# Norco Torrent



## Smokee300 (Jul 8, 2014)

https://www.norco.com/bikes/mountain/trail-plus/

Interesting


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## 2whl-hoop (May 8, 2011)

Very.

I was considering the C-dale Beast O' East, but we have a local Norco dealer, too.....


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## rushman3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Notice the fork: RS Yari Plus.......more choices every day


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## Smokee300 (Jul 8, 2014)

rushman3 said:


> Notice the fork: RS Yari Plus.......more choices every day


I _think_ there are two versions of the Yari(lockout and no lockout)

If so, I wonder which one this is.


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## NH Mtbiker (Nov 6, 2004)

2016....the year of the hardtail trail plus bike! This is the headed in the right direction now!


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## Smokee300 (Jul 8, 2014)

NH Mtbiker said:


> 2016....the year of the hardtail trail plus bike! This is the headed in the right direction now!


Speaking of 2016, I heard from a dealer that the Torrent will be available in Jan. of 16'


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## NH Mtbiker (Nov 6, 2004)

Smokee300 said:


> Speaking of 2016, I heard from a dealer that the Torrent will be available in Jan. of 16'


Nice! Think they will have it as a frame only option at some point?


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

*Norco 7.2*

After months of shopping I finally pulled the trigger on a Large Norco Torrent 7.2.

It's the bike that offered the most value ($2K Cdn taxes in) in a market where prices are sky rocketing alarmingly, especially for us Canadians.

At 5'9" (on a good day), I've always been a Medium 23.75-24" ETT kind of guy with 90'ish mm stem, but with the 55mm OEM stem I decided to try a size up and it fit perfect!









It's the first MTB I've purchased in 5-6 years, the Scott Scale 29er (first year it came out) was a very worthy stead - IMO paving the way of current generation HTs with slack 69.5 HT (IIRC), and short'ish chainstays (~44cm).

This time around I wanted something which mixed the 29er diameter with volume closer to a Fatbike tire (regret selling my Al 907). The Torrent in my short pre-purchase ride has delivered just that. The verified 42.5cm chainstays make for a very playful ride and easy to loft the front if wanted.









Many of my bling parts will be swapped over from my Scott (XO shifters/der, XG cassette, P6 hiflex post, Vector 12D bars, Formula RX brakes) which along with tubeless conversion should trim some of the weight off the 29lbs girth - which she hid quite well BTW.









LOTS of clearance for possible a future 3.25" tire, although I'm a huge Schwalbe fan, the 3.00 coming in at 2 7/8" (72mm) on the Alex MD40 rims.


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## nitrousjunky (May 12, 2006)

Looks good! Report back on your thoughts after more ride time. I have my eye on one of these as well.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

A quick update while today's ride is still fresh in my mind.









I swapped the tires to tubeless, and setup them up at 10f & 12r. That number could go down 1 PSI. I'm about 220lbs fully kitted but ride pretty light. Fork was set to about 95psi, will try 90psi next ride.

Everything I've read about 27.5+ is true. The tires are very sensitive to pressure, 1psi can make a substantial difference. There's gobs of traction, off camber grip was ridiculous. The bike holds a line so well, I was plowing through stuff that would have had my 29er ping-pong left & right. I was riding wet and icy rocks with similar confidence to my 29er on a warm summer day. Amazing.

There's been quite a bit of grief out there about this new standard but it really does fill a niche:


Dual rig for summer and winter on older snow/hard pack trails
A bike to build confidence, either for a newbie or an experienced rider looking to ride tech stuff in slippery conditions
Older experienced riders looking to continue to ride gnar, but are MUCH more conscientious about self preservation & injury.
Rider looking to have fun (!) irrespective of pace. No interest in PBs, Stava records, or crushing buddies on a weekly group ride.
I would check all of those as my goals when I was shopping for this bike.

I would like to think I was the first Torrent riding Kanata Lakes but there was a clip posted earlier this summer (

__
http://instagr.am/p/7vjI1KoZy3/
) in the exact spot as my pic below .









I did have one minor issue, the tubeless conversion which seemed to go easy enough at home didn't fare as well on the trail. I was getting sealant leaking through the rim's seam which would seal but then reopen when my ride resumed.









I've since re-taped with proper tubeless tape and am confident the issue will be rectified.

Besides that, I'm very impressed with bike as a package. The fit is perfect, the BB height (which I was worried might be too high) is also perfect - I was actually surprised to tap the pedal a few times. This is a big machine but the weight and wheelbase was well hidden on the trail. The front lofts sooo easy with the 425mm chainstays.

This is my first Norco and having ridden MTBs for nearly two decades I'm somewhat ashamed to say it's my first local/Canadian brand.


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## bp138 (Nov 29, 2015)

*Considering a 7.2*

Fritzman, that Torrent 7.2 looks super nice and sounds like it can handle some technical riding. I'm really considering getting one - the CAD $2k price would be right at my budget limit. I have a Giant Talon 27.5 and it's decent for riding gravel trails and atv trails etc, but riding on any kind of technical singletrack is sketchy, especially on descents. I'm looking for a more burly, do it all hardtail that I can take out to the local trail network and really ride technical stuff more aggressively. I live in New Brunswick so the trails are typical east coast - up and down, tight, twisty, rooty and rocky (emphasis on the roots), wet and muddy, especially the first half of the season. I've never ridden a Norco and I like the idea of riding a Canadian brand bike.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

bp138 said:


> .. I'm looking for a more burly, do it all hardtail where I can take it out to the local trail network and really ride technical stuff more aggressively. I live in New Brunswick so the trails are typical east coast - up and down, tight, twisty, rooty and rocky (emphasis on the roots), wet and muddy, especially the first half of the season. .


Sounds very similar to our region, very east-cost, almost trials'y riding. Because of our trails I only use a HT for better response on step-ups etc.. The only NB riding I've done was some small trails around Saint Andrews but it was pretty tame stuff.

I put another ride on the Torrent today. There is a section of trail which I have only cleared a few times (in 10+ years of trying). I haven't ridden that part in over 4 months, and on this bike in wet and icy conditions... I cleared it. To say this bike, or this tire size, has made me fall in love with MTBing again is an understatement.

It's not just the climbing that insane, the descending can plow through some serious ****, like wow... 6" rocks just disappear (fork at 90psi now). No more picking clean lines.

The funny thing is that the Torrent 7.2 tires are merely Schwalbe's Nobby Nic 'Performance' line. Grabbing a set of their Trailstar compound will offer even more grip LOL.

As good as the bike is there is room for improvement. I'd love a little more sweep in the bars and the Novatech hub has what feels like only 2 pawls - sooo much rotation before engagement. The good news is that can be improved as time goes on.

I say if you can, give one a test ride... you only live once so may as well enjoy it!


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## bp138 (Nov 29, 2015)

fritZman said:


> I put another ride on the Torrent today. There is a section of trail which I have only cleared a few times (in 10+ years of trying). I haven't ridden that part in over 4 months, and on this bike in wet and icy conditions... I cleared it. To say this bike, or this tire size, has made me fall in love with MTBing again is an understatement.
> 
> It's not just the climbing that insane, the descending can plow through some serious ****, like wow... 6" rocks just disappear (fork at 90psi now). No more picking clean lines.


This sounds awesome...really what I'm looking for. I will definitely be checking this bike out. Dirt Rag is doing a review on the 7.1 and sounds like their thoughts are similar to yours.

First Impressions: Norco Torrent 7 Plus

Does the 7.2 have internal dropper routing?


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## stumpynerd (Oct 8, 2012)

Nice bike. Norco makes some of the best bikes.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

bp138 said:


> ...Does the 7.2 have internal dropper routing?


Looks like it. There's an access 'port' on the seat tube which is unused. Also the underside of the downtube has room to fasten a second cable run up to the bars.









Edit: Confirmed the 7.2 is dropper routing compatible as per the pic in the DirtRag article.









I've never tried a dropper post and frankly never had an issue getting behind the saddle. Regardless, given the nature of this bike I would have considered trying one had I not already had a proper size Syntace P6 Hiflex post which does an awesome job flexing out any spikes that happen to (rarely) travel up through the fat rear tire.


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## TooSteep (Oct 6, 2012)

fritZman said:


> Older experienced riders looking to continue to ride gnar, but are MUCH more conscientious about self preservation & injury.


I would think that any bike that would help any rider avoid injury is a good thing!!!

Does your Torrent 7.2 come with a 1x10 drivetrain with just an 11-36t cassette? Do you think you could just drop in a Sunrace 10-speed wide range cassette without changing anything else? Seems odd that Norco would spec their entry level $1800 bike with the old cassette, when Marin can stick the wide range cassette on their $1200 (but rigid) bike. Apart from that the Norco spec looks nice.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

Looks awesome, I've been thinking long and hard about this bike. Where did you pick it up? No dealers around me are carrying this bike, such a shame.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

The bike was picked up at Full Cycle in Ottawa Full Cycle | Ottawa's Premiere Bike Store - est'd 1994 - originator of the Instagram clip posted earlier this summer and tread. Great shop.

For me 11-36 is an acceptable range - given the front ring is properly sized, which for my area is. Norco spec'ing a 28t direct-bolt RaceFace Narrow-Wide is a nice move IMO. Besides that, I really didn't care what drivetrain was offered as I wanted to move my XO 10sp grip shift/derailleur and XG cassette. I will probably move to XD 11 speed GX twist grip setup for 2017 season - likely with a new rear hub that offers more points of engagement over the OEM Novatec.









The OEM Shimano derailleur came with one of those offset hangers to increase the range so it may be possible to swap in a 42t.









As for my build, the final swap-in parts have been ordered and will be installed after Christmas, SRAM Guide RSC and Easton Haven 35 carbon low-rise.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

fritZ, is the photo with the bike weight you posted completely stock or was it with the tubeless conversion? What are your impressions of the SR fork?


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

29lbs was stock Large complete with tubes and pedals.

I'm down to about 27.7lbs now with eggbeaters, bottle cage and other bits.

Honestly, because of the cush in the 27.5+ tires I originally shopped long and hard for a fully rigid 27.5+, so suspension fork was of little concern to me. I'm not opposed to suspension fork, my Scott Scale 29er has a PUSH tuned Reba with xloc and DT Swiss 9mm thru-bolt RWS skewer. I just thought that suspension with such large tires was a bit overkill.

Having said that, given the speed the Torrent encourages on descents (easily it's best trait IMO), I'm glad I've got a squishy fork - and a surprisingly decent one at that. I'm getting about 110mm travel at 90psi leaving 10mm for heavy hits. I wouldn't go any softer up front as it's starting to dive a bit. Rebound adjustment works well and the incremental compression lockout is quite good as well. It's got a beefy crown and a funky thru-axle which uses a self expanding flare bit to lockup against the dropout, it's a little weird at first but easy to use once it's operation is understood. I'm perfectly happy with the fork and it will likely stay as a permanent fixture along with the frame.









Given the fall-like weather, I've had a few more rides on the bike since the last posting. I'm starting to get a really good feel for it - and learning more about it and this tire standard.









First surprise is that riding this thing to it's potential takes quite a bit of energy, noticeably more than my 29er. The bike's got oodles of grip but it requires quite a bit more torque from the legs to leverage those strengths - scaling straight up stuff I would have zig-zagged or chosen an easier line in the past. Riding a bigger machine harder and faster means that I'm also feeling it a lot in the arms and core - a total body workout. :thumbsup:

The bike let you run sooo many more lines while descending that it doesn't take long for the brain to get lazy and want to move past sections which I used to have to really focus on. I'm subconsciously running lines now that would be almost dangerous on my 29er - and I still don't feel I'm anywhere it's limit. I image those who will be swapping back & forth between rides will have to pay attention... 

I was annoyed on parts of today's ride as I spun out on a few tech climbs - but I caught myself when I realized that the tires were wet & cold and I was trying stuff I used to *only* ride when warm & dry. It doesn't take long for the brain to accept new standards. You really can ride 95% of the year on this. Heavy snow and freezing rain are the two limiters IMO.

Using an Accu gage, ideal tire pressure for me is 9-9.5psi front and 10.5-11psi rear in slow tech riding.


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## crashedupderby (Nov 21, 2005)

this thing looks really sick, has almost the same geometry as the fuse (which I liked) but not the creaking noise box, AKA, press fit bottom bracket, and a lot cheaper with a better fork.
now to find a dealer in the area...


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## bp138 (Nov 29, 2015)

I agree man, the Torrent looks so awesome and it sounds like it's the plus hardtail with the best value right now (at least in Canada). I've already been talking to a local Norco dealer about it...really want this bike!


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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

Fritzman, if you haven't gone tubeless yet, do so, as with the plus tires, it saves you about a pound and a half. 

That Torrent looks awesome. If I were 10 years younger, I would probably have gone with it over the FSR 6Fattie. That could be the ideal slow technical riding setup. 

I totally agree about how the plus setup responds to speed. I'm probably one cog too weak to get the most of it.


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## the_owl (Jul 31, 2009)

fritZman said:


> Looks like it. There's an access 'port' on the seat tube which is unused. Also the underside of the downtube has room to fasten a second cable run up to the bars.
> 
> View attachment 1032830
> 
> ...


The dropper post is one of the best things to come to MTB in the last 15 years.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

I just picked up my new 7.2

Fritz... can you elaborate on your tubeless setup? Thinking of doing it for mine.

Sent from my HTC Desire 320 using Tapatalk


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

phride said:


> Fritzman, if you haven't gone tubeless yet, do so, as with the plus tires, it saves you about a pound and a half...


Tubeless was (and always is) the first mod to my bikes, be it MTB, CX (Compass Bon Jon Pass), or Road (Schwalbe One).

In the case of the Torrent, I only saved about .35 of a pound, or 160grams total for F&R. The OEM tubes were ~200 gr which were offset by 2 scoops of Stan's (60gr x 2 per wheel).


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

the_owl said:


> The dropper post is one of the best things to come to MTB in the last 15 years.


Not that I disagree, but I think there's terrain requirements and rider dimensions that need to be in place before a dropper post is of value.

I ride relatively flat terrain where the longest 'decent' would last 15 seconds (at best). For me having to sit on a post to press it down is more of a hassle than my long'ish legs require to simply slide off the back - AND I still get a nice flexing seatpost for 95% of the rest of the trail which is relatively level.

I can see for descents that are longer than ~30 seconds where a dropper post could be of value - but even there you loose the benefit of a softer hardtail from a flexing seatpost.

I'll seriously entertain a dropper post when:
1) There is some kind of elastometer (~1cm) in place to offer some cush when extended - bonus for us aging HT riders (I'm 44 phride ).
2) The post can drop w/o the rider's weight
3) For the asking purchase price (!), reliability is good for several years (including cold temps for us Canadian who rider 11.5 months of the year). 
4) There's no 1lbs weight penalty


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Bikin' Bric said:


> I just picked up my new 7.2
> 
> Fritz... can you elaborate on your tubeless setup? Thinking of doing it for mine.
> 
> Sent from my HTC Desire 320 using Tapatalk


Very cool Mr. Bric! But as a moderator you surely must know the online rule - Pics or it didn't happen. 

To answer your question, I pulled the OEM red tape/liner and used Velocity tubeless tape (seems similar to Stans but blue - free so I had to try). Prior to the tubeless tape I also added a piece of wider packing tape just at the seam to get a better bead-to-bead seal.

I used two scoops of Stan's sealant per tire and a small compressor with Schrader to presta adaptor to easily inflate and seal. Beads will pop nicely when in place ~25psi.

She still wept a bit on the first ride after the 'improved taping' but pressures have since stabilized on the next couple of rides.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

fritZman said:


> Very cool Mr. Bric! But as a moderator you surely must know the online rule - Pics or it didn't happen.
> 
> To answer your question, I pulled the OEM red tape/liner and used Velocity tubeless tape (seems similar to Stans but blue - free so I had to try). Prior to the tubeless tape I also added a piece of wider packing tape just at the seam to get a better bead-to-bead seal.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info, I'll likely do a tubeless setup soon on mine. Pics are on the way.... I'm taking her out for the maiden voyage this afternoon after work. Can't wait.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

Took her out for a few hours today. What a bike, totally awesome. More pics and such to come later.


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## JVX (Dec 17, 2015)

fritZman said:


> This is my first Norco and having ridden MTBs for nearly two decades I'm somewhat ashamed to say it's my first local/Canadian brand.
> 
> View attachment 1032037


Same here, at least in recent years. My Norco Desert Rat was back in the 80s, hahaha.

But seriously, how did you manage to get it two weeks back? Mine (that I pre-ordered in September) just arrived at Joe Mamma Cycles two days ago. Unfortunately, looks like the weather is turning south again, so all I can do is dream of next spring.

Any ways, where are those pictures from? Kanata? I'm new to Ottawa (as of last year) and all any one mentions to me is Gatineau Park. But it doesn't sound like anything I'm used to out west (Vancouver). Any good trails you'd recommend?

Also, asides from going tubeless (which I likely won't do), any ideas on how to shed more weight? I'm eyeing up the stem, bars, cranks, and pedals. All a little hefty and oversized in my opinion. It's still lighter than my 03 Kona Roast that someone jacked this past summer, but after having played around on a Norco Rampage and considering building one up, I'd like to build my torrent down in terms of weight to get closer to the Rampage.

Also...if any one see's a Roast whipping around a park, please check the serial numbers for me! I really want that bike back (T~T)


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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

Why would you not go tubeless? Lower pressures, better traction, fewer flat tires, lower weight. What's the downside?


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## JVX (Dec 17, 2015)

phride said:


> Why would you not go tubeless? Lower pressures, better traction, fewer flat tires, lower weight. What's the downside?


Well, the terrain I like to ride in often includes shale & other sharp objects (such as cacti), so way easier to fix/replace a tube than fix/replace gouges or slices in a tire.

Also, how many flats have you had? I've only had 2 that I recall: one a gouge & another cactus needles). So it's hard to justify the cost/labour.

But maybe I'm just old skool & like to get free pints off people at Whistler or in Moab for fixing their pinch flats on the trail XD


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

JVX said:


> ... how did you manage to get it two weeks back? ...


It appears as though Full Cycle has a strong relationship with Norco. They posted a clip of riding a demo/prototype in Kanata back in the summer. I was told not many were available at the time I picked up mine. Joe Mamma is a good shop, as is Phat Moose (my fav).



JVX said:


> ... ...looks like the weather is turning south again, so all I can do is dream of next spring.


That's the best part about these + bikes, they don't need to stop when the weather turns. Short of freezing rain or 5+ cm of fresh snow they can go through pretty much anything.



JVX said:


> ... Any ways, where are those pictures from? Kanata? I'm new to Ottawa (as of last year) and all any one mentions to me is Gatineau Park. But it doesn't sound like anything I'm used to out west (Vancouver). Any good trails you'd recommend?


Yes, the pictures are from Kanata Lakes, Outback and Ridgetop to be exact. There's a few options in our area, check out OMBA's maps link: Ottawa Mountain Bike Association | Maps Kanata Lakes (aka South March Highlands) is good but different than out West with very slow average speed and technical steps ups etc.. Mont Ste Marie is also very good with inspiration (read: builders) from the Vancouver area. Brockville has a couple of good trails if you know where to look (or who to ask) - their stuff is even tougher than Kanata Lakes.



JVX said:


> ... Also, asides from going tubeless (which I likely won't do)


I would recommend you really take the effort to try tubeless. You can drop the pressure (a win in pretty much any category of MTBing - traction and comfort), pretty much eliminate pinch flats, and decrease rolling resistance. Every one of my bikes (road/CX/MTBs) are tubeless.


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## go-pirates (May 8, 2006)

Looks awesome! Wish I had a Norco dealer close to me!


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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

JVX said:


> Well, the terrain I like to ride in often includes shale & other sharp objects (such as cacti), so way easier to fix/replace a tube than fix/replace gouges or slices in a tire.
> 
> Also, how many flats have you had? I've only had 2 that I recall: one a gouge & another cactus needles). So it's hard to justify the cost/labour.
> 
> But maybe I'm just old skool & like to get free pints off people at Whistler or in Moab for fixing their pinch flats on the trail XD


I couldn't count the number of flats I had before I went tubeless, certainly closer to 100 than 2, but none since I went tubeless. If you lower your tire pressure to where it gives optional performance, you're going to be subject to pinch flats unless you run tubeless, and with the sealant inside, you are protected against punctures. You'll also save a half pound or more if rotational weight. It's the cheapest significant upgrade you can do on that bike. If you bought the bike at a local shop, they should do it for you.


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## JVX (Dec 17, 2015)

fritZman said:


> I would recommend you really take the effort to try tubeless. You can drop the pressure (a win in pretty much any category of MTBing - traction and comfort), pretty much eliminate pinch flats, and decrease rolling resistance. Every one of my bikes (road/CX/MTBs) are tubeless.


Well, after going in to chop my seat post by 3 inches & pick up some Easton bars to shave off 2 inches in handlebar width, I chatted with one of the guys at the shop about going tubeless. I might be convinced, although I think I'd still pack a spare tube & pump just in case. But sounds like I could shave a noticeable amount of weight that way.

Any idea what your before & after weight difference was? My M frame weighed in at 29.2lbs after the post chop (before swapping bars - which likely won't trim any). If I can get it just below 28, I'd be stoked. Still eying up at least the pedals, if not the cranks as well.

No trails in the Glebe, but some of the long stairwells at TD Place were still unchained. Rode down a few flights smoothly, took three foot drops onto asphalt like a dream, & popped up onto the foot & a half high garden boxes with nary a hiccup. Still feel the need a log-blocker on the front cog as I like to to ride urban assault style.


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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

JVX said:


> Well, after going in to chop my seat post by 3 inches & pick up some Easton bars to shave off 2 inches in handlebar width, I chatted with one of the guys at the shop about going tubeless. I might be convinced, although I think I'd still pack a spare tube & pump just in case. But sounds like I could shave a noticeable amount of weight that way.
> 
> Any idea what your before & after weight difference was? My M frame weighed in at 29.2lbs after the post chop (before swapping bars - which likely won't trim any). If I can get it just below 28, I'd be stoked. Still eying up at least the pedals, if not the cranks as well.


From a week ago in this thread...



fritZman said:


> In the case of the Torrent, I only saved about .35 of a pound, or 160grams total for F&R. The OEM tubes were ~200 gr which were offset by 2 scoops of Stan's (60gr x 2 per wheel).


It's much less than I saved on my 6Fattie, but the Torrent clearly has lighter tubes. I do carry a spare tube in my pack, just not the heavy one that came with the bike. Still, any weight that you can remove from the outside edge of your wheels counts double or more in terms of work savings.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Regardless if I'm running tubeless or not I always bring a spare tube and pump.

My Large is down to 27.7lbs with Eggbeaters, Syntace P6 Hiflex post, XO 10sp grip shifter and derailleur, WTB Rocket CroMo rail saddle, and all .3lbs savings from tubeless. I cut 1cm off the stock bars for a short-term fix.

I do have Easton Haven carbon low rise bars and 50mm stem coming in which should help. Also I've ordered SRAM Guides RSC brakes which may add or remove further weight.

Next area for weight savings AND performance would be carbon rims IMO.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

fritZman said:


> Regardless if I'm running tubeless or not I always bring a spare tube and pump.
> 
> My Large is down to 27.7lbs with Eggbeaters, Syntace P6 Hiflex post, XO 10sp grip shifter and derailleur, WTB Rocket CroMo rail saddle, and all .3lbs savings from tubeless. I cut 1cm off the stock bars for a short-term fix.
> 
> ...


Sounds like you're going all out..... nice!


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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

Nice. Some 741s, Roval i38s, or the like would be awesome on that bike. I gotta ask though: Eggbeaters on a fat tire trail bike?


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

phride said:


> ... I gotta ask though: Eggbeaters on a fat tire trail bike?


I'm curious - as opposed to what other option? Candy/Mallet?

I've only ridden Eggbeaters with stiff carbon sole XC shoes (Specialized) and have never understood the need for a more platform-wrapped pedal, perhaps for those with softer all-mountain shoes/soles?

In the winter I do flip to regular flat pedals with warmer boots.

The good thing with many of my new ordered parts is that I can re-use the Torrent's parts (Brakes, shifters, bar/stem) on my boys bikes which need replacements anyways (they're damn hard on equipment). Better to purchase replacements for my bike than theirs. 

Carbon hoops won't be for another year - I'll wait until this drivetrain is done before I grab an XD-equipped hub (one with MANY more points of engagement) to build with the new rims.

Unfortunately I've been off the bike for a week, and it looks like quite a few more. I have an 'involuntary dismount' and managed to smash my thigh hard enough into the bars enroute to mother earth that I've bruised femur including some periosteal lifting as a result of the trama. It was a stupid mishap on an easy trail, pedal strike on a small stump in a corner stopped the bike dead. That's the thing with these plus bikes, they allow you to carry more speed but when things go wrong physics bites back harder.


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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

fritZman said:


> I'm curious - as opposed to what other option? Candy/Mallet?
> 
> I've only ridden Eggbeaters with stiff carbon sole XC shoes (Specialized) and have never understood the need for a more platform-wrapped pedal, perhaps for those with softer all-mountain shoes/soles?
> 
> In the winter I do flip to regular flat pedals with warmer boots.


I just think of Eggbeaters as the least reliable of pedals, probe to pre-releasing and least functional if you are unclipped in them. Granted, I haven't ridden them since they first came out. Crack Bros. gave a bunch to my team. I gave it a go during training, but I couldn't get rid of them quick enough. I rode 747s for 17 years after that, but when I finally picked up a proper FS trail bike this year, I made the switch to flats.

High POE carbon wheels sound like just the ticket. That bike will be an amazing climber. Rest up and get back after it.


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## .thumper. (Jan 13, 2005)

*Norco Torrent 7.1*

Just brought home my 7.1. Changed out the seatpost for 150mm Reverb. I'll post up ride impressions once I get the chance. Should be tomorrow.


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## .thumper. (Jan 13, 2005)

.thumper. said:


> Just brought home my 7.1. Changed out the seatpost for 150mm Reverb. I'll post up ride impressions once I get the chance. Should be tomorrow.
> View attachment 1042320


Oh, and tubeless.


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## stumpynerd (Oct 8, 2012)

How big of a tire can you fit on the torrent? I was gonna go with torrent but there is no norco dealers in my area. I ordered a guerrilla gravity pedalhead instead. Custom USA made steel gnar hardtail. Waiting on frame to be built.


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## kamper11 (Feb 8, 2008)

NICE - I saw this in the box in my size at the local Golden shop. Got to pedal the 7.2 around and the Sasquatch 6.2... both seem like they'd be great fun (for their given purposes) butI think these Torrents are gonna be an absolute riot and more-so when no snow!! Looking fwd to your ride report - and how you think the b+ tires currently avail will work in winter vs fat bike... I also found it quite funny how skinny a minion 2.3 looked on a Norco Range next to the NN 3.0 on the Torrent


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## .thumper. (Jan 13, 2005)

Rode about 10 miles, climbed, then descended just over 2000' at Bergen Peak in Evergreen, CO. Trails were packed snow with patches of ice and frozen dirt, but mostly packed snow.

Started with tires at 14/15 psi and was noticing the slightest slippage of rear tire and noticed the tire wasn't flattening all the way out. About a mile or so in to the ride, I changed to 11/12 psi and that seemed to be just perfect for conditions.

On the climbs, his bike had traction for miles (except where solid smooth ice) and climbed quite well. (For comparison, I normally ride a 6"-travel slack bikes). Once I got to the top and turned the bike downhill, that's where this bike really came to life!

The trail at the top is pretty steep with mostly (at this time) packed snow with small patches of ice. Quite a few rocks and roots still sticking through the snow and lots of flowy turns and also a bunch of switchbacks.

At first on the descent, I was a little cautious not sure if the 3" tires would grip as well as 5" tires I had ridden on this kind of terrain before. The further I went, the more confidence I got. I'm sure this bike has some less grip than the full 5"-wide fat bike tires, but I really didn't notice any. And this bike, probably because of the geometry, really begged to be pushed harder and harder. The faster I went, the more confidence I started to feel. (Also thought maybe winter descents call for a full-face).

I've had a fat bike in the past but just didn't really love it. I enjoyed it when the conditions were just right, but if things weren't perfect, I'd rather be on a different bike (or just skiing). This bike seems to be the kind of bike for me that will be fun to ride in just about any condition (except for deep, loose snow and probably super greasy mud).

All-in-all, I think this bike does 80-90% of what a fat bike can do, but doesn't suffer from the gigantic wheels and tires and heavy rotational weight. I barely noticed the weight or size of these tires and wheels. It seemed to accelerate like my 6" enduro bike; at times maybe even better. I'm really looking forward to getting this bike on some flowy dirt trails as well as some rowdy rocky ones. I think this bike is gonna be a real good time.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Good review, looks like a nice place to ride.

I agree, the Torrent setup rides a good 80% of what a Fattie does. We had a chunk of snow this weekend, I waited a couple days for initial packing and even though it was still soft on the climbs, my Torrent handled it with ease.

All that's missing is for the market to release a 3" studded tire. 3.25" would even fit. 









I've continued to swap parts out to better suit my requirements. I've installed an Easton carbon 35 bar (cut to 730) and a 50mm stem (<5mm than stock). The shorter stem along with narrower bars are now in a sweet spot for me - despite the bars still being a tight squeeze on my trails.

While the OEM Shimano brakes were fine, I'm a SRAM guy and wanted a little more power to handle the descending speeds this rig is capable of. So far I've been very impressed with the SRAM Guide RSC, they're friggin' powerful but also easy to modulate.









I've also picked up a set of Nobby Nic Trailstar Snakeskin for even more insane traction this coming summer. They were crazy cheap from Merlin Cycles online. The Trailstars are about 60gr heavier than the 7.2's OEM NN Performance tires.


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## kamper11 (Feb 8, 2008)

any more perspective on just how wide a tire will fit in the rear triangle? thanks


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

kamper11 said:


> any more perspective on just how wide a tire will fit in the rear triangle? thanks


There's a good 1/2" clearance all around with the 3" NN (actual 2 7/8").

I figure a 3.25" would comfortably fit.


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## .thumper. (Jan 13, 2005)

Yeah, that's about what I was thinking. Tolerances are a little tight for anything bigger. I had originally hoped I could fit a 4" tire on occasion, but I don't think that'd be possible. Possibly up to 3.5, but I'd think you'd get some tire rub with that size. 

I'm saying this for the stays as well as the boost fork. Similar tolerances on the stays as well as the fork (RS Lyrik).


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## kryten (Mar 8, 2012)

I came across the Torrent 7.2 today for the first time at my local LBS by accident. What a great looking bike. I was wondering if it could potentially replace both my trail bike and my fat bike especially since everything gets packed down quickly around here. Those snow reviews with pics posted before look encouraging. Most of the time trails around here are in similar condition or packed down even firmer. Currently have 4" studded Dillingers and Floaters on 70mm rims so not exactly up to date on the current 5" tire trend anyway. Subscribed for more info


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

kryten said:


> ... I was wondering if it could potentially replace both my trail bike and my fat bike especially since everything gets packed down quickly around here. ...


That's exactly why I purchased my Torrent - as a single quiver MTB that can be ridden 95% of the year (dirt, snow, wet/mud).

My local MTB trails (14km all-original) get packed quickly as well - makes for perfect riding on my 7.2.


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## kryten (Mar 8, 2012)

I ride about twice per week and no commuting, so not a ton. All singletrack, but some pavement to get to the trails. Same trails summer or winter. My point is even if it snows a lot, by the time I get out with the amount of traffic on the trails, chances are I should be fine on a 27.5+ bike 19 out of 20 times imo. 

With regards to the 7.2, what do you think of this for summer/winter trim?

Winter: Surly Dirt Wizard 27.5x3 with Kold Kutters or Grip studs, hopefully tubeless and hopefully it will all still fit with studs installed. Seems like big thread lugs to support studs as well as decent looking thread for snow. Maybe a rigid fork at some point depending on the performance of that SR fork in cold weather, have not done any research on that front yet.

Summer: Stock Nobby Nic's, swap for 32T NW (and another chain/cassette so it all wears evenly).

I know, gotta do more reading. 

Oh yeah and sell both trail and fat bike and keep the change.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

As FYI, MTBUK had a review/shoot out including the Norco Torrent, here's a PDF link off of Norco's site: http://www.norco.com/news/wp-conten...rent-7.1-MBUK-Feb-2016-Test-Winner-OPT-V1.pdf

Pretty much echos my thoughts. It's a grunt to climb (mostly because you can go straight up stuff) with scary-fast descending capabilities.

Here's a follow-up Q&A on the Norco site: Behind the 2016 Torrent: Five Questions with Product Manager Paul Burnett - Norco NewsNorco News


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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

Interesting. That Q&A clarifies a fundamental difference between the Torrent and other plus bikes. The folks at Norco had a type of bike in mind and selected plus tires as the best tool for the job, whereas most other manufacturers were jumping on the plus bandwagon and either making them fit into a pre-existing frame or trying to conceptualize a bike around the tires. I suppose the latter is not so different from how mountain biking came about in the first place, but there was and is still a long way to go in the development of the design from there; whereas the Torrent was a fully conceptualized design for which plus tires were selected much like any other component, because they worked best for that design.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

*Comparing Performance vs Trailstar Snakeskin NN.*



fritZman said:


> As FYI, MTBUK had a review/shoot out including the Norco Torrent, here's a PDF link off of Norco's site: http://www.norco.com/news/wp-conten...rent-7.1-MBUK-Feb-2016-Test-Winner-OPT-V1.pdf


I had some interesting observations of the Nobby Nic this weekend that I thought share with the collective.

As per the review above there were comments of 'draggy tire' at their tested 10psi (pretty much the same pressure I found as ideal). This review was based on the Snakeskin TL version of the Nobby Nic supplied on the 7.1.

My 7.2 came with regular 'Performance' version of the tire, approx. 60gr lighter w/o Snakeskin. I recently purchase a set of Trailstar Snakeskin NN 3.0" and mounted them tubeless at my usual ~ 10psi (+/- 1psi based on conditions). The Trailstar is about 1-2mm smaller all round compared the Performance tires.

To say there was a difference between Performance and Trailstar is shocking. On the trail the Trailstar tire was a BEAR to push compared to the Performance. Several times I had to check if the brakes were dragging. Also, auto steer was very pronounced when transitioning from snow to a wooden bridge.

I'm wondering if the Snakeskin sidewall is actually a massive detriment to rolling resistance when operating at <15psi due to sidewall flexing, if Schwalbe took that into consideration when designing the tire, and if a regular Performance tire would had provided a different perspective in the MBUK review.

In all fairness these observations were about -12C and performance could be substantially different once warmer. I sincerely hope that's the case because Snakeskin will be a nice given how fast this bike begs to bomb through stuff. In the meantime I'll be remounting my Performance tires until Spring.


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## .thumper. (Jan 13, 2005)

I'm here to give my findings on the Schwalbe Nobby Nic 27.5x3.0 snakeskin tires that came stock on my Torrent 7.1. I enjoyed the traction and the feel of these tires. I ran them at about 10-12 psi on snow rides. Nothing but good things to say about that environment.

However, when riding these tires in dry and rocky conditions, I am no longer a fan.

To be fair, I used to race semi-pro / open downhill and currently race enduro. I weigh 215 lbs and like to ride fast and am not necessarily the smoothest rider.

My first ride on a rocky trail, I cut both front and rear tires almost immediately on the first rocky descent. The rocks on this trail were particularly sharp and edgy, but I would have expected the tires to hold up better. I was running, I believe, around 16/15psi rear/front using a ghetto-tubeless setup. The rear tire had a small tear near the bead where it apparently pinched against the rim but was just large enough that the stans couldn't seal it. The front tire had a small tear in the sidewall that the stans ended up sealing. Once I put a tube in the rear tire, I aired up to (I'd have to guess) around 20 psi front and rear. The tires held up acceptably for the remainder of the ride, albeit maybe a little harsher than I'd expect with plus sized wheels/tires.

Disappointed about flatting too much, I patched the tires using tubeless tire patches and installed Schwalbe Procore with the Nobby Nics.

My next dry dirt ride was in a different area, but also containing lots of sharp, pointy rocks. I ended up really enjoying the ride that day with the tires at 15/17psi front/rear. I felt a nice, grippy, cushioned ride with the tires at that pressure, but not ever feeling the rim due to the Procore inner tires aired up to 80psi.

However, my rear tire ended up with a cut in the sidewall immediately after the photo below. I believe it must have simply gotten cut on a sharp rock, even though there aren't any big rocks in the photo, possibly at the moment of the photo as you can see it was completely rolled over to the side.









Another image showing sidewall flex:









I have since replaced the Nobby Nics with a set of Surly Dirt Wizard 2.75 x 3.0. These are the only double-sidewall plus tire available as far as I know at the moment. They are definitely heavier that the Nics, however. I also installed the procore with these tires.

I rode the same place again with the Dirt Wizards and Procore. I smashed the sh!t out of the rocks there and noticed that the tires because of their stiffer sidewall don't deform quite as much as the Nobby Nics and had a different ride quality than the Nics at the same pressure. I didn't notice the quick ramp up when hitting the procore inner tire like I did with the Schwalbes. But the Wizards were very heavy with also using the procore innner tires.

I'm very happy with the Dirt Wizards so far and plan to run them tubeless and remove the Procore to install on another bike. I'm much more confident in running these tires than the Nics.









Other than the stock tires, though, I really love this bike! It is exactly what I wanted. It totally shreds!


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

impressions of the DB5 brakes?
Many thanks


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## Just J (Feb 14, 2005)

SO tempted to go for a 7.1, I reckon it will well and truly scratch my trigger finger that's currently hovering over a Hightower purchase!


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

Torrent 7.1 ordered, arriving for the first days of March :thumbsup:


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## .thumper. (Jan 13, 2005)

[email protected] said:


> impressions of the DB5 brakes?
> Many thanks


So far, the brakes seem to work pretty well, but sometimes a little noisy. Good modulation and decent power. The only complaint I've got so far is that you need an allen key to adjust the reach. I think in general sram has fixed the problems they had the past few years with their avid brake line, I've heard a lot of good reviews of their newer brakes.

Granted, you get what you pay for. If you expect these brakes to work like the guide ultimates, you'll be disappointed.

I haven't really had a chance to take the bike down a real brake roacher yet. Since it's winter, the only longish descents I've had it on was in the snow in cold weather.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

.thumper. said:


> So far, the brakes seem to work pretty well, but sometimes a little noisy. Good modulation and decent power. The only complaint I've got so far is that you need an allen key to adjust the reach. I think in general sram has fixed the problems they had the past few years with their avid brake line, I've heard a lot of good reviews of their newer brakes.
> 
> Granted, you get what you pay for. If you expect these brakes to work like the guide ultimates, you'll be disappointed.
> 
> I haven't really had a chance to take the bike down a real brake roacher yet. Since it's winter, the only longish descents I've had it on was in the snow in cold weather.


The rotors are the centerline ? https://www.sram.com/sram/mountain/products/centerline-rotor

tnx


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## .thumper. (Jan 13, 2005)

[email protected] said:


> The rotors are the centerline ? https://www.sram.com/sram/mountain/products/centerline-rotor
> 
> tnx


No. I think they're Avid G2 CleanSweep. They are stamped with AVID G2CS and basically look like the product photo at the link.

https://www.sram.com/avid/products/g2-cleansweep


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

.thumper. said:


> No. I think they're Avid G2 CleanSweep. They are stamped with AVID G2CS and basically look like the product photo at the link.
> 
> https://www.sram.com/avid/products/g2-cleansweep


I read that with db5 are recommended centerline, but I do not know if it is true

Many thanks
have fun with your Torrent 7.1

Edit :
SRAM's DB5 is the best cheap mountain bike disc brake you've never heard of - Bikerumor

_"Rotor development, like all of our products, is driven by engineering. Industrial Designers are always part of the development team, but when optimizing a rotor for thermal, noise, and power performance, small changes to geometry can make a huge difference. CenterLine's design came directly from the minds of our engineers and was tested and optimized by engineering with our ID team being informed. What's notable is that it looks different, but the aesthetic is the direct result of engineering."

"OE's choose the rotor they wish to pair with a brake, however most bikes you will see with a DB5 brake will come with CenterLine rotors. The noise reduction and thermal management performance of CenterLine rotors make them a popular choice. It's worth noting that CenterLine rotors are backwards compatible as well, so they will work with brakes we produced before Guide and DB5."
_


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## AJR730 (Jul 20, 2015)

The Torrent 7.1 is my current front-runner - I've tested a L 7.2 twice now and it's got the "it's the one" feeling plus it seems like a pretty good spec for the $. I'm a little worried about the tires now and the eTen dropper for a guy my size (230 lbs) but I figure these would be reasonably-priced upgrades later if need be.


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## .thumper. (Jan 13, 2005)

AJR730 said:


> ... and the eTen dropper ...


Not sure if I mentioned this before, but the eTen dropper is only 100mm, so one of the first things I swapped on this bike was to a 150mm dropper.


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## LeonOfBristol (Oct 4, 2006)

now some of these are in the wild, I wondered what people thought of the Suntour fork on the 7.2?


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## LeonOfBristol (Oct 4, 2006)

I seem to have killed this thread dead :eekster:

In addition to my previous query, I wondered if there was any idea how this might ride with (big) non-plus tyres? Where I am, winter means mud, and i think something like 2.5 Minion might be better than a plus tyre.

Also note the points above about the effect of the tyres on the lethargic climbing feel described by MBUK. I take it then that the feel with something lower profile in the summer (setup tubeless) might transform the feeling?


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## dRjOn (Feb 18, 2004)

well, it should ride pretty good. the wheels will be a smidge bigger diameter but probably not noticeable. minions are obviously great tyres, though a bit sluggish for the back (if you are from bristol uk?) high roller would be a bit less draggy. but im sure you can check out the options. 

id like to see some more objective comments/reviews from the rags. it may *feel* slower, but is it? and if so a small effect or a big effect? i remember when i first got my Krampus doing a 2.5 ish hour pass through the Cairngorm and the bike felt sluggish compared to my 7lb lighter xc weapon...but the difference was a few minutes. both are great, but feel different and probably are fast in some areas and slow in others. the good thing is with a second set of wheels, you can pick and choose. 

Walt did some strava comparison and makes a compelling case for feel not being = to real speed. HTH


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## LeonOfBristol (Oct 4, 2006)

dRjOn said:


> well, it should ride pretty good. the wheels will be a smidge bigger diameter but probably not noticeable. minions are obviously great tyres, though a bit sluggish for the back (if you are from bristol uk?) high roller would be a bit less draggy. but im sure you can check out the options.
> 
> id like to see some more objective comments/reviews from the rags. it may *feel* slower, but is it? and if so a small effect or a big effect? i remember when i first got my Krampus doing a 2.5 ish hour pass through the Cairngorm and the bike felt sluggish compared to my 7lb lighter xc weapon...but the difference was a few minutes. both are great, but feel different and probably are fast in some areas and slow in others. the good thing is with a second set of wheels, you can pick and choose.
> 
> Walt did some strava comparison and makes a compelling case for feel not being = to real speed. HTH


Yep Bristol UK. I was thinking like a 27.5x2.5 minion on the front. Probably something like a High roller or Hans Dampf on the back, so it should be smaller diameter, and I think it'll drop the BB height by about 10-15mm? not sure though. BB height seems pretty high though at 325. My Scott Scale is 307, and feels great railing round the corners. 
Also, dunno if I can run a regular tyre on the scraper. Might just be an awful square thing. I don't want to get into have multiple pairs of wheels...

I like the idea of this b+ beast, but I'm a bit worried it might be of limited use.

100% on feel slow not equalling being slow, but at the end of the day, we ride a bike because of how it makes us feel, not how fast we get somewhere! I'm not a fan of sluggish bikes, but I don't mind the tradeoff when necessary (i.e. in the winter when everything is filth, I'll happily trade speed and lightweight for traction).

I've ordered one of these in to my local shop for a car park test. I'll see from there.


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## dRjOn (Feb 18, 2004)

ah! i thought you'd go 29...just as you say a bit of a drop then! i think the good thign about 27.5+ (and to an extent 29+) is, again, just like you say the fact if you dont like a tyre or a width its versatility - i reckon it will be a fun bike! id be very happy doing bristol 12 on a b+!


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## LeonOfBristol (Oct 4, 2006)

I think I'll still be racing the 12 on my Scott scale


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

LeonOfBristol said:


> I seem to have killed this thread dead :eekster:
> 
> In addition to my previous query, I wondered if there was any idea how this might ride with (big) non-plus tyres? Where I am, winter means mud, and i think something like 2.5 Minion might be better than a plus tyre.
> 
> Also note the points above about the effect of the tyres on the lethargic climbing feel described by MBUK. I take it then that the feel with something lower profile in the summer (setup tubeless) might transform the feeling?


I had posted comments on the 7.2 fork in post #20 of this thread. Overall I'm happy. It handles the big movement easily enough and the low pressure tires (10-12psi) handle all the little stuff. Incremental lockout and rebound are quite effective.

The frame & fork has lots of clearance for mud with the existing 3.0" tires. Personally I wouldn't go smaller for mud, especially given the NN is a decent all-round tire and there's gobs of grip already.

I'm convinced that a majority of the lethargic feel is due to the 7.1's noticeably stiffer Snakeskin tire casing at the low ~10psi MBUK was running. There's no doubt in my mind that's the ideal pressure, but I'm convinced Schwalbe didn't anticipate their tire would be best that low (min 15psi on the sidewall) when they spec'd the Snakeskin on the 7.1.

My 7.2 came with 'Performance' non-Snakeskin (more supple) Nobby Nic's which roll a hell of a lot faster than the aftermarket Trailstar 3.0 NN Snakeskins I purchased & mounted. Completely different bike when I swapped between the two. If you get the 7.1 Snakeskin tires, my recommendation is to swap tires first if you find it too slow before going the more costly (and less grip/comfort) route of a different wheel/tire size.

Anyone want to trade me their 3.0 NN Performance 7.2 tires for hardly used Trailstar TL Snakeskin 3.0?


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

LeonOfBristol said:


> now some of these are in the wild, I wondered what people thought of the Suntour fork on the 7.2?


I'm happy with mine. Works as good as the rockshox on my last bike (Recon), no noticeable flex even at my 260lbs. Feels nice and smooth.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

fritZman said:


> ...low pressure tires (10-12psi) handle all the little stuff...
> 
> I'm convinced that a majority of the lethargic feel is due to the 7.1's noticeably stiffer Snakeskin tire casing at the low ~10psi MBUK was running. There's no doubt in my mind that's the ideal pressure, but I'm convinced Schwalbe didn't anticipate their tire would be best that low (min 15psi on the sidewall) when they spec'd the Snakeskin on the 7.1.
> 
> ...


I've found that my sweet spot seems to be around 15-16psi rear and 12-13 up front. Rolls well and has super grip, nice and plush as well. Not much sidewall roll. Keep in mind though that I'm a big boy at 260lbs so these higher pressures are to be expected, these are also for the OEM performance tires. I think rider weight plays a big part in how much air pressure these b+ tires run.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Bikin' Bric said:


> I've found that my sweet spot seems to be around 15-16psi rear and 12-13 up front. Rolls well and has super grip, nice and plush as well. Not much sidewall roll. Keep in mind though that I'm a big boy at 260lbs so these higher pressures are to be expected, these are also for the OEM performance tires. I think rider weight plays a big part in how much air pressure these b+ tires run.


I'm 205lbs which makes you about 30% heavier than me, and your pressures are bang-on 30% higher than what I run. Funny how despite being two different sized riders living in two different areas we've both gravited to damn-near the same feel of grip vs roll.

I'm still loving my ride, absolutely zero regrets. I've put 340 kilometers on my Torrent since getting it 3 months ago.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

fritZman said:


> I'm 205lbs which makes you about 30% heavier than me, and your pressures are bang-on 30% higher than what I run. Funny how despite being two different sized riders living in two different areas we've both gravited to damn-near the same feel of grip vs roll.
> 
> I'm still loving my ride, absolutely zero regrets. I've put 340 kilometers on my Torrent since getting it 3 months ago.


Nice, looks like we are on to something here.

I've left the poor Norco hanging in favour of the fatbike lately as conditions here along Lake Erie have been a mixed bag. Won't be long before I get it dirty again though.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

what is the weight of the original pedals ?

many tnx


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## .thumper. (Jan 13, 2005)

[email protected] said:


> what is the weight of the original pedals ?
> 
> many tnx


Looks like about 466g.









Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

many tnx

bye


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## ugly (Mar 27, 2006)

Final Review: Norco Torrent 7.1, 27.5+ | Singletracks Mountain Bike News

Decent review on the 7.1


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

ugly said:


> Final Review: Norco Torrent 7.1, 27.5+ | Singletracks Mountain Bike News
> 
> Decent review on the 7.1


Tnx for the info

bye bye


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## kevinso (Mar 8, 2016)

Got a Torrent 7.2 large a few days ago. So far, I love it. Truth is, I haven't ridden much the last 3 years or so, and was a bit tired of my previous bike which was a standard hard tail, 26 in .. decent, but too many problems over time. 

I did have one problem today with the torrent, which happened riding on pavement to some single track. The rear brake locked up a couple times early in the ride. Both times I had to move the bike rear to spin the tire free. After that it was fine. Really, not sure what the cause.


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## wjphillips (Oct 13, 2008)

Could be a faulty caliper.


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## BoogieMang (Mar 17, 2011)

Of all the 27.5+ bikes out there right now, the torrent 7.1 really checks all the boxes for me. Very tempting as a do-it-all hardtail.


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## .thumper. (Jan 13, 2005)

BoogieMang said:


> Of all the 27.5+ bikes out there right now, the torrent 7.1 really checks all the boxes for me. Very tempting as a do-it-all hardtail.


Love mine, for sure! Hard to beat

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## BoogieMang (Mar 17, 2011)

.thumper. said:


> Love mine, for sure! Hard to beat
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


Is there anything that you would change about it? I'd probably swap out the brakes for some XT's that I have, and the pedals, but otherwise it seems fairly well equipped. The geometry is pretty spot on for what I'm looking for.


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## .thumper. (Jan 13, 2005)

BoogieMang said:


> Is there anything that you would change about it? I'd probably swap out the brakes for some XT's that I have, and the pedals, but otherwise it seems fairly well equipped. The geometry is pretty spot on for what I'm looking for.


Honesty, I personally prefer the SRAM brakes on this 7.1 to the XT's I've got on my Intense Tracer. So much so that it made me realize I'm not really a fan of the XT's and I just ordered some Guide RSCs for my Tracer.

I replaced the seatpost with a 150mm travel one instead of the 100mm stock one. I changed out the tires. Those Schwalbe sidewalls are way too thin for my riding style.

The stock grips are pretty terrible.

I also replaced the rotors with SRAM Centerlines because the cheapos they stock on the bike were a little noisy.

All these changes are arguably pretty optional. This is really an incredible bike at the price-point.

I really believe I would love this bike no matter the wheel size. This bike is more than a plus bike. It really stands on its own without filling into that little niche, but the plus wheels/tires really work for it!


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

.thumper. said:


> I also replaced the rotors with SRAM Centerlines because the cheapos they stock on the bike were a little noisy.


The brakes with the Centerline working well ?


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## .thumper. (Jan 13, 2005)

[email protected] said:


> The brakes with the Centerline working well ?


Yeah for sure. Powerful and quiet. The stock rotors were just a bit noisy.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

.thumper. said:


> Yeah for sure. Powerful and quiet. The stock rotors were just a bit noisy.


Tnx *.thumper.* ,
you are always courteous and quick to respond


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

Some days are happy owner of Torrent 7.1
Great bike
Does anyone know the model Novatec hub mounted on the bike?

Many thanks


----------



## BoogieMang (Mar 17, 2011)

.thumper. said:


> Honesty, I personally prefer the SRAM brakes on this 7.1 to the XT's I've got on my Intense Tracer. So much so that it made me realize I'm not really a fan of the XT's and I just ordered some Guide RSCs for my Tracer.
> 
> I replaced the seatpost with a 150mm travel one instead of the 100mm stock one. I changed out the tires. Those Schwalbe sidewalls are way too thin for my riding style.
> 
> ...


:thumbsup:


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## stumpynerd (Oct 8, 2012)

Dont mean to throw off Sram fans. But you cant get better breaks than Hope's.


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## bucknejo (Apr 16, 2014)

[email protected] said:


> Torrent 7.1 ordered, arriving for the first days of March :thumbsup:


How do I order this bike? Do I need to go through a local dealer?


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

bucknejo said:


> How do I order this bike? Do I need to go through a local dealer?


Yes.
https://www.norco.com/find-a-dealer/

Great bike, for me

bye


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

stumpynerd said:


> Dont mean to throw off Sram fans. But you cant get better breaks than Hope's.


I dunno... my SRAM Guides RSC with Centreline rotors are friggin' awesome! I've come from Magura (finicky) and years of Formula (strong for their weight). The quad piston calipers on the Guides have piles more power AND modulation than what I've ever experienced in the past, impressive! Weight was pretty much identical to the replaced Shimano OEM brakes which my youngest son is now trashing.

9Point8 Fall Line 125mm dropper post is coming in a couple of weeks (looong wait list). That along with the upgraded Guide brakes will really let me extract the most out of my 7.2 on descents.

535km on the Torrent to date and loving every minute of it.

Weight at 27.4lbs as pictured w/pedals & cage. Will likely creep up to 28lbs with the dropper.


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## bucknejo (Apr 16, 2014)

[email protected] said:


> Yes.
> https://www.norco.com/find-a-dealer/
> 
> Great bike, for me
> ...


Thanks - called my local dealer, reserved a 7.1. Hopefully here in a few weeks.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

bucknejo said:


> Thanks - called my local dealer, reserved a 7.1. Hopefully here in a few weeks.


Good job


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## kwabbott (Mar 13, 2011)

fritZman said:


> I dunno... my SRAM Guides RSC with Centreline rotors are friggin' awesome! I've come from Magura (finicky) and years of Formula (strong for their weight). The quad piston calipers on the Guides have piles more power AND modulation than what I've ever experienced in the past, impressive! Weight was pretty much identical to the replaced Shimano OEM brakes which my youngest son is now trashing.
> 
> 9Point8 Fall Line 125mm dropper post is coming in a couple of weeks (looong wait list). That along with the upgraded Guide brakes will really let me extract the most out of my 7.2 on descents.
> 
> ...


That a really nice weight. What changes did you make from the Stock Bike?


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

kwabbott said:


> That a really nice weight. What changes did you make from the Stock Bike?


Wheelset & tires (tubeless), fork, crank/BB, chain, frame are still stock.

Parts:

Easton Haven 35 carbon bar & 35 stem (50mm)
ODI Rogue grips
SRAM XO 10 spd twist shifter and short cage rear derailleur
SRAM RSC Guide brakes with 180/160 Centreline rotors
Syntace Hiflex seatpost (soon to be 9point8 Fall Line dropper), generic seatpost collar
WTB Rocket comp saddle
Eggbeater 3 pedals
SRAM XG1099 11-36 cassette
Bontrager RL bottle cage

I was able to flip the perfectly good stock components onto my two boy's bikes - why buy them the new stuff (that they'll inevitably trash) when I can get what I want and make it last longer?

The only other change I anticipate is a new wheelset next winter. I want to swap to 11sp XD hub once my current 10sp drivetrain wears out, I also want a hub with far more points of engagement than stock, and carbon rims (min 40mm inner width).


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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

Are you happy with the Raidon fork?

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

phride said:


> Are you happy with the Raidon fork?
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


Surprisingly, I am - for now at least. There's still snow around here and I only had a couple weeks on dirt back in November and wasn't familiar enough with the bike to really push it.

But so far, so good. The adjustments knobs work well enough to actually feel a difference which is big positive for me - including a full lockout. I don't really care about the fork's supple response since I roll with only 8-9psi in my front tires. I haven't felt any flex yet, but that might change with more speed once I'm back on dirt.

The only thing that's quirky is the skewer with that flare nut. The design is such that the flare nut can get pretty grimy which makes it a PITA to compress and remove at times.


----------



## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

*BB and crankset parts*

A bummed non-drive bearing needed replacing. The Race Face Aeffect crankset didn't come with an extraction bolt and my tool didn't fit.

Here's the Race Face parts required to install an extraction bolt and replacement bearings.
















After removing one of the bearing cups, a good 2-3 ounces of water poured out of the bike.









Lots of goo in the BB area as well. I'm not surprised as I've ridden this thing in the nastiest possible conditions to see what it can do. Apparently I should have covered up the un-used dropper post cable outlet&#8230;









Pic of the extraction bolt/cap and taped up dropper hole (temporary - 9point8 Fall Line is in the mail).









With the new BB everything's good again - just in time to enjoy the first dirt I've seen since November.


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## teleski76 (Apr 10, 2016)

I am a first time participant on this forum but wanted to thank everyone for their honest feedback regarding the Torrent (especially you fritZman). I picked up a Torrent 7.1 this week from my local shop and made a few mods based on the dialogue from earlier. I immediately went tubeless and switched out the Schwalbe NN with the WTB Trailboss 3.0. I live in the Denver area and mostly ride dry and rocky trails. Given the feedback that fritZman provided, I was not looking forward to pushing those Nobby Nics on the 3.0 tire. I also switched out the rotors to Centerline thanks to this forum.

I have to say, the bike rode beautifully today and I have never ripped down a trail in my life like I was able to today. I have been riding/racing since 8th grade and I cannot say enough good things about this bike. I was coming off of a 2015 Salsa El Mariachi and this bike was everything I hoped it would be. The only time I missed my salsa was on a hard back, moderate climb with a head wind. The Torrent is not built for XC racing and it was a little harder to pedal under those conditions but on technical single track I was faster than on my El Mariachi. I never even rode the Nobby Nics but am thankful that I had them changed out at the shop.









I will report more back after a few more rides but if you are on the fence at all, go ahead and buy this bike. I am totally blown away.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Great review and first post teleski76. So cool how on day #1 you're hammering descents quicker than ever... wait until you see how fast you go after a dozen or so rides when you get accustomed to your Torrent! 

Thanks for the appreciative comments but I hope I didn't come across as an absolute Nobby Nic hater. I actually do like the lower-end Nobby Nic 'Performance' (non-snakeskin) tires that came on my 7.2 Torrent. I'm just suspicious of the poor rolling efficiency I experienced on their higher-end Snakeskin when run at PLUS-like low pressures that I prefer (ie: 9-11psi). In that tire’s defense I was running below the recommended 15psi minimum.

Regardless, it sounds like you're happy with the change so it's all good.:thumbsup:


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## noosa2 (May 20, 2004)

Anyone in Phoenix, AZ have a large Torrent that I could take for a spin? Or does anyone know of a bike shop in Phoenix that carries Norco?


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## bucknejo (Apr 16, 2014)

Does anyone know if the Torrent 7.1 comes with centerline rotors? The Norco website spec just reads N/A. I'm guessing they do as the DB5s are in line with the new SRAM brake series.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

bucknejo said:


> Does anyone know if the Torrent 7.1 comes with centerline rotors? The Norco website spec just reads N/A. I'm guessing they do as the DB5s are in line with the new SRAM brake series.


Norco Torrent - Page 3- Mtbr.com

Avid G2 CleanSweep


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

So I recently swapped out the rear tire from the OEM Nic to a 27.5 x 3.0 Rocket Ron. I always like the Nic front Ron rear combo on my 29ers and thought I'd give it a go on the Torrent. It works great. The ron is a much better rear tire IMO than the Nic (which I love in the front) as it has better transition and edge knobs that hold a line better and don't wash out the rear of the bike like the Nic did out back when cornering hard and fast. Bike rolls quicker now too and still has more traction that I can find the limits of out back.










I'm also finding that the OEM brakes are not up to snuff for this guy. Being a heavy weight (260lbs) and being able to ride as hard and fast as I can with all the traction this bike has, its easy to overwork the brakes. I've found myself panic gripping them a few times trying to scrub some speed but they just don't have the guts for it. I might upgrade to XT brakes and use these on my much slower full-fat bike.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Bikin' Bric said:


> So I recently swapped out the rear tire from the OEM Nic to a 27.5 x 3.0 Rocket Ron.


Nice! Where did you get that in Canada?

I'd love to get a RR rear but I don't think it will survive my local trails for too long.









Speaking of not surviving, my Suntour Raidon's right stanchion is dying a slow death.









I'm not sure what the issue is internally but it looks like a bushing is not doing it's job - there's a lot of stiction in the fork now. Those are actual scratches in the metal.

I'm visiting the LBS tomorrow.

Also, whenever I pedal (only) the frame is creaking like a SOB now. I've replaced the cups, greased the crap out of everything, and torqued all to spec - I'm running out of ideas.

Besides that, the bike still rocks. These little distractions didn't prevent me from hammering out a few hours this wknd.

EDIT: I brought the bike in and the fork is being shipped off for warranty. On a stroke of luck the Norco rep literally poked his head into the shop just as the mechanic was looking at the stanchions and offered his Torrent's Raidon which was in his car (had swapped to something else). No downtime! :thumbsup: With the replacement on, the difference in smoothness was quite noticeable.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

fritZman said:


> Nice! Where did you get that in Canada?


I ordered it from ebay. Abaxo was the seller. Its a Rocket Ron Snakeskin, seems pretty tough.

I'm going to have to keep an eye on my fork, thats pretty scary looking.

As for the squeak, mine did it too. I greased the bb cups, crankset, seatpost and seat rails, the stem / steerer contact, and tightened down all the bolts. Seems ok now.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

*Torrent homecoming*

Thought I'd post a cool experience I recently had with my Torrent.

This week I had the pleasure of taking my Norco to Vancouver with me. While researching the various North Shore trail options on Trailforks, I noticed one trail had similar content to the Norco Promotional video, specifically Expresso on Fromme/Grouse trail network.

Prior to riding Fromme, I rode Seymour trails and met a local (Erik) who has a 7.1 Torrent himself. Erik was kind enough to offer a tour of Fromme. A couple of days later we connected and rode some amazing trails, including Expresso.

Here's a cool shot of the 'siblings' racked up for a ride








Here's a clip of 'Big Smooth' off the promo video (38-44 seconds in)








Here's my pic at the same spot (notice Erik's Torrent parked alongside).








That roll-out is a hell of a lot steeper and longer than it looks BTW!

The amazing thing is that I thought the Torrent's capabilities were pretty damn good for East coast technical trials-like terrain, but the bike was even better on the Shore trails I rode. Thanks to NSMBA, Erik, and Norco, it really was a awesome experience. I'll be back.


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

For those with a 7.2, how are you getting on without a dropper post?

Also, is this the first bike you've had with a 1x groupset? How did you find the transition from a 3x or 2x?


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Funny you ask because it's been on my mind a lot this past month. I never felt the need for a dropper but I decided to install a 9Point8 Fall line on my 7.2 to potentially maximize its awesome descending capabilities.

At first I hated the damn thing. It worked perfectly well, and I certainly had more room to absorb drops and jump, but when dropped I could no longer feel the saddle between my thighs to tell me what the bike was doing at higher speeds. I felt like the bike was tipping/leaning/flopping around beneath me and that I had _less_ control. I missed having the raised saddle to act as a 'rudder'.

I figured this was just 10+ years of riding habit which I had to break and reset - which is exactly what happened on my trip. For me the key was to squeeze my legs a bit more than before to once again feel the (now dropped) saddle while still benefiting from the extra room.

Honestly, for buffed terrain with limited steeps, I still don't feel there's a need for a dropper - especially given their price point and suspect reliability of some models. But to maximize this frame's capabilities there absolutely is a benefit to the dropper.

I'll be keeping mine, but it took me a good 2 weeks of riding to determine that.

As for the 1x drivetrain, I've been running that setup for ages (even 1x8), so there was no adjustment required for me.


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

Thanks for the great reply! Out of interest, did you watch the XCO World Cup in Cairns (on Red Bull TV)? They're my local trails so I'd be interested to get your thoughts on the dropper post (is it worth it?) and indeed the bike itself.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

I just swapped out the OEM Norco torture device saddle for a Specialized Phenom..... my butt has never been happier on this bike. Been getting along with the Torrent quite well lately, I've noticed that it likes to be ridden hard and really shines when pushed to the riders limits.

I has some more creaking from the bike recently and found that I really needed to get the rear thru-axle greased and super tight to cure it. This might help others with similar issues.


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

Bikin' Bric said:


> I just swapped out the OEM Norco torture device saddle for a Specialized Phenom..... my butt has never been happier on this bike. Been getting along with the Torrent quite well lately, I've noticed that it likes to be ridden hard and really shines when pushed to the riders limits.
> 
> I has some more creaking from the bike recently and found that I really needed to get the rear thru-axle greased and super tight to cure it. This might help others with similar issues.


Suntour fork still going strong?


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

hambocairns said:


> Suntour fork still going strong?


Sure is. I'm pretty good about keeping the stanchions clean after seeing the scratches that ruined fritZman's fork.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Bikin' Bric said:


> Sure is. I'm pretty good about keeping the stanchions clean after seeing the scratches that ruined fritZman's fork.


You'll want to keep an eye on the rebound knob as well. My loaner Suntour Raidon fork has developed a noisy top-out knocking sound when I unload the front rapidly. I tried to adjust the rebound but the knob has fallen off - likely the cause to new noise...

With 2 issues on two different Raidon forks and Bike Radar breaking their Torrent's Raidon fork, I'm starting to become suspicious of it's reliability.

I'm not hammering my equipment _that_ hard, the rims have only had bottom-out tap (and zero dents) despite running 9/11psi.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

fritZman said:


> You'll want to keep an eye on the rebound knob as well. My loaner Suntour Raidon fork has developed a noisy top-out knocking sound when I unload the front rapidly. I tried to adjust the rebound but the knob has fallen off - likely the cause to new noise...
> 
> With 2 issues on two different Raidon forks and Bike Radar breaking their Torrent's Raidon fork, I'm starting to become suspicious of it's reliability.
> 
> I'm not hammering my equipment _that_ hard, the rims have only had bottom-out tap (and zero dents) despite running 9/11psi.


I'm squirreling cash away for a Yari to replace the Suntour when it bites the dust, whenever that may be. So far so good though. I have noticed on my last couple of rides that the Suntour has more bushing slop than most forks I've used although it does not seem to be getting any worse.


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## tm1972 (May 5, 2016)

It's been reassuring reading this thread about my decision to get a Torrent. I'd been researching a bunch of the 27.5+ bikes but most of the ones on my list were hard to find in my local area. I took out a Torrent 7.1 demo from one of my local shops. However, it was really hard to find a 7.1 with an XL frame (they are apparently all sold out in Canada). My local bike shop spent quite a bit of effort to track one down for me. Unfortunately, they weren't able to find any so instead they contacted their Norco rep and were able to swap the components from a Torrent 7.1 they had in their showroom onto a 7.2 XL frame.

I'm blown away at how different this bike performs compared to the old Trek 950 hardtail i've ridden for years. It took a bit of getting used to but now it's so much fun. I can't believe some of the terrain i'm able to go on...


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

tm1972 said:


> It's been reassuring reading this thread about my decision to get a Torrent. I'd been researching a bunch of the 27.5+ bikes but most of the ones on my list were hard to find in my local area. I took out a Torrent 7.1 demo from one of my local shops. However, it was really hard to find a 7.1 with an XL frame (they are apparently all sold out in Canada). My local bike shop spent quite a bit of effort to track one down for me. Unfortunately, they weren't able to find any so instead they contacted their Norco rep and were able to swap the components from a Torrent 7.1 they had in their showroom onto a 7.2 XL frame.
> 
> I'm blown away at how different this bike performs compared to the old Trek 950 hardtail i've ridden for years. It took a bit of getting used to it's so much fun. I can't believe some of the terrain i'm able to go on now...


Welcome in the "torrent" World :rockon:


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

anyone knows the weight of the handlebar and stem

many tnx


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

I've got 440 grams.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

fritZman said:


> I've got 440 grams.
> 
> View attachment 1068986


thanks Fritzmann,
I was thinking of replacing it with something in carbon, to save some weight and improve comfort

you also have the weight of only the handlebars?
many tnx


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

[email protected] said:


> ... you also have the weight of only the handlebars?
> many tnx


OEM Norco 35mm alloy bar is 300gr even, matching 55mm stem is 140gr.

I replaced them with Easton Haven carbon and 50mm stem. I didn't really feel much comfort improvement (35mm setup is getting to be pretty damn stiff) but I did save a bit of weight and a slightly better fit with 1/2 cm shorter reach.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

fritZman said:


> OEM Norco 35mm alloy bar is 300gr even, matching 55mm stem is 140gr.
> 
> I replaced them with Easton Haven carbon and 50mm stem. I didn't really feel much comfort improvement (35mm setup is getting to be pretty damn stiff) but I did save a bit of weight and a slightly better fit with 1/2 cm shorter reach.


Tnx fritZman for your answer and impression


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

fritZman said:


> OEM Norco 35mm alloy bar is 300gr even, matching 55mm stem is 140gr.
> 
> I replaced them with Easton Haven carbon and 50mm stem. I didn't really feel much comfort improvement (35mm setup is getting to be pretty damn stiff) but I did save a bit of weight and a slightly better fit with 1/2 cm shorter reach.


I read good reviews about the RaceFace Next 35, It could be my next choice


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## kahilati (May 12, 2016)

Hello, I am a mountainbiker from Europe and currently looking for a 27.5+ bike. Norco Torrent 7.1 seems interesting option and this forum has provided useful information of the bike. 
However, I most probably would not have an opportunity for a test drive and I probably would end up ordering the bike from web. This leads me to a problem of a right size. 
Unfortunately enough, I am often just between medium and large sizes in size charts. What would Torrent owners´recommendations be by an experience? My height: 177cm /5 ft 10" and inseam 84cm / 2ft 9"


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

picking up my torrent today!! couldn't believe how good the bike felt when i hoped on. tested the specialized and though it was nice the torrent geo is spot on for me!

I want to upgrade a few things, maybe seat, stem, bars, pedals but does anyone recommend something on the 7.1 that is really needs a change? I can say i test rode a bike in a rental fleet and the front brake felt horrible......any issues with the brake set up?


----------



## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

kahilati said:


> Hello, I am a mountainbiker from Europe and currently looking for a 27.5+ bike. Norco Torrent 7.1 seems interesting option and this forum has provided useful information of the bike.
> However, I most probably would not have an opportunity for a test drive and I probably would end up ordering the bike from web. This leads me to a problem of a right size.
> Unfortunately enough, I am often just between medium and large sizes in size charts. What would Torrent owners´recommendations be by an experience? My height: 177cm /5 ft 10" and inseam 84cm / 2ft 9"


Hi kahilati,
my height 188cm, inseam 90cm, Torrent 7.1 size L


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## kahilati (May 12, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> Hi kahilati,
> my height 188cm, inseam 90cm, Torrent 7.1 size L


Hello [email protected], thank you for replying - basing on that I should go for size M. 
Have you been happy with the Torrent 7.1? How does the overall quality feel like? My another options at the moment are Scott Scale 710+, Orbea Loki H10 and Mondrager Vantage R+.


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## kahilati (May 12, 2016)

Double


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

kenwood72 said:


> picking up my torrent today!! couldn't believe how good the bike felt when i hoped on. tested the specialized and though it was nice the torrent geo is spot on for me!
> 
> I want to upgrade a few things, maybe seat, stem, bars, pedals but does anyone recommend something on the 7.1 that is really needs a change? I can say i test rode a bike in a rental fleet and the front brake felt horrible......any issues with the brake set up?


Hi kenwood72,
my situation :

- pedals : crank brothers Candy 1
- Seat : ordered YOUR AIR CAMEL
- bar : shortly order RaceFace Next 35 Rise mm10
- brake : i change the pads and now the brakes are less noise, but probably i change the rotors with the Centerline

Have fun with your new bike


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

kahilati said:


> Unfortunately enough, I am often just between medium and large sizes in size charts. What would Torrent owners´recommendations be by an experience? My height: 177cm /5 ft 10" and inseam 84cm / 2ft 9"


I'm 5'9" on a good day (read: 5' 8.5") with 30" inseam, longish arms. Prior to my Torrent I typically rode a medium XC frame (~23.75") with a 90mm stem.

I went up a size to a Large Torrent because it's 30mm longer top tube is offset with a 35mm shorter stem - giving me an effective reach that I'm used to, while still benefiting from the AM geometry of a longer front-centre.

No issues with clearance at the crotch on size large.

When between sizes you also get the luxury to choose your frame based on local trails. I've got a mix so when riding tight & slow terrain the Large can feel a little cumbersome (~32mm/1.25" longer wheelbase compared to the medium). But the Large does offer more at-speed stability when descending - something the Torrent does exceptionally well.


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## kamper11 (Feb 8, 2008)

anyone rocking this w 29 wheels on her?


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

[email protected] said:


> Hi kenwood72,
> my situation :
> 
> - pedals : crank brothers Candy 1
> ...


thanks I changed the bar and stem easton have 35 and race face six 35/800 also added spank pedals and put on a shimano rotor that seems to be doing the trick. i have to say i am impressed with the brakes they are really powerful.

got out on the bike and was shocked at how fast it moves-i haven't ridden a hardtail in a while and made a few errors that my other bike would have fixed but wow this thing is fun. i was surprised to see i almost matched my top speed on the trail-going fast on this thing is pretty easy and it handles great. now i have to say a hardtail can be rough though as i tried to blast through some rocky sections and you definitely need to be a bit more careful though not all that much!! anyhow great bike and i just have to decide if i am gonna keep the ergon saddle i bought, it was on closeout and i got over 50% off but my problem is i think it looks kinda goofy....


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## kahilati (May 12, 2016)

fritZman said:


> I'm 5'9" on a good day (read: 5' 8.5") with 30" inseam, longish arms. Prior to my Torrent I typically rode a medium XC frame (~23.75") with a 90mm stem.
> 
> I went up a size to a Large Torrent because it's 30mm longer top tube is offset with a 35mm shorter stem - giving me an effective reach that I'm used to, while still benefiting from the AM geometry of a longer front-centre.
> 
> ...


Good point, and that´s true there´s a opportunity to choose either M or L since neither or them is absolutely wrong. 
Terrain here is rather flat and I prefer technical and slow terrain. For this M size would fit better. 
I currently drive a M size full-suspension Specialized Epic so change to Torrent will be a big change.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

kahilati said:


> Hello [email protected], thank you for replying - basing on that I should go for size M.
> Have you been happy with the Torrent 7.1? How does the overall quality feel like? My another options at the moment are Scott Scale 710+, Orbea Loki H10 and Mondrager Vantage R+.


Hello kahilati,
i'm very happy with the Torrent 7.1, frame with good geometry for trail/AM, good wheels
This bike is very funny

MBUK's full review


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

kenwood72 said:


> picking up my torrent today!! couldn't believe how good the bike felt when i hoped on. tested the specialized and though it was nice the torrent geo is spot on for me!
> 
> I want to upgrade a few things, maybe seat, stem, bars, pedals but does anyone recommend something on the 7.1 that is really needs a change? I can say i test rode a bike in a rental fleet and the front brake felt horrible......any issues with the brake set up?


I replaced the original seat because too grippy with shorts, off the saddle was difficult.
I also found that weighs gr. 343, then with the new saddle that weighs gr. 160 I will spare gr. 183


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## kahilati (May 12, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> Hello kahilati,
> i'm very happy with the Torrent 7.1, frame with good geometry for trail/AM, good wheels
> This bike is very funny
> 
> MBUK's full review


Hello, thank you for the link and reply. Do you have Manitou or RockShox Yari fork? 
I will also try to find the whole article since there are Scott and Orbea reviewed. Torrent is almost 1,5kg heavier than Scott. I wonder where does such a big difference in weight come from?


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

kahilati said:


> Hello, thank you for the link and reply. Do you have Manitou or RockShox Yari fork?


RS Yari



> Torrent is almost 1,5kg heavier than Scott. I wonder where does such a big difference in weight come from?


Scott don't have telescopic seat post, and maybe the FOX 32 is lighter as the Yari (35mm chassis)


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

.thumper. said:


> I'm here to give my findings on the Schwalbe Nobby Nic 27.5x3.0 snakeskin tires that came stock on my Torrent 7.1. I enjoyed the traction and the feel of these tires. I ran them at about 10-12 psi on snow rides. Nothing but good things to say about that environment.
> 
> However, when riding these tires in dry and rocky conditions, I am no longer a fan.
> 
> ...


when I read your info on the tires i was hoping you were wrong BUT 2nd ride on the bike and I got a flat due to a punctured sidewall. I think this bike is amazing yesterday it was really wet and sloppy and i was really loving my ability to fly down the trail taking the same lines i use on my evil insurgent! yeah it is a bit harsher but i love the geometry of this bike though upon flatting i had to walk/run theist 3 miles so i didn't hold up the people i was with!!

anyhow i am going to change the tires too but i was thinking about maxxis as i have had such good luck with them. i read an article that even though many of these current tires are heavy they are more in line with cross country strength tires so i am going to be sure i get something that is a bit heavier than the schwalbe.

anyhow bike is amazing but i am somewhat concerned about the whole tire situation as i don't want to be worried about flatting.


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

also a question for frizman or whoever can answer, you state you are using the surly dirt wizard but the website i liked at stated it was made for a 50mm rim, the torrent rims are 45mm is there a problem at all with that?


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## kahilati (May 12, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> RS Yari
> 
> Are you happy with the Yari? I prefer Rock Shox over Fox and Manitou but this is since I have experience only on Rock Shox and I am able to make service by myself.
> 
> Scott don't have telescopic seat post, and maybe the FOX 32 is lighter as the Yari (35mm chassis)


Hello, that´s a good point. I guess that explains some 500g of the weight difference.


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## tfinator (Apr 30, 2009)

kenwood72 said:


> also a question for frizman or whoever can answer, you state you are using the surly dirt wizard but the website i liked at stated it was made for a 50mm rim, the torrent rims are 45mm is there a problem at all with that?


It's a bike. 5mm won't matter.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

kenwood72 said:


> also a question for frizman or whoever can answer, you state you are using the surly dirt wizard but the website i liked at stated it was made for a 50mm rim, the torrent rims are 45mm is there a problem at all with that?


Most 50 mm rims are 45 internal measurement 50 outer. 2.8 and 3.0 are very happy living on em...


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

tfinator said:


> It's a bike. 5mm won't matter.


i would have to disagree, i hear 5mm makes a big difference yeah that was kind of a dumb question!!!


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

got in a full ride today on my "HOME" trail, wow this bike is awesome! I got close to my top speeds from my Insurgent and am not that far from the highest mph i put in on my n3 when i had it. 

i mounted up the Dirt Wizards and I can definitey say they are way more aggressive than the nobby nik. i am using this bike for somewhat aggressive riding so this tire is a huge step up, yeah it is heavy but once the bike gets going it is so solid. in the end i made the following upgrades to the bike:

sixc 35-800mm carbon bar
ergon carbon pro saddle (on sale @ universal so i gave it a try, seems pretty comfortable)
spank spike pedals
easton havoc stem 50mm
Dirt Wizard tires-Tubeless, i didn't know this but WTB makes a specific rim take for the i45, seems to work really well
Shimano Front Rotor
sensus grips

anyhow again i am so impressed with this bike, i hope it is just that it is new but i have not wanted to ride my insurgent.....kind of an expensive dust collector right now!

i was a little hesitant to hit some of the drops on the trail today that land into ricks and roots but beyond that I was keeping my lines pretty close to the insurgent lines, straight through everything, unreal a hardtail can just rip like this.

i am also impressed with the yari. i have a fox 36 w/avalanche cart on my evil but so far this yari seems close to the real deal.

so that is about it, if you are reading this thread trying to decide if you should buy on i hope this helps!!!


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

Great write up! Did you pay full sticker price for the bike?


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

hambocairns said:


> Great write up! Did you pay full sticker price for the bike?


sadly yes as no one would discount it and most didn't have it or couldn't get it and i called every dealer, i didn't pay sales tax though so i saved about 200.


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

How are people finding the 160mm rotor on the 7.2? I notice that the Scott Scale 720 and Cannondale Beast of the East 3 both have a 180mm rotor up front. Considering the improved downhill ability of these bikes, wouldn't it be better to have a 180?


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

hambocairns said:


> How are people finding the 160mm rotor on the 7.2? I notice that the Scott Scale 720 and Cannondale Beast of the East 3 both have a 180mm rotor up front. Considering the improved downhill ability of these bikes, wouldn't it be better to have a 180?


Converting the front to 180 is inexpensive. Prolly less than 50 bucks. 
I have 160mm Hopes on my fatty that will throw you over the bars nicely...


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

BansheeRune said:


> Converting the front to 180 is inexpensive. Prolly less than 50 bucks.
> I have 160mm Hopes on my fatty that will throw you over the bars nicely...


Yeah I'd have to factor that in but I guess it's relatively inexpensive.


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

hambocairns said:


> Yeah I'd have to factor that in but I guess it's relatively inexpensive.


i am somewhat particular about my brakes and though i have a 180 on the front i have to say i am really surprised how much power these brakes have. have saints on my insurgent and early in the ride these give them a run for their money. saints of course done fade and seem to get stronger as you descend more but so far these are pretty good and powerful.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Looking at the price differences between models may make it another option. Also depends on what component groups are on each as well.


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## Dawhoo (Mar 21, 2016)

Bought my 7.2 on Friday and rode all weekend. I am fairly new to the sport and quite honestly my skills were holding me back much more than my comfort level was. This bike helps mask some of the skill deficiencies I had when it comes to technical terrain, so I have enjoyed being "able" to hit the trails that most people ride for much longer than I before they feel comfortable on.


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## Abraxas (Mar 2, 2009)

Took mine out today for the first time, amazing bike, i am blown away by the capability.

I did rip a hole in the sidewall of my rear tire, I am wondering if anyone has found a more robust option to replace the schwalbes.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Maxxis is offering a few options with EXO, Schwalbe offers the NN with SnakeSkin. The stock tires on your Torrent are not SnakeSkin.


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

Abraxas said:


> View attachment 1071869
> 
> 
> Took mine out today for the first time, amazing bike, i am blown away by the capability.
> ...


surly dirt wizards! i have the 7.1 and that tire ripped and i ripped the snakeskin on ride 2. read through this thread and you will find the same thing talked about.


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

Looking at the bikes available to me, the Torrent 7.2 looks the best bet. It's several pounds heavier than the Scott Scale 720 Plus though.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Abraxas said:


> View attachment 1071869
> 
> 
> Took mine out today for the first time, amazing bike, i am blown away by the capability.
> ...


The Torrent 7.2 doesn't normally come with Snakeskin version Nobby Nic which is a tougher, but as kenwood72 & thumper pointed out, still vulnerable tire. Honestly, I'm surprised they destroyed their Snakeskins, but one thing I've learned from MTB travels is to never doubt the terrain of unknown locations.

Personally I removed my OEM Performance tires and installed my aftermarket Trailstar Nobby Nics Snakeskin tires because of their improved grip and better overall stability in faster corners for the low pressure I like to run. I still find them harsh, and slow (Trailstar doesn't exactly help there), but it's the best I've got for the weight I'm willing to run. I have ordered a Rocket Ron PaceStar Snakeskin for the rear to hopefully improve speed.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

*New Suntour fork is in*

New fork has arrived and is installed. Supposedly this fork has upgraded internals as a result of a rash of reliability issues. Not sure exactly what changed besides the decals but I'll take it out tomorrow to see.









Props to FullCycle.ca for getting her done. My loaner fork was close to dying with increased stiction and loud knock on rebound - likely due to the rebound knob falling off.


----------



## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Abraxas said:


> View attachment 1071869
> 
> 
> Took mine out today for the first time, amazing bike, i am blown away by the capability.
> ...


I just noticed your 7.2 Torrent has a Rockshox Yari fork that is normally spec'd on the higher end 7.1 Torrent. Was it sold that way or did you upgrade?


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

I'd be tempted to get the Rocket Ron 2.8 which come with tthe Scott 710 Plus, supposedly much faster rolling with a squarer edge.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

fritZman said:


> The Torrent 7.2 doesn't normally come with Snakeskin version Nobby Nic which is a tougher, but as kenwood72 & thumper pointed out, still vulnerable tire. Honestly, I'm surprised they destroyed their Snakeskins, but one thing I've learned from MTB travels is to never doubt the terrain of unknown locations.
> 
> Personally I removed my OEM Performance tires and installed my aftermarket Trailstar Nobby Nics Snakeskin tires because of their improved grip and better overall stability in faster corners for the low pressure I like to run. I still find them harsh, and slow (Trailstar doesn't exactly help there), but it's the best I've got for the weight I'm willing to run. I have ordered a Rocket Ron PaceStar Snakeskin for the rear to hopefully improve speed.


I have RR's on the bow and stern of my bike and they accelerate nicely! As a rear you'll find it's gonna be purdy good! If ya wanna sell your OEM tires, pm me.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

BansheeRune said:


> I have RR's on the bow and stern of my bike and they accelerate nicely! As a rear you'll find it's gonna be purdy good! If ya wanna sell your OEM tires, pm me.


Racing Ralph has arrived, 803gr with Snakeskin. Not bad, it's a full 2.9" just like NN when mounted. I haven't hit the trail yet but it felt fast on gravel.

I'd love to sell you the Performance tires but they're great for winter where the supple sidewall works better on hard-packed snow.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

I've just had one ride, but a quick update on the new Raidon fork.

It seems like one of the internal changes might be a larger air chamber? It felt like it took more pumps to change pressure, and ramp-up is much more linear. I blew through all 120mm of travel off a small drop at 90psi, that never happened on the previous fork. I'm up to 95psi now. 

Rebound knob is longer, and stiffer to turn with less tactile 'clicks'. Change to rebound feels less distinct than before.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

fritZman said:


> Racing Ralph has arrived, 803gr with Snakeskin. Not bad, it's a full 2.9" just like NN when mounted. I haven't hit the trail yet but it felt fast on gravel.
> 
> I'd love to sell you the Performance tires but they're great for winter where the supple sidewall works better on hard-packed snow.


Can't blame a bloke for tryin! I find the various offerings with reinforced sidewalls to be dead and will not even use em on my trials bike. 
Thank you tho'.


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## Magnuts (Mar 24, 2013)

First ride on my 7.2. Fun bike, need to work on tire pressures tho









Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

i recorded my fastest time ever on the local trail yesterday on the torrent, beating my times on my evil insurgent and nomad 3. i did make another upgrade though dt swiss 350s w/54 point ratchet and dt swiss 551 rims hand built by the best wheel builder around! 

anyhow i have to post some pics soon, love this bike.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

kenwood72's hooked! 
Good time out there when you finally get comfortable enough to go wide open throttle. The performance of + is amazing, indeed.


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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

kenwood72 said:


> i recorded my fastest time ever on the local trail yesterday on the torrent, beating my times on my evil insurgent and nomad 3. i did make another upgrade though dt swiss 350s w/54 point ratchet and dt swiss 551 rims hand built by the best wheel builder around!
> 
> anyhow i have to post some pics soon, love this bike.


How are those wheels treating you?

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Bikin' Bric said:


> So I recently swapped out the rear tire from the OEM Nic to a 27.5 x 3.0 Rocket Ron. ... Bike rolls quicker now too.


Good suggestion Mr. Bric!

I installed a RR on the rear and on my local loop I knocked a little more than 7 minutes off my previous best of 1:12. :thumbsup:

Despite having Snakeskin casing I found the RR to be a little more supple than my Nobby Nic Snakeskin - more flex due to the smaller knobs? The RR felt more like the OEM non-Snakeskine 'Performance' Nobby Nics in fact - so I removed my front Trailstar Nobby Nic and remounted the original front tire. Perfect match.


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

phride said:


> How are those wheels treating you?
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


pretty awesome so far, i also changed the rotors to shimano ice tech center locks, huge difference in braking power and what seems to be a lot less fade


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Magnuts said:


> First ride on my 7.2. Fun bike, need to work on tire pressures tho


Nice! I like the matching seatpost collar. Keep us update on your thoughts.

That looks like Canmore AB?


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## crankpuller (Feb 27, 2004)

Magnuts said:


> First ride on my 7.2. Fun bike, need to work on tire pressures tho
> 
> 
> 
> ...











I know this isn't a torrent but I have been ridng my Sasquatch for summer duties. Measured a 66.5 degree head angle. Torrent looks very similar - this thing rips.


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## Magnuts (Mar 24, 2013)

fritZman said:


> Nice! I like the matching seatpost collar. Keep us update on your thoughts.
> 
> That looks like Canmore AB?


Yup. Between Canmore and Banff

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## kamper11 (Feb 8, 2008)

Curious - what was your previous bike for comparison?


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## kryten (Mar 8, 2012)

66.5? stock geo chart is 68, no?


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## Unit91MS (Sep 10, 2015)

fritZman said:


> You'll want to keep an eye on the rebound knob as well. My loaner Suntour Raidon fork has developed a noisy top-out knocking sound when I unload the front rapidly. I tried to adjust the rebound but the knob has fallen off - likely the cause to new noise...
> 
> With 2 issues on two different Raidon forks and Bike Radar breaking their Torrent's Raidon fork, I'm starting to become suspicious of it's reliability.
> 
> I'm not hammering my equipment _that_ hard, the rims have only had bottom-out tap (and zero dents) despite running 9/11psi.


I've been getting loud knock on rebound right at the beginning of the stroke as well. Only when unloading the front rapidly like you said. Something internally seems loose. I have a Fuse, but I assume the Raidon's are the same. I was unsuccessful convincing my LBS the issue is with the fork. They jumped right to loose head set  I planned to upgrade forks anyway, just not after 100 miles...


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

Well, I wondered how long it would be before something catastrophically failed. My rear wheel has completely come apart. I broke a spoke on my second to last ride before the wheel failed, replaced the spoke and tensioned the wheel.  Next ride out I've got a handful of broken spokes and I'm walking it out of the bush. I've got a set of Sapim Force butted spokes on the way to rebuild the wheel.


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

Bikin' Bric said:


> Well, I wondered how long it would be before something catastrophically failed. My rear wheel has completely come apart. I broke a spoke on my second to last ride before the wheel failed, replaced the spoke and tensioned the wheel. Next ride out I've got a handful of broken spokes and I'm walking it out of the bush. I've got a set of Sapim Force butted spokes on the way to rebuild the wheel.


at the high end this is a 2400 dollar bike, though that is a lot of money it has become the low end for a bike purchase. with that come parts that are not gonna last and machine made wheels can go quick in my experience.....


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## stumpynerd (Oct 8, 2012)

How much sag ya guys running pike and number of tokens? My 130 pike is stiff. Trying 2 token today and 15% sag.


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

stumpynerd said:


> How much sag ya guys running pike and number of tokens? My 130 pike is stiff. Trying 2 token today and 15% sag.


Do you mean Yari?


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## stumpynerd (Oct 8, 2012)

Well I got a pike, but Yari is real similar.


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

stumpynerd said:


> Well I got a pike, but Yari is real similar.


Ah I see, I'd imagine very few here have upgraded their fork to a Pike!


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## stumpynerd (Oct 8, 2012)

Ha ha. Well I got a Guerrilla Gravity Pedalhead. Just was curious what you guys are running on torrent.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Bikin' Bric said:


> I've got a set of Sapim Force butted spokes on the way to rebuild the wheel.


Are you going to stick with the stock hub? The pawls on my hub occasionally skip when I apply heavy torque. I'm nursing it until this offseason when I'll upgrade to XD body and higher engagement, either I9 Torch (120 POE!) or a more affordable Woven hub.

Besides that my new fork is working well (still thinking of a Yari this offseason) and the Racing Ralph rear tire has been a perfect fit for my needs. Damn it likes to rolllll!


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## YORK25 (Mar 13, 2013)

Has anyone bought anything from them the Torrent 7.1 is pretty cheap 
https://www.sell-to.com/Bike/Mounta...page=5&zenid=36ef607093e75642104102455169bfb0


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

YORK25 said:


> Has anyone bought anything from the Torrent 7.1 is pretty cheap
> https://www.sell-to.com/Bike/Mounta...page=5&zenid=36ef607093e75642104102455169bfb0


If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

YORK25 said:


> Has anyone bought anything from them the Torrent 7.1 is pretty cheap
> https://www.sell-to.com/Bike/Mounta...page=5&zenid=36ef607093e75642104102455169bfb0


Scam


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

fritZman said:


> Are you going to stick with the stock hub? The pawls on my hub occasionally skip when I apply heavy torque. I'm nursing it until this offseason when I'll upgrade to XD body and higher engagement, either I9 Torch (120 POE!) or a more affordable Woven hub.


Yes, keeping with the OEM hub for now. Its been doing well for me so far. Might do a nice set of handbuilt wheels over the winter when I'm using the fat bike more and the Torrent not so much.


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## LithiumMetalman (May 12, 2016)

Heya. Does anyone know if Norco sells just the Torrent frame alone?


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

LithiumMetalman said:


> Heya. Does anyone know if Norco sells just the Torrent frame alone?


No mention of it on Norco's website.


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## LithiumMetalman (May 12, 2016)

That's a bummer! Be lovely to build frame up.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Werd! It's always a pleasure to select the parts you really want and build it up and take it for that first ride.


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## Magnuts (Mar 24, 2013)

Looking to go tubeless on my 7.2. Can't find any writing on the stock Nobby Nics but I'm assuming their tubeless ready. Am I right?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

Magnuts said:


> Looking to go tubeless on my 7.2. Can't find any writing on the stock Nobby Nics but I'm assuming their tubeless ready. Am I right?


The 7.2 has the Performance tyre which I don't believe is tubeless ready but many have done it.

http://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires/schwalbe-nobby-nic-performance-going-tubeless-802059.html


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## Magnuts (Mar 24, 2013)

hambocairns said:


> The 7.2 has the Performance tyre which I don't believe is tubeless ready but many have done it.
> 
> http://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires/schwalbe-nobby-nic-performance-going-tubeless-802059.html


Thanks for the link! I think I'll hold off

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

That link/thread is several years old and based on old Schwalbe tech - including the previous version of the Nobby Nic.

My understanding is that all Schwalbe tires are now tubeless compatible (note that does not mean 'Tubeless Easy'). From PB NN review: "From 2015 onwards, all Schwalbe MTB tires will be "Tubeless Easy" - which means they need some sort of sealant, but are designed to be easily mounted and run tubeless."

Here's some tips on setting up tubeless from Schwalbe.

My personal experience is that tubeless is almost a must if you want to fully leverage the PLUS tires' volume - and run low pressure. My biggest issue wasn't with my Torrent's 7.2 Performance tires, but rather getting the Alex MD40 rims not to leak at the rim joint. I eventually got there and it's been awesome ever since.


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## Abraxas (Mar 2, 2009)

I went tubeless with the Stock Tires, i got a solid 2hrs out of them before i tore the sidewall (suspect this is unrelated to going Tubeless).

I currently have Surly Dirt Wizards, they seem impenetrable but are noticeably slower. 

Anyone thinking about trying the new WTB Rangers?


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Abraxas said:


> I went tubeless with the Stock Tires, i got a solid 2hrs out of them before i tore the sidewall (suspect this is unrelated to going Tubeless).
> 
> I currently have Surly Dirt Wizards, they seem impenetrable but are noticeably slower.
> 
> Anyone thinking about trying the new WTB Rangers?


There's a chap that ordered up a pair in here...http://forums.mtbr.com/26-27-5-29-plus-bikes/ranger-29x3-27-5-a-1015220.html


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

Abraxas said:


> I went tubeless with the Stock Tires, i got a solid 2hrs out of them before i tore the sidewall (suspect this is unrelated to going Tubeless).
> 
> I currently have Surly Dirt Wizards, they seem impenetrable but are noticeably slower.
> 
> Anyone thinking about trying the new WTB Rangers?


i have been trying lower and lower pressure with the DWs, down to 16.5 rear and 16 front, no noticeable flex yet so i think i am gonna try another pound down on each end next ride, i am 215 btw.

i don't think they are slow-any large tire is at start up but once you get going they rail!!


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## kahilati (May 12, 2016)

Hello, what kind of experiences you have on Torrent as a climber? Does the front wheel stay on the ground or does front wheel has an tendency to lift up when climbing?


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## richwolf (Dec 8, 2004)

kahilati said:


> Hello, what kind of experiences you have on Torrent as a climber? Does the front wheel stay on the ground or does front wheel has an tendency to lift up when climbing?


My friend has one and for the most part he really likes the bike but he says it wanders when climbing due to the slack head angle. He is a good techy climber and he misses the steeper head angle of his other bikes but he says it does rip the downhills.


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## kahilati (May 12, 2016)

richwolf said:


> My friend has one and for the most part he really likes the bike but he says it wanders when climbing due to the slack head angle. He is a good techy climber and he misses the steeper head angle of his other bikes but he says it does rip the downhills.


Maybe that´s the price one then must pay for slacker head angle. I currently have XC full suspension bike with head angle of 70,5 degrees. It surely does not wander when climbing but then it is not the best one for very technical trails.


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## richwolf (Dec 8, 2004)

kahilati said:


> Maybe that´s the price one then must pay for slacker head angle. I currently have XC full suspension bike with head angle of 70,5 degrees. It surely does not wander when climbing but then it is not the best one for very technical trails.


It certainly seems to be the case. I have to laugh when people think that unless you have a "new geometry" bike that you are behind the times and must certainly are unhappy, foolish or both! Particularly if you have a head angle greater than 50 degrees!
My Stache is a superb example of a bike that climbs very confidently and controllably yet can still hang on the downhills.


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## kahilati (May 12, 2016)

richwolf said:


> It certainly seems to be the case. I have to laugh when people think that unless you have a "new geometry" bike that you are behind the times and must certainly are unhappy, foolish or both! Particularly if you have a head angle greater than 50 degrees!
> My Stache is a superb example of a bike that climbs very confidently and controllably yet can still hang on the downhills.


I am especially interested of 27.5+ bike for technical trails- including climbing. Increased grip is number one, I want to blast root and stone gardens and make those steep climbs, which I currently do not manage to drive. Maybe I can live with wandering front wheel- too bad that test drive is out of question.
Although being honest I have to admit that my current full suspension xc-bike would mostly be capable for technical trails - it's just me lacking courage and skills...But anyhow, what a lovely excuse for a new bike


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## AUS (Jun 20, 2016)

Considering a 7.1 for my first MTB. Learning about geometry I think a 650B+ hardtail is the way. Live near the coast (southern Victoria, Australia), so lots of fun terrain. I only ride a gravel-grinder since last year. Also digging the 2017 Honzo, but something about the 7.1 that is just very sweet, beside the decent spec -- the geo, the colour, the proportions.

Read this thread twice over, lots of good info. Anyone try standard 29er or 27.5er wheels on the Torrent?


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

kahilati said:


> I am especially interested of 27.5+ bike for technical trails- including climbing. Increased grip is number one, I want to blast root and stone gardens and make those steep climbs, which I currently do not manage to drive. Maybe I can live with wandering front wheel- too bad that test drive is out of question.
> Although being honest I have to admit that my current full suspension xc-bike would mostly be capable for technical trails - it's just me lacking courage and skills...But anyhow, what a lovely excuse for a new bike


i don't feel the bike wanders but i am coming from slack bikes, i guess it is all relative. i can say this-i have now finished a climb without putting a foot down that i have yet to be able to complete on my insurgent or n3. maybe that is because it is a hardtail i am not sure but i like how the bikes climbs.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

kahilati said:


> Hello, what kind of experiences you have on Torrent as a climber? Does the front wheel stay on the ground or does front wheel has an tendency to lift up when climbing?


Zero issues with climbing/wandering for me on my 7.2, in fact I now routinely clear stuff I often failed with my 29er Scott Scale (itself a damn good climbing bike). My whole perspective of what's clear-able has move quite a bit higher.

I still get the front light, but when I consider how much steeper the terrain is, or the more difficult lines I can attempt, I'm not surprised. You really have to throw your body over the front now to offset all that traction.

This video says it all. That clip taken late last summer of what must be a 7.1 prototype is surprising a part of my local riding area. That first rock face is pretty much impossible to walk upright with regular shoes.


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## kamper11 (Feb 8, 2008)

So - whats the consensus choice for the "right tire" that holds up well in rocky terrain?

I am in consideration and negotiation of purchasing a 7.2 and changing the build to:
Yari or fox 34 fork
xt 1x11 drivetrain
fox transfer dropper

tires are the conundrum!

THANKS


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## kahilati (May 12, 2016)

fritZman said:


> Zero issues with climbing/wandering for me on my 7.2, in fact I now routinely clear stuff I often failed with my 29er Scott Scale (itself a damn good climbing bike). My whole perspective of what's clear-able has move quite a bit higher.
> 
> I still get the front light, but when I consider how much steeper the terrain is, or the more difficult lines I can attempt, I'm not surprised. You really have to throw your body over the front now to offset all that traction.
> 
> This video says it all. That clip taken late last summer of what must be a 7.1 prototype is surprising a part of my local riding area. That first rock face is pretty much impossible to walk upright with regular shoes.


Good news and the video was awesome. Such rocks are impossible with my current bike since lack of grip. Good to hear that grip is simply that awesome that you can lean over bar- with my current bike I have to stay on the saddle in order to maintain grip. 
Looks like that I have to start to figure out how to get Torrent  Unfortunately they are not available in my country and one re-seller in United Kingdom (I ordered my current Specialized bike from them) is not allowed to sell Norco-bikes abroad.


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## xgsjx (May 24, 2016)

kahilati said:


> Good news and the video was awesome. Such rocks are impossible with my current bike since lack of grip. Good to hear that grip is simply that awesome that you can lean over bar- with my current bike I have to stay on the saddle in order to maintain grip.
> Looks like that I have to start to figure out how to get Torrent  Unfortunately they are not available in my country and one re-seller in United Kingdom (I ordered my current Specialized bike from them) is not allowed to sell Norco-bikes abroad.


Evans Cycles are the only UK distributor for Norco bikes. The 7.2 is £950.


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## richwolf (Dec 8, 2004)

kamper11 said:


> So - whats the consensus choice for the "right tire" that holds up well in rocky terrain?
> 
> I am in consideration and negotiation of purchasing a 7.2 and changing the build to:
> Yari or fox 34 fork
> ...


Why not spend the money to get the 7.1 and call it a day? Ride the stock tires and only change them if you don't like them? You will be money ahead.


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## kahilati (May 12, 2016)

xgsjx said:


> Evans Cycles are the only UK distributor for Norco bikes. The 7.2 is £950.


Yes, EvansCycles, I asked them and they are not allowed to sell Norco bikes abroad. They sell 7.1 for price of 1500£/1900€.


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## AUS (Jun 20, 2016)

For those between M and L, how do you find your fit? Barefoot I'm 181cm/5'11" and 82cm/32" inseam. Will try in store, but being my first mtb I don't know my riding style and doubt I can take it for a good test ride.


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## jabber127 (Jan 26, 2016)

AUS said:


> For those between M and L, how do you find your fit? Barefoot I'm 181cm/5'11" and 82cm/32" inseam. Will try in store, but being my first mtb I don't know my riding style and doubt I can take it for a good test ride.


We have the same height and inseam. I've been riding a medium 7.1 since April and I don't feel cramped at all. But I will say we are definitely on the upper end for a medium-put it this way, if someone offered to swap my medium for a large at no cost, I would not take them up on it.


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## Magnuts (Mar 24, 2013)

I'm 5'10" with a 32" inseam. Riding a medium 7.2 and it fits me now that I have it set up right. However, I do think I would take someone up on a trade for a large frame of the opportunity arose. Test rode a large 7.1 before buying mine. Went with the medium because of availability. I do love this bike though


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

i have now not ridden my insurgent in a few weeks.....so i also started using strava. based simply on strava times i can say this bike is fast. i am 12th in a couple of the downhill categories on my local trails of close to 200 riders and i even slowed down a few times during those runs as I wasn't really paying attention to a fastest overall time. that said this bike gets down the trail a lot faster than many full suspension rigs and i believe in my case it is more the bike than the rider as it has made me faster. now though i have to admit i am kinda obsessed and want to break the top 10, we shall see.


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## kamper11 (Feb 8, 2008)

Hey Kenwood - where do you ride? How is your Torrent built?


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

kamper11 said:


> Hey Kenwood - where do you ride? How is your Torrent built?


in the oregon area, i bought a 7.1 but made the following changes:

six 800mm carbon bars
wtb seat
saint pedals
dt 350 hubs with upgraded engagement and 541 rims
surly dw tires
xt ice tech rotors
easton havoc 50mm stem

i am looking next for different cranks, may just be in my head but with the saint pedals the stock cranks seems kinda flexy.


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## kamper11 (Feb 8, 2008)

Cool build! thanks for the reply - seems i found that build back a few pages in my looking!


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## kahilati (May 12, 2016)

Hello, does anybody happen to have a contacts (email) to Norco? I have contacted them via Facebook but no answer. I would like to ask them about dealers.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

Got the rear wheel on my 7.2 all built back up with some Sapim Force butted spokes for maximum strength and had a nice rip out at the Hydrocut here in Ontario.


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

*riding pic*

need more pics in this thread i never seem to stop to take any though but i got this kinda cool 1 a week ago, low quality grab from a phone video.


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## Magnuts (Mar 24, 2013)

Swapped out the Suntour fork on my 7.2 in favor of a Rock Shox Reba and had some custom decals made up. Really ties it all together


















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## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

How much weight did you save going from the raidon to the reba ?


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## Magnuts (Mar 24, 2013)

Couldn't tell you. I've never weighed a bike. Switched for performance purposes


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

DeeEight said:


> How much weight did you save going from the raidon to the reba ?





Magnuts said:


> Couldn't tell you. I've never weighed a bike. Switched for performance purposes
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


What matters is that you're having the time of your life riding a kindafat bike!


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## triathloner (Apr 5, 2008)

I bought a torrent 7.2 a week ago and I couldn't be happier, I don't even mind the fork so far. I am rolling through trail sections faster than I did before on my fatbike or my last hardtail.


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## DABIGSEAT (Apr 29, 2012)

I must be doing something wrong , because no matter where I ride my time are slower than on my other bikes


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## mglder (Dec 8, 2015)

DABIGSEAT said:


> I must be doing something wrong , because no matter where I ride my time are slower than on my other bikes


Are having any fun despite that though? Because if you are then timings mean absolutely nothing at all.

Like benchmark tests for phones, its largely irrelevant. If you wanted to be absolutely quicker guaranteed, you wouldn't run a plus bike.

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

mglder said:


> Are having any fun despite that though? Because if you are then timings mean absolutely nothing at all.
> 
> Like benchmark tests for phones, its largely irrelevant. If you wanted to be absolutely quicker guaranteed, you wouldn't run a plus bike.
> 
> Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk


Either that or you'd ride wide open throttle and gitter dun!


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

DABIGSEAT said:


> I must be doing something wrong , because no matter where I ride my time are slower than on my other bikes


opposite for me, on a couple local strava segments i am top 10 on the descents with this bike and that is out of a few hundred riders with a lot of fast people in the area who race all the time. monday i would have broke top 5 if there the two stupid horses were not in the middle of a fast section......anyhow I can't believe how fast this bike can be. maybe it is the trail you are riding on, if it was a wide open super fast downhill trail this bike wouldn't be as fast as a dh bike but on a tighter, more tech descents it can really fly.


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## GoingNowhere (Oct 15, 2014)

kahilati said:


> Hello, does anybody happen to have a contacts (email) to Norco? I have contacted them via Facebook but no answer. I would like to ask them about dealers.


I am a Norco dealer (or, my shop is). Do you have a question I can try to answer? Feel free to send a DM.


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## Magnuts (Mar 24, 2013)

Quick ride by my house

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## obikeo (Jun 22, 2016)

My 7.1 arrived today and I took it out for a short ride. I found a good deal on a very lightly used demo. Bike is mint except for the dropper cable. I'll get that squared away tomorrow.

Bike is awesome. I'm coming off an old (2001) Kona so I'm sure most newer bikes would feel good but I really love this bike. Super smooth and super fun.

Bike is a medium and setup tubeless (not sure if they come this way or not when new). I ran it at 15 psi front and back. Going to try 11 front 12 rear for the next ride.

BTW I'm 5'10'' 31'' inseam and about 170 lbs geared up.









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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

Hi obikeo,
welcome in the Torrent group 
I ride also the 7.1, my weight is also 170 lbs, the Nobby Nic front is 11PSI, the Rocket Ron rear is 13PSI, the Yary fork is 62PSI

Have fun with the new bike


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

Seriously thinking about a Torrent 7.1 myself. I'm currently riding an ancient, rebuilt Ellsworth Isis that I originally bought in 2001! (Rebuilt about 6 years ago). I'm looking for something to replace it that's fun to ride down the hills but can also get me up, which is my only concern with the Torrent. I'm not sure how this thing will get up hills. I'm on a budget and the Torrent looks like it has pretty good kit for the price. I'm not finding many full suspension bikes in the same price bracket that look as capable and fun as the Torrent.


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## obikeo (Jun 22, 2016)

Dogboy73 said:


> Seriously thinking about a Torrent 7.1 myself. I'm currently riding an ancient, rebuilt Ellsworth Isis that I originally bought in 2001! (Rebuilt about 6 years ago). I'm looking for something to replace it that's fun to ride down the hills but can also get me up, which is my only concern with the Torrent. I'm not sure how this thing will get up hills. I'm on a budget and the Torrent looks like it has pretty good kit for the price. I'm not finding many full suspension bikes in the same price bracket that look as capable and fun as the Torrent.


Well I don't have a lot of experience with different bikes but I think it climbs great. Tons of grip and no issue with front wheel coming up.

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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

A bike shop nearby has the Torrent on order. Apparently they have had a lot of interest in the bike. They are going to call me so i can check one out when in the store. They should be getting both the 7.1 & 7.2 in stock. Looking forward to checking these out. Hopefully I can arrange a test ride to see how it goes.


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## sdsyver (May 8, 2013)

Three from my ride today on my new Torrent 7.2. All stock except for the SPD's and the split tube tubeless conversion I did yesterday. I have been having a hard time deciding on a carbon seat post or a dropper. After today's ride the dropper wins. I was adjusting my post all day.

I used a 24" and a 26" tube to go tubeless. If any of you are wondering both work but the 24" is the best. It fits tighter and the Nobby Nic slid back on easier. 2 oz of Stans in each tire. 18 psi in front and 17 in rear seemed to work good for 215lbs and the terrain I was riding.

Adjusted fork to about 70 psi and seems good for now.

Like the bike.

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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

Nice pics, sdsyver. I think I prefer the black color of the 7.1 to the mint 7.1. I'm going to check out both models but I'm swaying towards the 7.1 as I'd like a dropper post & the Rock Shox fork. Kind of a shame the 7.2 doesn't have 1x11. How do you find the 1x10?


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## sdsyver (May 8, 2013)

Dogboy73 said:


> Nice pics, sdsyver. I think I prefer the black color of the 7.1 to the mint 7.1. I'm going to check out both models but I'm swaying towards the 7.1 as I'd like a dropper post & the Rock Shox fork. Kind of a shame the 7.2 doesn't have 1x11. How do you find the 1x10?


Thanks on the pics.

I have the 1x11 on my Fatboy and prefer the lower gearing but this is doing the job so far. Could always change to a 26 tooth ring on the front I guess. I think the Rock Shox fork is likely better than the Suntour fork but so far it's doing what it should and I'll keep it until it dies. Hopefully that's a while.

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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

sdsyver said:


> Thanks on the pics.
> 
> I have the 1x11 on my Fatboy and prefer the lower gearing but this is doing the job so far. Could always change to a 26 tooth ring on the front I guess. I think the Rock Shox fork is likely better than the Suntour fork but so far it's doing what it should and I'll keep it until it dies. Hopefully that's a while.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


I've read a few reviews of the 7.2 where the fork performance has been a talking point. But if it does the job that's good enough for most. I like the idea of having a dropper post & 1x11 out of the box. So I'm steering towards the 7.1 at a stretch. But I think I'd prefer the black frame, given the choice & saving $1000 (Aus) on the 7.2 ....... decisions, decisions. I wonder how much the 1x11 drive train, dropper post & RockShox Yari fork add up to if bought separately? Time to do a little research 

EDIT: s**t!!! The Yari fork with boost is $792.99 on Chain Reaction Cycles & that's with a 21% discount!! The 7.1 is looking much more enticing now 

RockShox Yari RC Solo Air Forks - Boost 2016 | Chain Reaction Cycles


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## Unit91MS (Sep 10, 2015)

Dogboy73 said:


> I've read a few reviews of the 7.2 where the fork performance has been a talking point. But if it does the job that's good enough for most. I like the idea of having a dropper post & 1x11 out of the box. So I'm steering towards the 7.1 at a stretch. But I think I'd prefer the black frame, given the choice & saving $1000 (Aus) on the 7.2 ....... decisions, decisions. I wonder how much the 1x11 drive train, dropper post & RockShox Yari fork add up to if bought separately? Time to do a little research
> 
> EDIT: s**t!!! The Yari fork with boost is $792.99 on Chain Reaction Cycles & that's with a 21% discount!! The 7.1 is looking much more enticing now
> 
> RockShox Yari RC Solo Air Forks - Boost 2016 | Chain Reaction Cycles


I got my boost yari on jenson usa for 599. It appears the price jumped back up a bit, but still lower than crc

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## sdsyver (May 8, 2013)

Dogboy73 said:


> I've read a few reviews of the 7.2 where the fork performance has been a talking point. But if it does the job that's good enough for most. I like the idea of having a dropper post & 1x11 out of the box. So I'm steering towards the 7.1 at a stretch. But I think I'd prefer the black frame, given the choice & saving $1000 (Aus) on the 7.2 ....... decisions, decisions. I wonder how much the 1x11 drive train, dropper post & RockShox Yari fork add up to if bought separately? Time to do a little research
> 
> EDIT: s**t!!! The Yari fork with boost is $792.99 on Chain Reaction Cycles & that's with a 21% discount!! The 7.1 is looking much more enticing now
> 
> RockShox Yari RC Solo Air Forks - Boost 2016 | Chain Reaction Cycles


I guarantee you it's cheaper on a complete bike especially if you are looking at replacing all 3 items right away. The mint is not that bad a color. If I'd had the $$ and was patient enough I'd have like gotten the 7.1 for the upgrade in components but I had a budget in mind so I got the 7.2. I'm not disappointed in my decision so far.

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## Magnuts (Mar 24, 2013)

I went with a 7.2, added a Rockshox Reba Boost fork ($500) and KS dropper ($200) both brand new off Pinkbike. No issues with the 1x10. Loving this bike!

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## obikeo (Jun 22, 2016)

You guys with the 7.1 and yari where do you have the compression and rebound set? Just looking for a good place to start. 

Also as suggested in this thread I switched out the rear rotor to a centerline. Nice and quite now. 

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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

sdsyver said:


> I guarantee you it's cheaper on a complete bike especially if you are looking at replacing all 3 items right away. The mint is not that bad a color. If I'd had the $$ and was patient enough I'd have like gotten the 7.1 for the upgrade in components but I had a budget in mind so I got the 7.2. I'm not disappointed in my decision so far.


I've pretty much decided to go for the 7.1 now. And it's a lot to do with the price of the parts that I would look to upgrade at some point. Going to be more cost effective to just stretch to the 7.1 & have them right off the bat. The more I look at the mint the more I like it. Looks great in both colors. But at the end of the day the color is a moot point when thinking about the bits of the bike that matter.

My current ride now has a broken back wheel (again!) I might even start stripping it down & selling off the bits so I can put the money towards the Torrent. Just hope the bike shop gets them in soon. In the next few weeks would be perfect. I think I'm going to be joining the Torrent club unless some other similarly priced & superb full susser comes into view ...... not going to happen is it?! It's $3000 (Aus) for the Torrent 7.1. That doesn't get you a lot of full suspension goodness. Not without a lot of compromises on components. All roads are pointing to the Torrent :thumbsup:


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## Unit91MS (Sep 10, 2015)

Dogboy73 said:


> I've pretty much decided to go for the 7.1 now. And it's a lot to do with the price of the parts that I would look to upgrade at some point. Going to be more cost effective to just stretch to the 7.1 & have them right off the bat. The more I look at the mint the more I like it. Looks great in both colors. But at the end of the day the color is a moot point when thinking about the bits of the bike that matter.
> 
> My current ride now has a broken back wheel (again!) I might even start stripping it down & selling off the bits so I can put the money towards the Torrent. Just hope the bike shop gets them in soon. In the next few weeks would be perfect. I think I'm going to be joining the Torrent club unless some other similarly priced & superb full susser comes into view ...... not going to happen is it?! It's $3000 (Aus) for the Torrent 7.1. That doesn't get you a lot of full suspension goodness. Not without a lot of compromises on components. All roads are pointing to the Torrent


The devinci hendrix is around 3k.

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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

Unit91MS said:


> The devinci hendrix is around 3k.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


3K USD, 4K AU$

Still, a good deal with a nice spec, however.

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## Unit91MS (Sep 10, 2015)

phride said:


> 3K USD, 4K AU$
> 
> Still, a good deal with a nice spec, however.
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


3k CAD 

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## sdsyver (May 8, 2013)

I just ordered a 125mm Rock Shox Reverb dropper post. Looking forward to getting it installed. It should show up before we head to the mountains for 5 days of riding, camping etc.


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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

Unit91MS said:


> 3k CAD
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


Yes, that, too. They get the hometown discount.

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## Unit91MS (Sep 10, 2015)

phride said:


> Yes, that, too. They get the hometown discount.
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


If its still 3k CAD holy cow what a deal for us in the US. The Canadian dollar fell more than I thought.

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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

Unit91MS said:


> If its still 3k CAD holy cow what a deal for us in the US. The Canadian dollar fell more than I thought.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


Yeah, maybe that's "wuz" a hometown discount. Why don't you hop over to Toronto and report back?

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## Unit91MS (Sep 10, 2015)

phride said:


> Yeah, maybe that's "wuz" a hometown discount. Why don't you hop over to Toronto and report back?
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


I think they're in Montreal, eh? My french isn't so good.

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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

phride said:


> 3K USD, 4K AU$
> 
> Still, a good deal with a nice spec, however.
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


Yeah, looks very nice. If it was $3k Aus I'd be all over something like this. But $3k Aus doesn't get you much full suspension. I was looking at the Norco Optic. But the entry level A model is $3499. Entry level C frame is $4999. Ouch! I'm looking at divorce if I go there!! :madmax:


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## Unit91MS (Sep 10, 2015)

Dogboy73 said:


> Yeah, looks very nice. If it was $3k Aus I'd be all over something like this. But $3k Aus doesn't get you much full suspension. I was looking at the Norco Optic. But the entry level A model is $3499. Entry level C frame is $4999. Ouch! I'm looking at divorce if I go there!! :madmax:


Can you order through a US dealer and pay shipping? 3k USD is like 3100 AUD

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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

Unit91MS said:


> Can you order through a US dealer and pay shipping? 3k USD is like 3100 AUD
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


A possibility. But there's always the danger of incurring import tax duty fees. I looked at doing this buying from a US supplier when I lived in the UK. There was a possibility I could end up paying more than it cost to just buy locally! At the time that wasn't an option but what I found out about import duty put me off the idea at the time. I think Australia has similar laws so it's a risky strategy.


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## Unit91MS (Sep 10, 2015)

Dogboy73 said:


> A possibility. But there's always the danger of incurring import tax duty fees. I looked at doing this buying from a US supplier when I lived in the UK. There was a possibility I could end up paying more than it cost to just buy locally! At the time that wasn't an option but what I found out about import duty put me off the idea at the time. I think Australia has similar laws so it's a risky strategy.


Ah, well if you end up with the Torrent you will definitely have fun on it. I find myself not missing full suspension with the aggressive geometry and plus tires of many of these new breed of bikes. So much so that I just sold my Yeti.


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

Unit91MS said:


> Ah, well if you end up with the Torrent you will definitely have fun on it. I find myself not missing full suspension with the aggressive geometry and plus tires of many of these new breed of bikes. So much so that I just sold my Yeti.


i agree to an extent, the torrent is so fast and so capable but there are trails i have "less fun" riding it on as a full sus is the better bike. i could slog through them but they get so rough the suspension makes it more fun.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

Dogboy73 said:


> I've read a few reviews of the 7.2 where the fork performance has been a talking point. But if it does the job that's good enough for most.


Unfortunately I bring more news of Raidon issues. I was at the VeloMSM festival last weekend and noticed that my stanchions were starting to show that sticky tar-like black residue I've witnessed before...









Thankfully, one of the many vendors on site was S4 Suspension (www.s4suspension.com) who indicated they have the National contract for warrantying Suntour forks.

They said the seals were done and sprayed some lube on the stanchions to get me through the day (which helped the plushness quite a bit).









At the end of the day they took my fork and 5 days laters it's back in my hands (along with a can of that lube which I was instructed to use every 2-3 outings).









This is technically my 4th fresh fork now - in only 8 months and ~1200km of use. It's pretty ridiculous that I need to rely on providing external lube to prevent it from eating itself.

When the fork works, I have no issues with it. It's active enough to effectively pick up the load when the larger tire's low pressures are reaching their limit. It's also fairly stiff and a bit lighter than the Yari. The skewer design is a bit of a joke, I imagine to prevent patent licensing of a cleaner/better solution.

Having said that, when (not if) this fork dies and can no longer be warrantied I will indeed look at the RS Yari. I had a 29er Reba for years that worked perfect.

On a positive note, this bike still amazes me. Everytime I throw a leg over it I explicitly note just how much I appreciate it. The 'newness hype' has yet to fade. It really is a 'Jack of all Trades' type of bike that works on so many different kinds of trails.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

You can go the 15w suspension oil route to replace the grease.
http://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/switching-grease-oil-raidon-due-stiction-853706.html


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

I found a nearby store that stocks Norco bikes. They didn't have any Torrent's in stock but were trying to get some in. Got an email Friday to say that they had managed to get one in stock & it was a 7.1 2017 model. I went there today expecting to the see the current (mint colored) 7.1 model. But it was in fact next years 7.1, which is jet black with green decals & a DVO Diamond fork. It was also my size (M).

Apparently the current 2016 mint 7.1 is now hard to get hold of in anything but an XL frame size, at least in this neck of the woods. I took it for a test spin & couldn't resist. Cleared it with the misses & then took the plunge  Had the tubeless conversion done there & then. Taking it for a spin this arvo. It's in the back of the car at the moment. I'll post up some pics ASAP. Very excited to get going on this thing & see what it's all about.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

Had a quick fly around this arvo to get that latex working on the tubeless conversion :thumbsup: Felt good. Rolled far better than I expected, although it looks so weird at the moment with that massive tyre out in front. I'm used to 2.3 tyres on 26" wheels. Had a brief fast descent on some rough stuff. That made me smile as it definitely felt a lot more confident than my current bike. Felt like I had more suspension on the rear end than my full suspension bike! Very good so far. Can't wait to hit the trails proper. Got the tyres pumped pretty hard at the moment after the tubeless conversion. Will drop to 16 psi & start there.


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## kamper11 (Feb 8, 2008)

you didn't by chance see any other early 17's? the full sus torrent? or new sights/ranges?

That new 7.1 looks to have a pretty spot on build and looks totally bad arse!!!


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

Flow Mountainbike tested the DVO Diamond a year ago and it got a glowing review -

Tested: DVO Diamond ? Flow Mountain Bike


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

Dogboy73 said:


> Had a quick fly around this arvo to get that latex working on the tubeless conversion :thumbsup: Felt good. Rolled far better than I expected, although it looks so weird at the moment with that massive tyre out in front. I'm used to 2.3 tyres on 26" wheels. Had a brief fast descent on some rough stuff. That made me smile as it definitely felt a lot more confident than my current bike. Felt like I had more suspension on the rear end than my full suspension bike! Very good so far. Can't wait to hit the trails proper. Got the tyres pumped pretty hard at the moment after the tubeless conversion. Will drop to 16 psi & start there.
> 
> View attachment 1085184
> View attachment 1085185
> View attachment 1085186


Did it come with the Maxxis tyres as standard? A lot of bikes are switching from Schwalbe I noticed..


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

kamper11 said:


> you didn't by chance see any other early 17's? the full sus torrent? or new sights/ranges?


I think the Torrent was the only 2017 Norco bike they had & they had only managed to get one of those, partly why I was very keen to snap it up. They reckon at least 2 months before they will start to get more in. They also stock the new optic (looks very nice but $4999 for the cheapest carbon model) and also the Sight & Range, but I think these were current models.

Is there going to be a Torrent full suspension version? That would be interesting :thumbsup:



> That new 7.1 looks to have a pretty spot on build and looks totally bad arse!!!


I'm very pleased with the kit on this bike & I like the black frame better than the mint I think. It looks pretty sweet.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

hambocairns said:


> Flow Mountainbike tested the DVO Diamond a year ago and it got a glowing review -
> 
> Tested: DVO Diamond ? Flow Mountain Bike


Must admit I'd never even heard of DVO before seeing the forks on this bike. I did a quick Google search in the shop & saw that the Dimaond for was around $1300 (Aus). That's like 40% the cost of the whole bike!! I didn't read any reviews before buying but the guy in the shop was raving about it.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

hambocairns said:


> Did it come with the Maxxis tyres as standard? A lot of bikes are switching from Schwalbe I noticed..


Yes. This is the standard build. Only thing I changed was to get the tubeless conversion done. Not sure how these compare to the Schwalbe tyres. They seem to roll pretty nicely for their size. There was a fair bit of weight in the two tubes so good to get them out the way & go tubeless. These are 2.8" where I think the Schwalbe on the 2016 7.1 are 3.0" tyres.


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

I'm still so undecided on what my next bike will be, and to make it more crucial that I buy the right bike, I won't be buying another for 3 or so years!

I'd love to try one of these but I am in a small town, a long way from anywhere and I'm 6'5" so there's never any bikes for me to try!

So I'm weighing up a Scott Spark Plus, Trek Fuel EX and Giant Anthem but plus size hard tails intrigue me. Most of my riding is hard pack and clay (I'm in the tropics) so I don't know if plus sized tyres would be entirely suited.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

You can add the Trek Stache to your ht list. 29+ and two carbon models for lighter weight.


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

eb1888 said:


> You can add the Trek Stache to your ht list. 29+ and two carbon models for lighter weight.


Cheers!


----------



## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

*Raidon gods are angry at me.*

So fork #4 lasted only 2 rides, actually 1, but I naively decided to try again today hoping it was my imagination.

This rebuilt fork won't hold air for more than an hour. I started today's ride at 95psi, attached is what it looked like after 1 hour (35psi). :skep:









The good news is that the seals are still in one piece... :thumbsup:


----------



## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

fritZman said:


> So fork #4 lasted only 2 rides, actually 1, but I naively decided to try again today hoping it was my imagination.
> 
> This rebuilt fork won't hold air for more than an hour. I started today's ride at 95psi, attached is what it looked like after 1 hour (35psi). :skep:
> 
> The good news is that the seals are still in one piece... :thumbsup:


Damn, the guys at Norco must be on a first name basis with you already. Try a shot of oil in the air chamber to help the o-ring seal better? I've had to do that on a few old Rock Shox forks when they started leaking air.


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## SteveF (Mar 5, 2004)

Try removing the shrader valve core and putting a dab of grease on it's bottom. I've had a couple of shocks/forks that leaked air and this fixed it...


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## sdsyver (May 8, 2013)

[email protected] said:


> I read good reviews about the RaceFace Next 35, It could be my next choice


I just put a Raceface Next carbon bar and 60mm Turbine stem on. The two are noticeably lighter. I don't have the numbers to prove it however. Any weight savings from those will be lost with the 125mm Reverb I'm putting on. Be worth the weight penalty though.


----------



## sdsyver (May 8, 2013)

Magnuts said:


> Looking to go tubeless on my 7.2. Can't find any writing on the stock Nobby Nics but I'm assuming their tubeless ready. Am I right?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I used the split tube method to go tubeless. Used a 26" tube and a 24" tube to see which worked the best. Both worked but the 24" was the easiest. It stretched tighter and made getting Nobby Nic back on easier. Those are some of the most difficult tires I've ever dealt with.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

sdsyver said:


> I just put a Raceface Next carbon bar and 60mm Turbine stem on. The two are noticeably lighter. I don't have the numbers to prove it however. Any weight savings from those will be lost with the 125mm Reverb I'm putting on. Be worth the weight penalty though.


Hi,
with new carbon handlebar you have noticed the reduction of vibrations transmitted to the hands ?

Many tnx


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## sdsyver (May 8, 2013)

[email protected] said:


> Hi,
> with new carbon handlebar you have noticed the reduction of vibrations transmitted to the hands ?
> 
> Many tnx


Honestly don't even have a ride on them yet. I have the same bars only in a 31.8 on my Fatboy and noticed a bit of difference. I imagine it will be a bit more noticeable on this bike with smaller tires.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2016)

sdsyver said:


> Honestly don't even have a ride on them yet. I have the same bars only in a 31.8 on my Fatboy and noticed a bit of difference. I imagine it will be a bit more noticeable on this bike with smaller tires.


Many tnx


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## kamper11 (Feb 8, 2008)

BTW - good to actually see that the Maxxis DHF and DHR are out and on a bike in the 2.8 size!! Hoping they figured out how to solve the issues of many other + size tires that seem to have issues w reliability and squirm at best pressures. any feedback on the tires?


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

Someone asked if I'd post up the specs for the 2017 7.1. Here they are (as best as I can do. Don't know exact details for a lot of the parts);

*Bars: Norco 780mm (aprox)
Stem: Norco 60mm (aprox)
Grips: Norco Lock-on
Saddle: Norco
Seat post: Tranz X dropper
Forks: DVO Diamond 15mm axle
Rims: Spank 395+
Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF 27.5 x 2.80
Rear mech SRAM NX 1x11
Cranks: Race Face
Front ring: Race Face 28T
Brakes: SRAM Level T*

Having issues with the dropper post. It sticks on return - pops up a little when the lever is pushed, then slows right down, then pops up to full extension. Sometimes it take a few presses to fully extend. I've also noticed that there is some play in the seat post when fully extended. I've emailed the shop. Waiting for a response.

EDIT: Not sure the exact model of the dropper post. 
I guess it's going to be one of these;
TranzX: Seatposts


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

Dogboy73 said:


> Someone asked if I'd post up the specs for the 2017 7.1. Here they are (as best as I can do. Don't know exact details for a lot of the parts);


That fork has HS compression damper adjustability. I'm wondering how much room it has under the arch for 29+ tires.
Could you do an axle to arch measurement when you have the wheel out.
Thx.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

eb1888 said:


> That fork has HS compression damper adjustability. I'm wondering how much room it has under the arch for 29+ tires.
> Could you do an axle to arch measurement when you have the wheel out.
> Thx.


There's no more than an inch between the tyre and the fork bridge. I doubt these forks would take 29 Plus.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

Dogboy73 said:


> There's no more than an inch between the tyre and the fork bridge. I doubt these forks would take 29 Plus.
> 
> View attachment 1086373


The regular 29 SID will take a Fat B Nimble 29x3.0 because it's actually 2.7. 29+ tires are all over the place. Some may fit.








9mm clearance top 6.4mm side.
15-5/32, 385mm axle centerline to arch.

The DVO site says yours is a 29 Boost fork. 27.5+ compatible up to a 3.0" tire size.
According to DVO tech the axle centerline to arch should work out to be 373mm, 14-11/16.
Not quite as much height(too bad) but more width.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

eb1888 said:


> The regular 29 SID will take a Fat B Nimble 29x3.0 because it's actually 2.7. 29+ tires are all over the place. Some may fit.
> 
> View attachment 1086391
> 
> ...


Interesting. I did toy with the idea of, maybe in the future, getting a second set of 29" wheels with more XC like set-up. I was expecting that these forks would only take standard size 29" wheels & not 29" plus ..... saying that I'm something of a newb with all these wheel & tyre sizes! I've only just progressed from 26" wheels with 2.2" tyres. Things are a bit confusing these days! 

Saying all that - went on my first proper ride yesterday. It was only going to be a quick blast off-road to get a better feel for the bike & see how it went. But I was having so much fun it ended up turning into quite a substantial ride. Really pleased with the feel & ride of this bike. As I said it's all very new because I've moved to this from a 16 year old Ellsworth full susser with 26" wheels. Lots has changed. But I really didn't miss the rear suspension. I guess this has everything to do with the size of the tyres. But it felt so much more capable than my old bike. I really love the 1x11 set-up as well. I was concerned I wouldn't have the range of my 3x9 drive train on the old bike but it's fine. I won't have quite the same top end but that's only really an issue on roads getting to the trails. And it rolls so well. I wasn't expecting that due to the width of the tyres. But with the extra diameter of the wheels it just rolls so, so much better than 26" wheels. It climbs really well also. There was one section where I had to ride through a very muddy area immediately followed by a short, steep, muddy climb onto a ridge. I didn't think I was going to get up in one go. The old bike would have struggled & probably not made it up so I was quite apprehensive. This thing just went through the s**t & up the slope like a mountain goat! I was grinning after that bit. Didn't want to go home but it was getting dark & I didn't have my lights. Can't wait to get out again :thumbsup:


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

2017 Norco Highlights - Mountain Biking Australia magazine - bike reviews, tips, news, training


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## kamper11 (Feb 8, 2008)

thats interesting about the Sight/Range... thought we might see some updates to that line


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

*RIP 7.2 Alex MD40...*

Last wknd's ride produced a few loud cracks and twangs during a fun descent. A quick look to see if the brakes and derailleur were still in place was good enough for me... At home I realised 3 rear spokes had snapped. Remarkably, the wheel stayed fairly true.









No worries, my new Hope Pro 4 XD hub had arrived. It jumps the Points of Engagement from 15(!) on the OEM hub to 44 on the Pro4.









LBS then calls to say the MD rim is cracked. "Must of happened when I flatted" they say, but I have yet to flat either NN/RR tire despite running 11psi rear. Clearly that pressure is saving the tire and hurting the rim...









As FYI, the stock MD40 rim is fairly light at ~612gr, about 40gr lighter than the WTB i45 Scraper rim my LBS just happend to have in stock LOL. Interestingly, the Schwalbe RR 3.0 tire width grows 2-3mm (75mm total) on the 5mm wider i45. The tire's shape square's up quite a bit which is fine for me in the rear.









New setup is ready to go once my Raidon gets it's 3rd warranty fix (pressure loss). RS Yari is next if the Raidon fails me agin.


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## Abraxas (Mar 2, 2009)

How is everyone on the 7.2 doing with the stock brakes? Mine have been feeling a bit soft on longer descents.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

Abraxas said:


> How is everyone on the 7.2 doing with the stock brakes? Mine have been feeling a bit soft on longer descents.


Which brakes does the 7.2 come with? The new 7.1 has SRAM Level T's. I posted the spec of the 2017 7.1 on another forum & someone replied, 'nice spec but shame about the brakes'. Seem okay to me though. As long as they stop me & have decent modulation I'm okay. Although, as I said on the other forum, never really ridden a bike with what might be considered very high end brakes. Would be interesting to have a go to see how they perform compared to what I'm used to.


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## sdsyver (May 8, 2013)

Took my 7.2 out for a good rock filled run on Valley of Five Lakes in Jasper. Had my fork blow all its air out on a decent. Pumped it back up and it held the rest of the ride. Hoping this is not a sign of things to come. Other than that I'm truly impressed with the the bike and the way it handled the abuse I threw at it. Really liking the plus tires and the compromise between my skinny and fat tires.


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## obikeo (Jun 22, 2016)

Loving my Torrent...


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## kryten (Mar 8, 2012)

Still playing with the idea of getting Torrent as only bike. I could probably pull it off for winter single track duty seeing how little snow we seem to get last couple of winters and the amount of fat bikes out there packing trails down. Then again, never tried one.

Can't wait to see the 2017 specs. I really like the current 7.2, but that Suntour fork seems to have major problems. Hopefully they can squeeze 11spd SLX or at least NX with 11-42 in 2017 7.2's and at least a bit better quality forks. That would be about perfect.

A while ago I've read some stuff regarding 45NRTH studded (studdable) 650+ tires. Any time frame or other options out there yet? I'm so used to my Dillingers, they make a lot of difference for me.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

kryten said:


> Still playing with the idea of getting Torrent as only bike. I could probably pull it off for winter single track duty seeing how little snow we seem to get last couple of winters and the amount of fat bikes out there packing trails down. Then again, never tried one.


I'm very happy with my Torrent as my only bike, but that's more a matter of economics as much as anything else - Of course I would have another bike if it was financially viable i.e. if my wife wouldn't cut my balls off at the merest mention of the idea. It was bad enough sweet talking getting one new bike!!

But I'm loving this bike. It feels more capable to me than a hardtail has any right to be. I'm not missing rear suspension. In fact I'm glad I won't need to concern myself with rear shock servicing, bearing maintenance / replacement, the occasional squeaks developing (that has previosuly driven me to near insanity!!). Loving the 1x11 as well for similar reasons - capable but with less parts on bike. It all adds up to a simple, practical & very capable trail machine. Loving it.



> Can't wait to see the 2017 specs. I really like the current 7.2, but that Suntour fork seems to have major problems. Hopefully they can squeeze 11spd SLX or at least NX with 11-42 in 2017 7.2's and at least a bit better quality forks. That would be about perfect.


Haven't seen any news on the 2017 7.2 spec. But you would hope they spec a better fork. I'm reading about too many people having problems with the Suntour. Sounds like it's not up to the task on this bike.


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## Slawek (Aug 26, 2016)

Hello

I am also waiting for the 2017 model Torrent 7.2, apparently they should put all the new models on their website on the 31st of August. I would go straight for the 2016 but the fork issue again puts me off.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

Slawek said:


> Hello
> 
> I am also waiting for the 2017 model Torrent 7.2, apparently they should put all the new models on their website on the 31st of August. I would go straight for the 2016 but the fork issue again puts me off.


Just found the 2017 specs for both the 7.1 & 7.2 on 99 Bikes;

Norco Torrent 7.1 [Black/Grey/Green] (2017) | 99 Bikes

Norco Torrent 7.2 [Black/Yellow/Blue] (2017) | 99 Bikes


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

Dogboy73 said:


> Just found the 2017 specs for both the 7.1 & 7.2 on 99 Bikes;
> 
> Norco Torrent 7.1 [Black/Grey/Green] (2017) | 99 Bikes
> 
> Norco Torrent 7.2 [Black/Yellow/Blue] (2017) | 99 Bikes


The 7.2 has a much better fork (Rockshox Sektor 140mm) and Maxxis Evo tyres compared to last year but those brakes look a bit crap. If you upgrade you might as well spend a few hundred more and go for the 7.1 and get a world class fork.

Strangely the 7.2 has SRAM GX components but the more expensive 7.1 has NX... Must be a seriously good fork!

Both look like good value for money compared to the previous year.


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

*Norco 7.2*









SPECIFICATIONS:

Frame	Torrent X6 Alloy DB 650B Plus Frame
Size	S-M-L-XL
Fork	Rock Shox Sektor Silver RL 140mm/15mm
Crankset	Alloy Boost 28T Cranks
Bottom Bracket	External Threaded BB
Cassette	Sunrace 10spd 11/40
Chain	KMC X10 10spd
Pedals	VP Nylon Flat Pedal
Front Derailleur	Seattube Mount Chainguide
Rear Derailleur	SRAM GX 10spd Type 2.1 
Shifter Front 
Shifter Rear	SRAM GX 10spd 
Front Brake	Tektro Auriga Hydraulic 180mm
Rear Brake	Tektro Auriga Hydraulic 160mm
Grips	Norco Lock On Grip
Handle Bar	X6 Alloy 785mm x 31.8
Stem	Alloy 50mm x 31.8
Headset	Angular Sealed Cartridge Bearings - Tapered
Seat Post	TranzX 125mm Dropper Post 31.6
Seat Post Clamp	Norco Alloy QR 34.9
Saddle	Norco XC Saddle 
Front Hub	Joytech Boost 110mm x 15mm
Rear Hub	Novatec 148mm x 12mm 
Rims	Alex MD-35 27.5" 
Spokes/Nipples	Black Stainless w/brass nipples
Tubes 
Tyres	Maxxis Minion DHR & DHF 27.5" x 2.8" EXO/TR

*Norco 7.1*









SPECIFICATIONS:

Frame	Torrent X6 Alloy DB 650B Plus Frame
Size	S-M-L-XL
Fork	DVO Diamond 140mm
Crankset	Race Face Aeffect 28T
Bottom Bracket	Race Face External Threaded BB
Cassette	SRAM NX PG 1130 11/42
Chain	SRAM PC-1110 11spd
Pedals	VP Nylon Flat Pedal
Front Derailleur	Seattube Mount Chainguide
Rear Derailleur	SRAM NX 11spd
Shifter Front 
Shifter Rear	SRAM NX 11spd
Front Brake	SRAM Level T 180mm
Rear Brake	SRAM Level T 160mm
Grips	Norco Lock On Grip
Handle Bar	Norco Lite DB 780mm/15mm Riser/35mm
Stem	Norco Alloy 55mm/35mm
Headset	Angular Sealed Cartridge Bearings - Tapered
Seat Post	TranzX 150mm Dropper Post 31.6
Seat Post Clamp	Norco Alloy Nutted Clamp
Saddle	Norco XC Saddle 
Front Hub	Novatec 110mm x 15mm
Rear Hub	Novatec 148mm x 12mm 11spd 
Rims	WTB Scraper i40 27.5"
Spokes/Nipples	Black Stainless w/brass nipples
Tubes 
Tyres	Maxxis Minion DHR & DHF 27.5" x 2.8" 3C/EXO/TR


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## Slawek (Aug 26, 2016)

Dogboy73 said:


> Just found the 2017 specs for both the 7.1 & 7.2 on 99 Bikes;
> 
> Norco Torrent 7.1 [Black/Grey/Green] (2017) | 99 Bikes
> 
> Norco Torrent 7.2 [Black/Yellow/Blue] (2017) | 99 Bikes


Wow, 7.2 with dropper post and nice fork. I had a chance to test 2016 model this weekend and I liked it but now I know I definitelly wait for 2017. I am wondering how much it will cost in UK. The guy form shop found price £1150 so I could use CTW voucher for £1000 and pay the rest


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

i would say the 2016 7.1 is the better deal, the rs fork is surprisingly good and to change to an off brand and add 600 bucks seems odd. tires change is the best think though, that i am impressed with.


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## nono29 (Sep 25, 2011)

kenwood72 said:


> i would say the 2016 7.1 is the better deal, the rs fork is surprisingly good and to change to an off brand and add 600 bucks seems odd. tires change is the best think though, that i am impressed with.


That's the Australian price, price is The same as last year. And DVO is definitely not what many would consider an off-brand

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## mglder (Dec 8, 2015)

Ha ha.... Saying a DVO is 'off brand' is hilarious.

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk


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## kenwood72 (Sep 16, 2014)

How many shops could give me a part for a DVO fork? What percentage, maybe 10? Something goes wrong who handled it?


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

kenwood72 said:


> How many shops could give me a part for a DVO fork? What percentage, maybe 10? Something goes wrong who handled it?


When I bought my 2017 7.1 the guy in the shop warned me, 'whatever you do don't loose the DVO fork thru-axle. You'll have problems getting another one'. It would be a ball ache to loose any part like this of course. But no doubt it would be somewhat easier to replace one for a Fox or RockShox fork. I'll just do my best not to loose it! ;-)

The 2017 7.2 looks awesome. A better fork & a dropper post (same one as the 7.1). Very nice package. Still only 1x10 but after spending a bit of time with 1x11 I honestly don't think this is going to be too much of an issue. I rarely use the highest & lowest gears on 1x11 when on the trail. It's mainly the top gear for roads getting to the trails. The lowest gear gets a spin when I'm completely shagged out going up hill. But I'm usually riding so slow I honestly may as well get off & walk! Lack of fitness has defeated me on recent climbs, not the gearing.


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## tfinator (Apr 30, 2009)

Dogboy73 said:


> When I bought my 2017 7.1 the guy in the shop warned me, 'whatever you do don't loose the DVO fork thru-axle. You'll have problems getting another one'. It would be a ball ache to loose any part like this of course. But no doubt it would be somewhat easier to replace one for a Fox or RockShox fork. I'll just do my best not to loose it! ;-)
> 
> The 2017 7.2 looks awesome. A better fork & a dropper post (same one as the 7.1). Very nice package. Still only 1x10 but after spending a bit of time with 1x11 I honestly don't think this is going to be too much of an issue. I rarely use the highest & lowest gears on 1x11 when on the trail. It's mainly the top gear for roads getting to the trails. The lowest gear gets a spin when I'm completely shagged out going up hill. But I'm usually riding so slow I honestly may as well get off & walk! Lack of fitness has defeated me on recent climbs, not the gearing.


I don't use 11 speed, so I just checked Amazon.

11-42 is readily available in ten and eleven speeds, so all it seems to do is add one more gear the middle.

I only checked the top three listings, though.. so maybe 11-44 is there for 11 speed.


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

Has anyone raced an XC Marathon on one of these? I'm all for fun at my trails (hard packed mostly), but I like to do the odd marathon. That said I saw someone race with a fat bike so it's likely all down to fitness!

My other question is how would this feel compared to a full suspension? I've always been a hardtail rider so would I really miss out? I'm not about big jumps and drops btw.


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## Slawek (Aug 26, 2016)

Their website is now updated with the new models:
Torrent 7 HT+ - All Mountain - All Mountain - Mountain - Bikes - Norco Bicycles


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

I'm sooo tempted...


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## nono29 (Sep 25, 2011)

Forget about the hard tail, look at the F's!

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## RGMTB (Aug 22, 2016)

Slawek said:


> Their website is now updated with the new models:
> Torrent 7 HT+ - All Mountain - All Mountain - Mountain - Bikes - Norco Bicycles


Woot! Thanks for the link!


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## cacatous (Dec 1, 2013)

nono29 said:


> Forget about the hard tail, look at the F's!


Fluids?


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

The Norco Torrent FS+ 7.1 is a pretty strong offering, IMHO: Torrent FS+ A7.1 - All Mountain - Bikes - Norco Bicycles









I like the fork, shock, geometry, tires. I'm less stoked about the drivetrain and brakes, but that's personal preference more than anything else. The price seems pretty good - $4800 CAD [$3600 USD?]. I'm guessing that this is a "test the waters" model to see if they should make one in carbon...


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## nono29 (Sep 25, 2011)

pinkrobe said:


> The Norco Torrent FS+ 7.1 is a pretty strong offering, IMHO: Torrent FS+ A7.1 - All Mountain - Bikes - Norco Bicycles
> 
> 
> 
> ...


First write up/review: https://www.sicklines.com/2016/08/30/2017-norco-fs-a7-1-a7-2-frameset-plus-sized/

Nice video

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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

nono29 said:


> First write up/review: » 2017 Norco FS+ A7.1, A7.2, Frameset, Plus Sized - Sick Lines - mountain bike reviews, news, videos | Your comprehensive downhill and freeride mountain bike resource
> 
> Nice video


Very nice!


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## mglder (Dec 8, 2015)

kenwood72 said:


> How many shops could give me a part for a DVO fork? What percentage, maybe 10? Something goes wrong who handled it?


Ahh random guesswork. A sure fire way to prove something. Again, DVO are not an off brand item in any way at all.

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

So the FS Torrent rumours where true. Interesting. Although it looks quite similar to the 2017 Fluid that was also recently unveiled. Kind of surprised to see this to be honest.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

I wasn't only surprised to see a Torrent FS but also the spec changes to 2017 HT. Norco has added 10+mm travel (up to 140) which I think has slackened the HT another 1/2 a degree.

Also the tire change from 3.0 to 2.8 and from Schwalbe to Maxxis.

Nice to see a frameset-only option for a reasonable price as well.

My rebuild Suntour is finally working as expected and survived several big days in Squamish last weekend. With the lube it's staying very plush - to the point I've had to add 5psi.


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## Abraxas (Mar 2, 2009)

I was glad to see these changes (fork travel and tires) as i am considering making the same changes to my bike, i suspect the increase in fork travel was necessitated by the reduction in outside diameter from the tire swap.


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## Chubbs Peterson (Sep 8, 2016)

Torrent 7.2 ordered.


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## nono29 (Sep 25, 2011)

Chubbs Peterson said:


> Torrent 7.2 ordered.


FS?

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## RGMTB (Aug 22, 2016)

From where? FS or HT? Just wondering price to. Getting either the 7.1 HT or looking at the Sync'r Pro.


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## Chubbs Peterson (Sep 8, 2016)

2016 HT. £799 Evans Cycles (I'm in UK)

Bit concerned about the quality of the Suntour, but that's what warranty is for.

It's been 15 years since I've done any biking, so even the basic torrent feels fantastic compared to my old GT and Trek.


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## Slawek (Aug 26, 2016)

I think I will wait for the 2017, I hope I won't have to wait until Easter as it is not even listed on Evans UK.


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

hambocairns said:


> Has anyone raced an XC Marathon on one of these? I'm all for fun at my trails (hard packed mostly), but I like to do the odd marathon. That said I saw someone race with a fat bike so it's likely all down to fitness!
> 
> My other question is how would this feel compared to a full suspension? I've always been a hardtail rider so would I really miss out? I'm not about big jumps and drops btw.


Yesterday I actually completed a 50km enduro (read: _marathon _but I'm old school and am taking back what was the original definition of 'enduro'). This wasn't a 50km of nice buffed wide-open trails, instead it was non-stop nasty roots & rocks - constant f'ing jackhammering through the bike... My hands are dead. As perspective, the winning time is over 3hrs.

The Torrent did alright, one of only 2 HTs I could see. I ran Rocket Ron front & rear and swapped out the 9point8 dropper for my Syntace P6 hiflex. In many sections I coasted better than the other FSs - to the point riders said all they could hear was my (loud) Hope Pro 4 hub coasting when they were pedaling. Where I lost ground was any kind of acceleration/climbing, especially the those little 10-20 footers.

During my 1/2 point stop I had to let some air out of the tires (started 10f, 12r) as the temp had climbed from 13C to 20C and the pressure noticeably increased as well.

If the Suntour fork was going to die, this would have been the place. It did alright... the noisy rebound when being quickly unweighed is back but I think that's just the nature of this beast. With the stanchion lube now being used I run 98psi (200lbs rider). Yesterday I used 115mm of the fork's 120mm travel. Even at that pressure the fork bobs too much when out of saddle. With winter coming I'm looking for a rigid boost setup - curious to see if it stays on next spring...


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## RGMTB (Aug 22, 2016)

Can you comment more on the climbs plz. Why was it so tough? Thank you for this post!


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## RGMTB (Aug 22, 2016)

When I talked to my "some what" local shop they said that their orders should be in around Oct here in the States.


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## Jb36 (Aug 9, 2016)

For those running non tubeless tires, what psi are you guys running without having any pinch flat problems? 

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk


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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

The bike has no determination on that. It's how much you weigh and where/how you ride. Only you can determine that. Basically if your feeling your rim hitting on obstacles then you need to bump the pressure up.

Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

RGMTB said:


> Can you comment more on the climbs plz. Why was it so tough? Thank you for this post!


It was tough because of the weight of my PLUS rim/tire versus the other more racey bikes running regular 27.5/29er (skinny) setups. Likely more exaggerated because many were on carbon hoops and I was running heavier aluminum rims. The difference could have been close to two pounds, which is a lot because it's rotational mass.

I'm not making excuses, I fully understood where my advantages and disadvantages lied. The Torrent/PLUS setup climbs insanely well from a traction standpoint - but it does take a little more grunt to move that mass. No biggie on a trail ride but in a race it is a disadvantage.


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## Chubbs Peterson (Sep 8, 2016)

Can anyone confirm the length of the steerer tube? Or even the minimum that would be suitable?


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

Racked up a good few K's on the Torrent 7.1 now. Tackled all sorts of terrain. Long climbs, technical climbs, fast loose descents, technical rocky descents. It seems to take everything in its stride. Sometimes I forget I'm on a hardtail! No doubt the bigger wheels and tyres are helping here. The fork is sublime. Super smooth and capable. I set up using the recommended settings for my weight. These seem perfectly fine. I could tweak but I don't thing I'd ever stopped! Super pleased with the Torrent. I had my concern about going back to a hardtail after 15 riding full suspension. Also had mixed feeling about the plus sized rims / tyres. But I can honestly say these doubts have been put well and truly to rest. Bloody awesome bike


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## killjoyken (Jun 12, 2009)

I just built up a 7.1 frameset and took it on it's first ride. Norco really nailed it with the Torrent. Perfect geometry, stiff frame at a good price. Added a boostinator to the rear wheel and swapped everything over from my Chameleon.


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## stumpynerd (Oct 8, 2012)

How do you like the Minon?


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## killjoyken (Jun 12, 2009)

stumpynerd said:


> How do you like the Minon?


Insane grip. Blows away the 2.8 Nobby Nic I was running before. I wish it was lighter but the extra grip is worth it.


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## stumpynerd (Oct 8, 2012)

killjoyken said:


> Insane grip. Blows away the 2.8 Nobby Nic I was running before. I wish it was lighter but the extra grip is worth it.


Good to hear. Im considering the minon however its only offered in 2.8. Too bad Maxxis doesnt make a 3.0 Minon. 
Im currently running 3.0 specialized purgatories on my pedalhead. Purgs work great, just have leaky sidewalls. Grid series should fix that problem.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

Nice build, killjoyken ;-)

What pressure are you running in the tyres? I'm running about 15-16 PSI. I like how this feels on the trail but I fear I'm loosing some grip potential on the corners. Might drop to 14 PSI & see how this goes.


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## killjoyken (Jun 12, 2009)

Thanks. I ran 14 front and 18 rear and it felt really good. They didn't feel too soft although the rear did pogo a bit. Next ride I'll try 13/15.


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## DABIGSEAT (Apr 29, 2012)

stumpynerd said:


> How do you like the Minon?


Yup o thought the same thing was looking for a ht ( which wasnt race bred)thought fat bike but said ball.....my shop suggest the torrent ,,hesitate I got the bottom teer, instant fell in love with it ,,and since been upgrading, wheel set,brakes chainring ,dropper

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk


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## ToNIX (Oct 15, 2016)

Hi!

I've been following this thread for a while, took the time to read everything. I'm looking to purchase a used 2016 Norco Torrent 7.2 (a summer rental) but saw about the 2017 changes (fork, seat post, tires). I also saw the problems some of you guys had with the fork and the multiple warranty repairs. This got me thinking, especially since it's a rental (probably seen some abuse, probably out of warranty also).

Would it be wiser to wait for the 2017 with these changes? I don't want to end up having to change expensive parts right away... the purchase is already steep for me.


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## triathloner (Apr 5, 2008)

Is the 2017 going to be much more $? I bought a 2016 this summer and have at least 300 fairly hard singletrack miles on it and I've had no problem with the suntour fork, it actually feels pretty decent. I'm shopping for a dropper post now though. If it's not much more I'd wait, if its a lot more I'd buy the rental if the price is right, you can always upgrade when something breaks. I love my bike a lot.


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## ToNIX (Oct 15, 2016)

triathloner said:


> Is the 2017 going to be much more $? I bought a 2016 this summer and have at least 300 fairly hard singletrack miles on it and I've had no problem with the suntour fork, it actually feels pretty decent. I'm shopping for a dropper post now though. If it's not much more I'd wait, if its a lot more I'd buy the rental if the price is right, you can always upgrade when something breaks. I love my bike a lot.


The 2017 should be cheaper (it's listed $2200 CAD, while the 2016 was $2400 CAD), but if I want to buy a 2017 demo, that means I'll have to wait another year! I'll have to check with the company that rents them if they plan to buy 2017 Torrents.

I guess it's safe to say that the upgrades are worth it?


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

*Final update, my Torrent almost 1yr later*

It's been almost a year since I picked up my Torrent. I calculate over 1200km ridden and all of it has been a joy except for a few painful (literally) instances.

The bike has delivered EXACTLY as expected, which for me and my seemingly high expectations, is a rarety. What I didn't expect was how this bike would evolve my riding and taste in trails.

I originally wanted something I could plow through gnar with almost reckless abandon.









I fatbiked, graveled, and raced this bike.









I rode through some of the best places in Eastern & Western Canada and the bike delivered - and saved my bacon more than once.









As the season progressed I realised that I needed to slow the hell down in the technical bits and dial back the risk-taking. While the extra capacities of this machine was damn fun, it also meant that hitting the deck hurt a LOT more. Unfortunately this, ahem, middle aged rider requires more time than ever to recover. I literally almost broke my femur (chipped the bone) and wrist. Twice I miraculously avoided impalement but my shorts and jersey didn't fare so well.

Not wanting to part with my beloved machine I decided it was time to go rigid. A Carver Trail 490 Boost fork was installed along with Answer 20/20 bars, and the dropper was sold in lieu of my trusty Syntace P6 Hiflex.









I've had a few outings and I'm super pleased! The ride is still quite engaging (picking lines) and the speed in rougher sections has correspondingly slowed down. Despite being rigid, the fork and bars really do add a remarkable amount of compliance. My wrists no longer ache after 2+ hours (I attribute a lot of that discomfort to the ridiculously stiff Haven 35 stem/ carbon bar setup I previously had).









The only handling/geometry difference with the fork is a little more at-speed carving and nimbleness. No apparent increase in pedal strikes.








For those who are curious, total weight with pedals and cage is 24.9lbs.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Mmm Canadian bacon!


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

fritZman said:


> Not wanting to part with my beloved machine I decided it was time to go rigid. A Carver Trail 490 Boost fork was installed along with Answer 20/20 bars, and the dropper was sold in lieu of my trusty Syntace P6 Hiflex.
> 
> View attachment 1100554
> 
> ...


Interesting, I was just thinking this weekend that a rigid fork would be great on this bike. Who did you get the Carver through?


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## fritZman (Jan 9, 2004)

I actually dealt directly with Forrest Carver who appears to be also working at Bikeman online shop. forrest at bikeman dot com.

You'll be impressed with the price as well. Solid value for our Canadian peso!;-)

I haven't ridden Turkey Point yet but Hydrocut looks to be similar. This fork/setup will rock in Hydrocut! I'm hoping to get out there in the next couple of weeks.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

Shedding some fall time gnar on my Torrent. Love this bike.


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## 251 (May 13, 2008)

My new '17 Torrent 7.1. For anyone who's interested, it weighed 14.5kg out of the box w/ included resin pedals. I converted it to tubeless with Stan's stems and 25mm tape, which saved about 600g. The surprisingly-large Maxxis 27.5x2.5-3.0 tubes weighed 772g for the pair. The current weight with M530 pedals and two scoops of sealant per tyre is 14.1kg.

As far as sizing goes, I ended up getting a large because the ETT is where it should be for my size, but I was concerned about the 150mm dropper and tall seat tube extension above the top tube. I'm 178cm / 5'10" tall and my inseam is 85cm / 33.4". My BB to saddle height is 75cm / 29.5" and I was right to be concerned because the saddle height (with the stock Norco XC saddle) with the post slammed all the way down is 75cm.

















Took it out for the first ride, but as you can see it was a bit dark and the bike is black. It's quite a fun bike, but I think I may have a lot of work to do to get the fork and tyre pressures sorted out...


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## super_fro_daddy (Mar 24, 2008)

Dogboy73 said:


> Although it looks quite similar to the 2017 Fluid that was also recently unveiled. Kind of surprised to see this to be honest.


Fluid is 141mm qr rear,


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## V25ANV (Nov 4, 2016)

Anyone have the chain wearing away the paint on the underside of the stay where the chain gets really close?
I have a Lizard skin on my 7.2 but it doesn't protect this area of the chain stay.

they do mention this issue in the MBR review of the 7.2.


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## Guyechka (Jul 19, 2005)

Anyone around 6'1" want to share their sizing on the 2017 model? Dealers around me don't like to stock every size. I'm leaning toward XL, but that 26.5" ETT scares me a little.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

Guyechka said:


> Anyone around 6'1" want to share their sizing on the 2017 model? Dealers around me don't like to stock every size. I'm leaning toward XL, but that 26.5" ETT scares me a little.


I'm 6' on the size large and its great. XL would be too big for me.


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## 251 (May 13, 2008)

V25ANV said:


> Anyone have the chain wearing away the paint on the underside of the stay where the chain gets really close?
> I have a Lizard skin on my 7.2 but it doesn't protect this area of the chain stay.
> 
> they do mention this issue in the MBR review of the 7.2.











Here? My '17 came with this taped-on plastic guard under the chainstay behind the crank. The chain rubs when in the 11t cog with the stock 28t ring, as shown. If you don't have one it may be worth asking your Norco dealer if they can get one.


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## LithiumMetalman (May 12, 2016)

Hey guys, thought I'd post here first. Selling my Norco Torrent 7.1 size large (too big for me). PM me. Cheers


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## bedell99 (Jan 5, 2007)

251 said:


> My new '17 Torrent 7.1. For anyone who's interested, it weighed 14.5kg out of the box w/ included resin pedals. I converted it to tubeless with Stan's stems and 25mm tape, which saved about 600g. The surprisingly-large Maxxis 27.5x2.5-3.0 tubes weighed 772g for the pair. The current weight with M530 pedals and two scoops of sealant per tyre is 14.1kg.
> 
> As far as sizing goes, I ended up getting a large because the ETT is where it should be for my size, but I was concerned about the 150mm dropper and tall seat tube extension above the top tube. I'm 178cm / 5'10" tall and my inseam is 85cm / 33.4". My BB to saddle height is 75cm / 29.5" and I was right to be concerned because the saddle height (with the stock Norco XC saddle) with the post slammed all the way down is 75cm.
> 
> ...


Same here about the tubes. Couldn't believe how heavy the tubes are! Started setting up my 2017 7.1 last night. It is so easy to set these up with 25mm tape and Stans. Bike is a lot heavier than thought it would be. Next place to save some substantial weight is the cassette. The adjustment on the Level T brakes are not the best.

Erik


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## MiggySawdust (Jun 9, 2008)

Ha, I'm in the opposite position. I have a stock small Torrent 7.1 that's too small for me. Would love to do a trade for a medium.


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## V25ANV (Nov 4, 2016)

Thanks for the reply, the only norco dealer here in UK is evans cycles so I might contact norco direct.
Cheers


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## alexleov (Oct 11, 2014)

Just got a message from Norco NZ and even though the Torrent is not stocked in NZ they said they could bring one in for me. So I think I'm going to treat myself to a 2017 7.1. 

I was leaning toward the Spec Fuse when I though the Torrent was not available.

I still need to get final pricing but the NZ$ is pretty much the same as the CAD and AUD. 

Does anyone know if the 17 7.1 has a XD drive hub? I'm guessing because it doesn't say it is that it isn't.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

https://www.sram.com/sram/road/products/pg-1130-11-42t-cassette

•Compatible with all SRAM 11-speed chains
•Compatible with non XD™ driver body
•Fully compatible with all SRAM 1x™ drivetrains
•PG-1130 11-42t cassette fits 10 and 11-speed driver bodies
•(1.85mm spacer is required for 11-speed driver)

It could be an XD with a spacer.


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## 251 (May 13, 2008)

alexleov said:


> Does anyone know if the 17 7.1 has a XD drive hub? I'm guessing because it doesn't say it is that it isn't.


No, the OE Novatec hub on the '17 Torrent 7.1 has a Shimano freehub body and the NX cassette fits Shimano freehub bodies only.

I recently ordered an XD driver (part number "fh-xd-b2-4p-al") from Novatec USA for about $130USD. I don't have the part yet and cannot confirm that it fits, but according to Novatec it should. I'll post an update once I have it.


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## alexleov (Oct 11, 2014)

251 said:


> No, the OE Novatec hub on the '17 Torrent 7.1 has a Shimano freehub body and the NX cassette fits Shimano freehub bodies only.
> 
> I recently ordered an XD driver (part number "fh-xd-b2-4p-al") from Novatec USA for about $130USD. I don't have the part yet and cannot confirm that it fits, but according to Novatec it should. I'll post an update once I have it.


OK thanks thats what I assumed.

It may not matter as because the torrent is not officially available in NZ its looking to be a lot more expensive. currently the price is $4000.

While the bike is nice its not worth that. Norco NZ are trying to see if they can do better then that but unless its a lot closer to $3500 I will get the Fuse comp.


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## JFalcetti (Feb 16, 2009)

Norco Torrent 7 HT+ sizing question... seems this frame runs kinda large (meaning a large is a bit larger than most other brands). Normally I take an XL (6'3", 34"inseam)... but on this frame it seems an XL may be too big?

Have read all the comments on this thread. If anyone has any opinions to share on sizing I would appreciate it. I'm stuck between this frame and a Stanton; can't decide.

Thanks,
Jonathan


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## alexleov (Oct 11, 2014)

I'm 6'4" and I just ordered an XL. Hopefully get it in a week or so. I will let you know. Looking at the geometry the large was similar to my 2010 Norco Manik Large.


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## maritimerider (Dec 12, 2016)

I'm 6'4" with a 34" inseam and ordered an XL. The bike shop also double checked with their local Norco rep who is 6'3", rides an XL Torrent, and advised I get the XL.


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## JFalcetti (Feb 16, 2009)

*2017 XL Framesets SOLD OUT*

Thanks for the info Alex and Marit- unfortunately for me y'all must have got some of the last XL framesets. I just called the local dealer, he reached out to the rep, and they're out of XL framesets until 2018. Lame!

I'll either have to wait a year, or go with my second choice (Stanton).

Cheers!

Jonathan


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## alexleov (Oct 11, 2014)

JFalcetti said:


> Thanks for the info Alex and Marit- unfortunately for me y'all must have got some of the last XL framesets. I just called the local dealer, he reached out to the rep, and they're out of XL framesets until 2018. Lame!
> 
> I'll either have to wait a year, or go with my second choice (Stanton).
> 
> ...


That sucks. Mine is coming direct from Canada as the Torrent is not officially available here in NZ but Norco NZ have gone out of there way to get one here for me.


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## Boo Bear (Aug 11, 2008)

This thread has really piqued my interest in the Torrent- I'm looking closely at it, the Timberjack, and the Pedalhead. Only thing is, there are no Norco dealers in New Hampshire! I went on Norco's website today and for the life of me could not find a "Contact Us" option to email them. 

I am wondering if it'd be possible for my local shop to act as a conduit to get one- or if I could get one directly from Norco. If I could somehow actually contact Norco....


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## Abraxas (Mar 2, 2009)

Boo Bear said:


> This thread has really piqued my interest in the Torrent- I'm looking closely at it, the Timberjack, and the Pedalhead. Only thing is, there are no Norco dealers in New Hampshire! I went on Norco's website today and for the life of me could not find a "Contact Us" option to email them.
> 
> I am wondering if it'd be possible for my local shop to act as a conduit to get one- or if I could get one directly from Norco. If I could somehow actually contact Norco....


It will all depend on how important not paying sales tax to you.


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## Boo Bear (Aug 11, 2008)

My plan at this point is to go to NEMBA Fest in June at Kingdom Trails- Salsa and Norco are on the list of vendors- so I should be able to demo a Timberjack and a Torrent. Plus a bunch of other fun stuff. That will make the decision- ride. If all things are equal, I'll go Timberjack so I can buy from the LBS in my town. If I really love the Norco, I'll go down to MA.


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## maritimerider (Dec 12, 2016)

Picked up my 2017 Torrent 7.2 today! All I can say is...what a BEAST! I didn't get a chance to demo it before I bought it, so when I threw a leg over it for the first time today, the first thing I thought was this thing is going to descend like a MONSTER!!! It's so slacked out and burly...exactly what I was looking for!

It's full on winter time here in New Brunswick, Canada, so my snowboard is seeing all the action right now. But in a few short months I'll be taking this beast out non-stop. In the mean time I'll be tinkering with it. I threw on some Shimano Saint flats today.


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## sirshan (Aug 7, 2005)

Gotta say I love riding the Torrent 7.2 - overall stock, just some things changed to my likings. Coming from a large stable and will say that this is my go to bike. I can care less about my others because I think this does it all and without the need of the rear suspension.

So heres what I go - love the setup, though when the time comes, I will be swapping out all the stock drivetrain parts. For now, its just fine and rides like a champ.

I do have the 7.1 Frame waiting to be built (loved this bike that much yes).

16 Torrent 7.2 (parts changed are listed below, otherwise stock as it came):
- Manitou Magnum Pro 140mm
- Tubeless (using Maxi Poly/Silicone Tape - love this stuff)
- Vans Grips
- Specialized Purgatory Front/Ground Control Rear Tires
- Crank Bros Dropper Post
- Spank Oozy Pedals
- Syncros Saddle
- Cheapy Fenders I cut up and made fit

As-is, loved the bike...the fork needed to be changed IMHO. Now its perfect...can always be better, but its a solid build at the price point.


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## MiggySawdust (Jun 9, 2008)

What size is your '16 Torrent 7.2 frame?


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## sirshan (Aug 7, 2005)

MiggySawdust said:


> What size is your '16 Torrent 7.2 frame?


Medium (accurate to my Scott Genius size too).

Im 5'8", run the same typical cockpit in my other AM/Trail rides (Med Frames, 50mm Stem).


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## MiggySawdust (Jun 9, 2008)

Are you going to switch out the parts from the 7.2 to the 7.1? Are you going to sell the 7.2 frame? I'm looking for a medium '16 Torrent.


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## sirshan (Aug 7, 2005)

MiggySawdust said:


> Are you going to switch out the parts from the 7.2 to the 7.1? Are you going to sell the 7.2 frame? I'm looking for a medium '16 Torrent.


Nope, new frame will be a new build and will hand this down to my younger brother (he gets all my goodies). The frameset for 7.1 is really cheap - have you consider it. Under 450.00.


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## MiggySawdust (Jun 9, 2008)

Yeah, but I'm looking for a '16 Torrent, not the 2017. I wish I could get my hands on one.


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## triathloner (Apr 5, 2008)

Did you notice much handling difference going to the 140mm fork?


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## sirshan (Aug 7, 2005)

triathloner said:


> Did you notice much handling difference going to the 140mm fork?


Didn't ride much with the 120 that was on their. Maybe slightly more slack feeling on the HT angle....definitely using the travel. Doesn't feel much different as far as responsiveness. I treat this like my DH ride...point and shoot. Leave the rear end bouncing a bit, but nothing like destroying a trail on a minimalist ride when others are on DH and FS on the same routes.


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## JFalcetti (Feb 16, 2009)

MiggySawdust said:


> Yeah, but I'm looking for a '16 Torrent, not the 2017. I wish I could get my hands on one.


Check out the Kona Big Honzo DL frameset. In person it is absolutely gorgeous craftsmanship.


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## MiggySawdust (Jun 9, 2008)

The Kona Big Honzo DL frame looks like exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks for the heads up. I'll keep it in mind, but I'd really like to get my hands on last years Torrent.

I want to put this out there again, anyone have a '16 medium Torrent 7.1 that they are willing to trade for a small '16 Torrent or switch out the frames?

Thanks,

Miggy


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## HoDad (Dec 26, 2006)

Hey Miggy, My local Norco dealer has been letting me ride his 2016 Torrent 7.2, and I really like it. I'm planning on buying a 2017 7.2. I know there have been a few changes, fork travel, tires, rim width, etc.,
but frame is the same...no? Why do you prefer the '16 to the '17?...Thanks


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## DABIGSEAT (Apr 29, 2012)

loving my torrent ........16 7.2
upgraded :
hubs &rims hope pro 4 on wtb scraper rims 45mm
32t raceface chainring
ks internal dropper
xt drivertrain/ brakes 
sun racyse 10 spd 10-44 cassette
only thin im gonna do is change fork and im done !!! this thing delivers!!!!!!!!!!!!! im a big 6'5.5 , 350lbs and im riding this thing harrrd and its almost like it it was made just for me for that purpose................now a carbon frame would be a nice upgrade


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## gpgalanis (Apr 7, 2015)

Great bike but those Maxxis DHF & DHR2 look more like 2.5 rather than plus tires. Maybe it is the rim? What is their actual width?

I am so dissapointed that Maxxis doesn't offer a 3.0 version.


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## DABIGSEAT (Apr 29, 2012)

2.8


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## 251 (May 13, 2008)

251 said:


> No, the OE Novatec hub on the '17 Torrent 7.1 has a Shimano freehub body and the NX cassette fits Shimano freehub bodies only.
> 
> I recently ordered an XD driver (part number "fh-xd-b2-4p-al") from Novatec USA for about $130USD. I don't have the part yet and cannot confirm that it fits, but according to Novatec it should. I'll post an update once I have it.


Update: The above XD driver is the correct model for the OE Novatec hub on the '17 Torrent 7.1. I also swapped the NX cassette for an XG1150 GX 10-42 cassette. The 10t cog was the main purpose for the swap, but for anyone interested in weights it also saved a bit over 200g:

Novatec Shimano freehub body: 148g
Novatec XD driver: 80g

SRAM PG1130 NX 11-42 cassette: 527g
SRAM XG1150 GX 10-42 cassette: 391g (this is the heavy one with the steel 42t cog)​


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## MiggySawdust (Jun 9, 2008)

HoDad said:


> Hey Miggy, My local Norco dealer has been letting me ride his 2016 Torrent 7.2, and I really like it. I'm planning on buying a 2017 7.2. I know there have been a few changes, fork travel, tires, rim width, etc.,
> but frame is the same...no? Why do you prefer the '16 to the '17?...Thanks


I want to keep the travel to 120. So, lowering the travel from 140mm to 120mm for me wouldn't be ideal.

Also, I really like the color.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

MiggySawdust said:


> I want to keep the travel to 120. So, lowering the travel from 140mm to 120mm for me wouldn't be ideal.
> Also, I really like the color.


For 2017 Norco has the Fluid HT+ in 3 models at 120mm travel.
Fluid HT+ - Trail - Mountain - Bikes - Norco Bicycles


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## kryten (Mar 8, 2012)

What would be the recommended sizing for someone 177cm tall (5'9"?) My M Trance feels ok, but would not want to go smaller, M Sasquatch fits great. With the Torrent, I'm almost thinking of going L instead of M. I do have a spare 45mm stem and 0 offset Gravity dropper that could go on to tweak it and make it a bit shorter (in between M and L?)

Another question is regarding tire clearance. I would be getting a second set of tires for winter that I would DIY stud, slightly higher volume would be preferred. Any chance of some of the 3.8" or what is available larger than 3" that would fit, have a reasonable profile on those WTB rims and work good on snow?

Lastly, did the '16 Torrent 7.1 come with Yari only or did some come with Manitou fork? I was under the impression Manitou was only pre-production version for reviewers and all retail was Yari?


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## phreeky (Sep 25, 2015)

I can't speak for the Torrent specifically, however Norco sizing tends to be quite "short" and a L sounds right for somebody your size. Throw a leg over one if you can, and when you do check the saddle rail positioning and how it feels both seated and in the "attack position".


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## 251 (May 13, 2008)

With the seat post in the lowest position on large '17 Torrent 7.1 (with the 150mm dropper and Norco saddle) the saddle height is 730mm. I'm 178cm tall and this is just under my normal max saddle height, so it's probably worth checking. Although if it's too high, then a 125mm dropper is a easy fix. Other than that, the large frame suits me well and I wouldn't want anything shorter.


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

FINALLY!!!! Finished my custom torrent!

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk


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## beezee (Feb 15, 2017)

I picked up a 2016 demo model 7.1 Torrent on Saturday. After performing the basic setup (switching brake levers to opposite sides, installing my pedals, etc) I went for a ride. The bike grips like a tractor. I found that I could easily clear technical sections that frustrated me when riding my 26" bike, even in the winter with ice and snow! I did notice a few things, steering requires a little more input due to the wider grippier front tire, and I am constantly clipping trees with the wider handlebars. My previous bike has 23" wide bars and the Torrent has 31" bars, so I guess that is to be expected. My first reaction has been to cut the bars down a bit, but I don't want to be premature, so I'll put some miles on it first and see how I feel then. I also noticed that I had no wrist pain after my ride, which was starting to become a problem on my old bike (and old body). 

I'm looking forward to putting some kms on this bike!


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## triathloner (Apr 5, 2008)

I cut down my bars an inch and a half on each side and find it perfect for me. Bars keep getting wider and honestly I'd still call mine wide, but I like the feel now.


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## phreeky (Sep 25, 2015)

Personally I wouldn't cut them down unless they're cheap crappy things anyway, and even then just keep them as spares. Narrow bars can be had very cheap these days, even nice super light weight ones, so buy some narrow ones instead, and sell the wider ones off - if they're any good you may actually come out on top.

I'm only 170cm (5ft7) and run 800mm bars. I probably should cut them down to 780 (maybe 760) and run narrower grips as I do keep my hands towards the inside of the grips, however I don't ride in places with tight tree gaps very often so it's no big deal.

Do you have the HT or FS Torrent?


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

I run 760 on my full and my torrent ht. I run 740 on my rigid ss. 

Where I live 760 can get you hurt with the trees I have to do some maneuvering at times. 


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## beezee (Feb 15, 2017)

^^ I have the HT Torrent.

^I find that my hands are always on the inside part of the grips as well, but with lots of trees close to the trails I am constantly clipping trees. I am sure that one I become accustomed to the wider bars I will bump things less, but right now my gut tells me I should be running narrower bars. I'll wait and see if that's still the case after a few more rides. 

Oh, and I'll definitely consider the advice about buying new bars rather than cutting the ones on the bike. It's always a plus if a bike can be put back to stock at some point in the future.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

triathloner said:


> I cut down my bars an inch and a half on each side and find it perfect for me. Bars keep getting wider and honestly I'd still call mine wide, but I like the feel now.


You only did that so you can ride with handcuffs...


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## Individual1 (Feb 16, 2017)

This frame design seems to make a lot of sense if you need to ditch the bike; compared to high stand over frames. I'm looking into getting a hard tail and this Torrent looks interesting since I'm 6'1.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

Can I get a confirmation that the 2017 Torrent HT has a threaded BB?


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## HBB (Feb 11, 2017)

Does anyone have experience in running a 29er wheelset with the Torrent? 

I'm looking at the Torrent 7.1 (2017) but I'm keen on getting some more versatility out of the bike through buying a lightweight 29er wheelset.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

D Bone said:


> Can I get a confirmation that the 2017 Torrent HT has a threaded BB?


Race Face External Threaded BB on the 7.1
BSA/73


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

Thanks!


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## Paulbbiking (Jan 25, 2017)

HBB said:


> Does anyone have experience in running a 29er wheelset with the Torrent?
> 
> I'm looking at the Torrent 7.1 (2017) but I'm keen on getting some more versatility out of the bike through buying a lightweight 29er wheelset.


You can run a 29" wheel with the Torrent. If you run a 29" x 2.35" tire you will raise the BB by about 10mm, more depending on the tire PSI you are running with 2.8" tires, tire sag comes into play with larger volume tires. It does work but from my experience with testing I kept going back to the big tires. The bike works well with the 2.8".


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

I'm loving 3.0 on my torrent with 150mm fork. Still waiting on my 140mm spring. Gonna sell the 150 and get a 120 for bikepacking with this rig. The bb height is already tall as hell. 

I ride pretty hard and in steep techy terrain and love the plush form 3.0 at 16/17 psi. 

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk


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## jabber127 (Jan 26, 2016)

Medium '16 torrent 7.1 in the classifieds if anyone is looking!


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## HuguesD (Mar 3, 2017)

Hey guys,
I'm living in Paris and I've a lot of bikes (all hardtails, for their feelings). One for each practice. As family is growing, we need space ( I desperately wish to live in Canada) and I'm going to sell all my bikes. 
I was looking for a future proof 27.5 frame with boost which can handle everything from xc to light downhill and bike Park. I first thought about the dartmoor hornet but even for 2017 it won't have boost. 
I was a little bit desperate but after hours of research, here comes the torrent. I truly like the bike and after reading you, its capabilities.
I planned two wheelset. One 29 for xc and one 27.5+ for everything else.
I was looking for the frame kit but I saw on Norco website that it comes with 12x142 rear axle while the bikes come with boost. Do you know if it is a mistake from Norco or does frame kit differ from the others?
Do you think the torrent solid enough for me? 
If I have a solid go from you, my choice is done and I'll look after it. Norco is not common in France. All norco stores are located in the same area more than 200 miles from home .

Greetings from Paris and thank you for your help!

P-s: excuse my poor English.


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## GrumpyKat (Jul 31, 2015)




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## 251 (May 13, 2008)

HuguesD said:


> Hey guys,
> I was looking for the frame kit but I saw on Norco website that it comes with 12x142 rear axle while the bikes come with boost. Do you know if it is a mistake from Norco or does frame kit differ from the others?


I doubt that the frame-only option would have a different axle standard and it's almost certainly a typo, but I haven't seen a bare frame from Norco. Your best best is probably to give them a call and ask.


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## 251 (May 13, 2008)

I found that these green Hope lock-ons are a very good match for the '17 Torrent 7.1 green/DVO green. I might have to find a lime green saddle next...


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

I can assure you the rear on frame only is boost 148 as I bought the frame only and had the same question. 

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk


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## GrumpyKat (Jul 31, 2015)

Both hardtail and full squish are boost


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## Paulbbiking (Jan 25, 2017)

The axle is a 142x12 but the spacing was designed as a 148x12. Confusing I know but the frame was designed to fit a 142x12 axle as those are more common in the aftermarket. If you use a a 148x12 specific axle then the threads will be out of the frame a few millimetres. This is the same as the FS bike.


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## chops-bike (Apr 20, 2006)

Anyone ridden a FS+ with 29ers yet? If so how was the clearance? Any pics?


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## Dawhoo (Mar 21, 2016)

I love this bike as it really handles the loose sand down, especially on the sharp inclines here in Florida quite well. It doesn't get any more fun to ride then this bike.

The only problem is the rear axle has already gone bad and will not remain tight when clamped down. This caused a 3 mile walk with bike back to truck yesterday. Local bike shop is sending me a new one for free. Also bike does have some creaking sounds that was presents pretty much from the start.


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## 251 (May 13, 2008)

The rear axle on my '17 7.1 also loosened, creaked and caused shifting issues during rides. I initially thought it was the lever/cam not holding tension, but it turned out to be a loose end cap on the rear hub. I suggest you check the end cap one the non-driveside, which threads onto the hub. I re-torqued mine a few times, but it continued to loosen during ride. I finally used a bit of non-perminant (blue) thread locker on the end cap and haven't had any more issues.


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

You have handles on your axles? On my axle it uses a 6mm Allen wrench 

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk


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## Barflyrocks (May 17, 2013)

Finally got to ride my new Torrent yesterday. 

Mostly gravel as trails are still too wet.


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## 251 (May 13, 2008)

kikoraa said:


> You have handles on your axles? On my axle it uses a 6mm Allen wrench
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk


This is the rear axle that came on my '17 Torrent 7.1. It's an Australian-market bike and I'm not sure if it differs from those sold elsewhere.


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## MiggySawdust (Jun 9, 2008)

Hello All.

I know this maybe a long shot, but I'm still looking for a 2016 medium Torrent frame to replace my small frame.

Thanks.


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## LithiumMetalman (May 12, 2016)

I don't have a medium, but have a large frame available, that goes out for anyone on this thread interested. PM me if interested


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## sirshan (Aug 7, 2005)

MiggySawdust said:


> Hello All.
> 
> I know this maybe a long shot, but I'm still looking for a 2016 medium Torrent frame to replace my small frame.
> 
> Thanks.


PM me. I have a Medium Grey Frame available...excellent condition.


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## MiggySawdust (Jun 9, 2008)

Check your inbox, I pm'ed you.


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## Barflyrocks (May 17, 2013)

Anyone else have any hub issues? The Novatech on my 2016 7.1 broke. I was on a steep climb and I heard a snap thinking I broke the chain. 

Bike has been in the shop since the 31st waiting for the new hub to arrive.


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

I have a 6 month old large frame with very little miles I'm getting ready to sell if anyone's interested. I'm really dying to go to a steel with option for singlespeed. 

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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

2nd time torrent owner here I had a 2016 7.2 in large and now have a 2017 7.1 in medium. On the 2016 I cut 2.5cm off the seat tube and added a 125mm race face dropper post. I went to tubelse's right away. I had a lot more plans for it but it got stolen.

I loved the geometry and the shifting of the slx drive train. The brakes were decent as well. The grip of the knobby nicks was great but they were very sensitive to tire pressure quirm and rim strikes happened at around the same pressure. I would have got a wide range cassette and a short 35mm length stem and upgraded the fork as the rayon was OK but was starting to eat it's seals. It also had a weird top out clunk and was not very progressive so a compromise between small bump compliance and bottom out resistance had to be made. It could do either one well but not both. Other upgrades would have been a larger chaining a bash guard and bigger better brakes.


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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

Now on to my 2017 7.1. So far I have gone tubeless, switched to ergon grips, took a few links out of the chain, moved the 180mm rotor to the rear and put a 200mm on the front. I replaced the 55mm stem for a 45mm R.F one I thought of going down to a 35mm but the medium frame would have made that too cramped. Added a 30 tooth absolute black oval ring protected by a bash guard mounted to a bb adaptor. I have also added 3m protective film to the frame which gave the flat black a gloss finish.

I like having the 42 tooth out back but the nx shifting is a noticeable step down from the slx. The cassette also has a lot of heft so when it's time for drive train I will upgrade to at least a gx derraileur and shifter and a X1 or XO1 cassette. The brakes are OK but will eventually get swapped for some shimano Zee or some Guides. Maybe one day a carbon wheels carbon cranks and a carbon bar.


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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

The fork is miles ahead of the Rayon on last year's 7.2. I have done the base tune from DVOs website and have not needed to change a thing. I have yet to feel it bottom out yet i am regularly using all of the travel. I may get ambitious and up the travel to150mm or even 160mm. I suspect I will like the 150mm setting best. The tires are a nice surprise as they squirm less and are less prone to rim strikes and have even more grip than the N.N's they do roll a little slower but with the fork and these tires every time you point it even a little down hill it picks up speed like it has a motor. I am just a hare under 6ft but have short legs and I must say the medium frame is far more flickable than the large. It does have a slightly shorter chainstays and a short enough seat tube to make a 150mm dropper post just right.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Why did you go from large to medium?


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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

The first time around I had a really tough time deciding between the two and went with the large knowing I would eventually get a shorter stem and that I could trim the seat tube a little to get an ideal pedal position at the full extension of a 125mm dropper post.

The 2017 comes with a 150mm dropper post so even with trimming the seat tube I would be over extended on a large frame. Since dropper posts are not cheap I went with the medium and was pleasantly surprised to find the whole thing a better fit for me. Manuals bunny hops and fast switchbacks are a little easier for me on the medium. Keep in mind I have a bit of a weird body shape with a long torso and shorter arms and legs.


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## Jonboy99 (Jul 18, 2005)

I have gx on my sasquatch and the only Shimano I know to compare it to is xt. The gx is noticeably worse. If you're going to upgrade gears I'd go to xt. Should work fine on a sram cassette i think, tho double check.


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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

I was curious about how a gx would perform I may go higher up the sram ladder or I may go xt as you say then I could pair it to some Shimano brakes which i prefer to work on and find easier to set up anyways


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## phreeky (Sep 25, 2015)

Yes you can use a SRAM cassette, however I think only the NX cassette will fit on a shimano freehub.

Sunrace will also fit though, and they come in 11-40, 11-42 and 11-46 with alu and steel options for the largest cog, not to mention silver+black options.


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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

The only reason I am leaning towards SRAM is because of how light their high end cassette is its 268 as opposed to 400ish for similar sunrace or Shimano offerings.

Having said that I could get a Zee derailleur, shifter, sun race cassette and have money left over for the price of a SRAM cassette that may win out over a couple hundred grams


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## phreeky (Sep 25, 2015)

If going for absolute low weight, sure. If working to a budget, you could take that $ diff and pit it towards carbon wheels, or bars, or better brakes, or, or...

You get the idea. Basically yes SRAM stuff can be light, but it's big dollars. There are often more cost/benefit ways of spending that money.


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## kryten (Mar 8, 2012)

Thoughts?

*Torrent 2 HT:*
Torrent 2 HT - All-Mountain - Bikes - Norco Bicycles

*Torrent 1 HT:*
Torrent 1 HT - All-Mountain - Bikes - Norco Bicycles

*Torrent 2 FS:*
Torrent 2 FS - All-Mountain - Bikes - Norco Bicycles

*Torrent 1 FS: *
Torrent 1 FS - All-Mountain - Bikes - Norco Bicycles

Btw. does the new Recon RL replace Sektor in RS lineup now? (Torrent 2 FS)


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## alexjking (Sep 8, 2017)

Hi guys, I'm almost sold on the Torrent 1/7.1 HT but I need help with sizing. I'm 6'4 (191cm), arms are 200cm, legs are I think normalish length, definitely not super long. I'm pretty comfortable on my current bike which has a 450mm reach and a 70mm stem which leads me to think that the XL torrent would be the best fit for me with the reach being 466mm and the stem being 45mm.



kryten said:


> Thoughts?
> 
> *Torrent 2 HT:*
> Torrent 2 HT - All-Mountain - Bikes - Norco Bicycles
> ...


I love the color scheme on the new Torrent 1 hardtail, not sold on the lime green of the FS. I don't know too much about the current rockshox lineup sorry


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## tigerteeuwen (Jul 29, 2014)

I have ordered the 2018 torrent HT 2

Pretty excited about it, I sold my race 29er hardtail and my fat bike that I used for commuting. Hoping the pair down from 2 bikes will simplify things for me.

(Both bikes had a 70 to 69 degree head angle, this will be my slackest bike I have owned)

I had concerns about the zeron fork that is specced so I emailed Sr suntour, the rep seemed pretty confident in the fork. Apparently it's based off the Aion platform. It appears from the picture on Norco's website that it comes with the low speed compression adjustment but i am not 100% sure on that yet.


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## alexleov (Oct 11, 2014)

alexjking said:


> Hi guys, I'm almost sold on the Torrent 1/7.1 HT but I need help with sizing. I'm 6'4 (191cm), arms are 200cm, legs are I think normalish length, definitely not super long. I'm pretty comfortable on my current bike which has a 450mm reach and a 70mm stem which leads me to think that the XL torrent would be the best fit for me with the reach being 466mm and the stem being 45mm.
> 
> I love the color scheme on the new Torrent 1 hardtail, not sold on the lime green of the FS. I don't know too much about the current rockshox lineup sorry


Im also 6'4". I have the 2017 7.1 in XL and its a good size for me.


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## badseedjr (Sep 22, 2017)

tigerteeuwen said:


> I have ordered the 2018 torrent HT 2
> 
> Pretty excited about it, I sold my race 29er hardtail and my fat bike that I used for commuting. Hoping the pair down from 2 bikes will simplify things for me.
> 
> ...


I also ordered a Torrent 2 HT yesterday. Talking to the bike shop owner and another guy I know who races, they htink it's a pretty sick build. The shop owner has been impressed with the newer Suntour forks that have come in lately. Only bummer to me is it's not an air spring.


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## tigerteeuwen (Jul 29, 2014)

Here is the information I got from SR suntour. 

"Great news. It will be a rad fork. We’ll have different coil springs in about 45-60 days if you need" 

"
Thank you for your email. The Zeron is a new fork for MY2018 and uses a coil spring.



Currently we are only available to offer the stock spring which will be rated for riders in the range of 150-180lbs. There will be other options however later this fall.



The Zeron is based on the Aion platform"

"will have rebound adjustment and could come with a lockout or low speed compression adjustment depending on what the bike brand decided to spec on their bike.



We plan on offering all the items that would be specific to the Zeron once they become available. For now the majority of main service parts such as wipers and controls are the same as the Aion series"


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## badseedjr (Sep 22, 2017)

tigerteeuwen said:


> Currently we are only available to offer the stock spring which will be rated for riders in the range of 150-180lbs. There will be other options however later this fall.


Well, that part is a bummer. I weigh 185.


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## tigerteeuwen (Jul 29, 2014)

badseedjr said:


> Well, that part is a bummer. I weigh 185.


Don't be too worried, I weigh the same. It's probably on the stiff range for 150 and progressively softer to 180. New springs going to probably cost around the $50 range. It's easy to install.


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## tigerteeuwen (Jul 29, 2014)

Picked up the Torrent, was worried about it being to small at 6' 5" but it feels really comfortable. Coil feels good as well not too soft not to harsh.

The tektro brakes work surprisingly well, predictable stopping power.

I have already set it up tubeless. Weight is 31 pounds XL frame.

Love it!


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## vegan_warrior (Aug 22, 2012)

This is my 2017 Torrent I recently sold. Had it setup as a 29er and absolutely loved it. The plus wheel/tire setup I had on it wasn't executed well (the bike started life as a Janis Komodo) so I went 29er with it.

I preordered a 2018 Torrent 1 and am making several upgrades to it. Bike should be here this Friday. In the meantime here's the wheel/tire setup for it


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## HuguesD (Mar 3, 2017)

kikoraa said:


> I can assure you the rear on frame only is boost 148 as I bought the frame only and had the same question.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk


Thank you for your answer.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to get the framekit in France. So I took a 7.1 2017. Can't wait to put my hand on it ❤!
I'll upgrade almost everything but I'll keep the dvo.
What tire pressure do you run your torrent? This is my first +bike and i'm looking for advices. I know that it depends on where and how you ride. I just want an idea. I'm 70kg (155lbs).


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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

Step 1 go tubeless 

Step 1.5 save the tubes for possible flats.

Then I would say to start at 15 psi rear and 14 front. Then take a pump and a tire guage and head to some fast trails with high speed corners and some square edged rocks or exposed roots.

At the above pressure and your weight your tires are unlikely to squirm much under hard cornering and will also resist rim strikes really well. Find a small section of trail that has some high speed corners and the roots or square edged hits mentioned above. Ride this section of trail over and over again dropping 1 psi at a time until either the tires start to squirm to much in the corners or you begin to get more rim strikes than you are comfortable with. 

Keep in mind at such low pressures 1 psi is a pretty big jump and will be very noticeable on the trail. When you get close to where you are happy try 0.5 psi adjustments


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## vegan_warrior (Aug 22, 2012)

Just built up a 2018 7.1. Still need to tune the fork and figure out my tire pressure but so far the bike is fantastic!


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## HuguesD (Mar 3, 2017)

Bassy37 said:


> Step 1 go tubeless
> 
> Step 1.5 save the tubes for possible flats.
> 
> ...


Thank u.
Bike is coming today ?!
I'll try your recommendations this afternoon.


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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

That is a pretty sick build on the 2018 how is the clearance with the 3.0 tire in the DVO my 2.8s look to have more clearance in the rear than they do in the front and I may want to try 3.0 high rollers for my next set I would like to get some carbon wheels with a 40 mm inner width but suspect that a 3.0 and a 40 mm inner width will be to close for comfort on the DVO Diamond


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## vegan_warrior (Aug 22, 2012)

There's almost a half an inch clearance. The fender would hit first if you got close and removing it buys a little more clearance


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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

That looks to be very similar to the clearance I have with my Maxis 2.8s. Thank you for the pics


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## NJ2CA (Nov 8, 2017)

This has been a great thread, after creeping this for the past week I pulled the trigger on a new 2017 Torrent 7.1 with the DVO that should arrive this week. Ever since I rode my buddy's Bitterroot Weasel I knew I needed an aggressive plus size hard tail in my quiver for everyday riding. 

Based on the thread I'm doing the following upgrades
- XT M8000 Brakes w/180mm IceTech rotors F+R
- GX Derailleur + Shifter
- ODI Vans Grips
- Raceface Atlas 800mm handlebars
- WTB Volt Pro Saddle 142mm
- Tubeless (No brainer)

Hubs, Cassette, Chain, and Stem will be done at some point

Any recommendations for a frame bag?

Should have the bike built up this week and will post pics. I'm super pumped. 

Thanks everyone for the great thread.


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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

I say go to a 200mm rotor for the front rotor (The capability of this bike justifies extra stopping power) Also at least try the stock saddle as I actually really like mine. I have done or will be doing similar mods as you and have been really happy with going to a shorter stem I am glad I did not wait for that upgrade. Also take the time to do the factory baseline set up for the DVO fork I have not touched mine since and it has been perfect


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## NJ2CA (Nov 8, 2017)

Thanks Bassy,

My thought is that if I'm going to be riding anything that requires a 200mm disc, I'll likely be taking my Intense Tracer T275c Pro out... I wanted this bike slightly more multi-purpose than my 6" enduro rig. Regarding the seat, I just went with something I know I really like... same seat I've been using for awhile.


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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

That makes sense this is my one and only do everything bike so the big rotor was a nice upgrade for me


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## vernondozier (Aug 31, 2011)

I have a Torrent 7.1, had it with 29er wheels for a year, then found deal on wtb with rekon 2.8s......I love my full suspension, but cannot believe what a blast I am having on this torrent with plus tires on it............I almost was going to sell it then put the plus tire on and now it is staying on the quiver for the foreseeable future.


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## NJ2CA (Nov 8, 2017)

*Pumped!*

Finally picked up my Torrent on Friday... can't wait to take it out on Sunday. Seems super fun and playful. I'm pretty damn surprised how quickly it gets going... curious to see how that translates onto the climbs.




















On a side note... I have some brand new parts to sell haha


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

NJ2CA said:


> Finally picked up my Torrent on Friday... can't wait to take it out on Sunday. Seems super fun and playful. I'm pretty damn surprised how quickly it gets going... curious to see how that translates onto the climbs.


That's Exactly how I felt about my Scale 720 plus bike after coming of of a Full Suspension Spark~~
A year now and I still feel that way..

Hard Tails Rawk


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## Griff76 (Nov 29, 2017)

Hey Torrent owners - can anyone comment on the Zeron Fork and how well (not well) it's riding on the 2018 Torrent 7.2? I've got the bike on order and should receive it in a couple of weeks. Hopefully the fork is not too bad!?


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## Griff76 (Nov 29, 2017)

Hey - the bike looks great! Any particular reason you upgraded the wheels?


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## tigerteeuwen (Jul 29, 2014)

I have a few hundred KM on the 2018 torrent 7.2

I weigh about 185ish, fork feels nice and is confidence inspiring, forks a little rattley compared to an air fork though (as in it makes a little bit of sound when going thru some small bump compliance stuff) but I didn't have a good chance to ride the trails before we got hit with snow.

Nice and progressive travel though, feels pretty endless and even through the stroke. I like the fork a lot.


__
http://instagr.am/p/BaFs999BpNR/


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## Griff76 (Nov 29, 2017)

Thanks for the feedback! I'm looking forward to getting it!


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## brodie_rider (Jun 27, 2004)

*Posting up my Torrent 7.1*

Hi folks, I got a 2016 torrent which I've had since May 2016, and love it so much. A few changes I've done since stock:

• Renthal fatbar carbon bars, 780mm
• Thomson X4 Elite 50mm stem
• Thomson Elite static seatpost
• Chromag Trailmaster LTD rawhide saddle
• Spank Spike Pedals / XT Trail clipless
• XT M8000 brakes with 180mm rotors front and back (centerline-x / rt86 rear)
• Rear Boost Maxle
• Cane Creek 110 lower headset bearing
• planning to swap tires to minion 27.5x3.8. Did some measurements to confirm.

More photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZuZTHmKLcFSPFVrp2

Cheers!


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## kryten (Mar 8, 2012)

Interested to see how the 3.8s turn out. A while ago after researching this I concluded it won't fit in either fork or frame.


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## brodie_rider (Jun 27, 2004)

I'm interested too. If the 3.8's sit more like a 3.5-3.6 on my i45 scraper rims technically it should fit.


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## brodie_rider (Jun 27, 2004)

brodie_rider said:


> I'm interested too. If the 3.8's sit more like a 3.5-3.6 on my i45 scraper rims technically it should fit.


So I got around to installing the minion 27.5x3.8 tires. On WTB i45 scraper rims at 20psi the casing measures 82mm, and at the outer knobs it measures 90mm.

82mm: 








90mm: 








Rear tire installed: 








Chainstay clearances: 















Fork arch clearance is rather tight on the boost Yari, very minor rubbing occurs but it's not detrimental: 














Done:








Test run:








One issue I did run into was the boost chainline at 50mm. In the largest rear cog GX cassette the chain rubs the tire. And a little rub in second largest cog. So I experimented by flipping the chainring outwards on the cinch cranks, to make an effective 57mm chainline. While this alleviated the chain rubbing the tire in any ratio, it presented a new issue - chain derailment in the largest two cogs when back pedaling.

This causes me a lot of frustration especially when riding technical terrain where back pedaling to clock your pedal strokes is key to clearing obstacles. So back I went to the stock boost 50mm chainline, and just living with the slight tire rubbing in the largest two cogs.

Does anyone have any experience running the Wolf Tooth CAMO spider setup for cinch? I see they have an option for 52mm chainline: https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/camo-direct-mount-spider-for-raceface-cinch

Thanks folks.


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## morati (Mar 25, 2004)

Steve, just curious as to what your bike weighs? Great ride at Hilton BTW! 
John


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## brodie_rider (Jun 27, 2004)

morati said:


> Steve, just curious as to what your bike weighs? Great ride at Hilton BTW!
> John


Yeah definitely! I haven't had a chance to weigh it yet but as Brad said today anywhere from 28-31lbs I would reckon. With these minion 3.8's I wouldn't be surprised if it weighed more though.


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## Griff76 (Nov 29, 2017)

I picked up my 2018 Norco Torrent 7.1 in late December. So far, this bike has been everyting I wanted it to be - heaps of fun and not too serious! There has definately been a learning curve, coming from my Spec. Stumpjumper (which I havn't ridden since - I'll leave that for more serious work ) However, now that I have the DVO Diamond for dialed in, and quite a few trails under my belt, I seariously like this bike! It's super capable, descends fantastically and is just a lot of fun to ride! I made a few upgrades out of the box:
- Shimano m7000 Brakes with brake lines neatend up.
- Shimano RT86 Discs
- X1 Shifter
- Chain Stay Protectors
- Specialized lock on grips (my favourite)
In the wings I have a Spank Spike Vibracore bar ready to install, but I didn't know that the stem was a larger diameter!!! So I've ordred a Spank 35mm Bearclaw Stem to fit the bar.

Fun time ahead!


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## Hiker74 (Oct 24, 2017)

What some are calling the Norco Torrent 7.1 they are calling the Norco 1HT+ on the website? Bike on the website is GX 1x11 and has spank Oozy rims and DVO Diamond. It's smoked chrome color.


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## Hiker74 (Oct 24, 2017)

Seems like a good value. How does the bike do climbing with the front travel? I'm kinda looking for a bike that'll do Xc trails but have fun in the process. m.norco.com


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## Griff76 (Nov 29, 2017)

Yes, this is the exact bike I have. You are right, it is the Torrent 7.1 HT+. I have made a few little mods - it does ship with the GX 1x11, but has a NX shifter for example. If you look at the pictures I posted it has the DVO Diamond and Spank rims.


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## Griff76 (Nov 29, 2017)

Hiker74 said:


> Seems like a good value. How does the bike do climbing with the front travel? I'm kinda looking for a bike that'll do Xc trails but have fun in the process. m.norco.com


I'm not really sure what you mean regarding the fron fork and the bikes climbing ability - however I can comment on how it climbs for me: It is more efficiently than my Spec. Stumpjumper, being a hard tail. However I do think the Torrent would benefit from a 30T front chainring - it runs a 32T. The Fork when set up, is quite nice, and personally I don't notice it while climbing - so there is little compression. However I nearly always climb seated. This is definately a FUN bike. I really like it. However, I've already dented the rear rim with a rock strike. This is my fault, I was probably asking too much of the bike on a fast technical descent. I was running about 17psi in the rear. I'll put 1-2 psi more in the rear for my next ride.


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## kyle242gt (Nov 12, 2012)

Hiker74 said:


> Seems like a good value. How does the bike do climbing with the front travel? I'm kinda looking for a bike that'll do Xc trails but have fun in the process. m.norco.com


I've got a 2017 7.1 HT+, and it's great. I too am a seated climber, and notice no bob or weave from the fork.

While I'm at it, I gotta say I really the DVO fork. The OTT has a really neat way of making it super plush at the top of the travel. It's sort of confusing, a lot of adjustments, I mostly just used their baseline and it's pretty dialed.

I've got a set of 2.6 Forekasters inbound (vs the DHF/R 2.8's). Want to shed some weight and see if I can reduce slipping on wet/cold roots and rocks.

My came with a 28F... 28x42 is almost too low/slow to be much use at my cadence.


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## Hiker74 (Oct 24, 2017)

Yeah the Norco Torrent 1HT +/7.1 looks like a top of the line chromed out BMX bike that "grew up". 

The DVO fork seems really nice. I emailed DVO and their responses have been reassuring about the heavier rider scenario. I also reached out to Spank and they confirmed the Oozy wheelset is good as well. Norco did not cinch on any components on this bike. 

If I go this route instead of a Chameleon 27.5+ (would like everyone's take on that choice), I may switch out to a E-Thirteen 9-46 cassette at some point...but that sucker is over $200

Jon


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## kyle242gt (Nov 12, 2012)

I cross shopped the Chameleon and Big Honzo. At ~1500 the build spec on those two was pretty chintzy. Found a great deal on the Torrent as a demo.

Here's my shopping thread:
http://forums.mtbr.com/26-27-5-29-plus-bikes/27-5-am-hardtail-options-1061720.html


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## Griff76 (Nov 29, 2017)

Hiker74 said:


> Yeah the Norco Torrent 1HT +/7.1 looks like a top of the line chromed out BMX bike that "grew up".
> 
> The DVO fork seems really nice. I emailed DVO and their responses have been reassuring about the heavier rider scenario. I also reached out to Spank and they confirmed the Oozy wheelset is good as well. Norco did not cinch on any components on this bike.
> 
> ...


I really like the aggressive looking frame and geometry on this bike. And I definitely agree about the bike looking like a grown up BMX. I like the pics with the seat in it's dropped position - there are very other pictures showing it in it's descent mode!

The Fork is quite good, but it does take a little bit to get it dialed to exact preferences.

I do think that Norco could have done better than an NX shifter - and the brakes really are not fantastic either - but I guess it depends on the baseline you're coming from.

Wow, a 28T chainring would really have you spinning out! I think the 30T is nearly ideal for most conditions, and when the going gets fast, there are still two, maybe three cogs left.

The Chameleon is over $1000 more expensive for what appears a comparable component list. And I would prefer the DVO Diamond to the RockShox Recon, not only because the Recon is only 120mm, but because the DVO Diamond has a lot more adjustability. The Cruz also only has an NX Mech vs GX on the Norco. Another + for the Norco is the Maxxis tyres which are often an upgrade on most bikes.

#LOVINGMYTORRENT


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## Hiker74 (Oct 24, 2017)

The Norco Torrent 1HT is GX rear, NX shifter and Raceface crank and DVO ribbon and dropper for $2599

The Chameleon R model with 27.5+ is $2349 with NX rear and shifter and Raceface crank, Fox 34 Rhythm and dropper. 

The rims, der and fork on the Torrent are far superior

Both bikes are from larger companies so a local bike shop discount is probably accessible as well. 

Jon


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## Griff76 (Nov 29, 2017)

Australian Prices for the Torrent 7.1 HT+ are $3200, and the cheapest build in the Chameleon with + tyres is $4300. So significant differences. Good prices in assumedly the US.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

*Torrent 7.1 (2017) 18 months on*

18 months on since I bought the Torrent. Still absolutely loving this bike. Not much has changed. I had problems with the original dropper post leaking air. So I had to add air often as the return was slow & sticky. It was replaced under warranty & it's been perfect since with a very fast return. I put some new grips on (Funn Combat Diamond Flangeless Lock On Grips | Chain Reaction Cycles) as the Norco ones were starting to slip (they only lock one side).

I badly damaged the rear Maxxis Minion DHR 2.8 tyre & couldn't run it tubeless anymore. So I recently changed both tyres to a Maxxis Rekon 2.6 on the rear & a Maxxis Minion DHF 2.6 on the front. Not had a chance to test the new tyres on the trails yet. Will hit them early next week after work. I still think the DVO Diamond fork is the best I've ever ridden. It's so plush & smooth. The least impressive part of this bike has been the brakes. Could do with better stoppers really. Apart from that it's gold


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## phreeky (Sep 25, 2015)

What made you drop to 2.6 tyres? I'm running that exact combo on my Sight (2.6 Rekon + 2.6 DHF) for the more gravity focused trails and they're pretty damn awesome. The Rekon doesn't quite have the braking ability of something like a DHR2, but certainly still better than most XC tyres.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

phreeky said:


> What made you drop to 2.6 tyres?


The 2.8" tyres were very chunky on the Spank rims. So I thought I'd try the 2.6" tyres, which are still nice and wide on these rims. The other thing is they are a hell of a lot cheaper. About $90 (AUS) each compared to about $130 (AUS) each for the Minion DHR 2.8.


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## phreeky (Sep 25, 2015)

Where are you located?

I ride in the dry so often opt for harder versions i.e. Dual Compound. The DHF 2.6 Dual Compound can be had for < AU$60 online, and my local store has the 3C Maxx Terra (I think) for about AU$65. That's damn cheap.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

phreeky said:


> Where are you located?
> 
> I ride in the dry so often opt for harder versions i.e. Dual Compound. The DHF 2.6 Dual Compound can be had for < AU$60 online, and my local store has the 3C Maxx Terra (I think) for about AU$65. That's damn cheap.


Newcastle, NSW.

I'm sure there are some good, cheaper options out there in the 2.6" size. Even 2.8". But The shop price of around $150 was a bit much for the 2.8" Minions when I could get the 2.6" for $90 (Rekon was the same price).

I hit my regular trail center yesterday. First time out on the 2.6" tyres - smashed a few of my times on Strava for the main sections where me & my mates always gun it to try & beat each others times. Couldn't believe it.

So this bike is definitely faster on the 2.6" tyres. I'd say it was slightly less 'playful' & fun. The bigger 2.8" tyres bulldoze over everything. It was a more lively ride on the 2.6". But maybe the extra trail feedback helped overall? I don't know. Definitely faster though.


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## 251 (May 13, 2008)

Dogboy73 said:


> So I recently changed both tyres to a Maxxis Rekon 2.6 on the rear & a Maxxis Minion DHF 2.6 on the front...


How are those 2.6s working out? I've destroyed a few 2.8 Minions and a Rekon+ on the rear of my Torrent (even with a Huck Norris and relatively high pressure) and have been looking for other options.


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

251 said:


> How are those 2.6s working out? I've destroyed a few 2.8 Minions and a Rekon+ on the rear of my Torrent (even with a Huck Norris and relatively high pressure) and have been looking for other options.


Seem perfectly fine to me. For the money I've saved I'm very happy with these. Trails have been extremely dry and dusty around here. I don't think you'd get much grip on that sort of surface if you had 4" tyres! But honestly the difference in grip between 2.8" and 2.6" is negligible I'd say. The difference for me is in the bounce. Less of it in the 2.6" tyres, which is not a bad thing. Ride feels a little less forgiving, slightly harsher. Saying that I've been running the pressures a little high as I've only just had the tubeless set up done. Wanted to keep them well inflated for a couple of rides. I also want to get a 30psi analogue gauge so I can set the pressures spot on. The digital thing I've got is crap for low pressures so I'm reluctant to use it at the moment.


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## phreeky (Sep 25, 2015)

FYI I have both a Topeak D2 Smart Gauge and a 30psi Meiser AccuGauge. They technically both read identical below 30psi, the difference being that the D2 essentially rounds up to the nearest whole PSI (I haven't checked the kPa setting TBH). The AccuGauge on the other hand I can easily see the needle slowly move between PSI increments, it is damn good.

If you only need up to 30psi then the AccuGauge is my go-to at home.

The Topeak travels with me though, and it also means that I can get an accurate reading from my fork + shock without having to worry about somebody elses shock pump reading differently to mine.


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## Hiker74 (Oct 24, 2017)

How is the Torrent HT for climbing? The seat angle os slacker than most. The Loki/Lauffey and Honzo seem to have a better climbing geometry?


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## Hiker74 (Oct 24, 2017)

Anyone have any feedback on climbing with the Torrent HT?


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## tigerteeuwen (Jul 29, 2014)

Hiker74 said:


> Anyone have any feedback on climbing with the Torrent HT?


Seems to climb pretty well, I came from riding XC bikes more centric to climbing and the front doesn't seem to overally lift up on the steep climbs. The nice thing with the torrent is the chain stay is corrected to each frame size.

Bike feels a happy uneven medium more to descending but not making climbs unenjoyable.


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## 251 (May 13, 2008)

Hiker74 said:


> Anyone have any feedback on climbing with the Torrent HT?


Aside from being a relatively heavy bike, I found mine to climb pretty well. The front end gets a bit light and wanders on steep climbs, but it's manageable. While it isn't the fastest climber, the combo of great traction and low gearing with the 28t ring allow it to go up some surprisingly steep and loose surfaces.


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## Griff76 (Nov 29, 2017)

Is anyone having issues with their NOVATC hub? I beleive it is the hub that is making a significant amount of 'metallic pinging and or cracking' sound(s) when under load. Almost like the hub isn't engaging properly. It's a very hard noise to describe, but it's definitly drivetrain related.

I've had it back to the shops and they have not been able to diagnose the issue properly so I'm hoping that others who ride the Torren HT with Novatec hubs can shed some light on this problem.


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## kyle242gt (Nov 12, 2012)

2017 7.1 here. No drama. Not as fast as the I9's on my FS, but otherwise zero complaints. Then again, 130mi on it per Strava, so still hardly broken in...


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## Barflyrocks (May 17, 2013)

Griff76 said:


> Is anyone having issues with their NOVATC hub? I beleive it is the hub that is making a significant amount of 'metallic pinging and or cracking' sound(s) when under load. Almost like the hub isn't engaging properly. It's a very hard noise to describe, but it's definitly drivetrain related.
> 
> I've had it back to the shops and they have not been able to diagnose the issue properly so I'm hoping that others who ride the Torren HT with Novatec hubs can shed some light on this problem.


Yup, went through 2 Novatechs. Installed a SRAM XO and it's been perfect since then.


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## Griff76 (Nov 29, 2017)

Barflyrocks said:


> Yup, went through 2 Novatechs. Installed a SRAM XO and it's been perfect since then.


Thanks for the feedback Barflyrocks - so the issues I'm having are sounding familiar? Did you just take it back to your place of purchase or did you get in touch with Novatech directly?


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## nono29 (Sep 25, 2011)

Just got mine yesterday!









Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


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## Barflyrocks (May 17, 2013)

Griff76 said:


> Thanks for the feedback Barflyrocks - so the issues I'm having are sounding familiar? Did you just take it back to your place of purchase or did you get in touch with Novatech directly?


I took it back to the dealer the first time. Norco sent a new Novatech hub. Worked for a few weeks and it broke again on a similar type of climb. Took it back again and my dealer asked Norco to come up with a better solution. They offered to replace the OEM with a lower end SRAM at no charge (would still be better than the OEM Novatech) or a SRAM XO at reduced cost. I went for the SRAM XO as I'm a heavy rider and didn't want the bike back in the shop. I've put lots of mileage on the new hub and so far it's been working well.


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## Griff76 (Nov 29, 2017)

Thanks again Barlyflyrocks - sorry for the same question, but I need to get this clear so that I can go back to the shops with more info - the problem that I am having - the strange 'snappping, twanging, pinging' noises are what you expereinced? If not, could you please outline what happend to your hub? Thanks.


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## phreeky (Sep 25, 2015)

Does anyone know if the 29er Sight has the same front/rear triangles as the Torrent FS? Between photos and geo numbers, all indications are that they're identical.

I'm surprised to see that the Torrent FS is now unavailable in Australia.



Griff76 said:


> Thanks again Barlyflyrocks - sorry for the same question, but I need to get this clear so that I can go back to the shops with more info - the problem that I am having - the strange 'snappping, twanging, pinging' noises are what you expereinced? If not, could you please outline what happend to your hub? Thanks.


Do you have a mate with a rear wheel you could borrow to confirm or rule it out?

I've no experience with the Novatec hubs, however the noises you're describing could also easily come from elsewhere on the bike so it's not conclusive in itself. In fact of all the noises I've had on my FS bike, NONE have been from where I expected them - and that has included noises coming from suspension pivots, headset, hub, rear derailleur and seatpost.


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## Griff76 (Nov 29, 2017)

phreeky said:


> Do you have a mate with a rear wheel you could borrow to confirm or rule it out?
> 
> I've no experience with the Novatec hubs, however the noises you're describing could also easily come from elsewhere on the bike so it's not conclusive in itself. In fact of all the noises I've had on my FS bike, NONE have been from where I expected them - and that has included noises coming from suspension pivots, headset, hub, rear derailleur and seatpost.


I have the HT 7.1, so there is a lott less going on that could make a strange sound. It's definitely a drivetrain noise, but yes I agree, noises can be hard to nail down and can come from un-expected places.


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## tigerteeuwen (Jul 29, 2014)

The torrents been a great bike. Used it on a bike packing trip recently.

The Suntour Zeron has done surprisingly well too.

Though it sounded a little bit rattely.. but don't worry if you have one, or are getting one. It's an easy fix.

Remove the coil on the left side of the fork. The shrink wrap sheath over the coil had slid to the bottom of the coil. Simply slide this back to the middle of the coil and no more rattle, add some more grease for good measure to the coil too while your at it.

I noticed though that the shrink wrap feels a bit loose and may slide down eventually anyways, so I re-did it with new shrink wrap and it fits way better.










Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


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## Barflyrocks (May 17, 2013)

Griff76 said:


> Thanks again Barlyflyrocks - sorry for the same question, but I need to get this clear so that I can go back to the shops with more info - the problem that I am having - the strange 'snappping, twanging, pinging' noises are what you expereinced? If not, could you please outline what happend to your hub? Thanks.


It was more like a screeching noise. It ended both times with a loud snap and it was done.


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## Kristensen (Apr 29, 2013)

Has anyone replaced the stock handlebars? I ride an XL and find that I’d like a little more sweep (than the only 5 degrees) and a little more rise (than the 18 mm) so am thinking of buying some other bars. I have pretty long legs so even on an XL my seat is higher than the bars - would like them to be on pretty much the same level. Anything to look out for?

Thanks,
Jan


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## DABIGSEAT (Apr 29, 2012)

I have changed to raceface atlas 787mm 25° 31.8,,,,,,,,now using kona bars (exact same spec#) but is 35mm diameter instead of 31.8


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## Kristensen (Apr 29, 2013)

Dabigseat,

Not sure I understand? My stock stem is already 35mm bore size. 
I assume you mean 25mm rise, not 25 degrees?


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## Dogboy73 (Jul 20, 2009)

Had some terrible creaking coming from the drive train on the Torrent 7.1 (2017). Was concerned it might be the hub after reading earlier comments here. Turned out the BB was dry as a bone as were the pedal bearings. Oops! Should have got it serviced a while back. 

Ongoing break issues with this bike. I can now say with some confidence that the stock breaks on the 2017 7.1 Are by far the worst disc brakes I’ve ever used. They are shockingly poor for this bike. Had the pads replaced twice, bedded in properly, cleaned hubs and pads with disk brake cleaner. I just cannot get them working well and not ****ING squealing like pigs on a honey moon. Pieces of ****. Need an upgrade.


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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

*2017 7.1 update / upgrades*

Have to start off by saying I am still in love with this bike. The only bad news was that the dropper post stoped working it started with a little bit of a gritty feel and slow return and progressed to no return. Luckily it was a super quick turnaround at my local shop as transx just sent a new one.

Since I was going to be installing said new dropper and had been wanting to upgrade the drivetrain and brakes I decided to treat myself and do it all at once.

The upgrade list was as follows
Shimano Zee brakes
Ice tech rotors 200f 180r
A wolf tooth dropper remote.
Shimano Saint derrailleur
Shimano Saint shifter
Oneup RadR mech cage
Sun race 11-42 cassette.
KMC 10 speed chain with the DLC coating.

I am absolutely thrilled with all of these upgrades. I have gone from 11 speed to 10 but have the exact same range lost a fair bit of weight (drivetrain wise) and have an incredible increase in shift quality. This setup shifts so smooth that sometimes I can't tell if it shifted at all. Being able to drop two gears at a time with one push on the Saint Shifter is a great bonus that I never thought I would have cared about. With wide range 10 speed cassettes and how cheap 10 speed components are I think more people should be looking at a setup like this as a potential upgrade. Also the Radar cage in green perfectly matches the DVO green.

Another reason I did all these upgrades at once was for cockpit cleanliness. The wolf tooth remote integrates with my brake lever as does the Saint shifter so everything is nice and tidy.

The Shimano Zee brakes are a huge upgrade in every way. They modulate great and have loads more power than the SRAM Levels that came off. The lever feel and ergonomics feel better to me as well. Plus they are easier to bleed and I prefer mineral oil over the DOT fluid in SRAM brakes.

On a side note the front brake runs silent 80% of the time but occasionally after an impact it drags slightly. Not enough to feel just enough to hear. I quick grab of the brakes sometimes cures it but it is allways silenced by another impact to the fork. I will be taking a closer look at the front axle to see if the non quick release side is properly seated but am stumped as to what else may cause the problem everything is torqued properly and the rotor is perfectly true.


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## chops-bike (Apr 20, 2006)

Anyone know what’s up for 19 and the torrent? Norco has none, redesign comming? When? Also 6’1.5” XL 100%?


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## Paulbbiking (Jan 25, 2017)

chops-bike said:


> Anyone know what's up for 19 and the torrent? Norco has none, redesign comming? When? Also 6'1.5" XL 100%?


I'm guessing redesign. I'm also guessing steel. I'm also guessing 29". This is all hypothetical.


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## Bassy37 (Jul 2, 2017)

I would only consider an upgrade if carbon is an option and it can still run 27.5+


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## S​​usspect (May 12, 2017)

Picked up a 2017 Torrent 7.1 HT a few months ago.... I just recently switched forks with my FS bike. More to gift the DVO fork to my FS than for any other reason, but the Norco is now set up with a 130mm Fox Rhythm 34. Took it out on some XC trails today, and it rides great.... that's enough travel for me on a HT, plus it's lighter. I think these Canadians made a nice bike! I've owned a Fuse before, and this seems just as good.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Frame up build using all the parts I stripped off my Release 3 and installed onto the Torrent.
- Pike RC, 150mm (Sold the RCT3 because it wouldn't fit 27.5+. Used money to buy the 29'er version that fits plus tires)
- SRAM X1 X-Horizon 11 spd. 12 speed coming, some day.
- SRAM Guide RS brakes. 203/180
- Race Face Turbine, 30 tooth Direct Mount "Narrow Wide"
- KS LEV Integra Dropper, SouthPaw remote

In the pic it has the stock Release wheels but currently it's riding on WTB Asym i35 rims laced to Hope Pro 4 hubs wearing WTB Ranger 2.8 rubber. LOVE THIS BIKE!


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## S​​usspect (May 12, 2017)

Nubster said:


> View attachment 1238636
> 
> 
> Frame up build using all the parts I stripped off my Release 3 and installed onto the Torrent.
> ...


Nice build! Any idea what it weighs?

Mine is stock except for the fork and tires, and the drivetrain bc I switched it to GX Eagle so the wheelset is compatible with my 12-speed FS bike. But the GX cassette is _heavy_.

Over time I should upgrade the brakes, the Level T's kinda suck but do work for now. The dropper (Trans-X) is cheap and probably heavy but hey it actually has been working well so I'm happy to run it for a while. Other than those issues, the stock build has been pretty on-point. I think it weighs about 28.8 lbs; I can get it under 28 with my 29er wheelset and might race it like that in the summer, as I sure don't have anything lighter! I could also lose half a pound of 27.5 weight just by switching the rear tire to an Ikon .


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Not sure sure. It's not a light weight race bike for sure. I don't have a scale but a buddy of mine does. I'll have to get him to weight it for me.


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## S​​usspect (May 12, 2017)

Nubster said:


> It's not a light weight race bike for sure.


Too true. I wouldn't want a "lightweight race bike" on my courses anyway, as it probably wouldn't hold up well over the year. At least that's what I tell myself... because I don't have a lightweight race bike.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I had a <20# mountain bike once. It was nice for sure. But I don't miss it. I do kinda but not because of the weight so much. If I had to guess...I'd say that my Torrent is in the neighborhood of 25# or so. Maybe I'll pop it on the bathroom scale tomorrow to get a rough idea.


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## Skeptastic (Mar 31, 2012)

Reviving an old thread because I see that some conversation has taken place regarding the 142 x 12 rear axle that accompany the stock bike, although the bike is actually a boost 148 rig. 

Has anyone upgraded their wheels and drivetrain to 1x12 and/or 1x11 with boost, thus swapping the 142 x 12 axle for a 148 x 12? Is there any functional issue with this? Just to be sure, sticking with the 142 x12 configuration, would it be possible to upgrade to a 1x12 setup and just not worry about boost? Or should I stick with 1x11 if staying with the 142 configuration? Lastly, if I do go boost 148, I would need (a an example) Shimano 7120/8120 cranks, as opposed to the 7100/8100 with the 142 x 12 setup, is that correct?

Thanks for any help!


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## Paulbbiking (Jan 25, 2017)

Heretic Skeptic said:


> Reviving an old thread because I see that some conversation has taken place regarding the 142 x 12 rear axle that accompany the stock bike, although the bike is actually a boost 148 rig.
> 
> Has anyone upgraded their wheels and drivetrain to 1x12 and/or 1x11 with boost, thus swapping the 142 x 12 axle for a 148 x 12? Is there any functional issue with this? Just to be sure, sticking with the 142 x12 configuration, would it be possible to upgrade to a 1x12 setup and just not worry about boost? Or should I stick with 1x11 if staying with the 142 configuration? Lastly, if I do go boost 148, I would need (a an example) Shimano 7120/8120 cranks, as opposed to the 7100/8100 with the 142 x 12 setup, is that correct?
> 
> Thanks for any help!


Calling it a 148x12 or 142x12 axle does not matter. What matters is the length of the rear axle. 167mm, 170mm 174mm. Depends on the depth of the threads in the frame or hanger.

1x12 SRAM or Shimano is dependent on the cassette you have. If SRAM XD then you can run 12spd, Shimano Microspline = 12spd. With a standard 9 spline freehub you can use current NX and SX Eagle cassettes with a new shifter and RD.

The Torrent is designed around a 52mm chainline so you would need Boost cranks. If you use a 49mm chain line which is for 142x12 then your cranks will not work. Make sure your cranks that you get are a 52mm chainline then you will be fine.

Hope that helps


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## Skeptastic (Mar 31, 2012)

Paulbbiking said:


> Calling it a 148x12 or 142x12 axle does not matter. What matters is the length of the rear axle. 167mm, 170mm 174mm. Depends on the depth of the threads in the frame or hanger.
> 
> 1x12 SRAM or Shimano is dependent on the cassette you have. If SRAM XD then you can run 12spd, Shimano Microspline = 12spd. With a standard 9 spline freehub you can use current NX and SX Eagle cassettes with a new shifter and RD.
> 
> ...


I appreciate you! So, if I go 148x12 rear wheel, I just need to get boost cranks with a 52 mm chainline, and an 12-speed cassette that runs with either XD or Microspline, depending on groupset. Rear wheel would be built up using either the Microspline or XD driver, depending on intended setup.

If I decided to stay with a 142x12 rear wheel, I would get standard cranks with a 49 mm chainline, 11-speed cassette, HG driver if running NX or Shimano, and XD driver if running GX or higher.

Does that sound right? I think the only thing I'm confused on now is if I should be using 52 mm chainline cranks whether I run a 142x12 wheel or a 148x12 wheel. Or, do I run 49 mm cranks with 142x12 when and 52 mm with 148x12? The 2018 Torrent HT 2 has 148x12 built into the frame, but came stock with a 142x12 rear wheel, which what makes it all confusing. I have no idea if the stock cranks are 49 mm or 52 mm.

Thanks again for your help.


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## Paulbbiking (Jan 25, 2017)

The Torrent you have is a 148x12 rear end. The 142x12 axle does not mean the back end is 142x12. Ignore that 142x12 dimension note in the spec, does not mean anything. Your rear hub is 148x12.

You are currently running cranks in the Torrent with a 52mm chainline. You would just have to get cranks with a 52mm Boost chainline if upgrading or changing. 

Not sure what wheel you have or drivetrain you have but if the freewheel on your bike has a SRAM XD Driver then you can upgrade the cassette to an Eagle 12spd XX1/X01 or GX level. If it is a standard 9 spline you can run an NX or SX Eagle cassette on it without changing the wheel. You will also need the correct shifters and RD's. All SRAM can be mix and matched.

If you want to run Shimano 12 speed then you will have to get a new rear hub or wheel with a microspline freehub and Shimano cassette, XTR, XT, SLX or Deore.

Confusing I know but hopefully that clears it up a bit more.


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## Skeptastic (Mar 31, 2012)

Paulbbiking said:


> The Torrent you have is a 148x12 rear end. The 142x12 axle does not mean the back end is 142x12. Ignore that 142x12 dimension note in the spec, does not mean anything. Your rear hub is 148x12.
> 
> You are currently running cranks in the Torrent with a 52mm chainline. You would just have to get cranks with a 52mm Boost chainline if upgrading or changing.
> 
> ...


Your explanation is perfect! Thank you! I am so curious about that 142x12, but will heed your advice and ignore it lol. Will my current thru-axle fit the new 148x12 wheel? I think that was my only concern.


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## Paulbbiking (Jan 25, 2017)

Heretic Skeptic said:


> Your explanation is perfect! Thank you! I am so curious about that 142x12, but will heed your advice and ignore it lol. Will my current thru-axle fit the new 148x12 wheel? I think that was my only concern.


It will work with a 148x12 rear hub. You do not need a new axle. If you get a longer one the threads will show out the drive side of the dropout.


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