Review: Test Driving the 2004 Norco Evolve

["KeeN"]

Today I went down to my local bike shop to try the Norco Evolve stock bike. Why on earth would I do a silly thing like that? A) This is the only trials bike at my local bike store B) I was bored. My first impressions of the bike was that it was modestly stickered with unobtrusive graphics and had an overall clean, simple feel to it. Surely it appeared to be a trials bike but, since this was my first interaction with a purpose- built trials machine, a Tank bike would probably have had the same effect. That is exactly what the Evolve is...a tank. Surely I am not reffering to the bike's strength--as the bike is built of aluminum which, as many riders have observed, dents very easily. The bike just weighed a ton and dropped very quickly out of manuals. I was hoping the inch lost of chainstay length would have had me lifting the front with the ease of a pro, but needless to say that was not the case. Bunny hopping also felt a bit awkward as the extremely squishy Kenda tires did not provide the robust rebound that my old Specialized used to provide. My endos were embarassing thanks to the garbage Hayes mechanical disk brakes in the front. Ive heard bad things about them so I wasn't too surprised that I was rocking the n00b status on the front wheel. I must say though I did get on the back tire faster than Andy will post penis pictures on a random thread. I especially liked this aspect (the bikes geometry not the penis pix), as there were some hot Boston chicks driving by that seemed bedazzled by my uber dropping skillz (I hopped off the curb onto the street). What goes up must ...slam on the floor thanks to the whopping 28 (approx?) Lbs. Oh well at least is has Alex Rims, stainless steel spokes, and shimano hubs. Shimano hubs?
I was deffinately digging the sleek crank and bashgaurd: the notorious [in a good way] TruVativ Hussefelt. One major epiphany I experienced was that, contrary to popular opinion, the bike could be used for transportation. The relative speed obtained by the gearing ratio I would say is comparable to (albeit slower than) a "street" bike. I rode BMX's all through my youth so the madman peddaling was not all that alien. To those of you who say that trials bikes suck for transportation I would argue they don't suck much more than the average street bike. The Norco's Eight speed cassette, though, I would deffinately trash for a nine speed cassette which, if properly selected I assume, would be more transport friendly. Speaking of trash, I would junk most of the stock components on this bike...they are too heavy and deffinately not purpose-selected for trials. If most of the bike should be replaced then whats even the point of buying this bike? Well, it's sure made to look like a trials bike. For example, the infamously uncomfortable "mini seat" has been the hallmark of trials bikes up until recently. In my opinion this bike is a poser. If you are going to rationalize the purchase of this bike as a good "starter" bike, I would say it would deffinately be more worth your money to save up for a real trials frame that will withstand the rigours of trials riding. The best bet for a begginer, in my opinion, is to stick with his mountain bike and master the fundamentals of the sport, and then invest his money in a proper trials bike if he so chooses to persevere. Personally, I learned on a beast of a Ralleigh frame that used to weigh more than my little brother. At $700 US to buy the 2004 Evolve at my local bike shop, this is indeed an offer I will sadly let pass. My sorrow stems not from the bikes passing, but, because of the dissillusionment of the whole experience. In my opinion the Norco Evolve had the company poised to capture a large sector of the trials market that wants to get a flavor for the sport. Ultimately as Norco enters a more competitive market where it has to compete against foreign exotics of superior (quality?), it might find itself being a small fish in a very big tank.
--K.

[pan man]

bump.

["KeeN"]

[Quote] Panman: "Did you use the word epiphany corrently in that?" [Quote\]



W o w. I hope that's a joke bro.










(otherwise, Epiphany = "sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something"[Dictionary.com] )

[DangerousDave]

2004? Is that the mountain bike looking frame? Or the pitbull style frame?

Never ever judge the performance of a disc brake on a brand new bike that hasn't left the floor, EVER

[bylsma]

I wish the 04 evolve was never invented. Not even a fucking trials bike, but we end up with threads like this anyways.

[AndyT]

I wish someone knew how to use god damn paragraphs.

[Giant1118]

the hayes isnt that bad its no avid but its not that poop. It does have to be broken in u know. The evolve has improved for 05 (sorta) but imo wasnt a horrible begginners bike in 04 despite the fact that it was hardly a trials bike.

["KeeN"]

Originally Posted by AndyT

I wish someone knew how to use god damn paragraphs.

Yo mofo, I indented in my version of the article, its not my fault the transfer was not seamless, i.e. it erased my paragraph format. Either way, I reread it when that happened and decided my it was clear enough so that the effort involved in fixing it would have outweighed its benefit. But alas, I did not factor in the "forum gnome" factor that would have forced me to explain this decision. Yes I mean youuuuuu andY.

[Giant1118]

u might want to edit how u wrote "andY" thats (cap) A-n-d-y (cap) T dont mess it up or u get banned, thats yer frst warning

["KeeN"]

Originally Posted by bylsma

the 04 evolve... [is] not even a fucking trials bike, but we end up with threads like this anyways.

The whole point of the article is to explain that fact. I completely agree. My intention was to forewarn any newbie that might be looking at the Evolve as a serious starter bike. A secondary purpose was to perhaps establish a model for reviews which might be scanned by ppl who are trying to decide between bikes. (The ones available are very unreliable.)

The article is kind of long so I dont really blame you for missing the ENTIRE point since you probably just skimmed it. Unless you are just stupid, in which case I do blame you. Little slut. =P

["KeeN"]

Originally Posted by Giant1118

u might want to edit how u wrote "andY" thats (cap) A-n-d-y (cap) T dont mess it up or u get banned, thats yer frst warning

Who the f--- are you? Lol. If I can get banned for that then this site is fucking wack and I would rather that happen.

p.s.: if you are joking than take my remarks as playful, otherwise suck me sideways =/

[Giant1118]

no im serious look at my post count

[bylsma]

Originally Posted by KeeN

The whole point of the article is to explain that fact. I completely agree. My intention was to forewarn any newbie that might be looking at the Evolve as a serious starter bike. A secondary purpose was to perhaps establish a model for reviews which might be scanned by ppl who are trying to decide between bikes. (The ones available are very unreliable.)

The article is kind of long so I dont really blame you for missing the ENTIRE point since you probably just skimmed it. Unless you are just stupid, in which case I do blame you. Little slut. =P

my post had nothing to do with your review. Norco called a bike something that it is not, and now we have to hear about in places we shouldn't have to.

p.s - any review that is not your own should be considered unreliable.

[tomacropod]

You may be a big man on campus on other boards or your research labs but I think you have to put in a bit of time here before you can get away with posting enormous and unreadable blocks of text. When you put in big blocks of text, put cliffnotes (you would know this as an ABSTRACT) at the bottom to summarise.

- Joel

["KeeN"]

They did more than that...they disguised and marketed the bike as a trials bike. We are in complete agreement. Why are you stating this fact like its some new, break through information? I said the same thing in the bloody article. LMAO...just stop replying this is silly.

["KeeN"]

Originally Posted by tomac

You may be a big man on campus on other boards or your research labs but I think you have to put in a bit of time here before you can get away with posting enormous and unreadable blocks of text. When you put in big blocks of text, put cliffnotes (you would know this as an ABSTRACT) at the bottom to summarise.
- Joel

Baaahahahah! Unreadable blocks of text lmfao. Come on now...are you a chimp? Seriously. Do I need to put little pictures and colors in there for you to comprehend what im saying? Ill take your post as some advice to maybe cut back on big words. I just write the way I talk, but I dont mind making it more accesible next time. But to imply that im trying to be the "big man" on campus because I wrote a review for a bike is idiotic. Im not even going to bother to entertain that point. If my aggresive behavior makes you scared little guy...im sorry to say, tough. Im not going to change who I am for you or any other whore on this board. Done.



p.s. abstracts always go before an article buddy.

[tomacropod]

do your funding applications have a minimum word limit or something? You could have written that review in three sentences. This is the internet, people have a short attention span when they come here.

I know that abstracts go before an article, I was presuming some level of conceptual flexibility from you. I won't make that mistake again, sorry.

Evidently you've read posts here from people who act like dickheads. They've earned it by being contructive and helpful members of the community. You haven't done that yet, so stop being a dickhead.

- Joel

["KeeN"]

Originally Posted by KeeN

Done.

[WhiteRavenKS]

done indeed.

dont expect people to not give you guff when you come one here and right off the bat post the same thread in half a dozen foums and then start throwing around pissy bitch replies to people's comments.

[bylsma]

you are a pseudo-intellectual faggot. If you think your original "article" was useful in any way, or that any of your other posts were a clever reply to those who "didn't get it", you deserve to be shot. Don't post again until you have a fucking clue what you're talking about.

["KeeN"]

I own you Bylsma. But I have to play nice so ill stop there. I guess a real intellectual resorts to violence? Oh youre going to shoot me? You dont even know who I am kid, but ill tell you this much...I have shot more guns than you have fucked girls so you can try but you are no match for me intellectually or on the battlefield. Bitch. I dont event care anymore because Ive been flamed from the get-go for posting the same thread in different geographical locations. You want fresh meat to bitch and and eveyone's mad bc I wont bow down and be a little faggot sheep, cowering to everyones demands. Fuck you, fuck Tomac, and Fuck this forum.

[Ross W.]

FFFFFFFFFFFFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOO OOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTT

SSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPP PPP!

AHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA HAHHAHAHAHAHAHA


you forgot to fuck yourself.

[tomacropod]

ooh guns, you're right, fuck everything. I apologise. I didn't realise you were as noble and powerful as all that.

You acknowledge that you pissed people off, yet you've not added anything which might serve to redeem your position which, by default, was one of mutual respect.

Just hang around for a while and post useful, constructive things if you can, stop picking fights. Or...keep picking fights, it'll be fun for the rest of us until you get banned.

- Joel

[goose]

Originally Posted by DangerousDave

2004? Is that the mountain bike looking frame? Or the pitbull style frame?

I think he's talking about the MTB looking frame, the 2005 (coust/pitbull style) has an avid BB5 (according to the website). I would have to disagree with the post, though. When I tested an Evolve of that era, I didn't think it was that bad, pretty much just and aluminum version of the team trials....

[tomacropod]

and hayes cable brakes can be made good. Just avidify them with some v-brake washers. I think avid calls this proprietary technology "CPS".

- Joel