What Bike?

Torchy Peden Rules

I am considering buying a racing bike and am looking at two options. Both Are Norco's, the Optic or the Revolver (FS). I race in a fun weeknight league and do 3-4 weekend races. Pretty flat terrain where I live with fast ,flowy trails, nothing too technical.
Thanks

Torchy Peden Rules

oxoman wrote:

Might be useful to post bike specs to help people advise you

Thanks for the advice oxoman
Optic Carbon C2 (XL) $5099 CDN$
29er frame
Front Rockshox Pike 130mm
Rear Fox Float
SRAM NX Eagle 11 spd drivetrain
SRAM level brakes
Novatecc front 110 x 15 boost & DT Swiss rear hubs 12 x 148 boost
WTB rims w/maxxis minon 2.3 tires
Head tube angle 67.5
Seat tube angle 74.9
wheel base 1115
BB height 338

Revolver FS 2 Carbon (XL) $5199 CDN$
29er frame
Front Rockshox SID RL 100mm
Rear Rockshox Monarch RL
SRAM GX/XG Eagle 12 spd drivetrain
SRAM level brakes
DT Swiss M1900 hubs
WTB rims w/maxxis Icon 2.2 tires
Head tube angle 71
Seat tube angle 74
wheel base 1174
BB height 330

larkim

Quite different geometries, esp slackness - is there a good reason for the choice only being between those two?

cooldad

Buy one, then you can decide what you want to race. They are very different bikes...

steve_sordy

Everything about the Revolver says it is better suited to XC racing than the Optic. It has a steeper head angle, narrower faster rolling tyres, less travel. I'm willing to bet that it is lighter as well. It could be a hard ride though.

But if you want a fast trail bike, one that inspires confidence on the rougher stuff, then get the Optic!

Torchy Peden Rules

larkim wrote:

Quite different geometries, esp slackness - is there a good reason for the choice only being between those two?

I am a mid pack racer with an old FS Epic and sense the guys beat me through the twisty stuff and on the climbs, although I know climbs are more fitness. I want to see if I can ride with some of the faster guys.

I have a Norco dealer close, so just wanting something local

Torchy Peden Rules

steve_sordy wrote:

Everything about the Revolver says it is better suited to XC racing than the Optic. It has a steeper head angle, narrower faster rolling tyres, less travel. I'm willing to bet that it is lighter as well. It could be a hard ride though.

But if you want a fast trail bike, one that inspires confidence on the rougher stuff, then get the Optic!

Thanks for your thoughts Steve,.

When you say hard ride do you mean difficult or harsh through the rough terrain?

The Rookie

I think he means harsh on rough terrains.

The Optic is way too much bike for an XC style race (which your description suggests is what you're doing).

Have a look at the Canyon offerings as well, what about a Scott Spark, great XC machine and surprisingly capable on rough trails as well.

Torchy Peden Rules

The Rookie wrote:

I think he means harsh on rough terrains.

The Optic is way too much bike for an XC style race (which your description suggests is what you're doing).

Have a look at the Canyon offerings as well, what about a Scott Spark, great XC machine and surprisingly capable on rough trails as well.

The Scott Spark is another bike I am considering, but the closest dealer is quite far away, but with your recommendation, maybe looking further at that one would be good. Thanks

steve_sordy

Torchy Peden Rules wrote:

...............

Thanks for your thoughts Steve,.

When you say hard ride do you mean difficult or harsh through the rough terrain?

I mean a jolting ride that will be hard on your contact points. If you reduce your tyre pressure and/or adjust your suspension to take the sting out, you will slow down the bike!

robertpb

Steve, reducing tyre pressure gives less rolling resistance on off road riding so you go faster, as long as they stay on the rim.

cooldad

Still won't make an XC bike a trail bike.

steve_sordy

robertpb wrote:

Steve, reducing tyre pressure gives less rolling resistance on off road riding so you go faster, as long as they stay on the rim.

Yes, I know that. I wasn't assuming that he was starting with 60psi, but something more normal. The OP said he rides "Pretty flat terrain where I live with fast ,flowy trails, nothing too technical" If he overdoes the pressure reduction he may get a smoother ride on the small roughness, but it will slow him down on the smoother stuff.

This is what caused my breakthrough in tyre pressures!

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tues ... -2011.html 8)

Despite asking loads of people loads of questions about why they were so much faster than me, nobody ever told me about the impact of tyre pressures. Instead they told me all about fitness, gearing choice, fitness, line choice, fitness, suspension set up, fitness, skill, fitness, nerve, fitness...............

robertpb

I see your line of thought there Steve.

My breakthough on tyre pressures came in 1985 when riding with Geoff Apps who was riding 650b's with 18psi.

steve_sordy

robertpb wrote:

I see your line of thought there Steve.

My breakthough on tyre pressures came in 1985 when riding with Geoff Apps who was riding 650b's with 18psi.

Mine came with the video from PinkBike, but was confirmed the week after when riding with a guy nicknamed the "mountain goat" - it seemed that there was nothing he couldn't climb. I was following him on some random trail in the Peak District and we came to an impossibility - a steep slope that was covered in pebbles! Why didn't they all roll down to the bottom? Maybe they had just been laid there and would be all at the bottom in the next year, but right now they weren't! He went straight up, whereas I spun out and generally scrabbled about at the bottom making a fool of myself.

We were both tubeless, but he had front & rear 26x2.4 Continental Rubber Queens (precursor to Trail Kings) with the black chilli compound mix rubber (sticky). I had front & rear 26x2.35 Maxxis Ignitors, no special mix, but designed for hard and loose surfaces. I thought I'd gone pretty low at 26F and 30R,as I was 92kg in my riding gear. He was 70kg but was at 16F-18R psi. At his urging, I dropped to 20F-22R and I winched straight up at my first attempt! I was concerned that subsequently I'd ding the rims on the waterbars we crossed at speed later that ride, but I had zero problems. Revelation! I've been low ever since.