Just in time for the Sea Otter Classic, Norco presents the new Revolver FS, the race bike that some of the team riders have been riding on the trails since the middle of last season. Just like BMC with the new Fourstroke Norco is following a very clear trend: longer, flatter, faster! What began a few years ago in the trail bike and enduro segment is now continuing right up to the starting rows of the World Cup courses. Norco is taking a particularly extreme approach and, in addition to a new and extremely stiff frame, has given the new Revolver a very long reach in combination with short chainstays.
490 millimetre reach in L: short but growing chainstays
490 millimetres in frame size L! This is a reach value that we are otherwise more accustomed to from longer and slacker specialists such as Nicolai. There is also a 60 millimetre stem, chainstays of around 427 millimetres in length, a steering angle of 68.5 and a seat angle of a steep 76 degrees. Pretty extreme for a race bike. But Norco is convinced that the long reach is the right way to go, because the long and flat front should orientate the rider more towards the front and thus lower the centre of gravity and balance it perfectly between the wheels.
40 percent more frame rigidity - optimised kinematics
A rising front end on the uphill should therefore be a thing of the past. However, the rider should also be spared on the descent, as - thanks to the long reach - they no longer have to get so far behind the saddle for the downhill. Less position changes on the bike, less fatigue for the rider, so the argument goes. All versions of the 100 millimetre Revolver therefore consistently do without a dropper post.
There have also been some changes to the frame design: despite the long front end and a whopping 40 per cent increase in stiffness in the bottom bracket area, the bike should not be any heavier than its predecessor. The kinematics of the rear triangle have also been slightly revised. Despite all the efficiency of a race bike, the suspension should now remain even more active both uphill and downhill and also absorb bigger impacts better.
Revolver 120: Marathon trail bike with reserves
In addition to the uncompromisingly race-orientated Revolver 100, Norco (similar to Orbea with the Oiz) has also launched a marathon racer for long days in the saddle and extended sporty trail rides. The Revolver 120 inherits the frame of its short-stroke brother, but tickles 120 millimetres of travel out of the rear thanks to a longer stroke in the shock, which is supplemented by a 120 mm fork. In addition, a dropper post is integrated ex works for even more freedom of movement.
At 478 millimetres in L, the reach is slightly shorter than on the Revolver 100, while the head angle and seat angle are one degree slacker at 67.4 and 75 degrees respectively. Instead of the 2.25 inch tyres on the XC race bike, the 120 Revolver rolls on 2.35 inch wide tyres, but Norco repeatedly emphasises that even the 120 Revolver is not a trail bike in the true sense of the word. It is a marathon racer with reserves, designed for long races or extended trail tours at a particularly fast pace.
Will the formula of long reach and short chainstays also work in the XC sector? We are certainly looking forward to our first test. You can also find all the information about the two bikes on the Website of the manufacturer.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
