Norco e-bikes are now at Electric Bikes Brisbane. Norco is a family-owned Canadian brand best known around the world for its mountain bikes, the playful ride quality on each bike and great after-sales support.
We're now stocking its e-bikes at our Milton store, starting with the award-winning Scene VLT city e-bike and the brand-new lightweight Scene VLT 2 and Scene VLT 2 ST. We've been fitting Brisbane riders to premium e-bikes since 2013, and we don't add a brand lightly. This article covers who Norco is, why we chose it, and what you can expect when you ride one.
Shop Norco E-Bikes in Brisbane
Who Is Norco? A Quick History of the Canadian Bike Brand
Norco started life in 1964 as Northern Cycle Industries, when founder Bert Lewis began assembling bikes in Burnaby, near Vancouver in British Columbia. Legend has it the first workshop was a converted chicken coop. Norco's design and engineering are still done at its head office in Port Coquitlam, BC, and the brand describes itself as 100% Canadian-owned.
The brand grew up alongside modern cycling. In the 1970s Norco's roots were in BMX, and it was among the first companies to distribute ten-speed bikes nationally in Canada. In the 1980s it jumped into the new sport of mountain biking, and through the 1990s mountain bikes, with the famous North Shore and Whistler BC trails at its doorstep, were what Norco led with. Ride almost anywhere in the world today and "Norco" means mountain bikes, shaped by the steep, rooty, wet trails of the BC coast.
Norco has also been in Australia for more than 25 years. In October 2025, after 13 years with distributor Advance Traders, it began supplying independent bike shops here directly.
Still Family-Owned After 60 Years
This is a really cool part of the Norco story. For 60 years, Norco's parent company (now Live to Play Sports Group) was owned in a partnership between the Lewis and Zalkow families. On 1 July 2024, the Lewis family took full ownership. Bert Lewis died in 2013, and his son Alan Lewis now runs the business day to day as General Manager. Norco has never been sold to private equity or listed on a stock exchange.
"We're still very family owned and operated, just like all our bike shops that we sell to," says Chris Hennessey, General Manager of Norco Australia. Chris speaks with the owner every Friday. EBB is a family business too, so that way of working felt familiar straight away.
Meet Chris Hennessey: Norco's "Token Canadian" in Brisbane
Chris joined Norco in 1992. His first job interview was with founder Bert Lewis himself. Since then he has worked in customer service, outside sales and, for many years, as Norco's international sales manager, helping build the brand in more than 30 countries. He moved to Brisbane in July 2025 to set up Norco's direct operation here.
When Norco decided to go direct in Australia, Chris insisted that a Canadian come down to help build the team and share the culture. In his words, his job is to "be the token Canadian and wave the flag". He takes that seriously, right down to the maple leaf socks he wore when he visited our Milton store. (Love it!)
His case for why Norco suits Australians is simple: "Canada and Australia have a really nice affiliation. We're both very like-minded countries, and the market here is extremely similar to what I see in Canada." We agree. Both countries share a love of the outdoors, big distances and weekends spent on trails and in the bush. As Sam puts it, Canada just has a lot more snow.
What Norco Stands For: Ride Quality First
Ask Chris what makes Norco different and he goes straight to how the bikes ride. "We're really proud of the fact that we build bikes that ride really, really well. We focus highly on ride quality."
-  • A dedicated suspension engineer: One of Norco's engineers spent years as a suspension specialist on Canadian military equipment before joining the team. He's a big part of Ride Aligned, Norco's free online setup guide. Enter your height, weight and bike, and it recommends suspension pressures, tyre pressures, handlebar setup and more. Flow Mountain Bike calls it "arguably the best in the business".
-  • A full R&D centre in Canada: Norco builds its prototypes in-house and tests suspension on its own dynos.
-  • World Cup racing pedigree: The Norco Race Division competes at the top level of downhill racing. It includes South African legend Greg Minnaar, who joined Norco after 16 years with another team, and in 2025 its riders won both the junior and elite women's races at the Loudenvielle World Cup (Canadian Cycling Magazine).
-  • Top-end ideas in affordable bikes: Norco doesn't only build expensive flagships. "We've always built our brand around working with the recreational category," Chris says, "ensuring that we have good quality bikes that ride well, and that some of our innovation from the top end filters down."
Chris sums up Norco's personality like this:
"We're very much a quality bike brand. Keeping it real." That means down-to-earth, well-priced bikes that work well, with a bit of Canadian fun built in.
Our Own Norco Story
This isn't our first Norco. In 2007, just after Nick and Sam, EBB's owners, got married, they spent six months living in Pemberton, near Whistler in British Columbia. Sam bought a Norco Fluid full-suspension trail bike and rode it in the Pemberton backcountry and on Whistler's Thursday-night WORCA Toonie Rides, which back then were the Loonie rides and cost a $1 coin to enter. Interestingly, it was Aussies working in the local bike shops who recommended it. "They said, look, hands down, this is the best one," Sam remembers. "It's not going to cost you an arm and a leg, it's an absolute hoot to ride, and it's going to be easy for you to look after."
The bike came home to Australia with us, and Sam "almost cried" when she eventually sold it. The long-travel riding it was built for doesn't suit the heat of a Brisbane summer. Getting to know the brand again 19 years later, nothing Chris told us contradicted that first impression.
The Norco E-Bikes We Stock: Scene VLT and Scene VLT 2
Norco's first e-bikes appeared years ago, and its urban e-bikes, including the Scene VLT, were developed before COVID. Today Norco is focused squarely on two areas: e-urban and e-mountain. We're starting with the city bikes, because they suit how most Brisbane riders use an e-bike.
Norco Scene VLT: The Award-Winning Mid-Drive
The Scene VLT is Norco's best-known e-bike. In Canada it's a repeat Consumer's Choice winner in Quebec's ProtégezVous magazine, and Chris says it's heading for a record year there, five or six years after launch and with little change to the design. Our Scene VLT has a Shimano EP600 mid-drive motor with 85Nm of torque, a removable 504Wh battery and a low step-through frame. It also comes fitted with lights, mudguards, a rack and a kickstand. It weighs 22.3kg including the battery and is priced at $3,899.
Its standout feature is one Chris admits he didn't understand at first: a 100mm dropper seatpost on a city bike. For Sam though it is a drawcard feature and one of the upgrades we most often recommend for nervous or returning riders if the bike doesn’t have one. With the Scene VLT it is fitted as standard. "You're riding up to a stoplight, and the consumer might not be quite as confident in their riding ability or just stability. Hit the button, and instantly your feet can be planted."
Norco Scene VLT 2 and Scene VLT 2 ST: The Lightweight Surprise
The biggest surprise has been the new Scene VLT 2, especially the step-through Scene VLT 2 ST. It swaps the mid-drive for a quiet Hyena rear hub motor (250W, 40Nm) with a torque sensor, so the assistance responds naturally to how hard you pedal. It has a 250Wh battery built into the frame, 27.5 x 2.4" tyres, Shimano CUES 9-speed gears, hydraulic disc brakes, integrated lights and a rack, all for $2,599. Its trump card is weight. Overseas Norco retailers list it at around 20kg, which is light for a fully equipped city e-bike in a market where e-bikes keep getting heavier.
Jill, who has been with us since 2015, rates it as the best new bike in the shop. "I love how it rides. It's very light to handle and just smooth and easy. Great on hills and an excellent price too." We think it suits riders who want to keep riding but are finding a regular e-bike a handful to lift, park or wheel around. It's also a good match for anyone who wants a low step-through with enough punch for Brisbane's hills, and for anyone who simply loves the look of it.
Compare the Norco Scene VLT Range
Norco Electric Mountain Bikes: Sight VLT and Range VLT
Norco's goal is to be a leader in eMTB. Chris doesn't measure that by sales volume. "If we make something, we get a top-rated review," he says. When a Norco is tested against comparable bikes in its class, it should come out first or second on ride quality and value. Norco's current full-suspension eMTBs are built on two main platforms:
-  • Norco Sight VLT (all-mountain / trail): 160mm of travel up front and 150mm at the rear, with a mixed-wheel setup (29" front, 27.5" rear). There are three versions. The carbon Sight VLT CX uses Norco's high-pivot suspension and the Bosch Performance Line CX motor with an 800Wh battery. The lighter carbon Sight VLT TQ uses the compact, quiet TQ HPR60 motor with a 580Wh battery. The aluminium Sight VLT Bosch A pairs the Bosch Performance Line PX motor with a 600Wh battery (Flow Mountain Bike).
-  • Norco Range VLT CX (enduro): Norco's longest-travel eMTB, with 170mm up front, 160mm at the rear, a carbon frame, and Bosch's Performance Line CX Gen 5 motor with an 800Wh battery. It's built for steep, rough descending (E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine).
These aren't in our Milton store yet. If you're interested in a Norco eMTB for trails like Gap Creek or Ironbark or Old Hidden Vale, talk to us about what's possible.
Backed by a Lifetime Frame Warranty and Local Support
Norco covers its frames and rigid forks with a limited lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, on all models from 2014 onwards. It also offers a discounted crash replacement program for original owners (Norco warranty policy). Motors and batteries are covered by their makers' warranties: two years on the Shimano system on the Scene VLT and on the Hyena system on the Scene VLT 2.
Just as important, Norco now has its own team in Australia. There are four people in the office, a sales team in the field, a stock of small parts, and a direct line back to Canada for warranty claims. "We're here," says Chris, "and if there are issues, we're fully vested to make sure we get those things fixed quickly." Add our Milton workshop, and warranty or service issues are handled locally rather than by boxing up your bike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Norco a good e-bike brand?
Yes. Norco has been building bikes in Canada since 1964 and is best known internationally for its mountain bikes, which race at downhill World Cup level. Its Scene VLT city e-bike is a repeat Consumer's Choice winner in Quebec. Norco's focus is ride quality at sensible prices, backed by a limited lifetime frame warranty and, since October 2025, its own Australian distribution team based in Brisbane.
Who owns Norco Bicycles?
Norco is owned by the Lewis family, the family of founder Bert Lewis. For 60 years the parent company, Live to Play Sports Group, was a partnership between the Lewis and Zalkow families. The Lewis family took full ownership on 1 July 2024, and Bert's son Alan Lewis runs the business as General Manager. Norco has not been sold to private equity or listed publicly.
Where are Norco bikes designed and made?
Norco bikes are designed and engineered at the company's head office in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. Like most bike brands, Norco uses specialist overseas factories for manufacturing, mainly in China and Cambodia. Final assembly and setup happen at the dealer, which for our customers means our Milton workshop.
Where can I test ride a Norco e-bike in Brisbane?
At Electric Bikes Brisbane, 26 Douglas Street, Milton. We have the Norco Scene VLT and Scene VLT 2 ST on the floor for test rides. Call us on 07 2102 9775 or book a test ride online, and we'll have the right size ready for you to ride on real Brisbane streets and hills.
Come and Meet Norco in Milton
The best way to understand why we added Norco is to ride one. Pop into our Milton store for a test ride on the Scene VLT or the lightweight Scene VLT 2 ST. Try the dropper seatpost at a stop, feel how light the VLT 2 is to wheel around, and take it up the hill out of Douglas Street. There's street parking on Douglas Street and nearby side streets, and our team will help you work out which Norco suits your riding.
