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Submitted by
Steve
a Downhiller
from Toronto ON Canada
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Bing Bang (Bromont) | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$3300.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle Solutions | | Strengths: | Strong frame, awesome component spec for the $$, unreal braking power, Monster triple, big and ugly, $3300 canadian! | | Weaknesses: | My bike came with an improperly dished rear wheel, so it now rubs on the drive side chainstay but I think my shop will take care of this for me. I've heard some bad things about the Alex rims but I'll give them a chance and see for myself. The rear tire clearance truly sucks but I knew this and its not news to anybody. Will make you fell invincible and you will beat and batter yor body into pulp. | | Similar Products Used: | Big Hit, Norco Team DH, Gemmini, Bullit | | Bike Setup: | Small stock 2002 Shore w/ 2002 monster | | Bottom Line: | This is the best and most fun bike I have ever owned. She is big, strong and burly. This bike will take just about anything you through at it and ask for more. I'm 5'11", 200 lbs and I've done five footers to flat concrete with no problems and 8-9 foot drops to transition easy. There is no reason to complain about the weight of the monster as it balances out the bike nicely and inspires supreme confidence to go big. I have only had the bike for a couple of weeks and can honestly say it has made me a way better rider. It is so stable at low speeds it make you feel like you can do anything. Rides skinnies so sweetly and will eat anything in its path (including homeless people who lay across the sidewalk in filthy sleeping bags at 2:00 P. M.). Awesome bike, awesome value. Unfortunately my rear wheel was improperly dished from the start so it now rubs a little on the back but I believe the shop guys will take care of it for me. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin Smith
a Downhiller
from Santa Cruz, CA
Date Reviewed: January 22, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Dead Campers | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Burly all-around, tracks great, takes drops with ease, little petal bob, plush suspension. | | Weaknesses: | Rear tire clearance a little weak. | | Similar Products Used: | Gemini | | Bike Setup: | Marzocchi Shiver dc, Kenda 2.6 f/r, axiom post, primo petals | | Bottom Line: | Great all around. Durable and capable or anything you can throw at it. Shiver is a perfect match for the plush 6 inches in the rear and allows for a great ride. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc Fortier
a Cross Country Rider
from Squamish, B.C Canada
Date Reviewed: November 24, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Demon Wheels | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Corsa | | Strengths: | Quick handling and nimble for a big bike
Super-stable and tracks like it's on rails
Efficient 4-bar linkage | | Weaknesses: | Limited rear tire clearance
Noisy frame
Telescopic seat post | | Bike Setup: | Stock, except longer stem and narrower bars | | Bottom Line: | This bike is a blast! I didn't want such a big freeride beast, but the price was right so I went for it. A little cumbersome for an all-round hardcore trail bike, but once you've got gravity working with you, this bike eats it up. I can't believe how nimble it is on tight steep technical trails. A good amount of work to get it uphill, but the efficient rear linkage means you don't lose any power. The one place I've found it sucks is when trying to go fast on level trails that have lots of bumps and roots - the suspension just doesn't seem to work with the terrain. But uphill technical climbing is great. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ky
a Downhiller
from Ladysmith, B.C. Canada
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Mary Jane and Monkeys in the mist | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2500.00 | | Purchased At: | Pacific Rim | | Strengths: | This Bike is Pretty damn good. The suspension feels nice, and after a long history of breaking off my derailler, this bike is like a little slice of heaven. With my 145 lbs this bike takes the drop offs and hard riding nicely.
| | Weaknesses: | Not much, cept the back tires clearance is a little blah! | | Similar Products Used: | Kona, Head assault | | Bike Setup: | Good default setup but i switched the stem... i was bored.
Put on some new bush bars wich kicked a$$ gotta love those Hydraulic disc brakes | | Bottom Line: | Nice bike thats a good ride and plenty of fun with few, minor drawbacks. Buy this if your looking for qa good ride that can take some punishment on some crazy trails | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Travis Jackman
a Downhiller
from Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 18, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Schleyer at Whistler | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2500.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Zone in Surrey | | Strengths: | -Strong Frame
-Monster T goes perfectly with the bike
-Awesome specs | | Weaknesses: | -2.5 Mobster is way too wide for the rear
-Cranks creak like mad
-DX32 rims come out of true and flatspot very easily | | Similar Products Used: | Norco Team DH, Brodie Devo | | Bike Setup: | 2002 Norco VPS Shore, 2002 Marzocchi Monster T, RaceFace NorthShore cranks, 24" rear Sun double track, 24" 2.7 Mobster, front Vuelta Excaliber rim 26" with 2.5 Mobster, Funn bars and stem, 8" hayes | | Bottom Line: | Awesome freeriding and DH machine. Some parts could be changed to make the bike even sweeter than it already is. All round awesome bike. Best investment I have ever made. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kris
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonton,Alberta,Canada
Date Reviewed: September 3, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$2600.00 | | Purchased At: | from family | | Strengths: | I need some help i am trying to get into dh and i don't have a good enuff bike to talk the punishment of the big drops. But my family don't see the point of it and cant see why i would need it, can anyone give me some "reasons" that i could use to get them on my side? like i have said that it will take the punishment, cause my present bike breaks all the time and it is now off warrenty. | | Bottom Line: | I need some help i am trying to get into dh and i don't have a good enuff bike to talk the punishment of the big drops. But my family don't see the point of it and cant see why i would need it, can anyone give me some "reasons" that i could use to get them on my side? like i have said that it will take the punishment, cause my present bike breaks all the time and it is now off warrenty | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stuch
a Downhiller
from Adelaide SA Australia
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | this is an update | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$4230.00 | | Purchased At: | trak cycles marion (price above is aus) | | Strengths: | everything that was in my old review
plus
i cant believe how good this bike is ive had some big stacks on it nothing bad happened ive done 7-8 foot drops and haven't bottomed out the back (6" is good enough)looks sick and brakes are awesome i cant believe how good these rims are ive put them through some hard stuff and nothing wrong at all | | Weaknesses: | nothing
for those of you who think its heavy its not heavy you're just not strong enough | | Bike Setup: | stock just put thicker oil in forks cause they bottomed out a bit now they're good | | Bottom Line: | still an awesome bike
nothing compares with this bike its such good value and its so strong and sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Esau
a Weekend Warrior
from Surrey, B.C., Canada
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | A-line, Whisler | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$3000.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Zone in Surrey | | Strengths: | Great bike for heavy riders, I weight 230 lbs and I only need a 700lbs spring to work great. Front fork was a bit flexy for my weight so I upgraded to a Shiver and am loving it regardless of the bad reviews about flex.(I will review the fork separetely). | | Weaknesses: | Rear chainstay is to short. Norco admitts this is a factory mistake and new lower arms are being made at no cost to bike owner. Rear tire barely fits (2.5x 26) but is perfect for a 24" wheel. This is not to bad cause will be fixed free,only other weahness is that it climbs like a lead pig but I didn't buy it climb. | | Similar Products Used: | 2001 Rocky Mountain Reaper | | Bike Setup: | stock except for Shiver with extra heavy springs, 700lbs spring in rear and a 2.6 Gazz Jr. on front. | | Bottom Line: | great frame and even better parts for the money, 4299.00Can with the Shiver. I looked around a lot to find a bike I could urban, freeride, and downhill with while confident that it could handle my weight 230lbs. 3 Bikes came forward Specialized Big Hit, Brodie Devo, and VPS Shore. the others are great bikes but could not compare in value in Norco. The VPS wheelies and manuals like a dream which is great for hucking drops but was still stable on the downhill. For a heavy bike it rides light and hops amazingly well for the urban stuff, just don't point it uphill (shuttle).Great for a heavy rider who wants a bike that has been proved by time and still goes strong and its Canadian -eh. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 28, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | The one I havent found yet! | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | Russ Hayes | | Strengths: | Awsome all around bike!! I was riding a 2001 Buzz VPS for the past year and a bit. It was set up with Hydro's and 6 inch Jr T's, so it was not at all stock.
I am sooooooo pleased with my new ride that I have been on it almost ever since I got it!! I can land the stuff I was wary of before, it has given me a whole new level of confidence! The rear suspension is so plush and the RC shock is the bomb! | | Weaknesses: | Hmmmmmm, er, ahhhh, none yet! | | Similar Products Used: | RM Pipeline, VPS Buzz, VPS Team DH, AC-1, RM7, Stinky. | | Bike Setup: | 2001 6" Jr T, Shimano XT Hydro DIsks, Fr=Mavic d521 36 hole on XT with Gazz Jr,Rear= 24" Tioga DH wheel on Axiom Hub with Maxis High Roller2.7", Black Spire NS-1 Chainguide, FSA V Drive Extreme ISIS Cranks with Envey Bash guard, XT Rear Derauler, RooX Torque bar with ODI lock-on's, Titec Berserker Saddle. | | Bottom Line: | Sick Bike!!
This is one of the nicest bikes I have ever owned! I bought it as a frameset and built it with the parts from my other VPS. I am more than pleased with it's jumping and landing performance, it is soooooo plush and sweet, I cant wait to pop a set of Boxxers or whatever on the front!!
Buy this bike and you will never be disapointed (unless weight is a factor).
Cheers' | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ANDY HATTON
a Downhiller
from THORNTON
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | GLENROCK and HEATON FOREST | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$4000.00 | | Purchased At: | GATESHEAD CYCLES | | Strengths: | ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT BIKE. STICKS WERE ITS SUPPOSED TO STICK
LOVES THE DROPS AND THE JUMPS. MY CONFIDENCE AND ABILITY
SINCE PURCHASING THIS BIKE HAS SOARED.........LOVE IT
| | Weaknesses: | REAR TYRE IS TO LARGE FOR THE REAR SWING ARM. I HAD TO CUT
THE KNOBS DOWN A BIT OFF THE SIDES. BUT THAT WOULD BE ALL. | | Similar Products Used: | SPECIALIZED BIG HIT PRO | | Bike Setup: | ALL STANDARD OTHER THAN THE BIKE CAME WITH AXION SINGLE RING
CHAIN GUIDE | | Bottom Line: | LOVE IT, COULDNT BE HAPPIER WITH A BIKE WITHIN THIS PRICE RANGE. DONT HESITATE. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stuch
a Downhiller
from Adelaide SA Australia
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | anything with chutes, jumps and drops | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$4200.00 | | Purchased At: | trak cycles marion (they rock) | | Strengths: | - price ($4200 Australian, its normally around 5500 which is a good price already)
- frame, Norco don't miss a thing
- suspension, super t's and fox RC (sooooooo smooth and they haven't even broken in properly)
- top quality parts, R/F NS DH cranks, xt components, maxis tires (gotta love'm)
- it has the mother of all handle bars and stem (funn parts whoop up)
- seatpost inside the seatpost (a must for this frame)
- the guys at Trak Cycles Marion are the best they helped me fine tune this beast and worked overtime for an extra hour just so it was working at its best
- wheelies and tricky stuff on this bike is a piece of cake
- geometry is perfect
- anything else I havn't mentioned | | Weaknesses: | - didn't come with a doctor for when you break yourself
- apart from that absolutely jack sh*t
| | Similar Products Used: | Norco Atomik, Kona Stinky | | Bike Setup: | completely stock except here in Australia we get a axiom DH chain guide | | Bottom Line: | THIS BIKE KICKS ASS
Any bad stuff that other people have said about this bike is not true, the pedals are grippy as, and the seat is hell nice nothing is crap on this bike.
I love this thing and although I haven't properly been downhilling on it yet I've been to dirt jumps and did some urban stuff this thing gives you sooooo much confidence, you point out something to your friends they say its impossible not on the shore its not.
5 flamin' Chillis for this cause there aint nothing better in the world at this price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pat Hunter
a Downhiller
from Renton, WA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | BoogieMan | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2500.00 | | Purchased At: | John Henry's | | Strengths: | Rad parts spec, super tough, reliable, predictable handling and not too heavy. Fun to ride anywhere as well. The adjustability is nice. | | Weaknesses: | Crappy rear tire clearance, soft springs some factory. IT could use another inch in the rear to make the fork feel more balanced. | | Similar Products Used: | Bullit, VPS Launch, RM7, Balfa 2step, Specialized Big Hit, etc | | Bike Setup: | '02 Shore with Monster, stock wheels, 2.7 Intense front, Bonty Crowbar w/ MacNeil stem, NS-1 guide with 32t ring, 8" Hayes, RF NSXS cranks, etc | | Bottom Line: | Rad bike. It's a ton of fun no matter what you're riding. I've ridden the Shore and Ive gone DHing at the local places, plus Ive ridden tons of street and it's handled everything superbly. Rad value, as well.
I love it! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kris Mcphee
a Downhiller
from Blue River, B.C. Canada
Date Reviewed: April 30, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Mr. Richard Smoker | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$3000.00 | | Purchased At: | Norco | | Strengths: | Indesrtuctable frame, good stock spec's, 8" rotors | | Weaknesses: | Grip shift, weight, pedals | | Similar Products Used: | RM7 FR | | Bike Setup: | Stock: Fox Vanilla RC w/6.1" travel, Marzocchi Super T's, Race Face DH cranks, Hayes 8", good rims, tires, bars, stem and seat. Cheap front deraillure, shifter, pedals and hubs (I guess they had to save money somewhere). | | Bottom Line: | This is a good bike. It shines going down. Not very impressive riding around on the street; seems heavy, hard to pedal really fast, feels big. As soon as you get dropped off at the top, ('cause if you're like me you don't really want to pedal your ass to the top) you realise why you dropped the fat coin to get what must surely be one of the ultimate freeride bikes of all time. The weight disappears as soon as you commit. The brakes are impressively stong with good modulation. Drops are effortless at speed. I have yet to get used to slow-speed wheelie drops on account of the sweet but heavy Super T's, but with practise it shouldn't be a problem. Aren't these bikes made for Shore-Style slow-speed huckin' anyway?
The suspension feels just fine for my weight, 145 lb, heavier riders might want to consider a stiffer spring as I've be able to bottom out in the softer setting.
For such a high end bike it would be nice to have some better pedals (cheap BMX er's), and some matching XT rapidfire for the front derailleur.
The shore also looks really cool. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dustin
a Downhiller
from St. Albert, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | they all rule with my shore | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | St. Albert Sports | | Strengths: | frame, fork, wait... everything | | Weaknesses: | a little skimpy on tire clearance in the rear, but that's it | | Similar Products Used: | specialized big hit comp, santa cruz bullit, devinci magma | | Bike Setup: | stock + irc kujo dh 2.65 front, intense dh tubes fr & Rr | | Bottom Line: | if you want a killer bike that will handle anything you throw at it (and isn't too bad if you miss your pedals after a no-footer) this is the bike. Great value for the money, beats the hell out of a rocky rm7 for value... and bike goodness! the only person i could see not wanting this bike, is an xc racer. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
rob
a Downhiller
from vancouver, bc
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$4200.00 | | Strengths: | everything | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | bullit, rm7, devo, vps drop, lts 2000 | | Bike Setup: | MONSTER T, and stock | | Bottom Line: | this bike is sooo sweeet...
this bike has power of its own. it weighs alittle more than your average grandmother, but it doesnt reflect it when you ride it. its amazingly nimble! the monster T is so smooth. you can bomb it off shiat, and it doesnt make a sound. bottom line, norco makes kick-ass high end bikes.
the bearings are cartridge and you can replace them at your local skate shop even. im 100% happy with this bike. be warned, once you go VPS, you dont go back! if i could give it 6 chilis, i would. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brad White
a Weekend Warrior
from Campbell River BC
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | anywere with a double | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Pedal your world sports | | Strengths: | Strong frame. plush bomber. no flex. berms well. drops like a god | | Weaknesses: | hmmmmmmmm........ ummmmmm....... maybe that.... nope none | | Similar Products Used: | 2001 shore. rm6. rm7. slayer. bullet | | Bike Setup: | Super T northshore cranks. xt and 8" hayes | | Bottom Line: | Man im like 230 pounds and i need a strong bike. especially when i land a little tweeked. this bike has taken everything and could take more. im glad norco did what they did on this bike i cant think of anyhting wrong with it right now....... and probally not in the future. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan
a Weekend Warrior
from Winnipeg, Mb
Date Reviewed: November 26, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | The one your friend says they won't do | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Absolutly a strong and reliable frame that gives you more confidence than you might want. Every drop and big hit and still not a creek or complaint. | | Weaknesses: | I purchased the bike off a friend and he had broken the rear triangle perviously. They replaced it with the new for 2002 rear triangle with the beefed up rear piviot. I haven't been able to brake it yet. | | Bottom Line: | You may look on a map and see that Winnipeg is in the middle of the prairies and not a mountain to be seen, but we still need the big bikes that can handle our flat land fustration. This bike has brought my ridding enjoyment to a new level, everything from getting looks while passing transit busses in a wheelie, to droping off anything anywhere. If your looking for a great bike that will make you do things that you normally wouldn't then get on and hold on. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike
a Downhiller
from surrey B.C. Canada
Date Reviewed: November 19, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | all of them | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$4538.00 | | Purchased At: | rocky cycle | | Strengths: | Everything, wheelies, 15+ drops, downhills, run offs, this bike will do it all, stiff frame, no flex, awsome warrenty | | Weaknesses: | nothing | | Similar Products Used: | first bike | | Bottom Line: | this is a hard core canadian, american eating bike, it eats north shore like it were cake, super stiff zero flex frame, but climbs better than your neighborhood xc bike, bike rocks | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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