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Norco VPS-Launch

MSRP $
# of Reviews 14
Average Rating 4.64/5
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    Submitted by mr_kook a Weekend Warrior from st. louis
    Date Reviewed: November 18, 2008
    Favorite Trail:chub trail
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Price Paid: $500.00
    Purchased At:online
    Strengths:It is like a tank
    Weaknesses:The frame is noisy because of it's hollow squared aluminum frame.
    Bike Setup:all stock
    Bottom Line:This is a great bike for weekend warrior or someone that want to get in to free ride or downhill.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by DION THOMAS a Downhiller from Australia (vic)
    Date Reviewed: March 26, 2006
    Favorite Trail:mike kidds
    Duration Product Used:3 months
    Price Paid: $1600.00
    Purchased At:buster car
    Strengths:really strong frame and good suspension sick for thred bow
    Weaknesses:nothing
    Similar Products Used:ac3
    Bike Setup:my dad does that
    Bottom Line:Jensen woodcock is the best
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

    Submitted by Nikki Wikked a Weekend Warrior from Toronto,Ontario,Canada
    Date Reviewed: October 23, 2005
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Price Paid: $2000.00
    Purchased At:Bought It Used
    Strengths:Great Looks, Really strong sturdy feeling. Awsome brakes. Well worth the money.
    Weaknesses:I accually wish the handle bars where a bit narrower.I don't like the gear selector. Works great I just don't likw that style.
    Bike Setup:Stock
    Bottom Line:This is an expensive bike but if you have the money its well worth it. A great bike for hardcore riders or weekend warriors.
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

    Submitted by Dick Warner a Downhiller from BC
    Date Reviewed: October 5, 2004
    Favorite Trail:dilemma on vedder mountain
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Price Paid: $2500.00
    Purchased At:John Henry
    Strengths:Everything, great all around bike. I can use it for 12 foot drops or hucking off 20 foot gaps. I don't notice too much pedal bob when climbing uphill, but you're always going to have some on a DH/FR bike. The 7" Jr T fork is awesome for the big hits and the little stuff too and the vanilla RC works perfectly and gives you some adjustability.
    Weaknesses:-the grip shift that came with it stock
    other than that, the bike is perfect
    Similar Products Used:-'02 kona stab
    Bike Setup:changed the front shifter to rapid fire, got new grips to make up for the old grip shift cut, eveything else is bone stock
    Bottom Line:BUY THIS BIKE! If you're into downhill/freeride riding and not satisfied with your bike, come check this bike out, even if you do like your bike now, go check one out anyway. I guarantee you'll love every part of it.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Bryce Coats a Weekend Warrior from Seattle, WA
    Date Reviewed: January 22, 2004
    Favorite Trail:A-Line
    Duration Product Used:6 months
    Price Paid: $2000.00
    Strengths:Everything: geometry, strength, components, this bike is "bomb proof" (which is an oxymoron because the aluminum used in Norco's is same as what's used to produce Russian missles).
    Weaknesses:None, don't buy if you are looking for an aggressive trail bike, it's a dedicated freeride/downhiller and weighs around 41lbs.
    Similar Products Used:Stinky Deelux
    Bike Setup:Stock for now, or until I break something
    Bottom Line:Norco's rock, I was always a die hard Kona rider and was very close to dropping cash on a new Stinky Deelux until I demoed a Launch on Whistler's A-Line and Biker-X course and the rest is history.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Carl Boulé a Downhiller from Canada
    Date Reviewed: August 18, 2003
    Favorite Trail:Mont Saint-Anne
    Duration Product Used:2 Years
    Price Paid: $1600.00
    Purchased At:Fournel Bycicle
    Strengths:All thats perfect!!!
    Weaknesses:Nothing!!!
    Similar Products Used:Intense m-1,orange 222,Norco Drop
    Bike Setup:i put a chain guide Gizmo
    Bottom Line:I like it thats the better quality/price bike ever!!!
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by shai B a Downhiller from Lod, Israel
    Date Reviewed: July 10, 2003
    Favorite Trail:Karmey yosef
    Duration Product Used:3 months
    Price Paid: $2700.00
    Purchased At:Mike Bike
    Strengths:the frame is amazing and a real head-turner, the crank, the wheels, the bike geometry is the best i've seen!!! the wide handelbar is perfect
    Weaknesses:the pedals, only 6.1 inches on the rear
    Similar Products Used:Big-Hit comp, Scott high octane
    Bike Setup:JR.t, holtzefeller, fox vanilla RC, funn bar and stem, welgo bmx, alexrims dx-32, kenda stick-e
    Bottom Line:the perfect bike for a freerider, hardcore quality of all of the products, but the most important thing for me is that they ride up like XC bike, couldn't bealive it until i rode it!!!
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by andy a Weekend Warrior from vancouver bc canada
    Date Reviewed: June 18, 2003
    Favorite Trail:ones i havent ride
    Duration Product Used:Tested or demo'ed only
    Purchased At:___________________
    Strengths:beefy frame
    its a Norco!
    Stable at high speed
    handles well on tha North Shore
    very reasonable price and weight for big ass freeride bike!
    4bar linkage susupension..very active
    climbs well
    Weaknesses:none! well..so far..
    Similar Products Used:pretty much all other norco shore series
    specialized bighit
    kona stinky deluxe
    Bike Setup:jr.t // alex dx32 rims // funn stem nd bar combo // Fox vanilla Rc // wellgo pedals // nd...i dunno..
    check it out at norco.com
    Bottom Line:great bike for great price!
    u should get it if u r like a intermidiate freerider
    tha norco vps launch iss just another great bike from norco
    goddamit! just go buy the bike!!
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Steve a Downhiller from Canada
    Date Reviewed: April 12, 2003
    Favorite Trail:Everywere
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Price Paid: $2100.00
    Purchased At:Freeride Mountain Sports
    Strengths:Everything about this bike is solid. The frame is STRONG, breaks are amazing and shocks are smooth
    Weaknesses:i think i put the front wheel on wrong. haha
    Similar Products Used:Trek 4300, Kona Stinky, Norco Fliud
    Bike Setup:Stock
    Bottom Line:If you got the cash, and want a nice bike to last ya a good few years get this.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Gareth Stephens a Downhiller from Sydney Australia
    Date Reviewed: April 12, 2003
    Favorite Trail:you wouldn't know it
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Price Paid: $4500.00
    Purchased At:Rod Martin Cycles
    Strengths:Great look, goooood specs, solid frame.
    Weaknesses:some noise from the hollow frame, other than that none.
    Similar Products Used:Giant AC3, Kona Stinky Dee-lux
    Bike Setup:Stock Norco Launch.
    Bottom Line:This is a great bike for the money, and will please all but the most extreme riders out there. the 2003 spec is sick, and the colour (blue) rocks.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by graeme a Downhiller from philip island, victoria, australia
    Date Reviewed: March 25, 2003
    Favorite Trail:love 2 tell, but i cant
    Duration Product Used:3 months
    Price Paid: $4299.00
    Purchased At:ride on bikes
    Strengths:everything's good.good forks, good rear shock, good brakes and da frame is as tough as nails!not much bouncce in the rear iether due to the 4 bar link up.
    Weaknesses:the husselfelt cranks that came with it instead of the hozzefeller it was spected with, this only happen in aus though. the cranks kept comin loose and did damage to the isis bottom bracket.
    Similar Products Used:1999 vps-1, khs dominitrax and a norco buzz.
    Bike Setup:over size handle bars, singl on the front with axiom chain guide.
    Bottom Line:awesome value for ya buck and minimal changes needed 4 a sweet bike.the only reason i give it 4 outa 5 is cause the cranks really pissed me off.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:2

    Submitted by CHRISTOPH a Weekend Warrior from OTTAWA, ONTARIO
    Date Reviewed: March 20, 2003
    Favorite Trail:CAMP FOUTUNE, MONT ST. MARIE
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Price Paid: $2000.00
    Purchased At:REBEK & KROES
    Strengths:Kick ass frame, strong as hell. Good strong crank helps for the tough landings. Burly 2.6" in the front helps you to get out of messy situations. Swapped the Jr.t fork for a Boxxer Enduro and lightened my bike by 3.5 lbs. Bike well worth the money. Stronger components than the VPS A-line that wont need to be replaced at the end of each season.
    Weaknesses:Im a little sceptacle about the gripshift in the front, but it takes a getting used-to. The bike could use a chainstay. I say that because ive bunnyhopped, and the chain has switched to the bottom gear. That can easily be cured with a little fine tuning, because that shouldn't happen. The only flaw is the SOUND of the hollow frame when you're dropping a 10 footer.
    Similar Products Used:Kona Roast 2002- Very Beefy
    Bike Setup:RockShox- Boxxer Enduro Triple Clamp
    Hayes 8" hydros
    Bottom Line:Very worthwhile purchase.
    No complaints at all.
    Strong, durable, fun
    Looks sweet in grey, with silver boxxers
    Let the good times roll
    This bike makes mountains into mole hills
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Micah FreeRider from Miami a Weekend Warrior from MIA --> 95 SOUTH
    Date Reviewed: March 9, 2003
    Favorite Trail:Quiet Waters
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Price Paid: $2600.00
    Purchased At:Yo Mama's House!!
    Strengths:This bike can survive a drive-by shooting. It handles and looks like a Columbian hottie (A Columbian hottie from Canada of course). Not much is needed Straight out of the box. Just check your rubbers and ride out!!
    Weaknesses:The wellgo pedels Had to go, and I had some problems with the F.U.N.N. stem. Could use a chain guide.
    Similar Products Used:Specialized P.3, Norco 250
    Bike Setup:Stock
    Bottom Line:Best buy for the money, looks great and rides better. Check it out at www.norco.com /// Homies jock my ride all the time. Buy this bike!!!
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Lowell Rumsey a Downhiller from Nanaimo, B.C
    Date Reviewed: March 8, 2003
    Favorite Trail:Mt. Pervost DH
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Price Paid: $3000.00
    Purchased At:Aerosmith Mountain Cycle
    Strengths:Super Rigid, Super Active, Decent Parts Spec., Amazing Handling
    Weaknesses:Kenda Kinetics Tires
    Similar Products Used:2001 Launch (old ride), 2002 RM7, 2002 Kona Stinky
    Bike Setup:Super T, Azonic Bars/Pedals, XT Drivetrain, Blackspire Duel Slalom Chainguide, Maxxis Tires, Hayes Discs
    Bottom Line:I rode a 2001 Launch for about 8 months (after getting back into riding) and thoroughly enjoyed the simplicity and ergonomics of a great all-around trail bike. Originally, I simply planned on adding a triple clamp to the bike to go a little bigger, but was leary of ruining an already great trail runner. The 2003 was the best move I could've made. It's a solid upgrade and a top performer for it's class. Test rides strongly recommended for aggressive shore riders looking for a new love.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5






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