As unique as it is fun to ride, the Norco Torrent packages a long wheelbase, slack geometry and a long travel fork into its hardtail design. The result is a playful, fun ride that can handle some serious speed and terrain.
Pros
- Aggressive geometry
- Very stable especially at higher speeds
- Strong brakes
- Smooth shifting
- Good climber
Cons
- Geometry can feel strange on flatter, mellower trails
- A bit heavy for a hardtail
Bike specs
For a size large Norco Torrent S2 HT
Frame
Double butted chromoly steel
Geometry
| Spec | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Reach | 480mm |
| Chainstay | 425mm |
| Head tube angle | 64° |
| Seat tube angle | 76° |
| Wheelbase | 1243mm |
| Bottom bracket height | 333mm |
| Bottom bracket drop | 45mm |
| Standover height | 698mm |
Suspension
Front fork
RockShox 35 Gold RL 150mm
Brakes
Brakes: TRP Slate EVO
Front brake rotor: TRP TR203-29 203mm
Rear brake rotor: TRP TR203-29 180mm
Tires
Front tire: Maxxis Assegai 2.5″
Rear tire: Maxxis Dissector 2.4″
Drivetrain
Rear shifter: Shimano Deore SL-M6100-R I-Spec
Rear derailleur: Shimano Deore RD-M6100
Crankset: Praxis G2 Cadet M24
Cassette: Shimano Deore CS-M6100-12 12 speed
Bike weight
34.8 lbs
Handling and overall bike impression
The Norco Torrent puts the word aggressive in aggressive hardtail. More than a trail bike, Norco actually classifies this hardtail as an all mountain bike, meaning that while it can it is still great for trail riding, it is designed with more downhill and gravity oriented riding in mind.
The Torrent’s steel frame comes with very aggressive geometry including an ultra slack head tube angle which helps to keep it feeling stable and composed at speed, allowing you to lock in on your lines confidently.
The Norco Torrent S2 is equipped with strong TRP Slate EVO brakes that are sharp, responsive and powerful, allowing you to let loose on descents knowing you’ll be able to reign it in and regain control quickly with a touch of the brakes.
Whether you’re downshifting for a climb, or upping your gear for flat or descending terrain, the Shimano Deore drivetrain effortlessly clicks through the 12 speed cassette keeping your pedaling and riding as smooth as possible while keeping you in the optimal gear for whatever the trail throws at you.
Climbing
While descending through gnarly terrain is more the Norco Torrent’s speed, it climbs quite well, especially for a bike that is as long and slack as it is.
A virtue of the Torrent being a hardtail is that there is no pedal bob sapping energy from your pedal strokes while climbing on the bike, allowing more of your energy to go towards propelling you up the hills.
The Torrent’s steep seat tube angle gets your weight forward far enough to have you right over the pedals, allowing you good leverage over them to maximize your pedaling power.
The bike doesn’t feel quite as snappy as you might expect a hardtail to feel while it climbs, and much of this is a result of the slack geometry. It’s certainly not as lively on the ups as more cross country oriented hardtails.
The front wheel can wander a bit on really steep climbs as a result of it being further out in front of you because of the bike’s 64° head tube angle making it difficult to keep weight over the front end, but we only noticed this on the steepest climbs.
Descending
The Norco Torrent was built for descending, and its where the bike really comes into its own and shines.
Its all mountain geometry, including a 64° head tube angle and long reach and wheelbase lets you know this bike is meant to be ridden hard. On steep descents the geometry keeps you in a good position with the front wheel well out in front of you, and the long wheelbase helps to keep things feeling stable and confident even when hitting higher speeds.
If you’re used to riding a full suspension setup, you’ll immediately notice how different the Torrent feels not having a squishy rear end. You definitely need to use your legs more as natural suspension to soak up some of the bumps the rear of the bike will take, but as an added bonus this is a good way to work on your bike handling skills.
With that being said, compared to other hardtails, we feel that the Torrent holds up very well on fast descents and doesn’t feel out of place when riding alongside riders with full suspension setups. Part of the reason the bike holds up well in the rough stuff despite its hardtail design is because of its steel frame which gives it a bit more give.
Being a hardtail with short chainstays also gives the Torrent some benefits over full suspension bikes including how well it handles through corners, and especially berms. Because no energy is lost from a rear shock compressing, the Torrent feels like it rockets out of berms faster than it enters.
Rough terrain, jumps and drops
Rough terrain
When riding through rougher terrain you’ll know you’re not on a full suspension bike because you definitely feel the impacts in the rear wheel more than you would with a rear shock. This forces you to become better at using your legs and body as natural suspension to absorb some of the bumps the bike doesn’t.
Despite the rear of the bike bouncing around more than FS bikes, it still felt confident through all the terrain we rode it through, which is more than can be said for most hardtails we’ve ridden. The Norco Torrent seems to be in a league of its own in terms of its ability to eat up fast, rough descents as a hardtail.
Jumps and drops
The Norco Torrent feels right a home hitting dirt jumps. Because of its lack of rear suspension, you get more pop off the lips of jumps, allowing you to have more control over your trajectory. Compared to the more muted feeling of jumping a full suspension MTB, the Torrent feels much more fun and playful when you’re catching air.
Of course, the no rear suspension can be a double edged sword because if you don’t clear the landing, you’re in for a hard impact in the rear wheel which a rear shock would blunt.
The same can be said for hitting drops on the Torrent. You have more pop if you want it as you get airborne, but also less forgiveness when it comes to landing.
The bike’s geometry does put you in a good position for both jumps and drops, and feels confident while approaching these features.
Frequently asked questions
The Norco Torrent is a hardtail all mountain/enduro bike designed to be ridden hard in rough terrain and high speed descents. In short, its a hardtail built to go places that not all full suspension bikes are designed to go, thanks to its aggressive geometry and long travel fork.
The most obvious difference between the Norco Torrent and the Norco Fluid FS is the fact that the Fluid FS is a full suspension bike.
However, the Torrent is designed to be ridden just as hard or harder than the Fluid FS. It has a longer travel fork (150mm vs 140mm) and slacker head tube angle, giving it an edge over the Fluid FS on steep terrain. It also has shorter chainstays, which combined with its hardtail design make it snappier around corners compared to the Fluid FS.
The Norco Torrent is best suited for riding hard through fast descents and rough terrain. It’s aggressive geometry, slack head tube angle, burly tires and long travel fork make it well suited for handling all types of challenging terrain.
Mountain bike review criteria
When reviewing mountain bikes, these are the things we look for:
- Frame quality
- Component quality
- Bike weight
- Bike style and aesthetic appeal
For a detailed breakdown of how we assess each of these criteria, see How We Review Mountain Bikes.
Conclusion
The Norco Torrent is a fun to ride hardtail mountain bike that goes harder than you ever thought a hardtail could. Its long travel fork, long wheelbase and slack head tube angle make it confident and composed on fast, rough descents, while keeping a playful feel and snappy handling. The Torrent is seriously worth checking out if you’re interested in upping the fun factor of your mountain biking.