The May edition of the 2008 Norco National Flyer has been released! See your Norco dealer for great deals on Norco bikes, parts, and accessories; and a chance to win a 2008 Rival. You can download the Flyer below, in english and in french.

Disclaimer: We reserve the right to limit quantities. Product may vary from store to store. While we strive for accuracy in product description and pricing, it may be amended without prior notice by the manufacturer. We cannot be held responsible for technical or typographic error which may appear in this flyer. See in-store for contest rules and regulations.

Corrections for the National Flyer (English)
Corrections for the National Flyer (French)

Download th 2008 Norco National Flyer (english)
Download the 2008 Norco National Flyer (french)

See Participating Dealers (english)
See Participating Dealers (french)

Rules and Regulations (English)
Rules and Regulations (French)

Another early start at the airport...

6:50 - Zagreb to Paris (Air France) 2 h flight
10:25 - Paris to Atlanta (canceled because of wind 13:30) 10 h flight
20:28 - Atlanta to State College 2 h flight
22:30 – Drive through State College
23:30 WOODWARD EAST - TAKE TWO!!

As you can see my current location is Woodward East in Pennsylvania, USA. It has been two years since I first came here and I can say that I was waiting anxiously to come back for the entire time.

What is Woodward? …heaven! A huge place full of skateparks (indoor and outdoor), dirt jumps, FMX jumps, resi ramps, foam pits, gymnastic equipment, and Pro riders like Daniel Dhers, Jamie Bestwick, and Antony Napolitan. Oh…and me?!

Coming here from where I live something that is hard to explain. Croatia is place with no dirt jumps, no foam pits, no resi, and no skateparks. So, when a person like me, who loves riding so much, comes to such a place for the first time. . .you cannot might be able to understand why I’m so passionate to use all my time here 100%.

Unfortunately, there was small problem ...my bike and gear didn't arrive!! I spent the first day planning out everything I would do when it showed up. Luckily, after two days, my bike finally arrived so I was able to rock and roll!

Although it might seem strange, I actually learned all the tricks that I wanted to in first day! First try! It was crazy to work on one trick all year in Croatia and then come here and clean it first try! It makes me sad a little because I know that I have spend years trying to learn tricks in crazy conditions, and here, with the right equipment and gear, it was so simple.

I tried a backflip tail-whip and did it first try into the foam, then took it to the resi and did it second try. I learned so fast, it was like, “ok, Next?!”

After three days of riding like crazy, my friend and I where invited to have dinner in Don Hampton’s house and see the DH Production office.

It was very cool and a great way to end my ‘spring training’.

Before I sign off, I’ve got to say thanks to Don! Don Hampton is amazing person and has been a great friend from the first day that I met him. He helped me a lot, and introduce me to a lot of great riders like Aaron Chase. So, THANKS DON!

I can’t wait to go home and keep working on all the great tricks I learned. See you all this summer! - Mislav

I just read an interesting article in an outdoor magazine about the stereo-typing of fishermen. Yes, it was interesting! (my co-worker is chuckling at me)

It talked about how quickly people would judge the type of fishing a guy was doing based on whether the fellow showed up with matching and coordinated vest/hat/hipwaders and pulled a rod out of his BMW vs. the guy in the stained tanktop and a plaid shirt off-loading a beat up boat he drags behind his ’87 Chev ½ ton. Based on clothing alone, the other fisherman said they could very quickly tell which one was going fly fishing and which one was fishing for sturgeon.

K. . .here’s the best part – the gear the guys used immediately created an "apparent or perceived" class difference between the two men, even though they were both engaged in the same sport and may share the same passion and love for fishing.

This got me grinning as I thought it was only OUR sport that had these goofy sweeping generalizations. You know what I’m talking about. . .

We all enjoy rolling on two wheels but it’s always pretty tough for me to get a roadie to wave back if I’m riding on a mountain bike. Or how Triathletes only seem to see or acknowledge other ‘wedge-head’ helmeted riders on bikes equipped with aero bars.

. . .and geeze! Don’t even get me going on those dread-locked baggy-clothed, skate shoe wearing dirtbag mountain bikers you see high fivin’ each other in the lift lines. They probably just use the chairlift and their bikes to go check on their crops. Right!?

COME ON NOW, THIS IS ALL WRONG!

Some of the nicest mountain bikers I know sport dreads. Some of the most unexpected ‘looking’ people are wicked talented riders and people who you would be (and I am) proud to hang out with, to ride with, work with and travel all over the world with!

So, why is it the longer some people are in this sport the more snobbish they seem to become? Not everyone of course. . .not you! I’m talking about those other guys. I’m sure you still say HI to a slower rider as you pass them on your road bike or stop and ask them how their day is going when you meet them on the trails. I’m talking about "all those other guys" that don’t do that. You know, riders that are too busy to take two minutes to make the simple acknowledgment from one rider to another that we’re all out here having fun.
Together!

I think that is why I like riding with beginner-intermediate riders so much. ‘Cause they still LOVE the sport and are just so stoked to be out there doing it, but they don’t care what they wear, or if their bike has the best fork. They are out there acting like little kids and just riding for the fun of it. Like we ALL should be.

So, promise me this OK? When you finally drag your bike out of the shed and dust it off to go for a pedal remember to wave to the other riders out there. Give ‘em the smile that acknowledges you both are out there for the same reasons.

For 2008, no more sweeping generalizations! Go Have Fun! Fire a few more high fives around, even if it is to that dread-haired hippy dude beside you in the lift line! Don’t judge that book by its cover. You never know, asking him or her how their day is going may change your whole out-look on riding.

Enough rambling, gotta go ride!

What a way to start 2008. Canada’s three-time Olympian Eric Wohlberg did what he does best—took a great win—to start the season off for Symmetrics Cycling.

The legendary time triallist did what has worked well for him for almost almost 15 years: solo away to victory. Wohlberg rode alone for almost 40km, finishing ahead of Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) and Anibal Borrajo (Colavita/Sutter Home.) 2008 was a veritable improvement on last year’s—Wohlberg tried the same thing but was ultimately caught.

Wohlberg made his move from a lead group of 25, which was full of heavy hitters—all of the top American teams ready to show off their stuff: from the infamous Rock Racing team, Colavita/Sutter Home, Bissell, BMC, and more.

"I am happy for myself and the team. We’ve had some tough times lately with losing some sponsors but I hope that the win signals a healthy year ahead," Wohlberg said after the race. "Cam Evans and Andrew Randell also had good legs so I’m hoping we can carry this form into the other California races."

Read the FULL INTERVIEW at symmetricscycling.com

Norco gains some props from an unusual source - the graphic design industry.

Check out the designers comments on the Norco Volt frame.

Darcy hosts a sucessful weekend of ladies-only riding, skills development, and brownies!

As some of you may know, I partnered with Sooke Cycles last weekend to host a beginner women's riding clinic in, you guessed it, Sooke! I can honestly say it went off without a hitch!

Before I go into details, I want to thank all the girls who came out, layered up, put on their beautiful new pink Norco t-shirts, and rode all weekend in the mud. Luckily though, despite the cold and mud, the sun gods were smiling upon us and gave us two rain-free days...and we all know that March on Vancouver Island can be nasty. You girls are awesome and I was such a proud little coach seeing you improve so much over the weekend. Pretty soon you'll be coaching me!

Our first day was mostly dedicated to building basic skills from breaking and shifting, to balancing and, everyone’s favourite, dismounting. I’m sure none of them signed up expecting to spend 30 minutes practicing how to fall! I think they were grateful for the skill though the next day when we hit the trails at Broom Hill. It was amazing to see everybody gain so much confidence by the end of the first day.

Day 2 we really put that confidence to the test! Broom Hill is a local riding area in Sooke that offers a range of highly technical trails with big jumps, and intermediate singletrack. We opted for the singletrack, but the group challenged themselves when they collectively agreed that they wanted to ride to the summit. It was a great warm-up to the decent. The girls rocked it despite wet conditions and the long climb!

I couldn't have asked for a better group and I don't think I heard one negative thing come out of their mouths all weekend. Thanks for getting me motivated and being such a positive influence on me girls! We all had a lot of fun and definitely earned all the food that Thrifty Foods provided us with...and those brownie squares that Kendall baked for us to get us through our day 2 ride. I think that was the highlight for me! Just kidding...they sure were good though.

I'll be holding more camps throughout the summer so stay tuned to the Norco site for more details.

Thanks again to the girls, Sooke Cycle, Norco, Thrifty Foods, and Sea- Parc Recreation for making this happen!

-Darcy

While most people use their summers for barbecues and beach days, the Teeter family will be pedalling their bicycles across Canada for ALS.

The Teeter brothers – Michael, Aaron and Adam - lost their father Steve to ALS in 1994.

The Brothers Bike for ALS is their dream to raise funds and awareness about the disease that took their father.

”As a family who has lost a loved one to ALS, our hope is to encourage others by sharing our story,” says Adam.

The brothers, along with their wives Juliet, Amy and Heather, will be on the road from May 28 to August 2, 2008. Adam and Aaron, who live in London and Hamilton, Ontario, respectively, will join Michael in Langley, British Columbia to kick off their tour. Their goal is to raise $52,000 as they bike through many communities from coast to coast.

“We want this fundraiser to celebrate our father’s life and give hope to those living with this terrible disease,” says Michael.

“Our father's life serves as a reminder that we can’t control the end of our days. What we can control is the quality of the life we live in the circumstances that we find ourselves. We decided to take control of our grief by organizing this fundraiser,” says Aaron.

For information about their tour check out: Brothers Bike 4 ASL

Source: ASL Society of Canada

Norco LRT & CORSA

Ok...so there are no 'whistles', but both the Norco LRT series and Corsa series do include fenders, racks, and of course, bells!

LRT 1 Features:
~ Shimano/FSA 24 speed gearing for all types of terrain
~ Reliable Shimano hubs with double wall rims and flat protection tires
~ Lightweight Aluminium frame with Chromoly fork
~ Ritchey lightweight handebar, stem, and steapost

Norco's commuter series bikes make city riding easy and convenient. The LRT offers a 26" wheel and light aluminium frame at two affordable price points, while the Corsa series provides larger 700c wheels, comes in both a traditional and step-thru frame design, and aims to provide a bit more comfort. If you prefer even more performance but still want to stay within a reasonable budget, be sure to check out the VFR (flat-bar road bike series).

When your bike is more than just a weekend distraction . . . it's a way of life.

Hello!

Just a quick hello from the Seattle Bike Expo; thought I would leave you with this little video blog instead of writing too much, check it out....

Peace,

Ryan

One thing I love about Norco is that the company has always focused on hiring incredible riders who are also incredible people. Although I know I’m probably biased, I think Norco’s Factory Team really are some the most impressive, professional athletes in the industry.

As an insider, I get to see much more of what goes into being a pro than just the day they stand on the podium. I’ve seen the incredible effort Fionn puts into off-season training, the countless unpaid hours Hoots ungrudgingly gives to the local riding community, and the sleepless nights of stunt-building by headlamp that Ben does to complete a film or photo segment. I see riders like Darcy and Dylan juggle full-time school and part-time jobs, while still trying to find enough time to stay on their bikes.

Every year Norco receives hundreds of emails, phone calls, and letters about sponsorship. In fact I can’t think of one event I’ve attended where, at some point, a rider has walked up and asked, “How do I become a sponsored rider?”

Unfortunately, there is no set job description or easy answer to this question since every company looks for something a little bit different. However, there are a few things we all want to see, and you might be surprised that it’s more than just your ‘mad-skillz’. Of course you need to know how to ride, and to ride well, but there is so much more to being a professional rider than race results. (Once again, keep in mind, this is my opinion, and Norco does things a bit differently. There may be companies out there that only care about podiums and medals.)

However, here are a few straight-forward DOs and DON’Ts when you are looking for sponsorship:

DO. . .have a professional, up-to-date resume (yes, that means a cover letter, resume, and photos *video is always a huge bonus too*)

DON’T. . .assume being a great rider is enough. There are hundreds of great riders out there, and there is always someone better.

DO. . .follow up within a month to be sure the correct person has seen your resume.

DON’T. . .torment the team manager by calling or emailing every day. (don’t laugh, it happens!)

DO. . .take time to improve your public speaking and writing skills. Your ability to interact with the public and with the media will be just as important as your ability to ride. Plus, both of these skills will build your confidence and help you to ‘sell’ yourself when you start looking for sponsors.

DON’T. . .slag companies or products. Giving honest feedback is one thing (and companies often want that) but getting onto forums and spouting off about how ‘so and so sucks so much!’ can really come back to haunt you.

DO. . .work out something with your local shop first. Grassroots sponsorship is a great way to learn how to be a professional rider.

DON’T. . .forget that other riders, especially kids, watch you and look up to you when you are talented. Whether you are sponsored or not, other riders WILL notice how you treat your riding environment, how you dress (yes, that means wearing a helmet like your mom always wanted you to), and most of all, how you treat other people.

DO. . .realise that being a sponsored rider is a JOB. Yes, it is a dream job to get paid to ride and have people giving you free gear but there are responsibilities and expectations. A company is hiring you to be their face and voice on the mountain so don’t be shocked when they expect to have a say in what you do or say out there.

Honestly though, the best way to learn how to be a professional rider is look closely at the riders you admire. You don’t have to become a carbon-copy of Jay Hoots or Ryan Leech, but watch what they do and how they act in public and you can quickly learn about what it means to be a professional.

- Norco PR Girl (filling in for Steak-Sauce)

Still One-Of-A-Kind

Although street and dirt specific bikes haven't really been around that long the Two50 is a bike with a surprising amount of history.

Can you give us a brief history of the Two50?
Dave (Norco Bike Division): Sure. The first Two50 came out almost 8 years ago in 2001 and was a huge departure from anything that was happening at the time. I believe the first model won 'Bike of the Year' from Mountain Biking Magazine.

Why was it so different?
Dave: Well, at the time people were starting to market 'shore' style hardtails as dirt jumping bikes, but no one really made anything specifically for street riding or dirt jumping, they all assumed kids like that would want a 'do everything' type bike. To be honest, that's what most companies still do, there are very few dedicated bikes for this niche.

You seem very excited about the 2008 version in particular, why is that?
Dave: This year's bike is FIVE pounds lighter than last years (30lbs)! We were able to find some new vendors and materials, so the frame and components are stronger and lighter than anything we've used in the past. I love riding a steel frame, for both the feel and the durability, so having a lighter bike in the material I prefer is pretty sweet. As well, we sourced some higher-end BMX components this year and used the lighter Rockshox Argyle 302 fork, while still keeping things simple with one rear mechanical disc brake and a single-speed drivetrain.

What about the graphics? They're pretty eye-catching.
Dave: The aesthetic design of the entire series is very different than anything we've done in the past. We wanted to really break away from the traditionally dark, industrial look of these types of bikes and give riders a chance to express their individuality. We don't expect everyone to love them, but we wanted to get people talking. One thing we focused on this year was really working to find exact colour matches to the frame with the bar, stem, pedals, and fork. We already spend so many hours discussing (and arguing . . .lots of arguing *laughs*) about parts and spec, so we wanted people to see that reflected in the bikes overall 'look'.

Anything else you want to add?
Dave: hmmm . . . Did you know that the Two50 is one of the only mountain bikes with a Spanish BB? I only know of one other small independant company that does it. When I said this bike really has BMX roots, I wasn't kidding.

Want to know more about the Two50? Two50 Parts & Spec

There are many young riders that come and go. One day they’re hot, then the next they’re gone. Over the last decade, I kept noticing this one local kid, Dylan; he always made me double take by pulling these amazing trials moves off out of the blue. He has exceptional and diverse riding skills (always has a new trick with style), he’s hilarious (usually by making fun of himself), and he has an great work ethic.

You can learn a lot from Dylan, his training techniques might not be too wise to emulate (ie: who needs a foam pit), but his priorities are solid. It would be easy for him to be totally romanced by all the opportunities that riding has brought and totally forget about school. He stuck to his values though and is now finishing up his fourth year Economics degree. Smart Kid! Props to you my friend, both on and off bike!!

- Ryan Leech

Read the FULL INTERVIEW on NSMB.com