NORCO FLUID FS A1 REVIEW

THE DIRT

Hundreds of miles were logged by four different riders on the Norco Fluid FS A1 during the test period. Long climbs, flowy descents, rock rolls, and shuttle laps, the Fluid saw it all. I often found myself riding this bike like a 160mm long travel machine when choosing lines and features to jump. The Fluid agreed with everything I threw at it, punching well above its class. Even with its aluminum tubing I detected very little flex in the frame, supplying a supportive, stiff platform for pumping and cornering. Accelerating and maintaining speed on the Fluid was never an issue. It zipped down the trail carrying me and my ear-to-ear grin with it.

The 76.6-degree effective seat tube angle made for an aggressive, yet comfortable seating position. The Fluid was an efficient climber, and it was quite quick considering it is an aluminum trail bike weighing over 30lbs. I never had an issue with wheel slip when shifting my weight forward to move over an obstacle, making technical sections of trail a breeze. The 30-tooth front chainring paired with Shimano XT 12-speed cassette tackles any climb the Fluid comes across. The 30-tooth front ring might leave you wanting more gear on the descent, but I never encountered that. I did find myself using the highest couple of gears during the majority of my descending on the Fluid, but I wouldn’t consider this an issue. The Shimano XT derailleur kept chain slap to a minimum and the shifting was smooth.

At 6’ I often find myself between a Large and XL in terms of sizing. Norco’s Ride Aligned Design System app suggests just that, I can ride either. The Large that they sent as the test bike worked great for me. If I had ridden the XL I might have found the bike to be a bit more stable, but the fun part about the Fluid is the responsive nature of it. The Large allowed me to move the bike around and be much more playful. The low standover height of 699mm accompanied by the 170mm dropper post gave me ample room to move around and get the bike over obstacles. With my height and longer legs I could have ridden with the longer, 200mm, dropper post spec’d on the XL, but I never once had the seat get in my way while descending.

Being a shorter travel bike, at 130mm of rear travel, the Fluid excelled on flowy terrain where the rider is pushing hard into corners and popping off rollers. That being said, I spent a day shuttling some more technical terrain and I never once thought about how this bike had less travel than my riding partners. The Fluid handled steep, rough trails that approached 25+ degrees. I did find the rear end of this bike to be a bit harsher on technical trails. Part of that is the 130mm shock being overwhelmed by successive hits, but the Fox Float X seemed to have a lot of progression. The mid-stroke was very supportive and offered a lot to push against while riding hard. This could be something to do with the custom tune that Norco has worked on with Fox.

During the shuttle day I was impressed by the brakes on this Fluid FS A1. TRP’s EVO brakes are some of our favorites and to have the four piston Trail EVOs as part of the package was a treat. With the help of a 203mm front rotor and 180mm rear rotor slowing this bike down was never problematic. The Trail EVO brakes were easy to adjust, dial in for every rider and they showed no fading during long, steep descents.

The tires spec’d on the Fluid FS A1 are the Vittoria Mazza 2.4” Trail G2.0 and Martello 2.35” Trail G2.0. These two tires roll well, maintain speed, and provide decent traction on hard, dry trails. I didn’t experience too much tire roll, but I am a lighter rider at 155lbs. One test rider, Nic, did puncture the rear tire right between the center knobs. He was riding a looser, rockier trail, but nothing that this bike can’t handle. Tires with a thicker casing would be a welcomed upgrade for this bike, due to the fact that the Fluid encourages riders to charge hard. We also found that the tires don’t particularly grip well on rock surfaces, whether it be Sedona or the PNW. They seem to have a pretty stiff compound that resulted in more sliding than traction when we really wanted it. If we had to pick a low point of the spec, it’d be these tires.

The Wolf’s Last Word

From our first ride on the Norco Fluid FS A1 to our last, the bike has remained a joy to ride. Norco has made a more consumer friendly full suspension trail bike that performs above its price point and is durable. Spec’d with TRP 4-piston brakes, a Fox Factory fork, Shimano XT drivetrain, a custom tuned shock, and size-specific geometry, Norco has elevated the game on what an affordable, dual suspension mountain bike can offer. While I might opt for a burlier tire or different handlebar grip, there is not much left to be desired on the Norco Fluid. Whether this is your first full suspension bike or your 10th the Norco Fluid FS A1 will be ready to ride and help you progress as a rider without taking a huge financial fall!

Price: $3,999
Weight: 33.4 lbs
Website: Norco.com

SPECIFICATIONS

CHASSIS
Frame: Norco Fluid FS A1 | 130mm
Fork: Fox Float Factory 34 GRIP2 | 140mm
Shock: Fox Float X Performance Elite, 2-Pos, Custom Tune

COCKPIT
Brake: TRP Trail EVO, 4 Piston
Shifter: Shimano XT SL-M8100
Handlebar: TranzX 6061 Butted Alloy, 780mm, 20mm Rise
Headset: Sealed Bearing, Tapered
Stem: 6061 Alloy, 40mm, 35mm Clamp
Saddle: Fizik Alpaca Terra
Seatpost: SDG Tellis Dropper, 34.9mm

WHEELS
Front Hub: Bear Pawls Sealed Bearing, 15x110mm Boost, 6 Bolt
Rear Hub: Bear Pawls Sealed Bearing, 12x148mm Boost, Micro Spline, 6 Bolt
Rims: Stan’s Flow S1 29” 32H
Front Tire: Vittoria Mazza 2.4” Trail G2.0
Rear Tire: Vittoria Martello 2.35” Trail G2.0

DRIVETRAIN
Bottom Bracket: Praxis M24 Cartridge Bearing, BSA Threaded
Cassette: Shimano XT, 10-51t, 12 speed
Cranks: Praxis G2 Cadet, 30t
Derailleur: Shimano XT RD-M8100