| jg09 |
Lots of travel equals lots of fun
Brand: Norco Performance Bikes
Model: Fluid LT3
Class: All mountain
Suspension travel f/r: 160mm (6.3"), 160mm (6.3")
MSRP: $2,350
Going into this test, I had no idea what to expect from the LT3. I had never ridden a Norco before. Not only that, but I had never ridden any bike with as much suspension travel as the LT3 has (the "LT" moniker stands for long travel). In the end, however, I was very impressed. Before I go into why, we'll take a look at the bike first.
The first thing that draws your eye to the frame is the way that the top and down tubes curve. I don't have a definitive answer for why it's designed like that, but my best guess is for clearance of the front tire and the rider's body. The 6061-T6 aluminum frame uses a suspension design that incorporates five pivot points to help reduce the amount of energy wasted in movement from pedaling. Compared to other full suspension bikes I've ridden in the past, the LT3's design does an excellent job of reducing pedal bob. There are two mounting points for the Fox DHX 3.0 air shock: one for longer, softer travel and another for slightly shorter, stiffer travel. For real efficiency, the air shock itself must be tuned properly to the rider. I found that for a heavier rider such as myself, the shock's maximum 200 psi in the compression and rebound chambers works great. My main complaint with the rear suspension isn't with its function, but with the way it gets in the way of the water bottle holder mount. At half compression, the external reservoir is inside the water bottle cage. While this can be solved by either packing your water on your back or by using a slimmer, lower capacity-than-normal water bottle, it's still an inconvenience.
The fork is a Marzocchi 55R Bomber. While someone wouldn't run the 55R on a heavy-duty downhill race bike, it's more than beefy enough on a long travel all-mountain bike. If you can overlook the lack of easy adjustability (rebound only), it's a great fork that will last a rider for years. The super-heavy-duty front axle design is a major plus. It's much stronger than the axles on most other bikes and it's easily removed by hand if need be. Handlebar and stem choice on the LT3 is downright unacceptable. The stock bar is a Truvativ light-duty cross country bar and the stem is made for the same type of riding. I actually tested the LT3 with a different set of bars since I felt unsafe using cross country parts. Fortunately, handle bars aren’t terribly expensive, so poor bar and stem choice shouldn’t turn someone away from the LT3. Hydraulic Avid Juicy Three disc brakes control the speed of the 35 pound beast. The brake pads don't center themselves like the Juicy Seven's do and again, there's a lack of adjustability. If you can ignore the rather loud squealing sound that the brakes make from always contacting the rotors a little, it's a great system that goes above and beyond the call of duty. If you can't ignore it, be prepared to go out and buy a set of brakes with adjustable bite point.
Their are plenty of gears on the LT3, 27 to be exact (three in the front, nine in the rear). Going through the gears is as easy as just clicking one button or another with the thumbs. I was used to thumb and forefinger shifters, but moving the thumbs-only shifters in towards the center of the bar helped me get the hang of them sooner. Norco grips grace the end of the handlebars and are very comfortable on longer rides. No blisters formed on even the toughest jaunts, at least not on your hands. The WTB seat can get uncomfortable in no time if you're doing a lot of seated riding. It's comfortable in the showroom and that's about it.
Shimano hubs, WTB rims and Kenda tires contribute to a smooth running and immensely tough wheel-set. A word of warning: the LT3 uses Presta-style inner tube valves rather than the conventional Schrader style, so the average bike pump will not work on them without an adapter. These can be picked up at any bike store. Overall, the frame and components are top notch and a bargain by any means.
On the trail, the LT3 is no mountain goat when it comes to climbing. It can go uphill, but not in any particular hurry. This isn't surprising for a bike with as much suspension travel as the LT3, so it can't really be held against it. Where the LT3 shines is on negative gradients. Point the bike downhill and you'll be surprised with a smooth, controlled ride. Ride quality is easily at the level of bikes that cost hundreds of dollars more. The center of gravity feels very low and the bike likes to stick to the terrain around corners. The Marzocchi/Fox suspension combo works in tandem to soak up imperfections on the trail and it doesn't seem to wallow in its range of travel.
At over six feet long, the LT3 isn't a compact, manueverable bike, but it handles technical trails, nonetheless. I even tried to throw in some urban freestyle riding in the test, but that does not work whatsoever with the LT3. It's no little bmx bike by any means. Even though most of my comparisons during the test were done using my old hardtail bike as the standard, I could still tell that the LT3 was a great bike. After a few months of riding, the only problems I've encountered are coming from the shifting system. Like all new bikes, the derailleur cables have stretched out and the derailleurs will require some adjustment. This is to be expected, however.
The plus:
Quality suspension performance
Bang-for-the-buck factor
Corner-carving, inspiring handling
The negative:
Handlebar and stem
Seat
Lack of adjustability in fork and brakes
Overall rating:
7.5/10 (above average, but could use some improvement) |
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| Neversummer |
| Just saw your review. Nice write up. The Fluid is a nice bike. I would personally upgrade the rear shock to a Roco Air TST to better balance out the Zoke55. It will transform your rear end vs the Fox 3.0. Throw on some decent brakes and you are good to go. Norco make good stuff. Tough as hell. I'm actually considering a Shore or an A-Line as my dedicated park bike for Winter Park. Great deals on them right now. |
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