Norco launches 2012 bike lineup

Canadian company Norco used Crankworx in Whistler, B.C. as a backdrop for its 2012 product launch. Fourteen of its bike platforms are either brand new or have seen significant upgrades from previous models. On the mountain bike side, there’s a continued push toward 29ers with a new value-based full-suspension bike line, as well as new 26” mountain bikes and a new downhill platform. On the road side, there’s a brand new endurance platform for long-distance riders, a new top-end race bike and a carbon cyclocross bike.

ROAD
Valence Carbon/Alloy

A new endurance road bike meant for longer rides, the Valence Carbon is available in four builds ranging from the Shimano 105-based Valence Carbon 3 at $1,825 up to the $5,750 Di2 model. The bike was built to be a comfortable for long rides with a taller headtube, but still able to handle fast riding with oversized tubes meant to improve power transfer. The seatstays are curved downward so they’ll flex to take the sharp edge off road chatter. Norco says the ideal rider for the Valence will be someone who does longer charity rides or GranFondos, but still wants a high-performance bike. Sizing ranges from 45 to 60cm and there’s also an alloy Valence lineup with bikes starting at $819. The three aluminum models are available as women’s-specific bikes under Norco’s Forma line.

CRR LE

Norco’s top-end race bike remains mostly unchanged, but there’s now a new LE model, which uses Norco’s Super SL High-Modulus carbon, dropping the frame weight down to under 950 g for a 56 cm size. All models in the CRR lineup are now using a 31.6 seatpost for added stiffness and BB30.

CYCLOCROSS
Threshold


Adding to its CX lineup for 2012, Norco has introduced the Threshold, a carbon racing cross bike. There are three models ranging from $2,350 up to $5,125 and all three feature the same high-modulus carbon frame with tapered head tubes, full carbon forks, internal brake and rear derailleur cable routing and BB30. They also all come with both horizontal and vertical dropouts allowing for either geared or singlespeed (including belt-drive) setups.

MOUNTAIN BIKE
Revolver

Brand new for 2012, the Revolver is a 100mm travel 29er trailbike designed for long trail rides or marathon racing. There are three build levels ranging from $2,350 up to $5,285. All use the same hydroformed aluminum frame matched to 15mm axle front forks (all with lockouts). Norco is spec’ing 3×10 drivetrains on all three Revolver models.

Shinobi

Though it was introduced last year, the Shinobi 120mm rear / 140mm front 29er trailbike gets two new models with higher-end builds. All three have 29er-specific 2×10 drivetrains, wider trail bars, short stems and guides for height adjustable seat posts.

Sight

The Sight is a 140mm travel trail bike that is available in an ultimate sub 24-pound LE build ($9,400) down to a well-spec’ed entry-level build at $2,700. The ART (Advanced Ride Technology) FSR suspension design has the front derailleur mounted to the chainstay to follow a more natural path as the suspension compresses. The Sight’s aluminum frame has a tapered head tube, all-mountain geometry and some cool little features like mounts along the top tube for adjustable height seat posts, which come stock on the top two models. The top three models feature a 2×10 drivetrain. There’s also a Sight Forma women’s version in two levels with slightly different geometry, a lower standover height and women’s-specific saddles.

Truax

First launched late last year, the Truax is a 180mm travel freeride bike. Ideal for bike parks like Whistler, the Truax continues where the old Norco Shore bikes left off. They range in price from $3,550 up to $6,899 and have hydroformed tubes, slack geometry, coil shocks and are meant to handle any abuse you can throw at them.

Aurum

For the downhill crowd, the Aurum is a new downhill racing platform. It has 200 mm of travel in an updated ART (Advanced Ride Technology) FSR Suspension design. For a big-hit bike, it’s surprisingly light weight and also features a slick integrated seat post clamp and integrated fork bump stops. This is definitely a DH-racing focused bike with a 63.5-degree head angle highlighting the size-specific geometry.

Technology: Derailleur hangar


Among the new technologies being shown off by Norco is a smart Syntace X-12 axle/derailleur hangar design found on the most of the MTB lineup. If the derailleur hits something hard enough to cause the hangar to snap, rather than the hangar itself breaking, the new design will cause the bolt itself holding the hangar in place to break. And, if that happens, there’s a spare bolt screwed into the frame just in front of the bottom bracket.

New Naming System: Hardtail MTBs

With many different levels of hardtail mountain bikes, Norco has tried to simplify its naming process. There are now four levels of hardtails: Team (carbon), Nitro (top aluminum), Charger (mid-range) and Storm (recreational). From there, all four are offered in either 29” or 26” wheel options and then in multiple build levels: LE, 1, 2, and 3. The naming process follows those options. For example, the Team 6 LE is a top-level carbon race bike with the highest-end build and 26” wheels where the Charger 9.3 is a mid-level aluminum hardtail with 29” wheels and a fairly entry-level build.