News Roundup - Week of December 2nd

Norco Announces Un-Pause of Factory DH Team

Norco Bicycles will reinstate its 2023 Norco Factory Team program focused on the UCI World Cup DH series. Almost immediately after taking charge, newly appointed CEO Sean Sullivan reversed last month’s decision to pause the program.

“It’s impossible to quantify the inspiration and pride Norco has felt in supporting these talented athletes for the past 30 years, and pausing the team didn’t reflect that commitment,” he explained. “These riders play a huge role in the development and testing of our bikes and technology, and they are the embodiment of what drives us.”

The team will challenge a full international DH calendar with a three-rider Elite roster featuring:

• Gracey Hemstreet - 2022 World Cup Junior Women Overall Champion
• Lucas Cruz– Following his best-ever Elite season
• A yet-to-be-named Elite DH veteran

“At the end of 2021, we decided to prioritize DH, so the XC team was informed before 2022 even started that they’d need to find a new home by the end of the year,” said Team Manager Kevin Haviland. “This wasn’t a decision we took lightly, but building a DH team around some of the best riders in the sport lets us continue our legacy of fostering talent, while developing, testing and proving technologies that benefit every rider on the trail.”

Additional announcements regarding full rider roster, team co-sponsors, race schedules and other details will be made available as the re-booted Norco Factory Team takes its final form in time for an exciting 2023 season!

Commencal Introduces the All-New, Short-Travel T.E.M.P.O.

The T.E.M.P.O. Our new short travel trail bike is here! Efficient to pedal. Playful like no other. Ultra-dynamic on the flat and downhill.

Features:

• 29" Wheels
• 125mm rear travel and 140mm front travel.
• New VIRTUAL CONTACT SYSTEM kinematics using a virtual pivot point to combine liveliness and comfort.
• Geometry designed for pedalling performance without sacrificing downhill performance.

The VIRTUAL CONTACT SYSTEM offers an infinite number of new perspectives. By working on the chain effect, the variation in the position of the virtual pivot point and the progressiveness curve, we have achieved the goal for this T.E.M.P.O. That is to have a super-efficient bike when pedaling. A bike that is very dynamic when pushed, that naturally picks up speed as soon as you pump and play with the terrain. A bike that filters out the small shocks and remains comfortable on the biggest impacts. Up & down all day.

The geometry of the T.E.M.P.O. has been designed to make it a playful, efficient bike that gives you confidence when the speed ramps up. The 76.6° seat angle is steep enough to be effective when riding uphill, but not too steep that it’s uncomfortable when pedaling on the flat. 29″ wheels for long distance rides, grip, comfort and climbing.

Chain stays vary in length depending on the size of the bike: :

• 435mm for S/M sizes
• 440mm for L/XL sizes

For more information, including geometry, build kits, and pricing, head over to Commencal's website

New Iterations of the Murmur, Twist and Swoop Frames From Starling

Starling Cycles, the UK manufacturer of high-performance steel MTB frames, is pleased to announce the evolution of their Murmur, Twist and Swoop frames. Badged as 'Version 3', these latest-gen frames see a number of subtle but significant updates to their design that push the frames forward in terms of their on-trail performance, ease of maintenance and robustness. 

Trail and Enduro Modes On All Frames
The most significant change is that all frames can now be configured into 'Enduro' and 'Trail' modes using an adjustable shock mount. The previous Starling design required customers to commit to 'Enduro' or 'Trail' at the point of purchase, whereas both can now be achieved from a single frame. Customers need simply choose their mode when they order, and should they decide to change they'll need to switch suspension but won't need a completely new frame. 

These updates mean that frames now offer the following rear travel:

• Murmur - 135mm or 150mm 
• Twist - 135mm or 165mm
• Swoop - 130mm or 160mm 

And Updated Geometry

V3 frames also see a number of tweaks to geometry, based on Starling's experience and rider feedback. The seat angle has been steepened for an improved pedalling position and, based on feedback, the BB has been raised a touch to add a little more clearance and a little more manoeuvrability to our very stable geometry. V2 geo received plenty of praise from riders and the media and these light-touch updates simply refine those numbers to be even better. 

No More Seized Seat Posts

Stuck posts are a curse for steel frame owners, and now a thing of the past with a new aluminium insert in all V3 seat tubes. No more panicky calls to the bloke in South Wales with the seat-post-puller, and no need to keep shoving grease down your seat tube.

New Colours
Tired of those boring paint jobs and lack of customisation offered by the big boys of the bike industry? Starling now has a whole heap of colour options to create your one-of-a-kind dream boat. Customers can choose a 'standard' grey front triangle with black swingarm or upgrade and pick from 10 colours, including four premium metallic paints and three graphics options. And in case you're wondering, nope, your front doesn't have to match your back. Customers can pick a colour for their front triangle and a totally different one for the rear, meaning you can create something really special. Powder Pink and Pumpkin Orange anyone..?

And More... 

There's also now a stronger, anti-flare headtube to keep your frame safe when you're really, really sending it (or forgetting to keep your headset tight). There's a neater and better-looking cast main pivot part and there's an even easier-on-the-eye asymmetrical headtube gusset. Last but not least, we've made the big move to shift the main pivot bearing into the swing arm. Previously located in the frame, placing the bearing in the swing arm makes maintenance easier and offers a wider and more robust interface. Already a breeze to maintain, this update makes Starling's frames even easier to live with than ever before. 

Available Now

V3 will be introduced as a rolling change on all Starling 'Core' frames from this point onwards (including frames that have already been ordered). Starling can provide frames without rear shocks and as frame-only or with build kits. Frames can be ordered immediately. 

As with previous versions, the Murmur, Swoop and Twist frames are handmade and hand-assembled in Bristol, UK by the team at Starling Cycles. Front triangles are handmade in-house using 853 heat-treated tubing and swingarms are handmade in Taiwan by ORA Engineering. 

You can learn more here at Starling Cycles.

Nukeproof Announces New U.S. Operations and Distribution

Nukeproof mountain bikes, components, and accessories will soon be easier to find in the US. Starting today, November 30th, 2022, US-based riders will be able to buy Nukeproof’s award-winning, gravity-oriented mountain bikes, and eMTBs, as well as their innovative parts and accessories through a rapidly expanding network of brick-and-mortar bike retailers and at us.nukeproof.com. Nukeproof’s presence in the US is backed by a new distribution center in Salt Lake City, Utah, and supported by a new team of US-based mechanics, Rider Experience Agents and other staff.

“We’re super stoked to be able to serve US customers locally,” said Inga Kaufmann, Nukeproof’s Director of Marketing Operations and US Brand Manager. “Our presence will be felt through our shops, our athletes, our demo events and our bike-obsessed staff. People will be able to touch and feel the bikes before buying and we’ll be able to react quicker to customer demands. Nukeproof has built a great reputation in Europe and the UK through supporting racers, developing riders and investing in the community — we’re excited to do the same here.”

Nukeproof was born in the US during the 90's heyday of American mountain biking and later raised by a team of die-hard shredders in Northern Ireland, where the bikes are still designed today. Its current line of gravity-oriented mountain bike products are steeped in a rich history of race wins and world championship titles, including four Enduro World Series overall championships and several UCI Downhill World Cup wins. The brand leans heavily on the expertise of its roster of top-tier athletes, working with them to develop products that push boundaries and perform exceptionally.

“I’m really excited to see Nukeproof open up dealers in the USA. Going into my 10th year with Nukeproof, we’ve had some great times. Plus, it’s a good excuse to come over to the States for a few events,” said Sam Hill, athlete for Nukeproof-Sram Factory Racing. “Also, I’ve just started training again after my shoulder surgery and the fire is lit to get into the 2023 season; it’s going to be wild!”

Initial offerings in the US include the majority of the mountain bike and eMTB line, as well as a limited selection of parts and accessories, many of which are in stock and ready to ship from a newly-opened US warehouse right now. 

While additional models and model specs will make their way online throughout 2023, Nukeproof will start by offering a handful of its most popular models in the following disciplines.

Learn more about the full lineup at us.nukeproof.com