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Review: Norco Threshold SL cyclocross race bike gets muddy, goes fast

2015 Norco Threshold SL carbon cyclocross race bike review and actual weights
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2015 Norco Threshold SL carbon cyclocross race bike review and actual weights

With so many cyclocross bikes being built (or marketed, anyway) to handle everything from gravel to adventure, while still being ready come race day, it’s refreshing to see something purpose built. It’s also a very nice excuse to add one more bike to the quiver if you’re really into ‘cross.

The Norco Threshold SL is such a purebred, designed to be wicked fast and quite capable, taking cues from its North Shore hucking brethren in order to blast through the roughest of courses. The frame comes in two flavors, standard “C” with mid-modulus carbon, and the lighter, stiffer “SL” with high modulus fibers on both the frame and fork. I tested the SL CX1, their top model for the 2015/16 season, which should carry over mostly the same for 2016/17 save the likely spec and color changes. Which might actually be a shame, because few bikes garnered as many compliments from spectators and fellow racers than this one, and the spec is mostly superb.

The frame will carry over unchanged for another season, which is fantastic. Because it’s fast. Very fast. And very stiff without beating you up. But, it’s not without its quirks…

2015 Norco Threshold SL carbon cyclocross race bike review and actual weights

The Threshold SL frame and fork use hi-mod fibers throughout and thru axles front and rear. The lower level C version uses the mid-mod fibers and weighs in 150-200g heavier.

2015 Norco Threshold SL carbon cyclocross race bike review and actual weights

The frame is kept tidy (aesthetically, anyway) by internal ports for both shifting and the rear brake. The ports are covered when not in use, as on this 1x setup. The front brake’s hose runs externally and uses a small clip bolted to the inside of the crown to keep it away from the tire. That clip was missing from the box when it arrived, so a zip tie made do until a replacement arrived. While the clip’s bolt hole looks like it places the hose directly between it and the tire, reducing clearance, the actual slot for the cable sits just out front of the fork, so it didn’t catch any undue mud.

2015 Norco Threshold SL carbon cyclocross race bike review and actual weights

Underneath, a larger port aids rear brake/derailleur line installation and then acts as the front derailleur’s guide. Yes, that’s a fender mount, but no, I wouldn’t recommend turning this bike into a commuter.

2015 Norco Threshold SL carbon cyclocross race bike review and actual weights

2015 Norco Threshold SL carbon cyclocross race bike review and actual weights

Any extra metal was left off, with only a threaded insert on the drive side.

2015 Norco Threshold SL carbon cyclocross race bike actual weights

The complete bike, with tubes, came in at 17.48lb (7.93kg) out of the box. The bar tape is included but not installed, letting you choose which side you want the green and black to go. With 2015 Crank Brothers Candy 3 pedals installed, the rideable weight was 18.10lb (8.21kg).

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The bike comes with Clement Crusade PDX 700×33 tires, for which there is plenty of clearance front and rear.

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35’s would likely fit, the narrowest section being between the chainstays.

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The tapered headtube and big, rectangular downtube create a massively stiff power transfer section leading into the oversized chainstays. Nothing’s lost here.

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Aiding power transfer are Rotor’s ovalized Q-rings and ultra-rigid alloy crank arms. By improving your leverage where you’re strongest, they’re perfect for a power-intensive sport like ‘cross.

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A bolt-on chain catcher prevents the chain from dropping to the inside. Despite bunny hops, rapid fire roots and the conditions that led to this mud and grass clipping monster of a clean up, I never dropped a chain.

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Thankfully, there’s no shelf at the chainstay bridge to catch muck.

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SRAM’s CX1 group maintained solid shifting and braking through it all, including rides just below freezing.

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These pics were taken after my first race, which also happened to be my first real ride on the bike. To which I showed up just before the start, allowing for only one warmup/recon lap. On which I slid out and landed on the driveside and bent the derailleur hanger just enough to make the shifting a little hesitant. Thankfully it still worked, and Norco sent a replacement hanger along with the front brake hose clip.

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160mm rotor up front, 140mm in the back. Disc brakes FTW. Case closed.

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While the deep carbon wheels are up for debate based on personal preferences, the tires were really the only thing that was hit or miss. On this day, they missed. Clement bills the Crusade PDX as their “Portland” tire, good for mud and wet conditions. I beg to differ, unless Portland, OR, has some very, very different mud than the east coast. Our clay turns to a peanut-butter-and-Crisco mix that laughs at the very notion of traction, and these suffered for it…in the wet mud.

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But, at my second race on the bike, it was dry with lots of grass and some hardpack clay, and they shined. Horses for courses, as they say.

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The cockpit uses an Easton EA70 alloy stem and EC70SL carbon handlebar, and a Norco carbon seatpost.The Fizik Tundra rounds it out and was a smart choice for it’s textured cover material. Regardless of wet or dry, the non-slip texture prevented unwanted sliding around over bouncy terrain.

Retail price is $5,125USD. The SL frameset is $1,875, and other models range from $2,095 (C frame, 105 group) to $3,775 (SL frame, Ultegra 2×11).

RIDE REVIEW

2015 Norco Threshold SL carbon cyclocross race bike review and actual weights

The Norco Threshold SL CX1 is a race bike. Everything about it is fast and efficient at the expense of versatility and creature comforts. That’s not to say it’s harsh -it does have manners- but it gives up small bump compliance for all out speed.

The geometry helps, too. It’s an interesting spread, with a shorter effective top tube length than a size 58 frame would imply. It measures to 572mm, where most bikes I’m riding in this size are closer to 585mm. Jump to the 60.5 frame size and ETT only goes to 600mm. So, it came down to wanting the right seat tube length, thus the 58 for my test. And it was the right choice.

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Couple the short TT with short chainstays (425mm) and a steeper head angle (72.5º), and you also get a short wheelbase (1029mm). Put it all together and you end up with a bike that handles quickly, dodging other riders in a 60+ person mass start and whipping through triple-S course tape chicanes without dropping speed.

Straight line stability is fine, too, somehow. Its weak spot was high speed broad, swooping turns. I think it was a combination of lack of confidence in the tires combined with the shorter, steeper geo, but it took more concentration and front loading to keep it steady on the sweepers.

In fact, I ended up sliding the saddle forward a bit more to help keep my weight over the front end more, which helped improve the handling. I like that position anyway, it feels more powerful to me, but I’m looking well over the handlebar to the front axle. Lest there be any remaining doubt: Quick race bike.

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I asked about the wheel selection, and Norco’s product manager Logan Johns said “We chose the deep carbon rim because of its mud shedding capabilities and added stiffness. Also, because they look so badass!”

Fair enough. The 3t Discus Team C60’s do look bad ass. And they sliced through the deep mud easily.

They’re also very stiff, which is both good and bad. Good in that they handle predictably and hold their line. Bad in that they transmit more bumps through to the rider. That’s amplified by higher pressures I had to run to prevent pinch flats.

Which brings me to this: It really needs to go tubeless. By some magic of 3T’s curved rim design or Clement’s sidewall layering, I didn’t pinch flat, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Even at 42-44psi, I nailed some roots hard and fast enough to feel the rim impact. Numerous times, both in racing and training/riding. I kept waiting for that hissssssss to ruin my ride, but it never came.

Even so, the lower pressures I could run with tubeless would go a long way to smoothing out the ride just enough. And shallower rims would amplify that benefit, along with being lighter and spooling up quicker…something that’s very important in the hammer, brake, hammer, brake rhythm that is cyclocross.

Lastly, the aerodynamics of the wheels might have been tested with road tires, but with 33mm knobbies, there’s a lot of sideways pushing in crosswinds.

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I had my best race of the season on this bike. Once I had my position dialed, we flowed like water through the course. If I were keeping it, I’d set up different tires on these rims for muddy races and have a lighter, shallower tubeless set for dry days, but otherwise it’s a very well thought out grass crit machine. Did I mention it’s fast?

Norco.com

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AMC
AMC
8 years ago

42-44PSI. probably why the clement sucked in the mud. PDX is a great mud/all-rounder

lalahsghost
8 years ago

I understand the benefits of Deep Dish rims for mud, sand, and snow in CX, but I still can’t help but feel like it is ridiculous to have a wild AERO wheelset just to go 17-20mph on grass and mud. (Speculating on the speeds) You can check race speeds on OCA’s Ontario cup site, and others, and they are indicating 14/15mph is average.

smilnthorp
smilnthorp
8 years ago
Reply to  lalahsghost

The purpose of having wheels like this on a ‘cross bike is to gain stiffness and mud deflection. ‘Cross often has the rider applying a lot of power in short bursts; if you’re going to the trouble of making an ultra-stiff and highly efficient frame then why let the watts disappear in a noodley wheel? Having a deep rim to prevent mud from either washing over the rim in a mud pit and requiring more watts to pull it out or catching inside the rim increasing rotational weight is a huge benefit.

Alex
Alex
8 years ago

Is that the NCCX race in Boone?

matt
matt
8 years ago

Deep section, properly dished wheels. Deep dish pizza.

Bob Thomson
8 years ago

Saw this bike at Eurobike, it is stunning in person. big props to the Graphic Designer at Norco who’s responsible for this beauty.

limba
limba
8 years ago

40psi is NOT low.

fiddlestixbob
8 years ago

This is a pretty good review.
And yes with tubes 40PSI at 33-ish mm is what you’d expect, not low, not high, and probably won’t pinch-flat (though it could of course).

Also:

– Tubeless is definitely needed
– I did also notice that all these wheels dont fit aerodynamically with non-road tires, sadly
– The shorter downtube is interesting, I never had one like that but expected the ride to be as the author states, which is probably better for cross courses and less good (albeit probably still ok) if you don’t actually race cross 😉
– CX1/SRAM vs Di2 seems to be less of a thing now that it’s all been around a while. CX1 perform perfect for cheaper, lighter, and all, so yeah. On 2x I’d go Di2 always though.
– These tires are indeed not the best on mud despite comments here, I’d echo the review author thoughts. Tires with bigger knobs work better for me in wet mud no matter the pressure (but always better at lower pressure, while these work better in wet grass/less muddy. So yeah, choose your tire for your race, I guess, is where it’s at.

Finally, this bike looks very good!

One thing i’d disagree with the review author though is the commutability. I’ve a feeling that on tubeless with fenders this thing is a sweet commute or/and gravel bike. I’ve a crux that I commute on – it’s also very, very stiff. Yet it’s the most comfy ride I have. At 33mm 30PSI for 75kg it aborbs road bumps in a way that my 28mm-tire-tubless road bike (55PSI) could only dream of.

Heck, I end up only using the cross bike nowadays since I don’t care for pure performance and I love being able to go off-road whenever I see a path.

smilnthorp
smilnthorp
8 years ago

This bike is very popular in the shop where I work and I think you’re review is great, it touches on several points which our ambassadors have given us as feedback. The wheel and tire section of your review should be taken with a grain of salt by readers though. A rider purchasing a $6800 CAD bike will usually have two or more sets of wheels and at least 3 pairs of tires to tackle the changing conditions as the season goes on. Finding that those tires didn’t handle well in the mud for you isn’t a surprise since you were running roughly 30% more air than necessary. I do agree, however, that spec’ing a tire/wheel combo that sets up tubeless with more confidence would be an improvement but that wheel set is fantastic. It’s light, stiff and has a wide internal diameter which will help you get the best performance out of any tire.

Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
8 years ago
Reply to  smilnthorp

Tubulars for cross or nothing. Tubeless is for toe-dipping crossers that haven’t a clue what optimal wheel/tire set up is. When somebody steppes atop a World Cup podium on tubeless I will eat my words.

mudrock
mudrock
8 years ago

We know you race, you don’t have to show pics of a dirty bike. have some class.

Rob
Rob
8 years ago

Seems your about the same height and fit as myself. Curious as to what bikes your finding at around 585 TT. Everything I’ve been checking out is very close in size (when normalizing stack and measuring reach) to the 58 Norco and then does the bigger jump to 60.5/61 (i.e. Boone, Stigmata, etc.).

Joe
Joe
8 years ago

Hi all,

Interesting to find out if this will be a great road bike as well.

Not much experience but currently on a Cannondale Caad10 52cm. How would this compare to the Caad10 I have now?

The Arthur mentioned that this is not good for high speed rides? Why is that?

pm
pm
8 years ago

Sizing a bike by seat tube length is foolish. Using top tube length isn’t much less foolish. This frame isn’t short (lengthwise) at all. The REACH is as long as or longer than nearly every other 58cm cx frame right now. Having an aggressive seat tube angle is what makes it ‘appear’ short when looking at top tube length alone.

The geometry on this bike looks awesome and the paint is sure nice too.

JG
JG
7 years ago

Does this use a short or medium cage derailleur?

Trevor
Trevor
7 years ago

Where can I buy one of these bikes evans have sold out

astro
astro
6 years ago

I have one, same colour, running a 1×11 Campy setup and 40mm Maxxis ramblers. It’s my favourite bike ever.

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