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Submitted by
Josh F
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelphia, Pa, USA
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Green Lane Blue Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Wheel Wright Bike Shop | | Strengths: | easy to set up. spec'ed out nicely w/ drivetrain and brakes. fork is great. 4 bar feels great on climbs and downhills. | | Weaknesses: | need to move cables to put on h2o cage. need to unbolt suspension to adjust air pressure on rear shock when in 3" setting. comes w/ junk peadles. | | Similar Products Used: | gt i drive 2.0, schwinn homegrown ht, fisher cake 3 dlx, trek fuel 90. | | Bike Setup: | easton bars, stem, and seatpost. hayes hydraulic 9 6". Rock shox sid rear shock, marzocchi mx pro w/ eta fork. xt/deore mix w/ stylo , swapped to time peadles. | | Bottom Line: | once you get the air pressure right (which only takes a few rides), the bike feels great. at nearly 30 lbs, it's a little heavy, but you do not notice it much on the trail. the bike handles like a dh rig, but is still great to peadle uphill. you can not beat the bike for the price, i have been very pleased with this bike. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
W.
a Cross Country Rider
from BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | Auction | | Strengths: | Review is for 2004 model. Good components (XT, FOX, Marzocchi, Ritchey, Panracer, Deore[thppt], A Class). Simple looks. Great geometry. | | Weaknesses: | The pedals aren't the greatest. I want to replace them... maybe I will try to break them in some more. | | Similar Products Used: | GT, Specialized, Rocky Mountain. | | Bike Setup: | As sold by http://www.norco.com/bikes/2004bikes/fireball.htm | | Bottom Line: | Very good bike for the price paid. Do not know the weight of it, but it was easy to get up hills... once you remember to lock out your shocks [I forgot to when I was going up a big hill... with the front so high and a rear shock in motion... I ended up flipping over backwards, lol! and I could not unclip... so I wisely crashed onto my side.]
I would not use a riser bar on this bike unless you like sitting upright. Plus, get a shock pump for the FOX Float so you can adjust it properly... I think I am going to stiffen mine up a little more.
I ride strictly cross country plus some light downhill. I do not know if I would trust the rims for some major drops/jumps. Everything else would hold.
Great CANADIAN bike! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
iceman
a Cross Country Rider
from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 16, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Anywhere but Winnipeg | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2225.00 | | Purchased At: | a local shop | | Strengths: | After first glance and first few rides: Very light frame, suspension, powerful Hayes hyd. disc brakes, frame geometry.
After 6 months: The bike is still like new (after spending so much time in the shop waiting for parts).
Weaknesses: (after 6 months)
Shifter cable housings are rubbing on the frame and chewing slowly the aluminium. Norco needs to relocate their rear derailleur and brake cables elsewhere on the frame.
Suspension (all suspension bushings needed to be replaced and main pivot sheared right off) Norco customer service sucks BIG time when time comes to ship you new parts. Be aware!! | | Weaknesses: | After first glance and first few rides: Saddle comfort - might as well ride on a piece of cardboard. Needed to change the stock saddle. Also, if your seatpost clamp gives up, you will definitely bend your rear shock.
After 6 months: Shifter cable housings are rubbing on the frame and chewing slowly the aluminium. Norco needs to relocate their rear derailleur and brake cables elsewhere on the frame. Suspension (all suspension bushings needed to be replaced after 3 months and main suspension pivot sheared right off).
Norco customer service sucks BIG time when time comes to ship you new parts. Be aware!! Thanks God I had my spare bike to ride while waiting for parts. The rear axle also bent on me and needed to be replaced as well. | | Similar Products Used: | Giant VT One and VT Two, Specialized Enduro Comp, Enduro Expert, Trek Fuel 98, Fuel 100, Giant NRS-1, NRS-Air | | Bike Setup: | Replaced the handlebars by MaxM MX-5 carbon fiber, the saddle by a Specialized 03 Sport, put a Tacx Tao bottle cage, replaced the shifters by XT ones, the front derailleur for XT, rear was XT, put a Skin Lizard chain stay guard and put carbon fiber frame protector patches all over (to protect the frame from those cables). Also changed the grips for a pair of Specialized BG Comfort (No more pain in the wrists). Put a Shimano WH-M540 wheelset on it. | | Bottom Line: | I consider selling my Fireball and buying a Giant VT One or Two. Much better frame, better wheels, better suspension better stock components overall and way much better customer service from Giant than Norco. That was my first and last Norco. Very disappointed with that Canadian bike maker. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Khoa
a
from Coquitlam, BC
Date Reviewed: December 2, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1700.00 | | Purchased At: | private | | Strengths: | weight 27.5lbs, good set of components, | | Weaknesses: | limits the height that the seat post can be lowered or raised because of the suspension set up. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized epic - brain technology, Trek Liquid 10, Klein Mantra | | Bike Setup: | stock with Time Atac carbon pedals | | Bottom Line: | I haven't had alot of time on this bike, but did some research before hand. Norco has changed quite a bit since the 80's. They have gone from a low end bike manufacturer to high end very competitive machines(price & performance). The rear suspension technology is liscened throught Specialized (4-bar linkage). Specialized is another great company producing great bikes so you can't go wrong. Only differenc is you don't pay Specialized prices and yet have the same performance. I gave ratings of 5 stars and I'm sure I won't regret that rating onced I spend more time on the bike.
Even thought this bike is rated as a xc bike, it is probably more geared towards an all mtn because of travel and weight with 4" in front and rear of travel.
This bike is for you if you're looking for a great value yet not sacrificing on performance and components, then this is the bike for you.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Liz Graham
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto
Date Reviewed: August 8, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2500.00 | | Purchased At: | Curbside Bikes | | Strengths: | Uh. everything! the bike comes stocked quite nicely. deore LX front derailleur, XT rear. SRAM cassette (9spd) and chain. 'Zocchi fork, with Rock Shox rear. bike feels really nice, especially as a first FS bike. | | Weaknesses: | Rear shock is hard to adjust in the frame. colours were awful (sorry norco), but now rule. and saddle. owie | | Similar Products Used: | norco rampage('99) xc hardtail
norco cypress ('99) xc hardtail | | Bike Setup: | stock, except saddle. replaced with Selle Italia XOTrans Am | | Bottom Line: | MY BABY! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Graeme Healey
a Cross Country Rider
from Kingston, Ontario
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | colins bay | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | source for sports | | Strengths: | excellent decents and acents great for doing 4 to 6 foot drops but still gives you a light bike for xc riding. This bike has a great driveterrain and I have yet to have trouble with it. Front fork and rear suspension are both fully ajustable. | | Weaknesses: | color. | | Similar Products Used: | specialized stumpjumper m4 (2001) | | Bottom Line: | Great bike for a great price the only exception is the color. This bike is meant for people who what to kick thier friends buts on climbs and descents and who dosent mind the color. People who shouldn't buy this bike are nobody this is a great f**king bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Iceman
a Cross Country Rider
from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | The Laurentians, Quebec, Canada | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2225.00 | | Purchased At: | www.Gords.com | | Strengths: | Very light frame, suspension, powerful Hayes hyd. disc brakes, frame geometry. | | Weaknesses: | Saddle comfort, if your seatpost clamp gives up, you will bend your rear shock. Shifter cable housings are rubbing on the frame and chewing slowly the aluminium. | | Similar Products Used: | Rocky Mountain ETSX-30, Specialized Epic Disc, Specialized Epic Comp, Specialized Stumpjumper Disc, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Disc, Trek 90, Trek Liquid 20, Giant, NRS-1, Giant AC-2, Giant XTC-1 and Gary Fisher Sugar 2+ Disc. | | Bike Setup: | Replaced the handlebars by MaxM MX-5 carbon fiber, the saddle by a Specialized 03 Sport, put a Tacx Tao bottle cage, raplaced the shifters by XT ones, the front der. for XT, rear was XT, put a Skin Lizard chain stay guard and changed the grips for a pair of Specialized BG Comfort (No more pain in the wrists). | | Bottom Line: | I've spent 2 months looking, shopping and trying MTB's to spoil myself with a full suspension bike. The bikes that I've looked at and tried were the above mentioned. A lot of them had pro's and con's. But when I sat on the Fireball, that was it. It felt smooth, would negotiate anything you would through at her and would be by far the best bike for climbing hills. For some, they might feel they ride a comfort bike because of the more upright siding position (so less pain in your back), for others who were sceptical (friends of mine) who first saw the bike and tried it, they just loved it.
Although, the first glance I've had made me hesitate trying it. Thank God I've tried it! The frame geometry makes you be able to sit on the top bar to ride under fallen trees or to cruise down very steep hills.
The bike comes with a Marzocchi Bomber MX Pro fork with 100mm travel and lockout, a RockShox Sid shock, A-Class Vectra D-2 wheels, XT rr, LX fr, LX shft.
Oh and one last thing: the bike is shipped in a new colour: silver and black. The silver has replaced the white and the black has replaced the yellow. It's not as attractive as the white/yellow shown on the Norco's web site, but it looks like a stealth bike. Less attractive for thieves.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Frank Kelly
a Weekend Warrior
from Mississauga
Date Reviewed: May 19, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Kelso | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2800.00 | | Purchased At: | Spokes and Slopes, Milton Ont, (Asked for Matt). | | Strengths: | Every thing on this bike rocks! for a full suspension it's
reasonably lite at 27-28lbs. | | Weaknesses: | None yet! | | Bike Setup: | 03'Marzocchi MX PRO, alex rims, thompson post stem, raceface bars, truvativ cranks, Hayes discs. | | Bottom Line: | I have been a Norco fan for years, but they have out did them selfs this time, this is a great ride, specs are outstanding on this bike! however I did swap out some parts
like Bars stem and post, had Easton's low grade stuff on it
still good, but I change them to, Stem and post(Thompson) Bars to RaceFace. Bottom line pick up this this bike, you
won't regret it! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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