A replaceable dropout system that allows you to switch between vertical or horizontal dropouts, letting you choose either single speed or geared setups. We include both sets with each Threshold. The vertical dropouts also feature an integrated derailleur hanger to provide amazingly crisp and accurate shifting in any condition and the horizontal dropouts feature a bottle opener so you can enjoy refreshing beverages.
Think of it like micro-suspension, smoothing out rough roads for longer rides. ARC allows us to make a bike that is incredibly stiff laterally, for efficient power transfer while remaining compliant to small vertical bumps, smoothing out the ride. With ARC you get all of the performance of a road race bike with a more comfortable ride.
A part of the ARC design, the forks are very stiff laterally for performance, yet absorb unwanted road vibration, smoothing out the ride. This technology helps you ride longer with less fatigue.
The 2012 carbon frames use the most advanced carbon production techniques available to combine high modulus carbon material with proven frame designs developed through team rider feedback and testing. These are the lightest, stiffest and fastest bikes ever created at Norco.
The 2012 Norco carbon frames use an Ethyl Polystyrene (EPS) mandrel system to produce an incredibly smooth and controlled inner surface at complicated, high-stress areas like the headtube and bottom bracket junctions. This process eliminates the chance of wrinkling in the layup of the carbon fiber in these areas, greatly improving the strength over conventional carbon layup processes.
The High Toughness Resin is used in all 2012 Norco carbon frames. HTR increases the impact resistance of the carbon by 20%, making stronger frames that are more resistant to damage. And because less resin is required during the layup process, it decreases the overall weight of the frame.
The 2012 carbon frames use a thermoplastic mesh laminate in key stress areas inside the frame. This ensures smooth carbon layering and disperses stress forces, preventing the propagation of small cracks. This new mesh system is designed to work in conjunction with the EPS process.
Many of the 2012 frames were specifically engineered with single-piece parts that integrate multiple features. This allowed our engineering team to simplify frame assemblies, improve functionality and strength and reduce weight. Areas such as the bottom bracket, chainstays and shock mounts have integrated features that enhance the technical function and improve the ride qualities of our bicycles.
The integrated dropout has allowed us to combine a number of features to create a more efficient rear dropout system. The dropouts combine: axle retention, post mount brakes, rear suspension pivots, derailleur hanger attachment and frame gussets. This results in a stiff, strong and light dropout design.
Proven to be substantially stiffer and less prone to breakage than conventional derailleur hangers, the X-12 system ensures incredibly crisp and precise shifting. Each frame comes with a spare hanger bolt integrated into the frame so you can repair it trailside if you need to.
Integrated into the rear dropouts, the post mount uses half of the hardware of a normal brake mounting system and creates a stronger structure that reduces braking harmonics – also known as noise.
A normal pivot point is connected by a piece of material welded to the end of a tube, also known as a clevis. A stride forward in bicycle design, we found a way to eliminate the clevis by mounting the pivot hardware directly into the tapered tube design. With fewer welds these pivots are stiffer, stronger and lighter, giving you a better ride.
Using hydraulic fluid under incredibly high pressure, frame tubing is shaped to precise tolerances and efficient shapes. The process allows our engineering team to increase strength in key areas and create more aesthetically pleasing forms. At the same time, functional features such as fork, shock and stand over clearance are incorporated into the design. Put it all together and you end up with a visually striking frame that is functional, light and strong.
Exactly what it sounds like, smooth welding uses two distinct weld passes to produce an improved weld bead geometry that better distributes loads. Used in high stress areas like the headtube and pivots, this labour intensive process is stronger than conventional welding.
Holloform linkarm: This hyper-rigid, one-piece linkarm provides two significant benefits:
• Providing lateral support to the seatstays, it stiffens the rear triangle, keeping the bike tracking straight and true through any terrain.
• It also prevents torsional forces from affecting the rear shock, reducing stiction and increasing shock life.
Did you know that tapered head tubes were first used on road bicycles? A huge step forward in bicycle design, tapered head tubes provide three major benefits, all making the bike more responsive, stiffer and more exciting to ride.
Wider headtube junction: With a wider junction, engineers are able to use a larger down tube – making it stiffer and more resistant to side loading and ensuring precise steering and bicycle control.
Stronger fork crown and steer tube: With a tapered head tube, we can make stiffer, stronger fork crowns and steer tubes than with traditional 1 1/8" designs, with no weight penalty. Increased strength means less flex for excellent front-end control while riding.
Optimized headset bearing: Using a 1 1/8" upper bearing and a 1.5" lower bearing creates the ideal blend between weight and strength. Oversized lower bearings are stronger, smoother and longer lasting, because of their improved ability to handle load, while the smaller upper bearings, which experience less load, are lighter.
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the ideal wheel size. However, there are some key differences in how wheel size affects the ride characteristics of a bicycle. Bigger wheels are smoother and faster; with a shallower angle of attack they roll over obstacles more easily than their smaller counterparts. However, 26" wheels are more nimble, accelerate faster and are more maneuverable. They both ride well and they are both a ton of fun; really it comes down to preference. If you haven’t tried a 29er then go and do it — you may just find yourself smitten with the new wheel size.
Sourced from the largest composite bearing supplier in the world, Saint-Gobain, Norglide composite bearings are smooth, precise and incredibly light which is why you will find them on the 2012 Phaser. Specifically designed for pivoting applications, rather than rotation like ball bearings, the Norglide bearings weigh only 1.2 grams each and offer improved pivot performance while reducing weight.
In a sport where performance is everything, GRAVITY TUNE is a massive advancement for downhill riders. Traditional fitting philosophies often left either larger or smaller riders in a poor body position when they were standing on their pedals. This occurred because bicycle design tended to only vary the reach for each size, leaving the distance between the pedals and the rear wheel the same. Riders that were not the ideal height for the bicycle would find their center of balance either too far back or too far forward with this style of fitting. This caused them to experience different, less-than-optimum ride characteristics, often leaving them at a disadvantage over riders with proper weight distribution.
GRAVITY TUNE completely changes this old philosophy by varying the rear-center (the distance between the bottom bracket and the rear wheel axle) and the reach proportionately for each bicycle size. It’s a simple solution for a complex problem, but it means that whether you fit a small, medium or large frame you will experience the best ride characteristics possible. At the same time we also realized that this presented us with a unique opportunity to tune the suspension to better match the change in rider weight that generally goes along with changes in height.
The result is a bicycle that fits and rides amazingly well whether you are short, medium or tall. In a sport where having the right bicycle can be the difference between a gold medal and no medal at all, GRAVITY TUNE ensures you have everything you need for a winning performance.
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