When Norco went back to the drawing board for the Fluid 1.0, it had to make a decision: what end of the mountain bike spectrum did it want the Fluid to flow into for 2003. At about 38 pounds (stock), last year's Fluid was in the dawg house when it came to speed and race readiness, placing it at the light freeride end of the omni mountain continuum. However, with a weight reduction that Subway Jarod would be proud of, the 31-pound 2003 Fluid 1.0 has sashayed significantly closer toward the adventure-race end of that spectrum.

When you first get a glimpse of the Fluid 1.0, you can't help but think of the true definition of the word fluid. The smooth polished 7005 aluminum tube set flows from headset to dropout in an organic manner reminiscent of H.R. Giger. Its graceful curves seem to be the result of growth rather than mechanical manipulation, and its colour scheme and angles are all about relaxed. The main triangle of the Fluid consists of a dual tubeset with the lower down tube of a square-to-round taper design for front-end rigidity. Both the lower tube and the boomerang-shaped upper tube sprout a smooth set of support tubes in a unique open design, to the seat tube and a mount to the Fox Float. The open tube design allows for easy access to the rear Fox Float RL lockout lever. The rear Float then attaches to a cnc'd rocker arm with both 4.4- and 5.1-inch mounting options. Like all of Norco's VPS series bikes, the Fluid's rear triangle features licensed FSR technology from Specialized.

One feature that hasn't changed from the 2002 model is the basic DNA of the Fluid, the geometry. The Fluid still features relatively relaxed angles, with a 65.5° seat angle, a 67.5° head angle, and a 1,115mm wheelbase. Bottom-bracket height is a respectable 340 mm off the terra firma. Bottom line, this bike is juiced up and just dripping with aesthetic detailing, but there is much more to the Fluid than pretty packaging.

By modifying the 2002 frame with lighter tubing, air shocks, and a new parts package, Norco has managed to drop the Fluid's weight class by almost six pounds. This puts the Fluid into a whole new niche for 2003, that rare class of dual suspensions that doesn't require an eight-cylinder Ford Obnoxious to get it to the top of the mountain. Norco has even been courteous enough to throw a big ring onto the Fluid for those whose quads have gone soft from too much clutching and not enough crank crunching. The Fluid's component package is tough enough to endure the drops without sacrificing to the gravity gods. A mixed bag of components, including FSA, TruVativ, Shimano, SRAM, Sun, and Axiom, make an appearance in the main frame, and a front-end 130mm Marzocchi Z1 FR SL complements the rear's Fox Float. Basically, the Fluid has been built to fit snugly into the middle to top end of the all-mountain spectrum.

Initially, I tested the Fluid's cross-country capabilities by spending a few hours with the hardtail crowd, and found that although the big ring helps avoid the need to maintain a 300-rpm spin to keep up with your cross-country buddies, it still doesn't compensate enough for the 31 pound weight to keep you neck and neck with them when there's a finish line. Then I took the Fluid onto the North Shore and hung with the big-head crowd (full-face helmets) to get a feel for its freeride readiness. Among comments such as "Get some dirt on that thing!" and "Does the showroom know you have their bike?" I also managed to get some "oooos" and "awwws" from the fat-tire fanatics. I also got questions, questions such as "Is that a cross-country model?" "Is that going to be OK on this double black diamond run?"

By the time I had cleared half a dozen drops, a couple of totters, and a mountainside full of roller-coaster-like raised trails, there were no longer any questions as to the Fluid's freeride abilities. And when I began to climb up to mountain for a second run, as the big heads loaded their rigs onto their SUV's, there was no longer any question as to the Fluid's all-mountain capabilities. Norco has nailed the nomenclature of this dualie. So if you still have friends in the cross-country camp and others in the freeride and you want to continue to spend quality time with both, the Fluid is a great choice.