Norco's Optic and Sight mountain bikes get idler pulleys for 2024
High pivots, rearward axle paths in 150mm and 125mm packages.
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Having signed Greg Minnaar and made Red Bull Hardline history with Gracey Hemstreet being the first woman to complete the track last weekend, all eyes are on Norco – and the timing couldn't be better. That's because, today, the brand has unveiled its updated Sight and Optic mountain bikes which have been completely shaken up for 2024.
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The two bikes sit below the Range enduro bike with the Sight aimed at long-legged versatility, while the Optics is more of a short-travel trail bike. But both bikes carry one big change – they run idler pulleys with rearward axle paths.
First, let's take a look at the Sight. It's designed to be a force to be reckoned with either between the tapes or during big rides and it does so with its 160mm of front suspension travel and 150mm at the rear. Norco goes on to say that the Sight takes a lot of what made the Range enduro bike great and shrinks it down into a pedal-friendly package.
2024 norco sight rear.jpg, by Liam Mercer
The bike has been created around its VPS (or Virtual Pivot Suspension/High Pivot) which has been added to increase the Sight's rearward axle path. While we're yet to try it ourselves, the brand says that improves suspension performance while negotiating technical terrain. It uses a specifically placed idler pulley location and its anti-squat has been tuned in a bid to make it pedal efficiently while offering responsiveness under power.
Like many bikes on the market, the Norco Sight can be picked up with a 650b rear wheel or full 29er setup and the two wheels can be switched thanks to a 'Missing Link Kit' which replaces some of the linkage hardware. This has been included to retain the bike's original geometry and kinematic while offering the opportunity to swap rear wheel sizes.
2024 norco sight tt.jpg, by Liam Mercer
The new Sight is available with the choice of carbon fibre or a hydroformed alloy frame and we're told that there's no difference between the two, apart from the material. There are also five frame sizes available. To help suit riders up to 6'5", each size gets a specific chainstay length and seat tube angle which Norco says maintains consistent weight distribution across the size range. Thanks to short seat tubes, the Norco Sight can fit up to a 240mm dropper post, which is pretty generous.
With a 29-inch wheel fitted into the rear of the bike, the Sight benefits from a 472.5mm reach in its '3' size. The same size gets a 434mm chainstay and a 77.50-degree effective seat tube angle. The wheelbase then stretches to 1,253mm.
Norco's new distributor, Silverfish will be bringing three models of the Sight into the UK, the C2, A1 and a Sight C frame-only. The Sight C2 boasts RockShox suspension with a Lyrik Ultimate fork and Vivid Ultimate Air shock. SRAM has shifting covered with a NX/GX Eagle groupset as well as Code Bronze Stealth brakes. It rolls on Stan's Flow S2 rims and the Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR II tyre combo. This is a carbon-framed model.
The alloy framed bike will get RockShox suspension again but with a Super Deluxe Ultimate Coil at the rear that's kitted with a Sprindex spring rate adjuster. There's a SRAM GX T-Type drivetrain and the rest of the build matches the Sight C2.
2024 norco optic hero.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Onto the Optic and Norco says that this bike pushes the boundaries of what's expected of a short-travel trail bike. it gets 140mm of front suspension paired with just 125mm at the rear which employs the brand's VPS suspension layout with that rearward axle path and idler pulley.
It gets all of the goodness found on the Sight but its geometry gets a bit of a tweak, in comparison. So a '3' frame features a 472.5mm reach with a 77-degree effective seat tube angle. There's then a 65-degree head tube angle and a 429mm chainstay. The wheelbase measures 1,226mm.
2024 norco optic frame.jpg, by Liam Mercer
The UK will be getting two derivatives: one complete build and a frame-only option. The Optic C2 gets a carbon frame that's equipped with a RockShox Pike Select+ fork and a Fox Float Performance Elite Shock. SRAM supplies the shifting with a SRAM GX T-Type setup combined with SRAM Code R brakes. This bike also gets Stan's Flow S2 wheels and that Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR II tyre selection.
As for prices, the Optic C frame is £3,800 while the Sight C frame is £4,000. Full builds then start at £6,000 and go up to £7,000.
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