Jill and Bryn’s First Race of the Season

January 23, 2012


While we are bogged down with the Winter doldrums in much of Canada it is sunny and hot on the other side of the world. Team Norco International’s Jill Kintner and Bryn Atkinson call Australia their winter home where they can better train year round. Plus, some pre-World Cup racing is possible in the Australia Nationals Series.

This past weekend was round two of the race season where Jill and Bryn were able to race their Norco Aurums for the first time. This was also Bryn’s first race back after injury last year. On the dry, loose and scorching hot track Jill flatted in qualifying but came back in the race run to finish 2nd behind Tracy Hannah. Bryn was seen as a bit of a wildcard coming into the race as he had not posted any results in nearly a year. He won this event in 2011 though so expectations were high. Bryn qualified in third place and raced consistently to finish third behind Troy Brosnan and Sam Hill.

Congrats to both Jill and Bryn on a fantastic first race of the season. The Australia DH Championships are coming up on Feb. 22 so watch for the duo to be in their best form and post some blazing fast times.

Check out this recap video from the race.

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The Bible of Bike Tests Takes On The Aurum

January 23, 2012


Bike Magazine – The Bible Review of the Norco Aurum
Words By Ryan Labar

Even before we got it dirty on the trails, it was clear that Norco did its homework when designing the Aurum. The standout features include the integrated fork bumpers, keyed and replaceable pivot-bolt receivers, post-mount rear-brake studs and an extra derailleur hanger stashed on the frame. These are all godsends for privateer racers or anyone spending some serious bike-park time.

The Aurum’s geometry numbers are also quite noteworthy. Not only does it push the slacker and lower trend with its 63.5-degree head angle and sub 14-inch-high bottom bracket, it is the only bike we know of that has size-specific rear ends-as the frame size increases the chainstay length also increases. Impressive.

The mix of Easton, Sun Ringle, Blackspire and SRAM components also seemed well considered, and were right on point with the rest of the bike’s reliable demeanor. Riding the Aurum was a treat. Norco’s ART linkage uses a chainstay-mounted pivot for a rearward axle-path and minimal brake jack. This rearward axle path, combined with the slack head angle, soaked up square-edged hits nicely, allowing the Aurum to hold speed through rough steeps. The linkage also has a good deal of anti-squat, which manifests as snappy acceleration when you put power to the pedals. The suspension tune on the Aurum
felt about perfect as well It was nice and linear through most of the travel with a bit of a ramp up near the end to prevent harsh bottom-outs.

When mated to the stiff, hydroformed tubeset, it made for a bike that held its line through
wicked rock gardens and accelerated like a greyhound possessed. Perhaps a literal chink
in the Aurum’s armor was its thin paint job. We liked the bright-yellow paint, but it chipped easily, which is a bummer considering all the attention Norco paid to making a bike that’ll last through the seasons. -Ryan Labar

Download the Article PDF Here

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Vid+Photos: Hoots on Coast and Shore

January 20, 2012

A Shore Boy at Heart
Words by Jay Hoots. Photos by Margus Riga.

The North Shore is my home with the epic 3 mountains – Seymour, Fromme, Cypress – as my riding backyard! Two months a year now I live on the Sunshine Coast for the Mountain Bike Operations Course and then I spend 6 to 8 months of traveling for filming and building.

Jay Hoots Margus Riga Shore Coast Norco Truax
Jay Hoots honed his skills on the Shore, and now spends fair chunk of time on the Coast.

For years I have been riding for Norco working on and riding different platforms searching for the best mix between up and down, skinny riding, jumps and drops, steep rock faces with slippery roots, speed and braking… Being from the Shore I learned all the technical aspects of riding in sloppy wet, ultra slippery conditions but found that the Sunshine Coast offered fast, flowy trail with banger turns and different styles of zones, from jumps to pumps to epic XC the sunshine Coast offers an amazing array of riding opportunity with only a fraction of the rain the Shore gets.

Jay Hoots Margus Riga Shore Coast Norco Truax
The dark, dank Shore is a different place, but Jay seems to have found the one bike for both spots.

2012 is the best year ever for me as my new 7” Truax bicycle is the best combination of all platforms of bike allowing me to travel with only one steed that does everything! 2012 is also the year that the Shore is recognizably smoother and flowier and the Sunshine Coast now has technical rooty steep gnarly trail!

Can’t say where this film was made but if you find it it’s worth it!

Thank you to NSMBA, and all of the dedicated builders that are out there who put the hours in the dirt and have the vision and stay power to follow through with it.

I love my Bike!

Ride ON!
Jay Hoots

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An Extremely Limited Edition Ryan Leech Action Figure

January 18, 2012

Words by Ryan Leech

My parents are proud of my career as a pro mountain biker, what a blessing to have their support through the years. As I diversify my offerings in the world to include yoga and Integral Coaching®, my Dad decided to present me with a gift to commemorate my years thus far as a pro.

He secretly began tinkering in his workshop attempting to modify one of those bmx flick trix models to look like my trials bike. It didn’t work. So he started from scratch!

A reference picture and some brass tubing…

Through the years Norco has been kind enough to continue tweaking and making me trials frames exactly as I like, and I’ve been riding a white Manifesto frame for the last few. With careful measurements and soldering, clever jigs and fixtures, my Dad managed to replicate it, in miniature!

The pieces coming together…

During my career, I have partnered with many supportive sponsors, on the back of the Trials Trix packaging, my dad listed them, including my very first bike shop sponsor Rocky Cycle in Surrey. For accuracy, he sought the kind advice of Peter Stace-Smith and Jonathan Duncan at Norco, my wife Caryn, and her sister Corinne for some photos. Clearly the detail work wasn’t reserved just for the model…

The details…

With the packaging details in place, the bike still needed painting and decals. Somehow, my Dad managed to getterdun. The model in total length is just 4″, so those are tiny decals!

The Norco Manifesto Model

To complete the ensemble, he packed it up in a clean, off the shelf style packaging. A touching gift to represent some amazing memories. THANKS DAD!

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Sam Dueck’s Winter Update

January 18, 2012

Hello everyone, I hope you all have been doing well in the new year and can look back at the 2011 season and be stoked on all the riding you did! I wanted to show you what I have been doing over the last few months and the riding that I was able to get in during the fall and winter weather here on the coast of BC.

For the last year and a half I have been dealing with a couple shoulder injuries. I had separated my right AC Joint a while ago and it had been holding me back for the last year in contests and regular riding. More recently I went down and messed up my left shoulder. My physiotherapist says because of that last crash I have tendonitis. Being mountain bikers, a lot of you probably know how frustrating shoulder injuries can be and I have been working really hard to get my shoulders strong again, so I can be 100% for the 2012 contest season. I have been healing up pretty good over the last couple months and have been able to get some really good riding in!

The photos below were taken by Margus Riga In October. This was the first ride with the new Norco slopestyle prototype that Norco engineers Owen Pemberton and PJ Hunton have been working on for the last year or so. Owen and PJ had put in a lot of their own time and effort into this project so I could have a slopestyle machine that fits me. I couldn’t be more stoked for this bike and thankful for all the work that Norco has put into this bike . The bike performed so well and was even better than I ever thought it would be. I can’t wait to ride it on a slopestyle course!

 

 

 

Normally, winters are pretty cold and wet. So far this year it has not been at all and we are enjoying some great riding. There has been plenty of dry days to get the hardtail out, meet up with some friends and have some rad sessions at the jumps! We spent some time at a cool little sand pit step-up that some of my friends have put a lot of time into making it rideable in wet conditions. Even if it was poring rain out we could still be hitting the jump and throwing some simple tricks. Chris Van Luven (professional Photographer from Vancouver) came out to take some shots and they turned out pretty good!

 

 

Recently I was able to take the slope style bike out to the trails with Levi Vanderkwaak who followed me down the mountain with his video camera. We did didn’t have a lot of time to film and after shooting the first berm Levi’s memory card was full and he forgot the backup card at home, so we went to plan B and took out the good old iPhone. That night Levi put together a short little video of what we managed to catch in the short time.


Chilliwack has been working on a new skate park and they had finally finished it! A few friends and I decided to get out the BMXs and check out the new park during the grand opening. It’s a small park, but has a sweet little bowl that we had a good time in.

That’s about it for now, thanks for reading! Here is another quick video that I threw together of some random footage that I have collected from November and December.

Sponsor shout outs!
Norco Bicycles
Shimano
Kenda
RockShox
Pinkbike.com
Teva Footwear
Camp of Champions

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Introducing World Cup Rider Olie Burton

January 17, 2012

Olie Burton is a solo competitor on the World Cup circuit. As a privateer he has been making his own way to the races and fighting his way up through the ranks. This coming year he will be riding a Norco Aurum in all his racing endeavors. Olie is still on his own program riding for sponsors such as Kore, One Industries, 661, Adidas and Action Cameras but this year he has the power of the Aurum on his side.

In 2011 Olie injured his finger and was forced off the bike for three months. Disappointed,  he struggled coming back and missed qualifying at a few of the World Cup rounds. As 2011 progressed he recovered and came back to finish in an impressive 68th and 66th at Mont Saint Anne and Windham and 62nd at the world cup finals in Val Di Sole. These results were a great step forward and he is looking to improve upon them in 2012.

Some other highlights from this past year have been 4th place at the Nissan European Cup in La Bresse, France and winning the overall Elite title for the Pearce Cycles race series. The Pearce Cycles series was a specific goal Olie had set for 2011 and hopes to continue through 2012.

Everyone at Norco would like to wish Olie a warm welcome to the team and offer the best support we can over the coming year. Here is to a great 2012! If you would like to send a message, you can connect with Olie on his facebook page.

Here is a video from the past year of Olie, looking forward to seeing an Aurum going even faster.

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The Norco Shinobi – It’s an Animal!

January 16, 2012

We’re big fans of Norco’s approach – they encourage all their employees to ride and the result is a buzzing company staffed by people who really do live and breathe bikes. With a history of developing bikes especially for Vancouver’s infamous North Shore, it was only a matter of time before they designed a 29er and put their unique twist on it.

Although a year old now, the Shinobi has been largely overlooked. The slack head angle reveals itself instantly as you climb on board and it’s obvious from the get-go that the Norco lacks the light-footed feel of a more cross-country orientated 29er.

It doesn’t feel sluggish, though. Far from it, in fact – it feels as if it’s gearing up for something. The Shinobi climbs admirably, with the extra momentum of the big wheels making long drags surprisingly easy and the extra traction making the slippery stuff a cinch to clear.

Read more about the Shinobi at bikeradar.com

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Norco Aurum downhill bike – Just in

January 13, 2012
By James Costley-White in Bath, UK
Originally Posted on BikeRadar.com

Norco are set to make a big return to the world circuit this year, with some high-profile new signings – Jill Kintner, Bryn Atkinson and Mike Hopkins – flying the flag alongside the established Dirt-Norco pairing of Ben Reid and Dan Stanbridge.

The downhillers will compete aboard the new 200mm-travel (8in) Aurum, which has been two years in development. It uses a tweaked version of Norco’s ART (Advanced Ride Technology) suspension setup, which is based on Specialized’s venerable four-bar FSR design.

One of the key design features of the bike is its ‘Gravity Tune’ geometry. Rather than just altering the length of the front triangle for different size frames, Norco also change the chainstay length and even the suspension kinematics, dialing in different amounts of chain growth and anti-squat to compensate for differences in rider height and weight. The fork bump stops behind the tapered head tube are a neat touch too, as is the integrated seatpost clamp.

Norco aurum 2: norco aurum 2

Pictured here is the £2,499.99 (CAD$3,550/US$3,550) Aurum 2, which Mountain Biking UK’s technical editor, Rob Weaver, has picked as his long-term test bike for the year. Component highlights on this base-level model include a RockShox Boxxer RC Race fork, X-Fusion Vector RC shock, Sun Inferno wheels shod with Kenda Nevegal tyres, SRAM X7 kit and Avid Elixir 5 disc brakes. Claimed weight is 39.7lb/18kg; we’ve yet to put it on our scales.

Two other complete builds are available. The Aurum 1 comes with a Boxxer R2C2 and RockShox Vivid R2C shock, the same wheels and SRAM X9 kit for £3,699.99 (CAD$5,350/US$5,325). The Aurum LE upgrades to a Boxxer World Cup and Cane Creek Double Barrel shock, Easton Havoc DH wheels and SRAM X0 kit, and costs £5,199.99 (US$7,350/CAD$7,450).

If you prefer, you can buy a frameset and fit it with the kit of your choice. In the UK, distributors Evans Cycles tell us they’ll be offering a Dirt-Norco team replica frameset for £1,799.99 from early March. See our image gallery for an artist’s impression.

In North America, the frameset will also be available with the same white and red paintjob as the top-end LE bike. Both colourways will cost CAD$2,600/US$2,600. Frames will come with a Cane Creek Double Barrel shock and Angleset headset, plus an own-brand seatpost and Syntace rear axle.

Norco aurum 2: norco aurum 2

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2012 Norco Team Roll-Call

January 12, 2012

The 2012 Norco Team is finalized and ready to kick off the new year. There are some big additions for the coming year and we are VERY excited about it. Through nearly every discipline there are riders representing Norco. Whether it be XC, DH, Trials, Slopestyle, road, cyclocross or nearly any other discipline, we have someone covering it. The 2012 Norco Team breaks down into a few different classifications so let’s go through it one by one.

The Norco Facory Team

The Norco Factory Team is back for another year. The stacked roster of riders includes Ryan Leech, Jay Hoots, Mislav Mironovic, Darcy Turenne, Ludovic May, Sam Dueck, Andrew Watson, Catherine Vipond and Nick Geddes. This team of world class athletes will yet again be traveling the globe competing, advocating and representing Norco and their other amazing Sponsors. The Norco Factory Team is supported by the best brands out there including Shimano, Kenda Tires, Rockshox Suspension, Ryders Eyewear, WTB, FSA, Gravity, SixSixOne, E-Thirteen, Ergon, Park Tool, Minoura and nuun. to learn more about each rider have a look at the Norco Team Page

The Dirt Norco Race Team

The Dirt Norco Race Team is back for another round of World Cup racing. Ben Reid and Dan Stanbridge will again be racing their Norco Bicycles around the world reaching for that podium spot. After working closely with Norco’s engineering team Ben and Dan will both be racing the all new Norco Aurum for the coming season. With their new rides and amazing speed, this is their ticket to the top.


Team Norco International

The 2012 Team Norco International  is made up from the likes of Bryn Atkinson and Jill Kintner. Jill and Bryn will be traveling the World Cup circuit, competing at key national events and their respective Australian and US National Championships. Keep an eye on the World Cup rankings for these two fighting it out among the world’s best.

Norco Independent Riders

There are some riders that come to Norco with a roster of sponsors that they are already supported by. For these athletes they are not part of the Norco Factory Team but still represent Norco on the world stage. 2012 independent riders include freerider Mike Hopkins, 4x racer and freerider Angie Hohenwarter and World Cup DH’er Olie Burton.

Team H&R Block

Back on Norco for another year is Team H&R Block. Racing Road on the CRR line and Cyclocross on the Threshold this is a top development team out of Western Canada. Watch for the team’s bright green kit racing past you in a blur at the next race.


The Norco BMX Team

The Norco BMX Team is made out of Ben Kaufmann and James van de Kamp. These two represent Norco in competition, community events and at the local park. With huge air, classic style and an edge of creativity these two look good and dazzle spectators across Canada.

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Making Bikes We Want To Ride

January 12, 2012

As we kick off yet another year I would like to share is how proud I am of the Norco Team.  I use the word “Team” in a pretty loose connotation as I’m not necessarily talking about our actual Factory Team Riders or Factory Supported Privateers (although I’m proud of them too). The Norco Team in this case is our dedicated staff.  These are the folks that start with an idea – a wish – something that you or I would dream about riding. They are able to take this wish and develop it over 18-24 months to create something for you and I to get out and ride.

This is an amazing process. Many Once the project has been approved by Bike Division (a bunch of very keen riders themselves), the process starts course with our engineering team designing and building the quite often yet-to-be-named bike on computers.  Quite a bit of theoretical testing is done at this step, prior to the first tube being cut, mitered and welded.  Of course, it is much more complex than this as new tubing molds with custom shapes, wall thicknesses and material have to be opened even before that first tube is even cut and welded.

Jump ahead many months and a first rideable prototype is in our hands – which usually quickly get built up into what we call a “mule” or testable riding prototype. This is the one to get out there and confirm our goals as to what this new model bike is supposed to do.  If it doesn’t meet all expectations and goals because of any number of issues, it returns back to stage one, actually back to the drawing board and the process starts all over again. Quite often these early testable prototypes are pretty good and a few iterations of prototyping later and we have something close to being ready for market. These bikes are extensively tested by Norco staff, team riders and product testing for design, geometry and strength. Only once the bike has been proven to be perfect in every way possible does it make its way to market.

One key thing to remember about this whole process is “we are building bikes that we want to ride”!  We are betting on the fact that if we build a very cool bike that we really want, then there is a pretty good chance that you will want one too.  Taking a look through our new 2012 product mix just makes me want to update every darn bike in my stable.  Wow there are some beautiful and functional bikes rolling in. 2012 is going to be a wicked year!

So, hope to see you out on the trails or out on the road.  I’m doing both this year and am already out there.  Remember, 2 wheels = fun.   C-ya out there.

Steak Sauce

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