Norco presents its brand-new Optic Carbon. Despite the small amount of travel, the new Optic promises to deliver an excellent downhill performance. We have had the opportunity to test one on a variety of trails – and we fell in love with it!

Norco Optic C2 | 140/125 mm (f/r) | 13.8 kg | € 4,399

Norco has entirely revised their Optic and created a very aggressive 29″ trail bike with a carbon frame. Whilst the 125 mm rear- and 140 mm front-travel are rather conservative for a bike in this category, the spec and geometry of the new Optic suggest lots of fun on the way down. Weighing in at 13.8 kg, the € 4,399 Norco Optic C2 in our test might not be the lightest trail bike you can buy, but the balanced riding position and efficient suspension should make for a good climbing performance.

The Norco Optic in detail

At first glance, the Norco Optic could be mistaken for a thoroughbred enduro rig. Both the proportions of the long, slack frame and the solid spec with a Piggyback shock and the grippy tires are rather unusual for a trail bike. Although riding performance is Norco’s main priority, the frame of the Optic features a number of well-thought-out and clever details. Across all sizes, the mainframe has enough room to accommodate a large drinking bottle and an additional mounting point on the top tube can take a gear/strap with a mini-tool and spare inner tube. To avoid unpleasant rattling noises and cosmetic damage to the frame, all cables are routed internally and neatly arranged around the pivot points in the rear-end. Unlike the mainframe, however, the rear-end lacks some love to detail. For starters, the chainstay protector is way too short to prevent the chain from slapping around, which causes the paint to chip away and makes a very loud rattling noise. We, therefore, recommend that you apply a generous amount of slapper tape before you take your Optic to the trails. On top of this, the coarse welding seams don’t match the otherwise harmonious aesthetics of the bike.

Fork RockShox Pike Select Plus
Shock RockShox SuperDeluxe Ultimate DH
Groupset SRAM GX Eagle 1×12
Brakes Shimano BR-MT520 180/180 mm
Seatpost X-Fushion Manic 170 mm
Stem Norco 60601 Alloy 45 mm
Handlebars TranzX 6061 DB Alloy 760 mm
Wheelset Stans Flow S1/DT Swiss 350 29″
Tires Schwalbe Magic Mary/Hans Dampf 2,35”

Clean and quiet – The internally routed cables and brake lines make for a quiet ride.
Inconsistent – The chainstay protector of the Norco Optic C2 is too short and made of hard plastic. The result is a loud rattling noise and ugly paint chips… A real shame, because otherwise the Optic would be very quiet.
Water for all – There’s enough room for a big 750 ml bottle across all sizes, and still enough space to attach a tool strap with a spare inner tube on the top tube.

For the Optic C2 Norco deliberately renounces any sort of bling and relies on robust components to achieve top riding performance.

Light, fast and grippy
The Schwalbe Hans Dampf rear- and a super grippy Magic Mary front-tires perfectly suit the character of the Optic. Due to the thin carcass of the rear tire, however, heavier riders should consider using a tire insert to avoid pinch flats.
Cheap and cheerful – Despite small 180 mm rotors front and rear, Shimano’s MT420 4-pot brakes provide sufficient braking power and good modulation. A thorough bleed fixed an issue with a wandering bite point in the rear brake.

Full performance
– The RockShox SuperDeluxe DH, which was developed specifically for the Norco Optic, deals equally well with huge drops and nasty root carpets.

Spec options of the Norco Optic

The spec of our Optic C2 test-bike reveals that Norco picks riding performance over bling and lightweight components. With a RockShox Super Deluxe DH shock and Pike Select Plus fork, the new Optic leaves nothing to wish for. And as far as shifting performance goes, the Sram GX Eagle groupset is in no way inferior to its more expensive counterpart. Whilst Shimano’s 4-pot brakes might be missing a fancy SLX or XT acronym, the performance they deliver is just as solid. With a fast-rolling Schwalbe Hans Dampf at the rear and a grippy Magic Mary upfront, the tire combo might seem heavily downhill-oriented, but totally suits the character of the bike. Heavier riders, however, should pick their lines carefully to avoid damage in the weak Snakeskin carcass of the rear wheel.

Norco Optic C1

Fork RockShox Pike Ultimate
Shock RockShox SuperDeluxe Ultimate DH
Groupset Shimano XTR
Brakes Shimano XTR 180/180 mm
Seatpost X-Fushion Manic 170 mm
Stem Norco 60601 Alloy 45 mm
Handlebars Race Face Next R Carbon 760 mm
Wheelset Stans Flow S1/DT Swiss 350 29″
Tires Schwalbe Magic Mary/Hans Dampf 2,35”

Norco Optic C3

Fork RockShox Pike Select
Shock RockShox SuperDeluxe Ultimate DH
Groupset SRAM NX Eagle 1×12
Brakes Shimano BR-MT420 180/180 mm
Seatpost X-Fushion Manic 170 mm
Stem Norco 60601 Alloy 45 mm
Handlebars TranzX 6061 DB Alloy 760 mm
Wheelset Stans Flow S1/Novatec 29″
Tires Schwalbe Magic Mary/Hans Dampf 2,35”

Norco delivers the Optic in three different spec versions. All three focus on top performance and feature a RockShox Super Deluxe DH shock, which was specifically designed for this bike. And so was the 170 mm X-Fusion Manic dropper (size L). The entry-level C3 retails at a fair € 3,399 and – just like the C 2 – was designed with an eye towards performance and functionality rather than bling and lightweight componentry. Having said that, the Pike Select fork features an old Charger RC damper. In terms of shifting performance, the NX groupset has nothing to envy to its fancier GX antagonist. There is one small drawback though: the cassette is heavier and offers a slightly smaller gear ratio. Still, retailing at € 1000 less, the Optic C3 is our buying tip. The high-end Optic C1 models retail at € 5,499 and come with a RockShox Pike Ultimate with high-end Charger 2.1 damper and Shimano XTR groupset and brakes.

The geometry of the Norco Optic

According to the Canadian manufacturer, the weight distribution on the bike heavily influences its handling. And that’s why at Norco, both the mainframe and the rear-end grow with the frame size in order to keep the rider integrated between the wheels and thus maintain the optimal weight distribution. Norco calls this concept “Gravity Tune” and combines it with a long reach, slack head angle, a relatively steep seat angle and a low bottom bracket.

Size S M L XL
Seat tube 395 mm 415 mm 445 mm 485 mm
Top tube 572 mm 605 mm 637 mm 669 mm
Head tube 100 mm 110 mm 120 mm 130 mm
Head angle 65° 65° 65° 65°
Seat angle 76° 76° 76° 76°
Chainstays 425 mm 430 mm 435 mm 440 mm
BB Drop 38 mm 38 mm 38 mm 38 mm
BB Height 337 mm 337 mm 337 mm 337 mm
Wheelbase 1,157 mm 1,196 mm 1,235 mm 1,275 mm
Reach 420 mm 450 mm 480 mm 510 mm
Stack 611 mm 620 mm 629 mm 638 mm
Helmet Specialized Ambush ANGI | Jacket Scott Trail MTN Stretch 50 Hoody | Kneepads ION K-Pact ZIP | Shoes ION Rascal

The Norco Optic C2 on the trail

On the way up, the Norco proves that the climbing performance strongly depends on the riding position and that it’s not just dictated by the overall system weight. Thanks to the relatively steep seat angle of the Optic, the rider is comfortably integrated between the 29″ wheels. And the fact that the chainstay length increases proportionally to the frame size becomes evident when pedalling uphill: At 435 mm (in size L), the long chainstays prevent the front-end from lifting off the ground on steep ramps. And whilst the rear-end tends to bob a little on compact surfaces, it generates tons of traction and good acceleration on loose terrain.

The new Norco Optic C2 is the perfect choice for fast, built trails with lots of jumps.

Once you turn its nose downhill, the Norco Optic C2 shows you what it was built for raw speed and top riding fun. Here too, the rider feels nicely centred between the wheels and is deeply integrated inside the bike due to the very low bottom bracket. The low top tube and long frame provide more than enough freedom of movement. At low speeds, the Optic isn’t exactly playful. Once you open the gas, however, it shines with very direct handling and still manages to deliver an extremely smooth ride. The stiff chassis provides direct feedback but still offers tons of reserves for big knocks and nasty rock gardens. In corners and berms, the bike feels well-balanced and generates lots of traction. While we wouldn’t describe the Optic as comfortable, its generous reserves make it a lot faster than many of the bikes in its category. And this leads us straight to the next question:

Tuning-tips: Heavy riders should run a tire insert in the rear tire or even swap this for a Hans Dampf with Super Gravity carcass. | Dropper post with more travel.

Who should get a Norco Optic?

The spec and geometry of the Norco Optic already suggest it: The rowdy Canadian begs for fast, nasty descents. This means that if you’re looking for a comfortable touring bike, the Optic won’t cut it for you. Instead, the bike rewards an aggressive, sporty riding style and offers almost endless reserves while providing a smooth ride. At the same time, the short travel and stiff suspension give you lots of feedback from the trail and make for a very lively handling, making the Optic feels a lot more agile than many other trails (or even enduro) bikes, which tend to “sink” into the travel on easy, flat trails.

Conclusions

On the way down into the valley, the Norco Optic C2 punches well above its weight but still strikes with a trail bike-like climbing performance. The spec and the suspension were consistently designed to deliver top performance. The Norco Optic C2 is a true ‘flat out trail bike’ that comes to live on fast, man-made trails with big jumps. At the same time, it strikes with good acceleration and direct handling on slower and flatter trails. Having said that, if you are looking for a supple chassis, you better look elsewhere.

Tops

  • Very balanced in corners
  • Top suspension
  • Superb at high speeds and rough terrain
  • Top riding fun on flat trails

Flops

  • Chainstay protector is too short and made of hard plastic.
  • Not a comfort-oriented trail/tour bike

For more information head to: norco.com


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Words: Photos: Christoph Bayer