Optic C AXS
A 29″ carbon frame full suspension trail bike with high-end components.
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Manufacturer Price
$5,699Frame | Carbon |
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Suspension | Full, 125 / 140mm |
Fork | RockShox Pike Ultimate |
Shock | RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate DH |
Wheels | 29″ Carbon |
Drivetrain | 1 × 12 Electronic |
Groupset | GX Eagle AXS |
Brakes | Hydraulic Disc |
Seatpost | Dropper |
For This Bike
Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.
Compare the full Optic model range
View Comparison5'0" – 5'6"
5'4" – 5'9"
5'7" – 6'1"
5'11" – 6'4"
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Feb 2024 · Zach Overholt
We've seen more and more high pivot suspension with idler pulleys, but on short travel bikes? The new Norco Sight and Optic look interesting.
Feb 2024 · Peter Walker
The new 2024 Norco Optic relies on a distinctive high pivot suspension design. Does it even make sense on a trail bike?
High fun factor on flowing trails
Doesn’t shy away from gnarly trails either
Ride Aligned system is extremely practical
Undersized brakes
Cables rattle loudly
Feb 2024 · Jamie Darlow
It’s been more than four years since we’ve seen a Norco for sale in the UK, after distribution through Evans Cycles fell apart, but now in 2024 Norco is back with two new analogue bikes, the Sight and Optic. And what a change the US brand’s made, embracing a high pivot idler on its longer-travel Sight and on the 125mm travel Optic. Need to know Carbon frame trail bike with high pivot suspension and idler High pivot suspension design with idler delivers 125mm travel Idler gets around 19 teeth, narrow profile and coating to reduce drag Size-specific chainstays and seat tube angles, that grow with the sizing 29in wheels, or switch to mullet with the Missing Link Kit that swaps out rocker link and shock mount Frame gets space for bottle on each size, gear hangar, sleeved internal routing Meaty chainstay and seatstay protection to quiet the chain C1 Fox Factory build with SRAM XO T-type drivetrain unavailable in the UK C2 build is in the UK, at £6,999 with mix of Fox and RockShox suspension That makes the Optic pretty unique, we’ve only seen the high pivot idler idea used on one other short-travel bike in modern times, aboard the 130mm Forbidden Druid. It took the Canadian brand two goes to deliver the right balance of small-bump sensitivity and support, but by the second generation we rated it as one of the best short travel trail bikes around. It’s a high bar for the Optic to clear then. High pivot proposition There’s a good reason why most brands don’t attempt the high pivot and idler design on the short travel bike, traditionally it’s added more noise, drag and weight. This is less of a problem on downhill or enduro bikes of course, where weight matters less, and which partly explains why there are a shed load of brands sporting the idea, with the Trek Slash the latest to the pile. The other reason is suspension performance, of course. A high pivot design and its rearward axle path is said to make bikes better able to swallow big hits, more composed on rough terrain and generally feel like they’re delivering more travel than the numbers suggest. Norco’s Virtual Pivot Suspension | High Pivot suspension design There’s plenty to talk about with both the new Sight and Optic, but I’ll dive straight into the most interesting feature, the suspension. Norco’s calling it Virtual Pivot Suspension | High Pivot, a design that sends the wheel more rearwards than a conventional low-pivot design… although by how much we don’t know as the brand hasn’t shared this information. The idler is mounted to the chainstay, it’s there to manage the chain growth and stop the pedal-kickback that would plague any high-pivot idler bike if left with a regular chainline. There’s no second idler pulley below the chainring, like on the Trek Slash, and this is because the Optic’s idler is positioned more rearward. In short, there’s enough contact with the chainring not to need …Continue reading »
• Great sizing and standover height, and perfect fore-aft balance with proportional chainstays
• Climbs like an absolute rocket, despite any extra potential drag and weight from the idler
• Suspension is super supportive, holds you flat and stable in the corners
• Fast as a missile down the trails, swallows big hits like a champ
• Rough tracks transfer vibration through your hands and feet
Feb 2024 · Dario DiGiulio
For the right person, someone who wants a little bike that can push beyond its purview when truly ridden hard, the tradeoffs might just be worthwhile.
Impressively composed for travel number
Adaptable and well-considered frame layout
Excellent geometry and scaled sizing
Pedals like a bigger bike
Complication and noise from idler
Jun 2022
The Norco Optic C3 is an aggressively shaped short travel 29er that looks to be a solid all-rounder. 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.
Apr 2021
RIding the Norco Optic in Portland, Oregon's Rocky Point trails was a great way to compare it to the Ibis Ripley.
Jan 2021 · Jeremy Benson
Redesigned for the 2020 model year, the Norco Optic joined a growing list of bikes in the aggressive short-travel category. Despite a modest 125mm of...
Aug 2020 · Spencer Johnson
The 2020 Norco Optic sits squarely in my favorite category of bikes: Those mid-travel trail rigs that blur the lines between a traditional trail bike and an all-mountain brawler. Needless to say, my time on the new Norco Optic C2 felt like a summer fling that was all too short. My heart was broken when it went back in a box and left the Freehub office. With 140 millimeters of front suspension and 125 millimeters in the rear, the Optic has just enough travel to keep you hanging on to the handlebars through rough terrain, but not so much that you feel numb to the trail beneath you. The frame itself is stable and balanced, with an ample 480 millimeters of reach on my size large, making it one of the longest bikes I’ve ridden. What’s more, Norco adapts the length of the chainstay according to the frame size, which ensures that each rider will have a similar weight distribution across all frame sizes. This can’t be the cheapest way to manufacture a bike, but it pays healthy dividends on the trail. My size large had a 435-millimeter chainstay that added stability when my speeds increased through fast sections of singletrack. The components on our C2 version cater to aggressive riders, with a RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate DH rear shock allowing you to push the suspension hard, without fear of overheating or inconsistent damping. The RockShox Pike Select Plus fork delivers excellent traction in a lightweight chassis, while giving some welcome compliance through rough sections of trail. A SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain affords dependable shifting for hundreds if not thousands of hard, off-road miles. Furthermore, the stopping power of the Shimano BR-MT520 hydraulic brakes was sufficient for a 200-plus-pound rider like me, but the resin pads do raise some concerns for wet, Pacific Northwest rides—and the long, brake-burning descents that the Optic demands. But the stars of the spec show were the low-volume, 2.35 Schwalbe tires: With a Magic Mary tread up front, you have cornering grip in steady supply for almost any dirt conditions. Climbing on the Optic was a joy. The seat-tube angle of 76 degrees was a perfect choice for a trail bike that can be pedaled comfortably up low-angle cross-country trails and still keep the front wheel on the ground during some of our heinous, 18-percent-plus Pacific Northwest trail gradients. The Optic’s rear suspension remains relatively unaffected by pedaling forces and prevents most pedal-induced diving, both while pedaling in and out of the saddle. The long top tube stretched me out nicely over the bike and kept me in an efficient pedaling position that allowed me to put down some nice wattage.
Frame | Carbon Front Triangle, Aluminum Rear, 125mm Travel, UDH, Hangerless Interface Compatible, Ride Aligned™ BB Standard: BB86/BB92, Press Fit Hanger Standard: UDH Color: Grey / Gold |
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Fork | RockShox Pike Ultimate RC2, DebonAir, 140mm Travel, 42mm Offset Travel: 140mm Spring Type: Air |
Shock | RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate DH Custom RC, 190x45mm Travel: 125mm Spring Type: Air |
Bottom Bracket | SRAM DUB PF92 |
Headset | FSA Internal Sealed Bearing |
Stem | OneUp EDC Compatible, 50mm Length, 35mm Clamp |
Handlebar | OneUp Carbon, 800mm, 20mm Rise |
Saddle | Fizik Alpaca Terra, Wingflex |
Seatpost | X-Fusion Manic, 31.6mm, 125mm (S), 150mm (M,L), 170mm (XL) Type: Dropper |
Grips | DMR Deathgrip |
Rear Derailleur | SRAM GX Eagle AXS |
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Crank | SRAM GX Eagle DUB Lunar, 32T, 170mm |
Shifters | SRAM GX Eagle AXS |
Cassette | SRAM XG1275 Eagle, 10-52T |
Chain | SRAM GX Eagle |
Brakes | Front: SRAM Code RSC, 4 Piston, Organic Pads, Rear: SRAM Code RSC, 4 Piston, Organic Pads Type: Hydraulic Disc |
Brake Levers | SRAM Code RSC |
Rims | Crank Bros. Synthesis E Carbon, 28H, 29" |
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Front Hub | Crank Bros. Synthesis E Carbon, 15x110mm Boost, 6-bolt |
Rear Hub | Crank Bros. Synthesis E Carbon 12x148mm Boost, XD, 6 Bolt |
Tires | Front: Vittoria Mazza 2.4" Trail G2.0, Rear: Vittoria Martello 2.35" Trail G2.0 |
Disc Rotors | SRAM CenterLine 203mm, 6 bolt |
Last updated May 4