mix of rolling hills and technical descents.The only obvious glitch are the basic small rotor Shimano brakes, but even a lack of stopping doesn’t stop it becoming our first benchmark trail bike bargain for 2020. We’re delighted to say the suspension is really sorted for this year, with a great balance of sensitive traction and consistent ride height control for pushing the Fluid to its full flat-out potential. The weight also adds extra authority to the grip and grounded attitude of the Fluid. Burly frame tubes, high-volume, tough-carcass tyres, wide rims, big handlebars, and other high-control components mean it’s no featherweight but its ability to carry momentum through chaos means you’re rarely working to restore speed from scratch. What’s really impressive is that Norco does it on frames that are still well-shaped and really well made, right down to tough paintwork and accurate pivot/frame alignment for friction-free suspension action. It features kit that bikes several hundred pounds more expensive would be proud of. Norco always puts together a great spec package for the price and that’s certainly true of the Fluid FS 1. We’d definitely put bigger rotors on our ASAP upgrade list and better brakes overall would be a bonus. ![]() While it quickly proves it’s happy not-really-braking through a surprising amount of situations, the option to slow down more significantly would definitely be welcome at times. The faster you go, the more the high-volume rubber, stiff frame and capable suspension come into their own, it doesn’t take long to develop a real bond of trust with the Fluid. The ART suspension kinematic means it pedals smoothly, even if you’re lumping the pedals round on your last legs and we never missed having a compression firming ‘climb’ lever. While the weight takes some wattage to get moving out of corners, speed is sustained excellently due to the big tyres and more sensitive suspension, so you’re generally just topping up velocity rather than torquing from a standstill. There’s none of the spike and choke of 2019 and bottom-out is well controlled, so you won’t get too punished if you forget it’s only a 130/120mm travel bike. Add the big tyres at teen pressures and this translates into ample grip for climbing and braking, but it still rips corners with excellent feedback and preserves predictable ride height through rough sections really well. ![]() Both Pike and Deluxe shock float on the supple transition between high volume negative chamber and the main air spring before easing into a really well-controlled mid-stroke. It’s immediately obvious that the RockShox Select suspension pairing is synced in more than just name, too. You’ll have to be really going some to unhook the DHFs though, they’re a lot less drifty than most 2.6in tyres and being able to drop to teen pressures has been great in treacherous early autumn conditions when expectations are still set to summer grip levels. The steering angles, stem and 780mm handlebars give enough power steering leverage to keep the massive Maxxis front tyre obedient rather than obstinate when you need to change line suddenly. The reach is long, but not intimidatingly stretched when you’re weaving through tight tree lines. We spent a lot of time on the 2019 Fluid, but even testers who were fresh to the bike felt at home immediately. The faster you go, the more the high-volume rubber, stiff frame and capable suspension come into their own (Image credit: Norco) Ride, handling and performance It’s even mounted fat-end frame side to reduce unsprung weight and increase sensitivity. The Pike Select is an impressively sorted fork even with basic set up and the Deluxe Select rear shock gets a lighter, less constipated tune for 2020. Components and buildĪfter we struggled to get the RockShox Revelation and Deluxe rear shock feeling fluid last year, the suspension change is a big deal. The bike we had last year lasted really well cosmetically too so the paint is on point. The chunky tubes make it a hefty chassis but the same frame is used right through the Sight range and overall bike weights are competitive for the cost. The bottom bracket is threaded for longevity and there’s plenty of room for the big lugs and fat carcass of the 29 x 2.6in Maxxis DHF tyres. Geometry is edging towards edgy with a sub-67-degree head angle and 470mm reach in the large and it’s low enough that you could size up if you wanted more stretch. Even at this low price point, the tubes are size specific to tune the ride, internal cable routing is neat and there’s a threaded bottom bracket for longevity. The Fluid frame is unchanged for this year but that’s fine as it was already a cracking chassis. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |