Exclusive: Norco Prototype

Author: | 26 November 2010 | 48

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Look what just rocked up in the UK with the Dirt Norco team….

Don’t expect to see these in the shops any time soon though, the 2011 Team DH as ridden by Ben Reid and Dan Stanbridge has already been launched, so this frame is just a development project at the moment, but this looks like exciting stuff from the guys over at Norco.

dirtnorco1 Exclusive: Norco Prototype

dirtnorco2 Exclusive: Norco Prototype

benried1 Exclusive: Norco Prototype

Ben Reid gets his hands on the frame.

norco2011 Exclusive: Norco Prototype

The 2011 Team DH

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48 Responses to “Exclusive: Norco Prototype”

  1. Loving the new frame, don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that before…

  2. First Norco in a long time that hasn’t been pig-vomiting-in-the-street ugly

  3. looks like nice altough it seems to be a session 2 with lapierre details.
    and what’s with those huge reducer cups on the shock?

  4. looks like a trek? looks a lot better than the production rig

  5. Jesus norco put a stop on that 2011 minger and get that beaut rush released! I know looks mean zilch but its about time they made something that looks good. Most of their range looks pants.

  6. looks like a trek session 88 with Norco stickers on it

  7. Looks like a slimmed down Trek Session, looks really cool. Nice little details like in-built seat clamp etc. :D

  8. Come on guys, the Trek has a floating shock and pivots around the rear axle.
    Mike.

  9. COME ON MIKE…you have to admit that its pretty damn close to a session…like reeeeeaaaally close…

  10. Its just first impressions Mike. I bet its got good angles and geo, but it does look like several other brands DH efforts. Does it matter? A little maybe, but with Ben on it, give it some cool graphics and paint, a good price and no one will care. Good work Norco I say.

  11. Its looks great, I agree that there quite a few DH bikes are looking pretty similar these days. All following a similar style if different systems and detail. They all look good though!

  12. Schhhhhhweeet!!!! Looks like Christmas came early for Baltic then? forget riding it, just frame it and hang it over the mantlepiece. would look even nicer with the Drit decals on ‘er.

  13. that looks slick ben… have fun on that. It looks well light!

  14. Its looks like a Kona Operator/Trek Session mix?!

  15. Mike, it has got a floating shock hasnt it???

  16. trek/new commencal/kona? but looks sick

  17. @Mike
    You’ve got to admit DH bikes are converging on the same look of swoopy Hydroformed top/down tubes with a rocker link.
    If not that then they look like tyhe outgoing Commy Supreme DH, it’s a shame, I miss DH bikes all being crazy shapes.

  18. What the story with the bike industry? All dowhill bikes looks the same nowadays! Come on Intense and Santa cruz keep creating original dowhill bikes! Ben would please tidy that shed up? ;-)

  19. looks like a tuner afterburner from 1998!!!!

  20. Looks Great! Love the integrated fork bumpers and seatpost clamp. Clean cablerouting and looks to be good at shedding mud. Well done Norco. Can’t wait to see Baltic show what it’s capable of.

  21. Loving the comments about Norcos.
    I have a 2010 team dh and I LURVE it (but then I would). I must admit that they never look great in the catalogue shots but in the metal they look alot better.
    It really is all secondary to the ride, which is excellent, especially considering the money it cost me.

  22. UUUMMMM TREK

  23. It is basically the Specilized FSR link. Just look at the layout, pivot on the chainstay etc. Anyone spot anything different?
    Mike.

  24. Look like the back end will have a very similar movement to the demo but without the baggage. I like it!!

  25. And then Norco came along and decided to make a less efficient version of the Session 88…

  26. Less efficient huh? Give me a minute to find my efficiency reading glasses….
    Sure enough, It’s 2.364% less efficient. Good guess TomYum!

  27. No idea on the Geo, but this is a Session 88 without ABP and with a Horst Link.

  28. Trek similarities aside… who cares really. Suspension design is good and well proven too.

    This is the first Norco I’ve ever liked the look of. If I’m in the market for a DH rig when/if it comes out (providing its got good geo), I’ll seriously consider it.

  29. CMON! thats a joke isn’t it? KOna should be ashamed of the trek rip off (operator)but this is the next level in the copying cup. Norco designers were actually paid to come up with that. You can’t jump from the junk they’ve been making to that. If it were a motorcycle or car there would be law suits.

  30. I can see where all the trek rip off comments are coming from. It has alot to do with the way the linkage plates seem to flow into the seatstays. Lots of companies do this now (kona anyone?) and it has alot to do with fashion. And of course it’s a specialized linkage, that’s what norco pay spesh for isn’t it?

    Not sure how people can read suspension efficiency from a picture though? The horst link is pretty much tried, tested and recognised as an excellent suspension system. As long as they get the geo AND the pricing right, they should shift a ton of these.

  31. Norco being Canadian won’t have to pay Specialized for the use of the horst link. The patent only covers America itself apparently.
    So anything they sell outside the US will be exempt from the royalties, iirc.

  32. Integrated seat clamp looks different.

    It is about time Norco build a nice looking bike.

    And to the people who think it looks like other bikes.Thats what people say who aren’t into Mountain bikes…Look at cars,they all have 4 wheels and doors,they look the same ?

  33. That looks better than most (err… all) bikes Norco has been selling in the past years.

  34. I like the new look. Never liked the swooping tubes and cuts norco did in the past. It does look it its FSR with the pivots on the chainstay and the pivot near the BB hints at the FSR more and more. The front triangle does hit at most other bikes but its still a vast improvement to the look they had before. Built in seat clamp, save weight? Is it slacker?

  35. Slacker than the old one? 2010 team dh has a 64 deg HA which is fairly normal these days. You could fit an angleset if you want more adjustment.

  36. All this talk of rip off and being ashamed etc etc. What a load of bollocks. Its not like car makers and computer makers and sneaker makers and jean makers and shirt makers and………..you get my drift. Wake up punters. Its form following fashion and it sells and I like it. Great looking bike….just like the Session and Operator and Turner Afterburner circa 1998. Thumbs up Norco.

  37. Who was riding this yesterday at Triscombe then??

    Looked really nice in the flesh.

  38. [...] Su Dirtmag sono uscite le primissime immagini esclusive del nuovo prototipo da dh di Norco che verrà con ogni probabilità commercializzato nel 2012. Ben Reid e Dan Stanbridge correranno la prossima stagione con questo mezzo per il team Dirt Norco. Lo schema utilizzato rimane lo stesso dell’attuale modello in commercio, un parallelogramma con giunto Horst. Diversa posizione di ammo e biella. Rispetto al modello attuale il prototipo non ha il tubo sella interrotto. Per maggiori info date uno sguardo al pezzo su Dirt >> link. [...]

  39. Folks, please…Mike is right. Look a bit closer. This Norco NRS-1 is quite unique.

  40. [...] Dirt blog comments powered by Disqus [...]

  41. Looks like the giant glory but with much better geometry I am sure!

  42. That looks way better then the current frame! BEAUT!

  43. Norco in non-Fugly Bike shocker!

  44. SAAAWEEEET

    Will you take a trade in with my 05 team dh? even swap??

    I cant wait to test ride this bad girl!

  45. Waou !!! An other TREK !!

  46. [...] 2010 @ 2:42 PM | Author: billyYou may have seen the photos last week showing a new delivery to the Dirt Norco Team HQ, and after lots of speculation about its design, aesthetics and future plans, we are pleased to [...]

  47. [...] may have seen the photos last week showing a new delivery to the Dirt Norco Team HQ, and after lots of speculation about its design, aesthetics and future plans, we are pleased to [...]

  48. giant main frame/specialized seat-tube strengthening/trek rear triangle………patent….what patent!

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