this is pretty nice, but last years was so much better looking, this is just not as top notch as last year, i was so stoked to see what they were going to do this year with it, and i got disapointed
dont you think 5" is a little much for 4x? thats why they had the XXXX (4x). but then again, someone mentioned something about they thought Norco no longer has rights to FSR, which is what the 4x is...
Full Suspension Research. Quite a few suspension designs fall under the design that was patented by specialized quite avfew years ago. Its not the frame design that is patented but the linkage design and the way is effects the shock. Unfortunatley for other companies, specializes thinks that they own full suspension even though their recent attempts with their in house shocks and forks (Cross country) were a failure. But their downhill designs are solid.
aflo661, you're misinformed if you think that SBC's recent foray into the front suspension market was misguided. Their single crown forks are on par with anything that Fox makes for the same categories, and they work more efficiently in conjunction with SBC frames than any other suspension fork on the market.
And just the shock alone is worth quite a bit of dough. About $750 i belive. I have one of these and I'll say they didn't skimp much. The only thing that really needs upgrading is the brakes. But I have to mention that this bike rides amazingly. You wont be dissapointed.