Review: Cross Country Racing Bike: Norco Faze 1
Norco Faze 1
Norco Faze 1 – $3,400
In a perfect situation, cross-country mountain bike racing would be done on a lightweight hardtail or short-travel full suspension bike with light components and racing-oriented geometry. But that kind of setup is both costly and not the most fun to simply trail ride on, so most riders just getting into racing are looking for something more reasonably priced and versatile. With the growing popularity of eight, 12 or 24-hour endurance events or longer, multi-day stage races, cross-country bikes with a bit more travel make even more sense.
Norco’s answer to this market is the Faze series, a lineup of four aluminum full-suspension bikes with 120 mm of travel and price tags ranging from the $5,695 Faze SL (full XTR) down to the $1,870 Faze 3, with (Deore).
We tested the Faze 1, which is one step below the SL at $3,400. That nearly $2,300 price difference adds about two pounds when compared to the SL and gives you a Shimano SLX-based build with RockShox suspension compared to the SL’s XTR build with top-end Fox suspension.
At about 27 pounds, the Faze 1 is still light enough to be a solid cross country platform. While the frame is aluminum, the suspension link arm is carbon fibre for increased stiffness and lighter weight. It’s connected to the RockShox Monarch 2.1 rear shock, which is a lightweight solo air shock with rebound adjustment. As with most less-tuneable rear shocks, riders will feel some suspension bob when climbing out of the saddle, but climbing in the saddle is solid. The fork, also 120 mm, is the RockShox Reba Race, a dual air fork with rebound and compression adjustments, as well as a bar-mounted remote lockout.
The component spec on the Faze 1 is certainly XC-race oriented. The handlebar, seat post and stem all come from Ritchey’s Pro line. The drivetrain features SLX shifters and an SLX front derailleur, a Race Face Deuce XC crankset and a Shimano XT rear derailleur. The wheels are DT Swiss X-430 with DT hubs and Schwalbe Racing Ralph 2.1 tires. Stopping power comes from Avid Elixir R disc brakes.
Out on the trails, the Faze 1 is a fun platform for either trail riding or cross-country racing. The handlebars are a bit wider than necessary and could be cut down slightly for improved steering and control. Still, the Racing Ralph tires hook up well in many trail conditions and the Faze 1 rails through flat singletrack as well as climbs and descents.
The Faze ate up technical and rocky sections that normally would cause tense moments on more traditional cross-country oriented bikes, and on longer rides the bike was comfortable and forgiving.