REVIEW: Norco Team NS
and Marzocchi Shiver DC

Tried, tested, and still true after months of abuse

Words by Corey Anderson

Photos by Scott Velez

Over the years, Norco Bicycles has earned a solid reputation as one of the best manufacturers to build bikes that withstand the rigors of North Shore riding. Through listening to rider feedback and suggestions, Norco has been very successful in developing a breed of bike that excels in the bike-eating mountains we call home, and a bike that is popular enough to sell out year after year.

A few months ago, I built up a 2003 Team NS with an '03 Marzocchi Shiver. The Team NS combines the big travel of the previous Team DH, and puts it in a package that is designed more for the Shore than the race course. I have logged some serious miles on this new ride, and now it's time to look at how the whole package performs in the dirt. After hours and hours of abuse, this rig continues to take it like one of the smiling Hanson brothers takes a hockey glove in the face. But enough is enough, let's get down to it.


The 2003 Norco Team NS and Marzocchi Shiver, before the torture testing began - Photo: Corey Anderson

Lock and Load

My first serious ride on the bike was with the stock 550lb spring on the rear shock. It didn't take much time to realize that it felt a tad over-sprung for my 175lbs. I settled in on a 500lb spring, and it made a huge difference in how the bike rode and felt. The heavy-duty sealed cartridge bearing pivots, a must on any serious West Coast bike, along with the big 2.5"-stroke Fox RC shock, work together to provide the smooth, seemingly bottomless 8" of rear travel.

The Shiver is sprung from the factory with medium coil springs, and took about two rides (about 4 to 5 hours) to break the fork in to a point where I could not detect any stiction. I did find I was bottoming the fork where I should not have been, and corrected this by increasing the oil level in each leg by 7mm, which made a significant difference in how progressive the fork felt. After this adjustment, the bike felt completely balanced and comfortable.

The Battlefield

The maiden voyage with the Team NS was up Cypress Mountain on one of my favourite loops, beginning with Wild Cherry, followed by Roach Clip, Coiler, Firehose, Mystery DH, and Stupid Grouse. After about 100 metres of trail, I was completely aware that the changes that gave rise to the Team NS consisted of a lot more than just cosmetics.

I immediately noticed that the cockpit was different. Unlike my 2001 DH, which felt more short and upright, this bike was longer and lower. The stand-over height is dramatically reduced thanks to the new monocoque-and-tube frame, the shorter headtube, and the integrated stem on the Shiver. The 66.5 degree head angle and 46.1" wheelbase make the Team NS hold lines in fast corners, and feel stable when pounding over the rough stuff at higher speeds. This also keeps the bike nimble enough to toss around in tight, technical trails.


Rain or shine, the Team NS lays waste to the Shore

The suspension on this frame delivers. The combination of the Fox RC, sealed bearing pivots, and the new link plates result in a rear suspension that feels bottomless.

Once I got my suspension dialled in, the rear end soaked up bumps on the trail like a Baja truck, and I could only find the end of the rear travel on the hardest compressions and bigger drops with ugly landings.

For a bike with all this travel, the Team NS pedals well. An 8" bike will never feel like an XC bike, but it should feel energetic and responsive when the power is turned on.

The four-bar Horst Link rear suspension lets you stand up and hammer without blowing out a lung, and stays relatively firm when grinding away in the technical stuff.

I found that cranking up the compression and rebound dampening on the rear shock made the bike less tiring to pedal and more manageable for longer, fire-road type climbs.

The purr of the Hadley hub is something you really need to ride and hear for yourself to appreciate. The sweet ratchet sound of the three pawls engaging delivers confidence in every pedal stroke, kinda like the bike version of the sweet sounds of a Ferrari V12. The 12mm axle keeps the back of the bike rock solid, and the 150mm hub spacing makes for an excellent chainline with smooth shifting; the matching anodized blue is icing on the cake.

The Fork

The 8"-travel Shiver blew me away. Coming from arguably the stiffest, biggest, most bad-ass fork ever made - the Monster T - I did not know what to expect from a lighter, inverted fork. Once I set the fork up, I was stoked. The inverted design results in a considerably different ride, mostly due the bulk of the weight of the fork being un-sprung at the uppers, and the fact that it is upside down, which means the seals and bushings remain submerged in fork oil.

The Shiver delivers a whole new level of bump sensitivity, and the external preload and rebound adjustment make tweaking it for different trails painless. Slow and tight for drops and slower tech trails, and fast and supple for high speed DH (Whistler). Being a tech head, I really appreciate the ability to tune it externally, and having a wide range of adjustment to experiment with all at my fingertips, sans tools.

I have heard some talk of the Shiver being flexy due to the inverted design, and felt if anyone would detect this, it would be the guy comparing it to a Monster T. I really could not feel any significant difference. There is the
Inverted forks stay well lubed - Photo: Corey Anderson
parking lot test, where the tire is placed between the knees and the bars are torqued either way, and yes, it will flex when doing this. However, I have yet to find a trail where people come out of the bushes to do this to your fork.

It's important to understand that inverted forks gain significant tortional rigidity as they dive into their travel, resulting in a feel that is far from the parking lot scenario. The Shiver eats up bumps, roots, and rocks with ease, and will float you over child-size boulders and any drop you point it at. [For those times that baby heads aren't enough of a challenge, right, Corey? - Ed.]

It's all in the details

The way a bike is finished is important. Sure it isn't really performance related, but when you drop hard-earned bones on a new rig, you want it to look decent six months down the road. I'd be lying if I said this bike didn't buck me a bunch of times; I took several nice yard sales on this thing and sent it cart-wheeling down the trail. Each time I seemed to come away a lot worse off than the bike did.


Flying through the air with the greatest of ease

Despite pinballing down rocks and being knocked around in the back of pick-ups, the paint of the frame has held up very well. All of the contact points where my legs and shoes rub the frame are still looking good, and cable rub is minimal.

Having clear-coat over the decals is a nice touch. Say good-bye to torn and worn-out decals; this is the only way to do it.

Another nice touch that shouldn't go over looked is the provision for full-length cables. Being able to use full-length cables keeps the inners clean and smooth.

In a punishing environment like the Wet Coast, this cuts down on shifter cable maintenance and keeps shifting smoother for longer periods of time. The cable guides on the frame are clean and placed perfectly.

Are there any cons?

I have to be honest - there is little that I didn't like about this bike. But if I had to say anything, it would be related to climbing performance due to it being a big-travel bike. With increased travel comes increased weight. My bike with my build kit weighs in at around 45 lbs. Not bad for a big bike, but no feather either. The reality is strength and durability come with a bit of a weight penalty, but when push comes to shove, this is a bike meant to go big and burly on - it is not a true weight-watching race bike.

In the end, I'd rather tote around the extra few pounds and not think twice about what my bike's going to do when I land a drop eight months into its life span. If you want this bike to climb better, you can make use of the provision for a front derailleur and throw on a double ring with a granny.

It would also be a nice touch to see International Standard chainguide mounting tabs on this bike. That would eliminate rotation when the guide hits a rock or stump, and just be a nice finishing touch. However, it has been confirmed by a reliable source that the 2004 bike will be addressing this.

Who Wants It?

If you want a bike that can take its lumps better than you can, this is for you. The $2059 Team Shore frame, which includes a 12mm / 150 Hadley hub, and the Shiver at $2500 are goods you can beat up on the local trails with confidence, and are more than capable enough to get you some results at your next DH race. Better yet, they won't break your bank and leave you collecting pop cans to pay for your season's pass at Whistler or your entry fees at the races.

Specs: 5 
Ride: 5 
Price: 4 
Overall: 4.5 
Pros: Cons:
- Excellent attention to   detail
- Inclusion of Hadley hub
- Excellent ride quality

- No chainguide tabs for   2003
- No rear shock options