Norco RangevsSpecialized Enduro

Norco and Specialized have both abandoned the idea of a do-it-all enduro bike in favor of single-crown downhill machines that happen to have a dropper post. The Range is a radical departure for Norco, using a high virtual pivot and a chain idler to isolate the suspension from pedaling forces. It is heavy, often tipping the scales at over 38 pounds, and makes no apologies for being a chore to climb. Specialized refined their long-standing Horst Link design for the Enduro, borrowing kinematics from the Demo race bike to create a more rearward axle path without the added weight of an idler system. Both frames are available exclusively in carbon and roll only on 29-inch wheels, signaling a clear focus on high-speed stability over jibbing. While the Norco is often described as a one-trick pony for gravity addicts, the Specialized manages a broader appeal by being shockingly efficient on the way up. The Enduro uses the SWAT internal storage system and a hidden multi-tool in the steerer, features that make it much easier to live with for long days in the saddle compared to the mechanically complex Norco.

The Norco Range offers a silent, isolated ride that feels like a trophy truck charging across a freshly ploughed field. Because the rear wheel moves up and back away from impacts, it erases square-edged hits that would hang up most other bikes. This creates a sensation of gliding rather than riding, allowing you to take the most direct, aggressive lines with complete disregard for the terrain. However, that lengthening wheelbase makes the Range feel gangly in tight switchbacks, requiring massive physical effort to muscle through corners. If you drop into a hole at slow speeds, you might even experience a bungee-like sensation where the rear end seems to stall behind you. Specialized engineered the Enduro to feel like cheating, providing a magic carpet ride that turns intimidating sections into easy work. It is more poppy and playful than the Range, feeling more like a trail bike until you point it at a rock garden. Where the Norco stays glued to the ground, the Enduro is still willing to soar off trail features if you put in the rider input. The suspension is remarkably supple off the top but provides a firm platform to push against when pumping through undulations. In the rough stuff, it tracks with an level of composure that resets your braking points on familiar trails. Climbing highlights the biggest chasm between these two. The Enduro is surprisingly efficient, staying calm under power even with the shock fully open. Specialized increased anti-squat by 40% over previous generations, resulting in a firm pedaling platform that hides its 170mm of travel. The Norco, by contrast, is a slog. Its weight and active suspension make the climb switch a necessity on every fire road. While it offers immense traction on technical climbs, you will likely be the last person in your group to reach the trailhead.