Norco Charger A2 (2027)

The Norco Charger A2 (2027) is a trail hardtail mountain bike for riders ready to take a hardtail into rougher, steeper and more technical terrain. It combines a better than average aluminium frame with high-end features.

A 130mm X-Fusion RC32 air fork and slack, trail-focused geometry makes the Charger stay calm and planted where lighter cross-country hardtails start to feel nervous.

Not only is it a premium Canadian mountain bike but it's also extremely good value.

Built for trail riding, not just fire roads

The Charger A2 sits in the Trail hardtail category, which means more travel, slacker angles and a more confident stance than a typical reacreational mountain bike.

A lot of this comes down to one word - Geoemetry.

The Charger A2 is the perfect Trail geometry; long in the front and short in the back.

The long front end delivers massive stability and calm handling. The short back end makes the Charger easier to throw around, responsive and sharpens cornering.

Its 65-degree head tube (steering) angle slows the steering down in the best way:

The front wheel stays calm through steep, loose and rocky sections, and the bike tracks predictably at speed. It's a hardtail you can grow into as your riding gets more adventurous.

130mm X-Fusion RC32 air fork

Suspension is where the Charger A2 pulls ahead of most hardtails at its level.

Most bikes at this price point use a 100mm travel suspension fork. The Charger has much more.

The X-Fusion RC32 is an air-sprung fork with 130mm of travel. You can tune the spring to your weight and riding style rather than being stuck with a one-size coil. More travel and a quality air spring mean better control on descents, more grip over roots and rocks, and less fatigue on longer rides.

The RC32 also has a compression adjustment. You can make the suspension firmer or softer depending on the terrain.

Rebound adjusts the speed of the suspension repsonse. For rocky, high-speed chatter keep the suspension response fast. For smoother flow trails, keep the suspension response slower and smoother.

Dropper post included

The Charger A2 comes with an X-Fusion Manic LC dropper seatpost, with travel that scales by frame size: 130mm on S, 150mm on M, and 170mm on L, XL and XXL.

Being able to drop the saddle on demand makes a real difference on descents and technical trail, and it's a feature many hardtails in this range leave off.

Shimano Deore 1x12 drivetrain and hydraulic brakes

Shifting runs on a full Shimano Deore 1x12 groupset with a 10-51T cassette, giving you the range to spin up steep climbs and keep pedalling on the flat.

The single-ring setup is simple to use and low-maintenance. That's because there's no front dertialleur, front gear shifter or cable. Less moving parts, simplifes maintenance.

Braking is handled by Shimano hydraulic disc brakes on 160mm rotors for reliable, controlled stopping power in all conditions.

Boost wheels and Maxxis Forekaster tyres

The Charger A2 rolls on 32-hole alloy rims laced to sealed-bearing KT Boost hubs, a strong and serviceable wheel package.

Boost hubs are wider than normal hubs. These create a stronger wheel compared to narrower hubs.

Maxxis Forekaster tyres deliver fast-rolling, all-round trail grip:

29x2.4" on M through XXL, and 27.5x2.25" on the size S frame so smaller riders get a better fit and handling.

The 2.40" width creates extra air volume that smooths out rough trails and delivers more grip.

Norco Charger A2 vs Giant Talon

The Giant Talon is our popular hardtail and a strong value cross-country bike, but the two are built for different riding.

The Charger A2 is the more trail-capable of the pair.

It runs 130mm of fork travel against the Talon's 100mm. The base models use a non-adjustable coil spring fork. The higher-spec builds like the Talon 1 and Talon 0 use an air-spring fork.

Its 65-degree head tube angle is slacker than the Talon's 67 degrees, which gives calmer steering and more stability on steep descents.

So it feels more settled at speed and on rough ground where the Talon leans towards efficient cross-country pedalling.

The Charger A2's rear length measures 425mm-435mm, depending on the frame size. All Talon sizes use a 455mm rear length.

A longer rear end makes the bike more stable. A shorter rear end makes the bike easier to jump, corner and throw around on the trails.

Norco's approach to making the rear end of the Charger A2 specific to the frame size is a better approach. It means the back end is proportional to the front; delivering better handling across all frame sizes.

If your riding is mostly smoother trails, gravel and fitness miles, the Talon is a strong, affordable choice.

If you want a hardtail that can handle steeper, rougher terrain and grow with your skills, the Charger A2 is the better fit.