2024 eMTB LITE GROUP REVIEW

NORCO FLUID VLT C1 140 REVIEW

Words by Staff  |  Photos by Dusten Ryen

We tested the Norco Fluid VLT in its shorter travel guise earlier this year, and regularly found ourselves wishing for a bit more. While it was a solid XC-type eBike, we were very happy to get the longer travel 140/150mm model tested here for our lightweight eMTB Shootout. What a difference that build spec and some extra travel can make! Ride along as we review the Norco Fluid VLT C1 140.

We’d like to offer a huge thank you to our sponsors: Outdoor Research, Schwalbe Tires, Ride Concepts and the Running Y Resort. Without their gracious support, these types of content series would not be possible. Give them a thanks down below!

ABOUT THE NORCO FLUID VLT C1 140

Norco’s latest Fluid VLT takes the form of a SL eBike, built around the Bosch Performance Line SX drive unit. Offered in a range of builds as either a lightweight 130 platform or harder hitting 140mm machine in carbon fiber only, the Fluid VLT hopes to offer an agile and fun assisted ride.

DRIVE UNIT AND ELECTRONICS | The Norco Fluid VLT is the second of the two Bosch Performance Line SX-equipped SL eMTBs in this group test. This 4lb (2kg) drive unit produces 55Nm torque and up to 600W Peak Power, and is powered by a fixed internal 400Wh Bosch CompactTube battery that weighs 2kg also. This battery capacity can be boosted by 250Wh using the Bosch PowerMore Range Extender, which weighs 1.5kg. With the 4A smart charger, the 400Wh battery can be charged to 50% in an hour and a half, and to 100% in three and a half hours.

As is typical of the Bosch SX system, the LED System Controller sits within the Top Tube of the bike, and there’s a wireless Mini Remote on the handlebar to change riding modes (between ECO, TOUR+, eMTB and TURBO, as standard) and use the WALK function.

Bosch’s eBike FLOW app allows users to customize riding modes; track the bike in the case of theft, and perform over-the-air updates. It can also be used to plan a route and identify the necessary riding mode to complete the route without depleting the battery fully.

FRAME AND FEATURES | All of the Norco Fluid VLT builds feature the same carbon fiber front triangle. The C1 builds also receive a carbon fiber rear end, whereas the C2 and C3 builds use an aluminum alloy rear end to reduce cost. Regardless of the model selected, the Fluid VLT runs on a mixed (29”F / 27.5”R) wheel setup.

Norco covers the details on the Fluid VLT well, with internal cable routing through ports in the side of the Head Tube; a well protected Down Tube including a shuttle guard; custom protection on the Chain Stays and Seat Stays, and SRAM’s UDH to allow for T-Type compatibility.

With Norco’s “No Other Way” Limited Lifetime Warranty, riders are covered against frame failure sustained through normal use.

SUSPENSION | Depending on the model selected, the Fluid VLT produces either 130mm or 140mm of Horst Link rear travel, with a 140mm or 150mm fork, respectively. Using Norco’s Ride Aligned setup guide, riders can quickly obtain a personalized setup recommendation to suit their anatomy, preferences and ride conditions.

GEOMETRY | Norco’s Ride Aligned system extends to the geometry, with size-specific chainstays and seat tube angles to tailor the balance of each of the five frame sizes. Rear center lengths grow from 432mm to 444mm over the size range, and effective seat tube angles steepen from 76.5° to 77.5°.

The S3 size tested measures in at a 472.5mm Reach with a fairly low 628mm Stack height. There’s a 64.5° head tube angle on the 140 builds, and an average of 18mm BB drop.

BUILD SPECS | Norco’s Fluid VLT is available for purchase from dealers only, with a choice of five different builds to suit different budgets and preferences. These range from the base-spec C3 140 at $5,499, and top out at the $10,499 C1 130.

For this SL eMTB Shootout, we tested the $8,999 C1 140 build spec. This is the premium build in the more aggressive Fluid VLT configuration, featuring a part list that left little to be desired.

Suspension duties are handled by a 150mm Fox 36 Performance Elite fork and Float X2 Performance Elite Trunnion rear shock, offering high levels of adjustability. The groupset and brakes are provided by SRAM, with a CODE SLV Stealth brakeset and XO T-Type drivetrain with Praxis Carbon crank.

A OneUp Carbon bar is clamped by an in-house Norco stem. Also OneUp is the dropper post, spec’d in reasonably long lengths across the board and topped with a Fizik Terra Aidon saddle.

Rounding out the specs are the excellent Crank Brothers Synthesis Alloy wheels, which are wrapped in a set of Continental Trail tires as standard. However, as with all of the bikes in this SL eMTB Shootout, we replaced them with our Schwalbe control tires. The Schwalbe Albert Radial Trail tires in Ultra Soft compound offered all bikes with a consistent and ultra-high level of traction.

With the control tires, we measured the Norco Fluid VLT C1 140 in S3 at 41.7lbs (18.9kg).

TESTING THE NORCO FLUID VLT C1

SETUP | Norco uses its Ride Aligned setup guide to help you find the perfect suspension settings on any Norco, and the Fluid VLT was no exception. Ride Aligned goes beyond simple charts that connect air pressure and dial clicks to body weight. It dives a bit deeper, using information such as preferred suspension feel and body positioning to provide tailored suspension settings for your weight and riding style. In this way, Ride Aligned made setting up the suspension on the Fluid VLT very easy.

However, Ride Aligned, just like any other chart you might look at for suspension setup, should be viewed more as a starting point. While the extra thought that goes into Ride Aligned is great, all our different testers still changed settings to fit their preferences without the app.

ELECTRONICS & INTEGRATION | The Fluid VLT is equipped with the Bosch Performance Line SX drive unit. Bosch’s LED System Controller is located on the top tube, with a wireless remote on the handlebar for shifting between modes. Modes can also be changed on the controller or the remote, and the bike can be powered on either. The drive unit is half encased in the Fluid VLT’s downtube, giving an almost inconspicuous look when put in a lineup of other trail bikes.

Bosch’s Flow app tracks everything you would need to know about the bike, including allowing riders to customize their riding mode. While riding, the Flow app tracks mileage, speed, time, and more, providing a post-ride summary with all the stats and a GPS map of the route taken.

While the motor isn’t meant to deliver full power and tends to have a more “natural” pedaling feel, Bosch still provides plenty of power from the Performance Line SX — given you’re pedaling at a higher cadence. Delivering 55Nm of torque with 600W peak power; the Performance Line SX is a solid contender in the category.

CLIMBING | The Norco Fluid VLT climbed reasonably well. Of the shorter travel bikes on test, the Fluid VLT had the slackest HTA (64.5°) but was paired with a relatively steep STA (77°) that pushed the rider forward. The stack height (628mm) was the highest of the shorter-travel bikes and was quite comfortable. Yet, it was still shorter than many other bikes on test, which meant a riding position that favored the front of the bike, especially on the climbs. This also meant that you were staying in a reasonably comfortable position, even as the trail got steeper.

This was also one of the shorter bikes on test. A shorter reach (472.5mm), chainstays (436mm), and overall wheelbase (1243mm), meant that steep switchbacks and technical areas were not much of a problem. While climbing might have been a bit more efficient had the bike been built around a full 29er setup, the smaller rear wheel only slightly hindered climbing efficiency, if at all.

One of the more noticeable aspects of climbing the Norco Fluid VLT was how the Bosch drive unit performed while climbing. The Performance Line SX drive unit delivers quite a bit of power (same as their CX unit) at a higher pedaling cadence. On a fire road climb, this was no problem as it is easy to put your head down and pedal. However, on more technical singletrack climbing, when pedaling is slowed down due to rocks and line choice, there was noticeably less output from the motor. A solution is to keep the hammer down on the techy climbs, which could lead to pedal strikes, but if you can manage it then it works well.

DESCENDING | Despite being one of the three short-travel bikes on test, the Norco Fluid VLT seemed to dance closer to the longer-travel bikes on the descents. The Fox Float X2 shock delivered an excellent balance of traction and support through the travel, starting soft off the top and firming up well near the end of the stroke. Braking traction was great on the Fluid VLT, with an initial dip into the travel, but braking remained consistent and predictable regardless of chunky or chattery bits.

Of the shorter travel bikes, the Fluid VLT had the slackest HTA, which helped when the trail got a bit steeper. A slacker HTA paired with a bit higher stack (compared to the other shorter-travel bikes) also helped create a bit more confidence, balancing some composure that may be lacking from its shorter reach. The more we pushed the Fluid VLT, the more it seemed it wanted to deliver bigger and bigger, blurring lines and pushing limits.  Although, some of our testers felt like a higher rise bar would help to put the cockpit feel closer to the longer travel bikes we prefer riding.

As we must do in the name of science…limits were eventually found. Despite a quality performance, we regularly found the bottom of the travel on the Fluid VLT. The bike pushes hard over and down some considerable chunk while remaining composed and in control. That is until you find the limit, which will likely be just past where you think a 140mm bike’s limit should be. As capable and confident as it can be, it is important to remember that this is a 140mm travel bike. It performed well on trails that it is intended to ride, but the limit was able to be reached before the gnarliest of descents. It does have us wondering what a longer travel version of this bike could possibly do!

As you may have guessed, where this bike certainly shined was the flow trails and natural trails with moderate chunk. Norco’s Fluid VLT has all the qualities to check the “Fun to ride” box— short reach, lightweight (second lightest bike on test), shorter chainstays and wheelbase. Although some riders would have preferred the more lively and active Float X rear shock, the big hit confidence of the X2 seems like a reasonable choice for spec. Along with the slightly more muted rear shock, the Fluid VLT felt like it it had a heavier front end than some other bikes. This was noticeable while trying to manual or pop off small, awkward features, like a rock-to-root gap you have to pull for. Although it took a bit more effort to pull for those features, it wasn’t an impossible adjustment. That feeling only seemed to be present if you had to yank the front end up, and wasn’t noticeable off the lips of jumps when riding jump lines.

FINISH AND VALUE | The Norco Fluid VLT C1 is no small amount of money at $8,999. However, Norco has put together a build that matches the price. SRAM Code brakes, SRAM XO Transmission, Praxis carbon cranks, OneUp carbon bar — these are components many upgrade to, yet they come stock on the C1 build. Yes, the bike is a good chunk of change, but you likely will not feel shortchanged with the spec you get.

COMPARISON AND RANKING?

It can be challenging to compare and rank shootout bikes simply because so many different riders are on them from the time we get them — half a dozen riders representing half a dozen different heights, riding styles, and preferences. Then you factor in eleven different bikes that all have places where they excel and where they struggle. Without attempting to minimize variables, such as tires, the result can be comparing apples and oranges.

That said, our bikes broke down nicely into travel categories, of which the Norco Fluid VLT fell into the “short-travel” class along with the Pivot Shuttle SL and the Ari Nebo Peak. These bikes were among the most efficient pedalers of the group, as they were also the three lightest bikes on test. Regarding pedaling efficiency, the Ari and Pivot have the Norco beat, but they also see full 29er wheels and have more pedaling-focused geometry and a stiffer suspension platform. This can also be a drawback in some terrain or applications. They don’t leave the Fluid VLT in the dust, by any means.

Norco built the Fluid VLT around more progressive geometry, and the mixed-wheel setup gives the bike a more gravity-orientated focus, which our DH-biased riders are typically fans of. This put the Norco Fluid VLT C1 near the top of the short-travel list for many of our testers.

The Wolf’s Last Word

The Norco Fluid VLT C1 140 is a relatively efficient pedaler, and shone on natural trails with lots of snappy corners and flow trail fun. Unlike some of the other shorter travel eMTBs, the Fluid VLT C1 140 seems like it wants to be pushed beyond its 140mm of travel. For the rider looking for an aggressive and playful “trail” eBike, the Fluid VLT is a solid option.

Pricing: $8,999
Weight: 41.6lbs (18.9kg) As Tested
Website: Norco.com

Thanks again to our amazing sponsors who made this group test possible.

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