Founded in 1964, Norco builds bikes made to handle the mountainous terrain of British Columbia. Their suspension design is usually some variation of a Horst link, which is a simple four-bar system that is easy to maintain and service. Perfect for the wet and demanding trails that they’re used to riding. The best part of their bike design though? Norco’s Ride Aligned design system.

Ride Aligned design doesn’t stop there. It applies to suspension setup based on rider skill level, riding style, and more. Without a doubt Norco has the most in-depth and user friendly bike setup guide I’ve seen. Don’t believe me? Check it out here. They provide comprehensive suspension settings, including the recommended amount of volume spacers, and even tire pressure! Needless to say, this made setting up my bike an absolute breeze, and the settings feel spot on.

The Bike

The Optic had just come off of winning Pinkbike’s Trail Bike of the Year in 2019, so my excitement and expectations were quite high. It’s designed as a playful yet extremely capable 29er trail bike. Now, every brand says that they offer something like this, but I truly think Norco has done this better than anyone else. I’ve always wanted a burley bike that can handle the rocky, steep trails in Duluth while still being efficient and quick on our local trails. I had always had to settle for one or the other, but the Optic gave me both. The bike has 125mm of rear travel paired to 140mm of front travel, but what’s unique is the parts spec. Usually you would expect a Fox Float DPS shock and a 34 fork on a bike of this stature. But Norco went ahead and beefed everything up. A Fox Float DPX2 piggyback shock means that the performance will remain consistent throughout descents, and the 36 fork tracks true through the gnarliest rock gardens. A 200mm front rotor paired to 4-piston brakes also gives this bike the ability to get out of trouble just as fast as it gets into it. This bike is spec’d to RIP.

This suits my riding style so perfectly. If I could, I’d outfit every bike like this, but I understand that a lot of manufacturers are trying to hit lower weights since that matters to a lot of folks. But I’ll take heavy duty, shred-worthy components every day over some weight savings. That being said, I was able to ride the Optic C1 that comes equipped with Shimano’s XTR shifting, so I was still riding a lightweight bike.

My favorite surprise from this bike, however, was the Vittoria tires. I’ve been riding Maxxis Minions for years. They’re often seen as the gold standard for aggressive riding tires so I was a little skeptical of how the Vittoria’s were going to compare. Let me tell you, I will be riding Vittoria tires from here out. The Mazza front tire has incredible grip and control, and the Martello rear is fast and just as predictable. I’m not the only one to think this. Check out Gear Junkie’s review here and you’ll see that it’s a definitive Minion killer. Kudos to Vittoria, they’ve made a spectacular tire.

The Ride

The Optic was really put through its paces this season. It carried me on my weekly group ride at Lebanon Hills, shredded the red at Cuyuna, and plowed through the rocky trails of Duluth. This bike is absolutely phenomenal for all these endeavors. At Lebanon it floated through the rock gardens and felt incredibly balanced and stable through all the berms. The short rear travel makes for a bike that’s easy to pedal while still offering plenty of cush to keep those longer rides comfortable.

For all day rides at Cuyuna it was excellent. Although I’ll say this is where I found the bike’s limits. There was a lot of hype over some new trails in the North Mahnomen Unit this year, namely Sledgehammer and Sinter. Both are expert level trails with very different personalities. Sinter is all about flow and big jumps. As long as I went in with the right speed this trail was smooth sailing for the Optic. Sledgehammer on the other hand is a chunky, unforgiving trail with rock drop after rock drop. The trail is brutal and still requires you to carry speed through relentless rock gardens to clear drops further down the trail. I’m all for this type of trail, but the Optic falls just shy of the capabilities to ride here. I’m sure a more talented rider would be able to ride the trail, and I was still able to make it through, but I know my old Hightower or Bronson would have flown right through those rocky sections. But given that this was one trail out of all the miles I rode this season, I’d say it’s hardly a knock against the Optic. The geometry felt plenty capable and stable, it was only the rear suspension that couldn’t quite keep up.

Overall the Optic is a hell of a bike. I’ve often wished for a bike just like this that’s a combination of stiff, durable components and short, efficient travel. It seems Norco likes to build bikes for riders like me. In Pinkbike’s review of the bike it was praised for its parts spec and I couldn’t agree more. Additionally, the geometry numbers are absolutely spot on for aggressive trail riding. I would recommend this bike to anyone that rides predominantly in Minnesota and is looking to push their limits. The only problem? Availability. Technically, this isn’t the bike I was planning on riding this season. I was interested in the Optic C2 but because of shipping delays I had to switch to the C1. Not a bad deal considering I got the nicer bike, but this demonstrates the difficulties many consumers have been facing. I would recommend this bike to so many friends if we had more, but unfortunately the few that we received this year have all sold out already. Normally at the end of the season I’d look to sell my demo bike to a lucky customer, but this year I’m going to be holding on until I know a new bike has shipped.

Notes from the season:

• I discovered the Occam Apex frame strap for carrying my flat kit and I’m in love. I’ve recommended and sold nearly a dozen of these things since we picked them up a couple months ago. It’s versatile, looks sweet, and comes in a bunch of colors to add some flair to your bike. A must have item if you ask me.
• As I already noted, I’ll be using the Vittoria Mazza and Martello combo going forward. I’m someone that gets in my head when it comes to cornering. If I don’t trust my tires or the terrain, then I’ll chicken out and grab the brakes. These tires allowed me to push my limits and corner more confidently than I ever have.
• I’m continually impressed by Wolftooth’s Fat Paw Cam grips. The silicon grip is great at absorbing impacts and the cam’d shape gives me plenty of control. I’m always frustrated that there isn’t some over-engineered solution to grips, and that the best solution is just a silicon tube, but I can’t argue with the results.
• Lebanon Hills is the most fun trail in the Twin Cities. It certainly can get busy at the regular times, but the trails are so worth it. All the twisty, flowing descents are fantastic fun no matter your skill level or riding speed.