English
DECEMBER 2007
On behalf of all the Norco staff, I want to wish you a very Happy Holidays and a fantastic New Year.
I hope you are all able to take a break and enjoy time with family and friends (and maybe even get out for a ride.) I know I’ll keep trying to ride over the holidays; it always helps burn off some of the great food I’m looking forward to.
As we look ahead to 2008, I wanted to ask, ‘are you thinking green?’ I know I am, and that it is a big focus for Norco in the coming season as well.
Although as cyclists many of us already make a conscious effort to be “green” at home and in our lives, there are still many places where we can all improve. You will be pleased to know we have started a ‘green team’ as part of our corporate objective to do be a more environmentally focused company and office. We have already received about 50 great ideas put forward from our staff and we’ve already put a few of them into place. This isn’t just a “paint it green” smoke screen either, we have some very realistic and measurable goals for this year.
An example of this would be to reduce photo copy paper consumption by at least 30% in 2008 (this means we will use 200,000 less sheets next year) AND to change our current paper to a product that is a minimum of 30+% post consumer waste-recycled content. Note: all paper is now recycled around the office and has been for some time.
My goal, call it a new year’s resolution if you like, is to decrease my carbon footprint. Factory Team rider, Ryan Leech (who is already way ahead of me and us on this issue) has been helping me work out the math so that I can make a difference. We’ve calculated that by commuting to and from work roughly 50 weeks a year I add approximately 2.1 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. Yikes!
I will go on record here in front of all of you and commit to reducing this figure by at least 30% in 2008. To achieve this, I will have to pedal my bike at least 50 days next year and also drive my much lower-emission moto to work at least 50 times as well. That means parking my truck for at least 100 days next year. (think of the $$ I'll save, in addition to the CO2)
Hmmm, now, the question is, can I do this? I think YES! Although it sounds like a lot, it works out to only 2 days a week by pedal and moto. I’ll keep you posted.
So, what do you think? Can you think of a small change you can commit to as well? No pressure from me, this is a personal goal, but as we swing into the near year, this is a great time to ask yourself, ‘what am I doing to make a difference?’
As my extended family reading this, I wish you all the best for 2008!!
Tailwinds and sunny skies,
SteakSauce
How long has it been since you thought of your bike as more than just sport or hobby? How often do you get frustrated with a busy schedule that leaves no time for your bike? Maybe the New Year is a perfect time to consider your bicycle in a New Way. 2008 could be your year to become a cycling commuter. Whether you choose to ease into it by riding one day a week, or you set the lofty goal of transforming into a full-time bicycle commuter, this is a New Year’s resolution that will change your life.
“It’s also real money saved, real pounds lost, and real reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Visit smarttrips.org, the website of Colorado advocacy group SmartTrips, to log your miles and calculate your savings. The average (North) American drives (47 km) 29 miles per day. If you use a bike instead of a car just one day per week, in one year you could save more than $1,000 in gas and car costs, burn 15 pounds’ worth of calories and prevent 74 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, says SmartTrips” - Bicycling Magazine, Jan/Feb 2008 -
Not sure what sort of bike you should choose to get started? Have a look at our 2008 VFR (flat bar road bike) series, or the LRT or CORSA bikes that already come equipped with fenders, racks, and bells. Still not sure? Compare models online, or stop by your Local Norco Dealer to get plenty of advice and help in getting started.
To read the rest of the article about commuting and setting realistic cycling goals, be sure to pick up the January/February issue of Bicycle Magazine on the newsstand, or go to bicycling.com
If you passed Darcy Turenne on the side of your favourite trail you’d likely take notice. The beautiful 23 year-old brunette stands nearly six feet tall and wears a seemingly permanent grin. The trouble is you wouldn’t pass Turenne at trail side, she’d pass you.
No matter what the sport it’s seldom that an athlete enjoys the sweet taste of victory in their first attempt at competing. For Victoria resident and professional mountain biker Darcy Turenne the taste was very sweet indeed.
Darcy got her first mountain bike at age 14, mostly because she was jealous of friends who had them. Later that year a teacher at her high school started an all girls mountain bike team and in July of 1999 Turenne entered into her first mountain bike race. It was an event supported by a local bike store at the backwoods trails in Comox, British Columbia and coincidentally it would be the first of her many trips to the top of the podium. It’s a win that Turenne still looks back on somewhat comically “I won [laughter] but mostly because I was the only one in the mini-me class”.
Check out the FULL INTERVIEW on nsmb.com
After qualifying for the final, Bell ended up lapping the field with four other riders.
In the end, he had to pop out the back and sprint around everyone. At that point, Bell thought he had locked up the win, 'I did think the race was mine but then Kluge came around me and took it. Still, second at a world cup is great for me so obviously things are going well.' The Symmetrics Cycling Fuelled By FarmPure team congratulates Bell on his first World Cup medal!
For more Symmetrics news check out: symmetricscycling.com
So I run right outside and hoop onto my bike and try to do a wheelie down the street and I end up looping out after ten feet. All right, must have been a fluke, lets see if I can hop up the rocks around my driveway. Foot slides off and I donate some blood to the cause.
For the Full Review go to: whistlermountainbike.com
The film features all three riders achieving some of the most incredible trails lines I have ever seen in a film. My favorite section of the movie is definately Thomas Ohler's. This was my first introduction to his riding and I was definately impressed. He is soooo smooth and flowy in every trick that he does, often linking many tricks together and leaving you wondering 'how the ...'.
For the Full Review go to: asilvertouch.com
I was even luckier last Friday when we had a nice window of weather and I had to be in Victoria that afternoon. Instead of taking my truck across the ferry to the island, I parked it and after crossing to Vancouver Island had a great ride in on my road bike. I popped onto the Lockside Trail that parallels the usual highway drive route, and was handed a fantastic mix of quiet paved roads and gravel topped paths. This pretty route must have followed an old rail line as there were some cool sections of bridging across low-lying marshes and waterways and also cut down through some rock outcroppings. If you get a chance, check that one out!
As December rolls around it is time to introduce our 2008 Norco Factory Team. Norco is super stoked to have most of our heavy hitters back on board and confirmed again for ’08 and some for ’09 too. Check out the article below read all about our 2008 team.
Till next time, enjoy your riding. If you haven’t yet had a snow ride, get out for one if you get a chance.
Tailwinds and sunny skies,
Ryan Leech: A rider who really needs no introduction. Trials superstar, absolute ambassador for our sport, as well as Norco, and title spokesperson for his Trials of Life tour. This year, Ryan did over 150 demos all over the world and recently released his new DVD CRUX. Check this out if you have a chance, the teasers we have been showing are just that, teasers. The real thing is worth watching over and over. He makes it look all too easy! Great to have you aboard again for your 11th year Ryan!
Jay Hoots: Most people are familiar with this dreaded fun loving team rider. Hoot’s strengths don’t stop with his diverse arsenal of riding skills. His never-ending giggling laugh and enthusiasm to inspire the young rippers as a mentor have driven Jay to become one of the premier authorities on Bike Skills Parks in North America. Don’t judge the book by its cover, although Jay’s smile and relaxed manner suggest that he takes life pretty easy, this is one rider who is always on the go!
Fee waits anxiously in the hotseat at the Vigo, Spain World Cup, to see if anyone will take her place with the fastest time of the day.
Fionn Griffiths: One of the worlds fastest pro women DH and 4X racers, Fee finished up the season in 10th overall (Pro Women's DH) and is looking at bettering that in 2008. This 2-time World Championship Silver medalist is capable of being on the podium on any given weekend. Based in the UK but training in Colorado and Australia, we are looking forward to seeing her here in Canada for the 2 World Cups this coming year! Follow Fee down a hill and I guarantee you will be grabbing the brake levers long before she even starts thinking about slowing down.
Ben ecstatically celebrates his Crankworx Slopystyle win.
Ben Boyko: Ben stood at the pinnacle of the freeride world in 2007 with his win at the grand-daddy of all freeriding event, the Whistler Crankworx Slopestyle. This win combined with his major segment in the latest New World Disorder film, plenty of trips and shoots with photographers, his non-stop trail building schedule and finishing 5th overall in the Qashqai series made this Ben’s busiest and most successful season yet. Ben has also been spending plenty of time in the Norco office helping to design a new VPS Five slopestyle-specific bike that he hopes to be on as early as Jan ’08. Watch for sneak-peak news on that bike soon...
Darcy Turenne: Darcy is another freerider who had a very successful 07 season. This year she signed back on with Norco and settled into a busy schedule of riding and filming as the hostess for the world-televised Ride Guide series.
Although firmly planted with two feet on the Norco Factory Team, she also rides on the Oakley World Team and Dakine. Darcy just returned from a busy fall that included a photo shoot in Hawaii, ride guide filming in Israel, and a training week in Spain. Did you know Darcy actually rode for us a few years ago as a grassroots DH racer? We are excited to welcome her smile back into our family here!
Dylan Korba: We know him as the wildcard that can be played at any stage of the game. Although Dylan is fairly fresh on the scene, he is already an extremely diverse rider with incredible skills and potential. His trials background (yes really!… don’t believe me? watch his segment in CRUX!) has given him a unique approach to slopestyle and allowed him to develop fresh, challenging freeride lines. Dylan is equally at home back-flipping his Four-X in the woods, or pulling an Abubuca off a 15’ high vertical wall. Watch out for this guy, it’s only a matter of time till everyone in the freeride world knows his name.
Mislav Mironovic: The Croatian Sensation as we affectionately call him, or was it the Croatian Dalmatian? (sorry, couldn’t pass it up, inside joke) Although you might not know his name, freeriders in Europe sure do!
Mislav meets the Boneyard in Whistler for the first time.
Mislav’s positive and irrepressible enthusiasm for riding, coupled with his amazing abilities on a bike have already earned him a spot as a top freerider in his corner of the world. This fall, Mislav has kept himself busy representing Norco and Red Bull in Europe, taking the top spot in several European freeride competitions and competing in Israel at the Dead Sea Dirt Jump Comp. Now there’s a first!
So as you can see, we are understandably proud of the athletes who will represent Norco in 2008. Watch for their updates on our website and for special feature stories on this E-news, ike the attached stories from Dylan and Mislav on their off-season surgery tune-up. So much for thinking that being a pro athlete was such a glamorous life.
- Steak-Sauce
Another thanks is due to any riders out there who grabs a copy and enjoys it! I hope you get pumped to go riding. Crux is now another chapter in my somewhat interesting life but I am already moving on to the next chapter, ankle surgery.
About two years ago I mucked up my ankle real good and chipped a bunch of bone inside the joint. The ankle would constantly swell up on me and hurt because the bone chips were always pinching and getting stuck in the joint.
Sometimes I couldn’t even move my ankle because it would lock up.
So after several rounds of CT scans, an MRI, and countless x-rays, Dr. Boyer (a great surgeon) went in and preformed arthroscopic surgery on it. He used the scope to find and remove bone chips and basically give the joint a good clean up. This was my first surgical experience and my first time going under on general anesthetic. It was quite interesting as I tried to resist falling asleep but it was impossible. Once they throw that general anesthetic in your arm you are a goner.
I awoke in another room in the hospital and there was a hot, young nurse wearing a black hoody…. I thought I was dreaming, I wasn’t, but it was too good to be true. It turned out she wasn’t my nurse…oh well it probably wouldn’t have worked out anyhow…she was wearing pumas.
When I woke up I was groggy and didn’t feel so good but supposedly the surgery went really well and they got all the chips and it is just a matter of recovering back to 100%,. YAY!
Of course, currently I can’t walk on the ankle and it is swollen up along with my foot to about twice its normal size. However, I am sure with a bunch of icing and then some serious physiotherapy it won’t be too long until I am back riding. For right now though, watching the new Die Hard move with my parents seems to be what’s in order. Bruce Willis = dreamy! Okay I think that anesthetic hasn’t worn off yet.
Actually, one neat point was that I had to sign a release that said I can’t drive a car or sign any legal documents within 24 hours of the surgery. I was thinking about trying to take out a 5 million dollar loan and then saying, “I never took that out it, was the medication!!” (while I had already hidden it in an offshore bank account in the Caymans). I couldn’t drive though, so I couldn’t make it to the bank. So I didn’t get the 5 mil but I have gotten my ankle back if the recovery goes to plan.
So to anyone who reads this on the next nice day, go take a rip for me! No Carmel frappe today unless they make an Advil Frappuccino…
I will keep everyone posted on my recovery process.
One last shout out to all the islanders who attended the Crux premiere this past weekend! Sorry I missed it but I was cut up, although I heard it was off the hook and there was some hollering from none other than Jason “The Champ” Nickels (Who I am sure at this point would like me to point out that he beat me in sport in ‘99 or ‘98 ).
- Dylan 'Cobra' Korba
I have not written in awhile because I just returned from the Pannonian Challenge 8! That is the name of the biggest event in Croatia and this part of Europe.
I went 7 days before the event started because I wanted to help build jumps, re-build the skatepark, and get in a few extra training runs. This competition featured a mountain bike street-style course with some jumps.
Unfortunately, my first run was not that good because I fell on my first backflip. After that I did few more tricks but I decided to take it easy and rock on the 2nd run, which I did! I started with big flip, then had an amazing run that included a 540° x-up, tailwhip step-up, backflip to manual, 360°, tabletop, downside footplant, FLAIR, barspin tailtap, 180 to 180 out and 540°. It was perfect run and it put me into 1st place!!
Marko Project sponsored the event and was providing a Norco bike for the 1st place price. Since I already have a bike, I gave it to my friend. He doesn’t have a lot of money and he is one on nicest guys. He always wants to ride and help out, but he is always having bike problems.
He was so happy that he started crying in front of the whole crowd! It was very cool.
The event also featured a movie premiere of my huge video, we had a great turnout. Plus, as a result of the video and the 1st place finish, I was able to do interviews for national TV and a radio station. I also had big crash when I was riding for national TV.
I was doing indian air seat grab and I missed my bar with my hands but not with my body! (ouch!)
It has been an amazing fall!
Cheers
- Mislav
PS..check it out. I have shoes to match my bike now.
One more thing, since writing this, I have had to take a little time off for injury. Here's a video from my surgery: