Norco is embracing e-MTBs with no less than three new battery-assisted frames.
The Canadian mountain bike brand has leveraged the opportunities created by Shimano EP8 mid-drive system, to add pedal-assisted models to its Range, Sight and Fluid product lines. All three of these proven Norco mountain bike platforms will now be available as upgraded VLT derivatives with some very impressive battery capacities.
The new offerings start with the Norco Fluid VLT, offering 130mm of rear-suspension travel. Targeted at trail riders, this e-bike features a 140mm fork and adequate clearance for 29x2.4in tires. Norco is only producing the Fluid VLT in an aluminum frame option, with features a 65-degree head angle.
All-mountain riders can choose between carbon or alloy versions of the Norco Sight VLT. This model is configured with 150mm of rear-suspension travel and a 160mm fork. As expected, it is slacker than the Fluid VLT, with a 64-degree head angle and rolls a larger 29x2.5in tire upfront.
Peaking the new product launch is the e-enduro option. With its Range VLT, Norco’s frame designers have managed to package 170mm of rear suspension balanced by a 180mm fork.
Designed as a true shuttle vehicle replacement e-bike, the Range VLT has a downhill-equivalent 63-degree head angle and all frames feature coil shocks.
The commonality between all three bikes is 203mm brake rotors as standard and some huge battery packs.
Norco realizes that range anxiety could be a thing for both trail riders and those daring enduro mountain bikers who want to skip the chairlift queue. Its solution is to offer three battery pack sizes with these new VLT badged e-bikes: 540-, 720- and 900Wh.
With its 900Wh offering, Norco claims to have the biggest standard battery you can get in a factory e-bike. The biggest battery size is claimed to be capable of assisting the 170mm Range VLT for up to 31.9-miles for a challenging day’s worth of gravity riding.
In addition, Norco’s industrial designers have ensured that these new e-bikes are robust for all-weather use, with IP67-grade Rosenberger charge ports.
Pricing for the new Norco e-bikes starts at $4,199 for the cheapest aluminum Fluid and peaks at $8,599 for the premium Sight carbon. Batteries are sold separately, with the 540Wh at $749, 720Wh priced at $999 and 900Wh for $1,199.
