![]() ![]() Though, admittedly, this bike is a bit of a different beast as it gets 150mm of squish at the front and 140mm at the rear, so it would be a sure stretch to call it a short travel trail ripper. While it is a bit more expensive, this bike gets a full carbon frame, a RockShox Lyrik fork, an SLX drivetrain and those SLX 4-pot brakes. Then Vitus’s Escarpe 29 CRS will set you back £3,200. Its pricier CF 8 model scored very well in our review, which you can see here. The wheels arguably aren’t as nice and it comes with full SLX shifting but its geometry is a little more progressive. At £2,850 it rocks a burlier Fox 36 Rhythm fork and posher Shimano SLX 4-pot brakes. ![]() This leads me nicely onto the Optic C3’s value and to be honest, it’s up against some seriously stiff competition, mainly from well-specced alloy bikes, namely the Canyon Spectral 125 AL 6. Suspension aside, there is clearly a fun and capable bike here and while there have been a number of good spec choices, mainly within the drivetrain, the bike will come alive with some upgrades to its suspension. It makes you feel more ‘in’ the bike, keeping weight low, and the bike planted as it’s eagerly leant. Thankfully, a pair of bottomless tokens were included with the bike and after popping one in, the fork felt much more usable but when compared to bikes of a similar price, the Pike seems to fall short which is a shame given the bike’s potential.Īiding performance when cornering, the low 337mm bottom bracket height makes it a hoot in the bends. It’s great for entry level bikes that aren’t expected to be ridden so aggressively but at speed the Pike Select lacked the refinement and suppleness to soak up bumps while remaining supportive. ![]() Moving on, there were times when I felt that the fork wasn’t quite up to the job either. If you’re a big suspension fettler, this will become a proper pain. It took some serious finger acrobatics to wind on some low-speed compression and because the bike’s cables can get in the way (they exit the front triangle and enter the rear in this area), the rebound dial can be a task to wind. While the upside down shock may offer more room for a water bottle and accessories inside of the frame, it puts the adjustments in a super fiddly spot. Something that’s also not ideal is the shock’s positioning. Other neat features include space for a bottle cage, and an accessory mount hidden on the underside of the top tube. There’s full internal cable routing and handy frame protection on the chainstay and underneath the downtube. Priced at £3,000 it benefits from a carbon front triangle, and to keep the price competitive, there’s an alloy rear end. The C3 is the base level bike in Norco’s Optic range and it’s a bike that’s designed to tear up the descents while being fully capable of getting you back up to the top for another go. Big Read: Racing after lockdown - Liam's Ex Enduro diary.Best mountain bikes for under £3,000 - capable trail bikes that won't break the bank.Although its progressive geometry is right on the money, the bike’s overall capability and potential to inspire confidence are let down due to lackluster suspension. The Norco Optic C3 is an aggressively shaped short travel 29er that looks to be a solid all-rounder. ![]()
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