R U Ready?
May 12, 2009

R U Ready?

Now that spring is finally here and we are seeing some great biking weather, it is time to claw your way off the couch, head outside and hop on your two wheels. The key to making that first ride and many to follow a success is being prepared. There are 3 things (well, really 4) that will make all your rides WAY more fun and enjoyable.

First: is your bike ready? Bikes tend to hibernate over the winter, as yours comes out of its winter slumber, take a few minutes check it over. A few quick steps will make your first ride exponentially better. Oil your chain, and do a quick clean-up and lube of all moving points on your bike. This can be done easy enough with a spray can of light lube and a few rags. Using the rags to control excess, lubricate all the moving parts on your bike. Places like; brake lever pivots, derailleur linkages, your seat post and quick release skewer etc. Be generous with this lube but wipe up any and all excess and please don’t get any spray on brake rotors or the rims of your bikes (basically any braking surface). Note: If you don’t have one, a good floor pump will be a good investment and last you for years. Go see your local bike shop, you will thank me later.

Second, is your gear ready? Open up your gear back and ensure it has a tube (yes, correct size is important), tire levers, allen keys and a working pump. Even a small first aid kit is nice to have in your pack. Lastly don’t forget to bring some extra food and water for the long haul. Get used to carrying this gear on every ride. Check out this month’s Decline Magazine for a great article on what to carry on your ride. Thank you to Decline for providing the PDF.

Third, are you ready? If you took the black bear (get fat and hibernate) approach the darkness of winter, start easy. Don’t assume you can ride at the same level as you exited last season. It takes a few rides to get back up to speed both physically and mentally. Many injuries happen on the first ride or two so ramp it up slowly and enjoy the spring riding.

Oh yeah, and my forth point is your riding buddies. Good riding partners will make your fun exponentially better. Pick them well… Then with your posse, start with the shorter easier routes but don’t forget to throw in your old favorite rides from last year. Intermix these with new and bigger rides and even day or road trips.

A bicycle is an amazing thing… it can open new territory will brighten any day. Good friends to share this with only make a day on your bike even better.

So…. Bike? – check. Gear? – check. Friends? – check. You are ready, now go play!

Sunny skies and tailwinds to you all, see you out there.

Steak Sauce.

Norco Blog Gets a New Home
May 11, 2009

Norco Blog Gets a New Home

The Norco Blog has a new home!

After 4 months in the blog-o-sphere, the Norco blog has jumped ship. Abandoning its domicile of norco.wordpress.com the newly renovated norco.com/blog can be called home.

Check out the blog for events, tech, team and other interesting updates. Leave your comments on what you would like to see posted next.

Cyclebetes Spin-A-Thon - Spinning Towards a Cure
April 29, 2009

Cyclebetes Spin-A-Thon - Spinning Towards a Cure

In its second year of existence Accu-Check Cyclebetes has launched an expanded and enhanced program raising money to help find a cure for Juvenile Diabetes. The Rockridge Secondary Spin-a-Thon located in West Vancouver, BC was one of many cyclebetes fundraisers spanning across the country. At this home event we were lucky enough to be able to participate alongside the Cyclebetes organizers and soloist/founder Willie Cromack.

With Norco being the official bike sponsor of Accu-Check Cyclebetes, we wanted to be involved not only in a sponsor role but also in a fundraising and awareness building aspect.To achieve this goal, 14 Norco employees/cycling enthusiasts came out to support a great cause. The Norco crew were split up onto a team of 10 riders and a second team of 4. Each team had someone riding for the full 24hr duration. Not only that, the bikes being ridden were equipped with cycle computers. The two teams together rode in excess of 1100km. In fact, the team of four themselves rode a total of more than 670km. That is an average speed of close to 30km per hour.

The school gymnasium housing the event was saturated with cyclists, positive energy and strong wills for the entire duration, but the greatest amount of work was completed outside the bannered Rockridge walls. It was the people that were not riding their bikes that contributed their hard earned money and managed to pool together more than $110,000. Not only did this total shatter the total raised in 2008 but also set an example of what can be done with a little hard work and perseverance. In an economic recession having consumer confidence at record lows, 70 teams of riders were able to raise a substantial amount of money for a great cause.

Thank you to everyone that participated in a Spin-A-Thon or provided a donation to this great cause. With your help we can make Juvenile Diabetes history.

Sea Otter Classic - Norco Was There!
April 29, 2009

Sea Otter Classic - Norco Was There!

The Sea Otter Classic is a great Kickoff to the 2009 Race and Event Season. Featuring a full line of racing events as well as a consumer show, Sea Otter is a great event to catch some lightning fast racing as well as have a sneak-peek at some new products which are soon to be released. This year was no exception!

The Norco Crew included Factory Team Members Ryan Leech, Darcy Turenne, Ben Boyko, Nick Geddies and Catherine Vipond as well as 6 Norco Employees manning the booth, building bikes and supporting the team.

Ryan Leech came down to Sea Otter with his full trials setup. Over the four days he did an impressive 10 shows in the blistering heat and signed countless autographs.

Of the Factory Team members present, both Catherine and Nick were competing in multiple events. Catherine raced the Short Track and the XC while Nick completed the trifecta of Dual Slalom, Downhill and XC. Catherine was able to pull off thirteenth in the XC Pro Women and Nick placed an incredible 2nd in the DS and 7th in the DH. Way To Go Team!

Back at the booth, Darcy, and Ben were busy for the entire weekend signing posters and talking about their signature models the Vixa and Empire.

The Big draw to the Norco booth besides the autographs were brand new for 2010 carbon XC and Road frames. These frames are gorgeous! The both frames are fully monocoque, feature integrated seat masts and BB30. The road frame is also using a tapered 1 1/8 to 1 1/2 headtube. Check out some of the media that have already been posted online!