Description:Marzocchi 66 ATA fork, with 140-180mm travel and air PL - Fox DHX Air 5.0 rear shock with Boost Valve, ProPedal, and rebound adjust - WTB hubs with Alex FD-28 rims and DT Champion Stainless spokes - FSA Gravity Lite cranks with bash guard and Black Spire Stinger lower roller chain guide - Hayes Stroker Trail hydraulic disc brakes with 7 and 8” rotors.
Submitted by
Brad
a Weekend Warrior
from Vic, Australia Date Reviewed: March 1, 2008
Favorite Trail:
You Yangs
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
BSC
Strengths:
Looks, weight, cornering, balance in air. Fast Stupid fast
Weaknesses:
Components Rider
Bike Setup:
2008 stock with Syncros mental legeaters
Bottom Line:
This bike has improved my riding in a big way which is all you could ask for from a bike I think. Super stable in the air, corners like a supermoto, trailrides better than my hardtail. Unfortunately it's showing up my low levels of fitness as I ride up hills I'm usually comfy pushing my big bike up. My biggest problem is that I'm hitting favourite trails way quicker than I ever have in the past and coming unstuck. I'm not overly fussed about crashing but apparently the components are, so far the cranks have failed in a light crash (no rocks involved) and the front rim failed catastrophically on contact with a grass tree stump. I was shocked at how easily these components failed, I've crashed much worse on similar components and come away in one piece. I'm surprised and confused, maybe I got a dud wheel and crankset? I was hoping these components would be strong enough for the sort of riding I do but no. The bike was pretty cheap so I guess that's where they saved dollars. The tyres don't work for me either, sweet weight, grip and control but just paperthin sidewalls, snakebite madness. That aside I'm giving this bike 5 chillis for pure fun factor, it goes everywhere at warp speed and rarely touches the ground. Except when I crash, gotta work on that.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sylvain Gravel
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal, Qc, Canada Date Reviewed: December 5, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2750.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
- Very strong frame - Very good and plush fork - Wheelset rocks - Can be ridden anywhere, anytime!
Weaknesses:
- At that price Norco should have put a better front derailleur - The crank have failed me (they loosened midway through a trail in Fruita) and I don't really love Truvativ products. It will probably be the first upgrade I do to this bike. - Nevagal tires aren't that good - '06 X9 rear derailleur was badly engineered and I broke two (One by simply walking by a rock and banging it softly...) before getting the '07 which is way sturdier - A bit on the heavy side but I was willing to sacrifice speed when going uphill for downhill speed
Similar Products Used:
Not really similar but I also have a Norco Storm 2003
Bike Setup:
I only changed the pedals for Shimano's M647
Bottom Line:
When I bought this bike around 1 year ago I was shopping for a new bike to complement my hardtail. I wanted to explore new trails and to ride me prefered trails faster. I looked at many other bikes on the lighter side and ended up going for the Six since I thought it was different enough from my current bike to open up new trails (not to mention introduce me to freeriding) and not simply make we ride the same old trails faster. One thing that I wanted though was to be able to keep on climbing with my new bike. Knowing I was getting a pretty heavy bike with the Six I figured it wouldn't stop me from climbing since it's less than 5 pounds heavier than a light full suspension. Actually the extra weight does a difference on climbs but not a very big one. My friends on XC FS go a bit faster than I do but I can easily catch up on the downhill and most of all I can stay on my bike on very technical downhills where they must walk. Needless to say that this was the perfect bike for my needs and it hasn't failed me.
I'd reccomend this bike to anybody who's looking for a bike that is well suited for epic rides. 4 chilis for value since some component could be a bit better. 5 chilis overall since this bike goes anywhere you want it to go.
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Submitted by
thomas bradley
a Downhiller
from kincardine ontario canada Date Reviewed: June 19, 2007
Favorite Trail:
autobahn bluemountain
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
local bike shop
Strengths:
every thing
Weaknesses:
came with to soft of spring for my weight
Bike Setup:
rock shox totem coils mavic deetracks holzefellar components
Bottom Line:
great for freeriders who have to bike a distance to a secret trail or a biker who loves a light bike but loves fast flowy downhill trails
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lonnie
a Downhiller
from Maple Ridge, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: April 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Whistler
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Maple Ridge Cycles
Strengths:
Excellent geometry (I am 5'11" on a medium frame), very durable, great for technical and for big drops. In two years I have ridden this bike quite hard, and there have been no issues that presented frustrations in relation to the quality of this product.
Weaknesses:
There is only room for a 2.35" tire on the rear.
Similar Products Used:
I have owned a lot of bikes over the past 5 years: a 2002 SC Bullit, a 2003 SC Heckler, a 2004 Norco Team DH, and a 2004 SC VP Free.
Bike Setup:
I switched out the fork for a Marzocchi 66RC2X, the brakes for Magura Gustavs, the cranks for Raceface Diablos, the stem for Raceface Diablos, and put a 2.5" tire on the front (I learned through experience that the 2.5" tire would not work in the rear).
Bottom Line:
The 2006 Norco Six One has been my most positive experience on a free ride bike. With two rings on the front, I have had no issues or frustrations with chain alignment, or chain falling off, even with a lot of hard riding at Whistler ... it is great to have the confidence that everything is working how it should as you approach a skinny or a stunt that requires a bike that is functioning as it is intended. I have made a lot of improvements in my riding over the past two seasons on this bike. For a 43 old rider, I am very happy with the confidence that I have gained and the skills that I am acquiring with regular practice at the local trails (Woodlot). My next free ride bike will be another Norco Six (getting a Norco Team DH for chairlift riding this year). Norco has really stepped it up in their quality over the past three years. It is great to have a free ride bike that can handle North Shore conditions, while giving the rider the confidence to progress in his skills and enjoyment of riding. I recommend this bike to "all mountain" riders and "free riders" of any level from beginner to advanced. I am happy with it when I am pedalling up, and I am very happy with it when I am going down.
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Submitted by
Steve Sheldon
a
from Vancouver BC Date Reviewed: December 13, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Bukwos/Grannies/Crippler
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2600.00
Strengths:
FUN! Attention to Detail. Durable Black Anodised finish. Light for the type of bike it is. Excellent drivetrain and components. Good tyre choice. Climbs well, descends well, and made me love riding again
Weaknesses:
Hayes brakes. Front tyre is too small at 2.35, a 2.5 weighs very little more and offers a much better ride. Lack of fork options.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Nomad, Specialized SX Trail.
Bike Setup:
2007 Fox 36 Van RC2, Avid Juicy 7, Axiom Road gap pedals, WTB Power-V saddle, Blackspire Stinger. All else is stock.
Bottom Line:
I was in the market for a do everything bike, I shopped around and looked at all the ~6" bikes that weigh in around the 35lb mark, and narrowed it down to three, the SC Nomad, the SX Trail and the Six. All three bikes are superb, and the Norco has some exceptionally good competition. When it came down to it, the deciding factor wasn't the ride, they all rode so similarly, it was the price. I look at all three, and would gladly ride all three, but considering that the Six was so much less than the others, there was no competition. The spec on the bike is somewhat confused, X9 drivetrain, Truvativ Stylo cranks, both excellent. The wheels had me somewhat concerned, the DP25 rims are very small for an AM/FR bike and when pulling the bike out of the box, was already imagining what I would be replacing them with, yet after a few months of hard abuse, some good rocky high speed descents, decent sized (~6-8') drops, they are still true, round and I only needed to retension the spokes once, not a bad claim for a 450g rim! The HFX brakes are awful, they were quickly replaced with Juicy Sevens. Not much else to say about that, but Norco still spec's everything with Hayes, and they are just not as good as their competition. I did have some issues dropping my chain on rough terrain, but after finding the $30CDN Blackspire Stinger chainguide (<100g weight!) all is good again. I feel that any bike of this type would benefit well from a small, simple light chainguide, the added security is worth the small amount of drag you get. The one thing I think that would make this bike better is a fork option. The Z1 Light was a great fork, it took a long time to break in, but when it did, it was plush and responsive, yet it really was an all mountain fork, as I could feel the flex in it. I had always wanted a Fox 36, so this was my chance to give my wife a fork upgrade. If the bike came with choice of the Z1 or an upgrade cost to a 66, for example, then I think this bike would be in a position to dominate. Out of the box, the build quality was fantastic; The drive train didn't need any tweaking, although as already mentioned, the front derailleur did rub a little, I lowered it 3-4mm and that problem was resolved. The shift cables were all housed in the Jagwire housing, which is very durable and what I generally use on my other bikes. The Syncros wheels were the best factory wheels I have seen. I did have some issue with the 2.35" Nevegal up front, it felt a little skinny and twitchy with the extra stiff Fox 36, changing it for a 2.5" resolved the problems. The only other change made was to the seat, and that was only because my wife decided she really liked the SDG I-beam (as did I) and covetted it for herself! There are many small details that really make this bike shine. The bearings are Japanese sealed bearings, and all the hardware is custom hardened black steel now. Also there is a Norco branded Neoprene chainstay protector. The small detail that impressed me the most was the addition of a second cable anchor on the driveside seat stay that would allow you to run a Shimano drivetrain if you choose. More manufacturers need to keep options like that open to consumers.
This bike is great, Norco have had some issues in the past, such as cheap hardware, heavy bikes, shielded (not sealed) bearings and a general lack of detail, these issues have tarnished their name somewhat. I'm hoping that bikes like this will change that as it shows that they listen to the people who ride their bikes!
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Submitted by
Alex
a Weekend Warrior
from newmarket Date Reviewed: September 9, 2006
Favorite Trail:
ravenshoe
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
spoke o motion
Strengths:
My abilities do not yet push the envelope of what this bike can handle
Weaknesses:
front trigger shifter- only middle gears of rear cassette ran quiet , rest rubbed on fr derailler like a k-mart jaloppy- traded up to sram xo twist grip , now smooth and sweet like a 2500$ ride should be
Similar Products Used:
I chase my buddie's cannondale prophet through the woods - is he faster 'cause his bike weighs 10 lbs less ? I hope that's it.
Bottom Line:
This bike is probably best suited to big drop havens like whistler , tremblant or blue mountain ( although the stock marzocchi z1 light fork is clearly labelled not for downhill use. ) I've alredy got my heart set on a commencal meta 4, which i'm sure would outperform in all but craziest vert. However...when it comes time to run what ya brung , this norco machine is tough ,agile, comfortable and overworks my smile muscles.
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Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria Date Reviewed: August 29, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2750.00
Purchased At:
Oak Bay Bikes
Strengths:
This is a follow up of my other review. I have rode everything from old-school xc trails to downhill at Mt Washington. Sure, a 4 inch travel xc bike would be faster on the flat trails and an 8 inch travel bike would be faster on the lift accessed trail, but the bike handles both of those extremes fairly well. It is in its element for everything else.
Weaknesses:
No problems with the bike; only with the mechanic who originally put the bike together
Bike Setup:
Same as below
Bottom Line:
I have had shifting problems with the rear derailleur since I first bought the bike. Oak Bay Bikes never fixed the problem. They would only adjust it, but it would mess up again on the next ride. To make a long story short, I took it to Straight Up Cycle and they fixed the problem. They had to add a spacer to the axle. Best $16 I have ever spent. If you have a Syncros hub and are experiencing shifting problems, measure the witdth of the axle. It is an easy fix. Other than that small issue, the bike has been excellent
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Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria Date Reviewed: May 31, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2750.00
Purchased At:
Oak Bay Bikes
Strengths:
Cheap for what you get! Norco practically is giving this thing away. With tax it was under $3000 Canadian. Try building up a Santa Cruz with an anodized frame for under $3k... It isn't going to happen. The Horst Link suspension is a magnitude better than the non Horst Link 4 bar on my other bike.
Weaknesses:
The Sram 950 cassette is heavy and entry level. I swapped my for a near new XT off of my old bike. The DHX-3 shock is not as nice as the DHX-5 but again, I swapped the shock from my old bike onto the Six.
Similar Products Used:
Giant AC
Bike Setup:
Stock with DHX-5 shock and xt rear cassette
Bottom Line:
I went for my first ride on it last night and the bike feels much lighter than my AC even though they weigh the same. Pedalling is far more efficient (no bobbing) any there is more traction under power and braking. I haven't spent enough time on the bike to become totally familiar with the handling but it handles the steep stuff way better than the AC as well. Climbing is a bit harder because the bars are higher. I will have to adjust my riding style a bit. I'll report back again after riding for a few months.
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