Tag Archives: dirt magazine

Norco Shinobi in the Dirt 100

Article from Dirt Magazine

The art of making 29er bikes able in all terrains, particularly when the going gets technical, has taken bike companies quite some time to perfect, but with the Shinobi from Norco the big-wheeled future is looking bright. All of Norco’s bikes are built to withstand hard use and the sort of technically challenging terrain that surrounds the company’s base in British Columbia, Canada. Norco have aimed this bike at those who like to adventure but also like to push it on the downhills, and the result is a bike that can handle everything you can throw at it. We love riding this bike on super-technical tracks and it does still climb really well. A great balance for any bike, and one that’s especially tricky to achieve with the bigger wheels. Hats off to Norco on a brilliant piece of design that has clearly been thoroughly tried and tested, probably on the their doorstep! Although folk in BC like to huck, and this bike could certainly withstand drops and jumps, it is still a 2ger and is most at home when picking apart nasty technical trails or stomping up back-country climbs.

Download the PDF Here

Getting Dirty with the 2012 Norco Aurum

The development of the 2012 Norco Aurum is pretty closely tied to Dirt Magazine through riders Ben Reid, Dan Stanbridge and the newest team addition Duncan Riffle. With the input of Ben and Dan and an arduous development process the result of this partnership is an all new breed of Norco downhill bikes – The Norco Aurum. Given the tie between Norco, the team and Dirt Magazine it is only fitting that the gear team at Dirt review the Aurum to give their 2 cents in the matter.

After a rigorous testing process, this is what they had to say. Want do download the article? Here is the PDF

Duncan Riffle Joins Dirt Norco Race Team

Norco Bicycles is extremely excited to welcome a third racer to the Dirt Norco Race Team. Norco has been working with Ben Reid and Dan Stanbridge for the past two seasons and have developed the Norco Aurum through this Partnership. Having a third member on this team will only strenghen this relationship. Duncan brings a great lineage of racing to the team and has a great attitude towards the sport.

Everyone at Norco would like to offer Duncan a warm welcome to the team and the best of luck in the coming season. We are looking forward to working with you and offering the tools in making 2012 your best season yet!

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words and text below from dirt.mpora.com

We are pleased to reveal that there will be a new face in the Dirt Norco Race Team pits this year. Alongside Ben Reid and Stanny will be Duncan Riffle.

Stanny:

“Personally, riding and racing bikes is something I love to do, I know Ben is the same and we both enjoy the opportunity to do this each week, we put in the hours to make it happen and have alot of fun along the way. I know Duncan shares that same enthusiasm for the sport and works hard. With a highest world cup finish last year of 14th this clearly shows, and myself and Ben can’t wait to have Duncan on board this year.”

dunc 21 764x1024 Duncan Riffle joins Dirt NorcoD Riff inking his allegiance to Dirt

Duncan:

“I have known Ben and Dan since I started racing overseas really, they are two great guys with extremely positive and motivating attitudes. I know they are hard workers and obviously rippers on the bike.

I can’t express how grateful I am that they have offered me a spot on the Dirt Norco team. The new Norco Aurum DH bikes have lot of man hours of development behind them and I am very enthusiastic to see how she rides, I’ve heard amazing things. As well, being associated with a name like Dirt really is an honor, it has been a household name for me for over a decade and it’s image alone embodies the essence of downhill racing for me since the early days. I am very excited about the season of racing, road trippin’ and adventures ahead of us.”

Another one bites the dust… or at least switches to the big wheel

The past three years has been made up of a few eccentric people that had a passion for the 29″ wheel and a whole lot of doubters. While the masses started to switch their frame of mind and correct the stigma of a bigger wheel recently the shame of being different was still disseminated widely. Over the past 6 months or so we seem to have hit a tipping point where we as a society have finally accepted the 29″ wheel into our daily life, it is no longer a proper custom to discriminate from those that are different among us.

Here is a short quote from Dirt Magazine and one of their 26″ believers. Have a read for yourself.

Three weeks into riding 29ers I no longer sign up to the theory that 26 bikes offer great agility either. In fact I now find them more nervous and slower. For me it clicked on the Norco Shinobi amongst tight flat rooty corners, the place where I had previously been totally struggling to get any kind of timing and flow. Within a few turns and a change of style I found myself leaning, attacking and pulling away from my riding friend who shares similar speed. It was simply a moment of clarity, in an instant manualling, pumping the ground, confident and fully coherent of the timing required. In the mud the bigger wheel size translates to more control during the slide and certainly increased traction.

Read the full article here

Obsessive Testing Disorder – It is an Irish thing…

Our Friends at Dirt Magazine have got together with Ben Reid and Dan Stanbridge of the Dirt Norco Race Team to have a look at their new ride. Ben and Dan have been working hard with the Norco Engineering Team on a new prototype project. Dirt has the full scoop in this month’s magazine. Check out the article here! (Or download the pdf)

and just for fun, watch a quick video of Dirt, a pumptrack and the Stig … Gimp.

Norco’s Profile in Dirt Magazine

The January issue of the UK’s Dirt Magazine features an 8 Page article on Norco’s head office and its deep history at the root of Mountain Biking. Since 1964 Norco has been the the business of Cycling and has been at every turn along the way. This is a great article about the people, places and bikes that make Norco what it is. Check out the images below for the full article or download the pdf here.

Norco partners to make the Dirt Norco Race Team

This coming race season there will a Norco Team DH flying down not only the Women’s World Cup circuit but also the Mens. For 2010 Norco has partnered with Dirt Magazine to create the Dirt Norco Race Team. World Cup racers Ben Reid and Dan Stanbridge will be aboard a Norco through the full World Cup Circuit.

The two members of the 2010 Dirt Norco Race Team, Ben and Dan will travel the world following the UCI World Cup Circuit starting on May 16th in Slovenia all the way to the World Championships at Mt. St Anne in Canada.  They will also be making appearances in North America for events such as The Sea Otter Classic in Monterrey CA and Crankworx in Whistler BC.

Norco is extremely excited to have come on as a sponsor for the Dirt Norco Race Team. Over the past years Norco’s World Cup Race Program has made large strides through the sponsorship of Fionn Griffiths and the Norco World Team. The Addition of the Dirt Team is another step forward in proving the Norco Team DH on the world stage. From everyone at Norco we  wish Ben and Dan the best of luck with the coming season and will be there to help everywhere along the way.

Check out more on the team at: dirtmountainbike.com