Submitted by
Eric
a Downhiller
from Maple Ridge, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 31, 2007
Strengths: hardy beefy frame
Weaknesses: grip shift are retarded. go to bunny hop off something and shift gears in mid air, n when you land and pedal out you skip gears and smash your knees on the handle bars. THEY ARE STUPID!! and the crap shock that has no rebound adjust so no matter what you do you will always have a fll 1-2 second delay before shock returns to normalit. change it out for something faster like a vanilla RC, roco, dhx manitou any thing that is adjustable.
Bottom Line:
this is a minty bike. minus the stock setup, once you upgrade almost every thing to better newer junk this bike absolutly rocks your world. dont bother buying one unless its upgraded alredy or else your going to have to spend more on part than you did on the bike. that said, the bike its self is great
Similar Products Used: brodie 9 ball, but with less travel
Bike Setup: Marzzochi super T pro, sram trigger shifts, stupid vanilla slow spring shock, beefy 3.2 no name tires.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Joel Sell
a Weekend Warrior
from Philly, PA USA
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2004
Strengths: DH wheels, comfy seat, 5" of travel is really nice when your old bike only had 3", disk brakes, beefy looks, it has handled EVERYTHING I have thrown at it- 7ft drops to flat, 12ft drops, major crashes
Weaknesses: 5" of travel isn't enough after a while, SRAM HALF PIPE SHIFTERS- GET RID OF THEM IMMEDIATELY!, the bike is a bit heavy if it's gonna be your only bike, the non-adjustable Fox Vanilla shock- I blew it after a year
Bottom Line:
This bike took me from a wannabe freerider to maniac on a bike. There was no hill too steep, no drop too big, no set of doubles too far apart, nothing that stopped me. The bike felt and still feels like riding a motorcycle. It just feels BIG and STRONG. The fist night I got it, I was out riding it in the dark in a park and WHAM! I hit a 5" log that had fallen across the trail. I flew about 20ft and landed on my shoulder. I dislocated it. The bike was FINE. Everything has held up great on the bike. I just recently bought a hardtail and I started noticing just how heavy my Norco Drop really was. Other than the weight, I can't complain. 5 chilis for value 4 chilis for the not-so great rear shock and the weight
Bike Setup: Stock except for re-drilled link plates and a 5th element in the rear for almost 8" of travel, Shimano Rapid fire shifters, ODI lock on grips, RockShox Boxxer (7") forks, Avid mechanical calipers
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Submitted by
Matt Priest
a Weekend Warrior
from Chilliwack, B.C. Canada
Date Reviewed: June 16, 2002
Strengths: Unbelievable bike for the money, handles any drops 6ft and under no problem (I weight 220lbs), great frame, good rims, good components, and awesome front fork for the money.
Weaknesses: Z-5 fork a little weak for me but possibly new springs and heaviern oil could help somewhat
Bottom Line:
This bike kicks ass for the cash. A great bike for a beginner to intermediate downhiller that can be upgraded to a kick ass downhill machine that anyone would ride. This bike is strong it has handled all the punishment that I have given it and it always comes back wantin more. Buy a Norco, cause Canadian bikes rock and are superior produsts. They look damn sweet too.
Strengths: everything. the suspension is great front and rear, the hayes hmx have to be broken in but then they're rad. the rims are super strong.
Weaknesses: i changed the grip shifters to deore rapid fires when i got it because i knew they would suck. bent one of the pins on the pedal the first ride and can get it out
Bottom Line:
this bike is the best. on small drops you don't even feel them. off jumps the bike is really stable it doesn't feel like my old hardtail but i'm still geting used to it. it's great for the money to because you get top quality parts. this bike climbs better than a hardtail so even a hardcore x country person could ride it. this bike is good for anyone
Strengths: -the moncoque front end is sweet -the priced compared to a stinky with leser spec -the z5 QR20
Weaknesses: the gripshift were too long and very dangerous at high speeds when braking. it could use a rebound ajuster on the shock.
Bottom Line:
this is a sweet bike for an agressive xc rider that wants to do drops but doesn't want to be out of a bike when waranty time comes. this bike is an excellent decender, and it climbs like it was Lances tour de france bike, well maybe not that good but it is good at the short technical climbs, better than my xc hardtail. I haven't had problems with the pivots but the 2001 have cartridge bearings. i'd also like to say that i'm 200lbs and ride very fast and do 6 ft drops to flat regularly. I've also seen in a video where a guy tries this 20 ft high road gap, totally cassed it and landed on the pavement and all he hadf was a warped rim, no frame damage
Strengths: Frame construction, stiff,strong so you can trust it, great on climb better then my hardtail, rims, and all exept the weaknesses ..
Weaknesses: Grip shift, to long seat post so I cut it, hayes mecanicals( my V-breakes on my X-country are a lot better).and the strange sound of the freame ( but on a DH) you dont notice it.The paint( but who cares ) it's scrach easely.
Bottom Line:
I love my bike, the Z5 and the rear shock are ok, but I want more, so I upgrade, because i want and not because i need to...WELL A GOOD FREERIDE BIKE, and it's Canadian. (sorry for my english i'm a french guy)... RIDE AND RIDE AGAIN AND AGAIN . :-)
Similar Products Used: Norco charger, Specialized stumpjuper FSR with a Z1,
Bike Setup: Stock, for now, but, next summer i'll have a Z1 FR QR20 or a M.T 2000, at the rear a stratos helix, and magura Julie FR ( FR/R).
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Submitted by
Mike
a Downhiller
from Kelowna, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 20, 2001
Strengths: SUPER STRONG FRAME, BEEFY RIMS, GREAT FORK, REALLY PLUSH SUSPENSION, IT'S CANADIAN MADE!!!!!!!
Weaknesses: THE BRAKES ARE GOOD BUT NOT GREAT, IF I EVER GET ENOUGH $$$ I WILL UPGRADE THEM TO HYDROS, THE SRAM HALF-PIPE SHIFTERS SUCK, SO I AM GONNA PUT ON RAPIDFIRES AS SOON AS MY LOCAL SHOP GETS 'EM IN!!!!!!
Bottom Line:
THIS BIKE IS RAD! IT'S REALLY BOOSTED UP MY RIDING AND PUSHES ME ALL THE TIME!THE MARZOCCHI Z-5 QR-20 IS A GREAT FORK AND THE FRAME IS TOP-NOTCH! TEH COMPONENTS ARE GREAT, OTHER THAN THE SRAM SHIFTERS, DITCH 'EM RIGHT AWAY, YOUR LOCAL SHOP SHOULD DO THAT FOR YA' FREE OF CHARGE! I'M 14 AND WEIGH AROUND 150 SO IF YOU WEIGH ANYMORE THAN THAT I'D PAY THE EXTRA $$$ FOR HYDROS! BUT THIS IS THE BEST BIKE EVER FOR THE PRICE AND I LOVE IT! SHE'S A BEAUT!
AS WELL AS SERVING AS A DH BIKE IT ALSO HAS MANY OTHER CAPABILITIES SUCH AS DUAL SLALOM, URBAN THRASH AND TRAILS RIDING. THIS BIKE IS A MUST FOR THOSE BEGINNER DOWNHILLERS.
Strengths: I bought a rental at the end of the season. They were giving really good big rebates. And although it's been riden about 30 times by other people this summer, it's still feels solid and like it's just been out of the box. This bike can that A lOT of abuse!!! I just like the overall kinda solid ans "secure" ride it provides. You always want to push harder with this bike...that's when you know you have a good bike in your hands.
Weaknesses: A bit on the heavy side, Hayes mechanical. Hayes makes great hydro disks brakes but if you're gonna have a mechanical disk brakes system I prefer Avid.
Bottom Line:
You always feel you can push it harder...a great bike...specially at the price I paid =)
Submitted by
Mike
a Downhiller
from Kelowna , BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 22, 2001
Strengths: BEAFY FRAME, SUPER PLUSH SUSPENSION, SWEET FORK (MARZOCCHI Z5 QR20), SOLID RIMS (VUELTA DH DISC), AND GREAT BRAKES FOR ME (HAYES MECHANICALS)!!!!!
Weaknesses: I'M JUST FINDING IT HARD TO GET USED TO THE SRAM HALFPIPE SHIFTERS, I'M THINKING OF GETTING RAPIDFIRES INSTEAD! IT'S A LITTLE HEAVY, BUT I'LL GET OVER THE WEIGHT PROBLEM FOR SURE!
Bottom Line:
FOR THE SHORT TIME I'VE HAD IT, I LOVE IT! EVERYTHING IS WORKING GREAT, OTHER THAN GETTING USED TO THE SHIFTERS. I CAN'T WAIT TO GO ON A COUPLE MORE RIDES AND SEE WHAT THIS BIKE CAN HANDLE! BUT THIS BIKE HAS REALLY RAISED MY CONFIDENCE ON MY RIDING, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW FAR I CAN PUSH MYSELF WITH THIS BIKE! IT ROCKS!!!!!!!!!! SO IF IF U WANT TO PUSH YOUR RIDING, THEN I WOULD RECOMEND THIS BEAST OF A BIKE TO U!
Similar Products Used: TESTED A '99 GARY FISHER LEVEL BETTY!
Bike Setup: STOCK, SO FAR!
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Submitted by
Matt Milford
a Weekend Warrior
from Kanata ontario canada
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2001
Strengths: You guys keep messin up, You sayed this frame is aluminum when it is actually monocoque but other than that Everything is great. Gotta love them QR 20 forks.
Weaknesses: Nothin
Bottom Line:
Awsome bike. I demode one and my friend owns one. My only beef is the price. Its about $700 out of normal peoples price ranges unless you work at the bike shop. Bring on the big drops because this will eat them up and still ask for more. Its will take more than my other friends XCR with its massive travel JR.T fork. Better put this bike in your will because chances are it will out live you.
Strengths: Excellent value, well equiped, strong frame, plus rear suspension soaks up bumps. Climbs well when seated, unique look and name (not very common out there)
Weaknesses: Monocoque not easy to carry up stairs. Look not to every body liking
Bottom Line:
Among the better value offers out there, well equiped freeride bike, on par with Kona Stinky.
Submitted by
Dan Jones
a Cross Country Rider
from Victoria
Date Reviewed: August 12, 2001
Strengths: I bought the bike on my lunch brake at work then once I was done for the day I took the bike out. WOW. I took a couple big hits to get a good feel for the bike and it was awsome.
Weaknesses: I switched over to Rapid fires they wor great. the guys at Russ Hay's is great the guys are great no complaints at all
Bottom Line:
Buy one.. It's a bike that look forward to owning and enjoyin for many years.
Strengths: I was mostly looking to upgrade my exsisting GT LTS bike. While in the bike shops, i decided to take a VPS out for a spin. Right then and there, after a couple of wheelies and staircase drops, i knew i needed this bike. I has no intention of buying new until i rode it. Here i am, 6 months later. I've never crashed harder in my life. Only because the level of riding that i do is completely different now. I just recoved from a broken arm. Bottom line, this bike is sweat. I would prefer hydro brakes, but am not complaining about the HMX. You cant go wrong with the VPS series. I've beat the crap out of this bike and its just takes the abuse. Its not just a DH bike either. Sweet for XC trails with large logs, ditches, hits....etc.
Weaknesses: I flatted the rails on the stalk norco seat in the shop. Besides my heavy arse getting in the way, i have found no weaknessess. Mabey my jealous friends.
