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The Norco Search XR, gravel adventures in carbon and steel

Need five water bottles for your escapade? The Search can haul 'em.

For the past few years, gravel/adventure bikes have been all the purple rage in cycling. Venerable Canadian manufacturer Norco’s Search XR bike has been highly praised since its 2015 incarnation. For 2018 Norco has made some tweaks to make to improve the machine, perhaps perfecting its single track and fire road bomber.

First of all, the retooled Search has even more relaxed geometry, making it lower and longer for better handling. Norco uses its ARC Endurance bridgeless seat stays and curved, ovalized chainstays to soak up the bumps. The Power Chassis design and 12mm thru axles make for a responsive ride.

The Search’s 12mm thru axles add stiffness and steering precision.

A bridgeless seat stay meant that the company had to find a way to mount fenders. So the SASSY (Secret Attachable Seat Stay Yoke) chain stay bridge was created, along with NINJA (Not Instantly Noticeable Junk Attachments) threaded inserts. Voila, the Search could now take fenders, a rack and bottle cages–five in total thanks to mounts on the fork.
The SASSY (Secret Attachable Seat Stay Yoke) chain stay bridge allows for fenders with the Search’s bridgeless seat stays.

There are five models, three carbon bikes and two steel machines, and all of them have tire clearance for up to a 700x45c gravel tire or a 27.5×2.1” mountain tire.

Knowing that the Search is going to get muddy, Norco’s Gizmo cable management system routes cables into the frame. A rubber protective covering over the seat clamp prevents water and muck from getting inside the frame.

From $2499 to $5599, Norco has your next exploits covered.