The Fluid FS, comfortably. The editor's-pick A1 SRAM build comes in around 15.9 kg (35 lb) versus 17.5 kg (38.6 lb) for the Sight A1 150 MX Gen 5 — about 1.6 kg of difference, most of it rotating mass and high-pivot hardware. On a 30-minute climb that's worth real time, especially on steeper grades.

Both bikes use steep effective seat tube angles (76.3° on the Fluid medium, 77.25° on the Sight S2), so the seated position is comparable. The Sight's idler pulley is engineered to nearly eliminate pedal kickback, but you can still feel the weight.

The Sight, decisively. The high-pivot rearward axle path lets the rear wheel move out of the way of square-edge hits — reviewers consistently describe it as 'carrying speed like nothing else' through chunder. The 64-degree head angle (vs 65 on the Fluid), 1219 mm wheelbase on S2, and 150/160 mm of travel give it noticeably more headroom on steep, technical terrain.

The Fluid FS is no slouch — Outdoorgearlab calls it 'incredibly confident, calm, and planted' — but the Sight starts where the Fluid runs out of safety net.

Fluid FS: 130 mm rear, 140 mm fork. Standard Horst-link suspension.

Sight (Gen-5): 150 mm rear, 160 mm fork. High-pivot Virtual Pivot Suspension with an idler pulley.

The travel gap (20 mm front and rear) is meaningful, but it's the suspension architecture — high-pivot vs Horst-link — that drives the bigger difference in feel.

Yes. The Sight is offered in both mullet (29"/27.5") and full 29" configurations, with separate frame geometry numbers for each. Norco's design intentionally preserves geometry and kinematics across both setups, so the bike retains its character regardless of which you pick.

Reviewers generally prefer the mullet for its rear-end agility — the smaller rear wheel sharpens tight cornering without giving up front-end roll-over. The full 29er is a touch faster on rolling terrain but less maneuverable in technical switchbacks.

Three things: more travel (150/160 vs 130/140 mm), more bike (longer wheelbase, beefier frame tubing for enduro-grade abuse), and the high-pivot suspension hardware (idler pulley, longer chain, additional bearings). Even the alloy A1 builds reflect this: the Fluid FS A1 SRAM is roughly 15.9 kg, the Sight A1 150 MX Gen 5 is 17.5 kg.

Norco's carbon C-models on the Sight only shave a small amount — Vital MTB called the carbon-vs-alloy weight difference 'negligible' on the Fluid, and the same applies here.

Both bikes are listed at 61 mm of tire clearance — comfortable room for a 2.4" tire (the stock spec on both) and just enough for a 2.5" or 2.6" if you want more grip in soft conditions. The Sight ships stock with a Maxxis Assegai 2.5" up front and a Minion DHR II 2.4" rear; the Fluid FS runs a Continental Kryptotal 2.4" / Xynotal 2.4" combo on most builds.

The A1 SRAM ($3,799) and A1 Shimano ($3,399) are the sweet spots — both ship with the Fox FLOAT X Performance Elite shock and either a Pike Select+ or Fox 34 Factory fork. Step down to the A2 ($2,999) and you lose the high-end fork (RockShox Psylo Gold) but keep the Fox X shock.

The A3 ($2,099) and A4 ($1,799) ship with budget forks (RockShox Recon RL or Recon Silver) that reviewers consistently flag as the 'lowlight' of the build. The frame is excellent at every price — but you'll likely want to upgrade the fork sooner on the cheaper builds.

Both come with a lifetime frame warranty from Norco for the original owner. Norco has a strong North American dealer network and reviewers report responsive warranty service — multiple Fluid FS reviews mention warranty claims for hubs or pivot bearings that were handled quickly.

The Sight Gen-5 frame is newer (2024+), so long-term durability data is thinner — but the build quality (fully ported cable routing, capped bearings, frame protection throughout) suggests it's built to last.