A SIGHT TO BEHOLD

THE NORCO SIGHT CARBON 29

There comes a time when you need a new bike, and for the past year I’ve been wanting to add a trail bike to my collection. And right now the trail bike market is pretty hot, with lots of options from fast trail bikes with short travel, to light and long-travel bikes like the Scott Genius 920 I tested last issue. Like anyone looking for a new bike, I put trust in friends and of course brand preferences, and after speaking to Lachlan McKillop, the Norco Sight Carbon sounded like the bike best suited for my needs. The 29er has 130mm out back and 140mm up front. “If you need more, just pull the fork out to 150mm” was Lachlan’s suggestion. Lachlan was one of the first riders to test the new Sight Carbon when it was released, and he rated it highly while he had it for AMB. As it is, the Norco Sight Carbon in the 29” version does a pretty good job of ticking the boxes for a modern trail bike. It has Boost spacing for stiffer wheels and a shorter back end. The reach is long, the head angle is reasonably slack at 67 degrees, there’s a chain guide mount and they’re built for long dropper posts and plenty of stand over height. Best of all, Norco import frame sets for the Sight Carbon and Range as well, if you’re after a longer travel bike aimed at the EWS racer inside you.

MY NORCO SIGHT CARBON BUILD

I chose a few favourites for my own bike, and set the Norco Sight Carbon up with a Shimano XT 11-speed drivetrain, but did use a set of XTR Race cranks that were left from a group set changeover on my cross-country bike at the start of the year. With the Shimano XT 11-46 cassette, clutch rear derailleur, and a 32t chain ring it’s a versatile and dependable setup, The range is just a little lower than what I ride on my cross-country bike, which should suit getting up steep pinches on a bigger bike but I suspect I’ll be putting a 34t chain ring on pretty soon for more top end speed. As the frame comes with a Fox Float EVOL Performance rear shock, I matched this with a 34 Performance fork, with 140mm travel. I also put a 125mm Fox Transfer dropper post in, with an under the bar lever.