Reviews

Welcome to part 1 of the MBR SL E-Bike of the Year test with 8 of the hottest 2025 models going head-to-head. We've got the Orbea Rise LT, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, Whyte E-Lyte, Cannondale Moterra SL, Specialized Turbo Levo SL, Trek Fuel EXe, Orange Phase EVO, and Norco Fluid VLT.

Recently, I’ve had a few friends take career breaks. When endless hard work and ladder climbing is put on a pedestal all around us, it’s a brave choice.

Light-weight e-bikes are here to stay, and with all the offerings from nearly every major brand, it's safe to say, like it or not, that the future of mountain bike riding for a majority of the population will involve a battery and a motor.

Following two years of development, the Norco Fluid VLT has arrived as the first lightweight electric mountain bike from the Canadian brand. Adding to the excitement, it was also one of the first e-MTBs to be announced with the new Bosch Performance Line SX motor.

In a year when many bike brands have slowed their pace, we continue to innovate and push the boundaries of bike design. Today, we're pleased to release the completely reimagined Carbon Fluid VLT E-MTB, now available at dealers and for order online at norco.com.

After spending a good deal of time on the Norco Sight VLT, I was keen to try the new version. Alas, that was not to be. Norco decided to put most of their apples into the Range cart. 

No end in sight! With the 2024 Norco Sight, the Canadian manufacturer promises to cover a wide range of applications. For the latest iteration of their trail all-rounder, Norco rely on a high pivot rear suspension design, which can already be found on several of their long-travel bikes.

Walking around with my chest sticking out, pretending I know a whole lot about suspension design and setup, is pretty bold. While I probably know more than the average golden retriever, having less knowledge than I would like regarding the internal workings of a damper doesn't help with imposter syndrome. 

Carbon wheels, as a whole, went through a phase of being overly stiff, harsh and sometimes even brittle, which sparked the trend of enduro racers resorting to alloy hoops.

The Birzman The Pump with Helix II is a high-quality product made to exacting engineering standards. The pumping action is smooth and the head swivels smoothly, though there are a couple of minor niggles on what is generally a very well-thought-out piece of kit.

No one likes cold hands, but no one likes having a thick layer of fabric between their hands and grips. 

The 100% Hydromatic waterproof pants use a 2.5-layer fabric with a little bit of stretch and a rated 10k rating for both breathability and waterproofness – which is comparable with the highly recommended Troy Lee Designs Resist pants.

We tested the ‪@NorcoBicyclesOfficial‬  Fluid VLT in its shorter travel guise earlier this year, and regularly found ourselves wishing for a bit more. While it was a solid XC-type eBike, we were very happy to get the longer travel 140/150mm model tested here for our lightweight eMTB Shootout. What a difference that build spec and some extra travel can make, ride along as we review the Norco Fluid VLT C1 140. 

The Michelin Power Cup TLR exhibited one of the lower levels of rolling resistance in our Silverstone lab test.

The recently updated Marzocchi Bomber Z1 swaps the lauded GRIP damper for the updated RAIL 2.0.

Claimed to boost visual fidelity to the next dimension, ARmatic's 3D-moulded stiff lens should be distortion-free, an issue 'floppy' or malleable lenses can suffer from.

The Michelin DH22 Racing Line tyres grip tenaciously in loose and wet muck, but they're slow rolling and expensive too.

Pete heads south to the Silverfish Service Centre in Risca to get a first ride on the brand new Fox DHX Live Valve Neo shock.

Fox Live Valve was the first product to bring automatic, on-the-fly suspension adjustment to mountain bikes. In 2018, when it launched, it was a wired system that relied on brands to produce bikes that could accommodate it.

Fox has a new suspension system out called Live Valve Neo that will open and close your shock faster than the blink of an eye and make your bike quicker and more efficient on the climbs… and the descents too.

Fox’s first electronic dropper post is packed with features and insanely fast, but is it enough to take the best dropper post top spot?

The Michelin Power Protection TLR tyres are durable, grippy, and – unless I've just jinxed it – very puncture proof. They're ideal for anyone who wants a hardwearing but grippy tyre for day-to-day training and general riding – especially if you can find them for less than their RRP.

The 100% Slendale are well-ventilated, very clear and competitively priced cycling sunglasses.

Norco Fluid VLT review: rocking the Bosch Performance SX!