Norco are better known for their mountain bikes, but they do a great range of road bikes, gravel bikes, and cyclocross bikes. They just released an updated version of the Norco Threshold CX bike and it looks great.

Their Search range of bikes have been popular for touring, gravel riding and more, and now Norco have added another bike to that range - the Search XR. 

The Search XR uses Norco’s adventure geometry, and the Power Chassis design that is found on their race bikes to improve power transfer, and to make it highly efficient at getting you from point A to B. The ARC Endurance bridgeless seat stays and curved, ovalized chainstays increase vertical compliance and help temper road vibrations.

Without a seat stay bridge, Norco needed to find a new way to mount fenders to their most versatile road bike. So they created the SASSY (Secret Attachable Seat Stay Yoke) chain stay bridge and NINJA (Not Instantly Noticeable Junk Attachments) threaded inserts. These design features help make the new Search XR fully fender compatible, in addition to its being rack compatible thanks to threaded holes on the outward faces of the dropouts and the seat collar. The fork even has two mounts so that you carry extra water bottles (up to five in total!) or Anything cages.

All models have ample tire clearance so that the Search XR can push the limits of what a drop bar bike can do off-road. The redesigned Search XR can run everything from a 700x28c up to a 700x45c gravel tyre or a 27.5x2.1” mountain tyre.

Regardless of height, all riders can enjoy the same ride experience on the Search XR thanks to size scaled wheels. Norco didn’t want to compromise on the geometry of the smaller sizes, so by scaling down the wheel sizes for the 45.5 and 48 to a 650b from a 700c, (and 26” when a 650b wheel comes spec’d on the larger sizes), they can achieve the same angles we do on our larger frames, and the desired ride quality.

Explore singletrack, bomb down fire roads, tackle a gravel grind or load up for a bikepacking trip – better yet, check “all of the above”. The Search XR has been designed for all the adventures you can imagine, and for those you have yet to dream up.

 

In Australia, we will have the Search XR Ultegra available, with a Shimano R8000 group set, hydraulic discs, and a great paint job.

 
The frame uses flat-mount discs and 12mm through-axles

 

The Norco Search XR Downunder  

It's just the top-tiered Ultegra spec Search XR Ultegra that has the carbon frame in Australia. 3 alloy models will also be imported with 105, Tiagra and Sora parts specs.

Search XR Ultegra:           RRP $4,499

Search A 105 Hydro:        RRP $2,299

Search A Tiagra:              RRP $1,599

Search A Sora :                RRP $1,199

 

 

With adventure in mind, the Norco Search XR has mounts for everything. There are bottle mounts on the fork, plus mounts for full mud guards.

The tube profiles of the chain stays allow for more clearance than the regular Search - in this case you can run 45mm tyres. The bike can also run 650B wheels.

 As a Canadian bike, it sports a maple leaf - but also a neat seal on the seat tube.

The drops are flared for better movement on the bike, and we're keen to get on the bike to test it out. There aren't many coming in to Australia, so ask your dealer about details. The Search XR will sell for $4499.