From Prototype to Podium: Jill Kintner's Custom Norco Slalom Bike

[Ridemonkey.com]

Norco takes you behind the scenes of Jill Kintner's Sea Otter classic by showing you each step they took in creating her slalom bike. She rode the finished product to first place in the slalom, proving its worth beyond a doubt. It's great to see sponsors this dedicated to their athletes, have a look!
---

From Norco Bikes, check out their blog for more Norco content

An athlete in any sport depends on several things for success to even be a possibility. Fitness, skill and experience play major roles but without the right tools, success may well be a hopeless aspiration. When it comes to mountain biking, one such integral tool is the bicycle. Without the best possible design and latest technology – hopes of victory are useless and an otherwise top level athlete can be left behind by superior product.

When it came to Team Norco International’s Jill Kintner and her dual slalom bike the engineers at Norco Bicycles had to take a look at the drawing board and start from scratch. While a slalom specific frame is not in the current product lineup, taking key features from existing bikes and applying them to a custom design looked to be the ticket to the fastest bike on the track.

The idea was to take Norco’s technologies such as A.R.T. Suspension, hollowform linkarms, tapered headtube, post mount brakes and hydroforming processes then apply them to a new design making a totally unique racing machine.

The specific needs of Jill Kintner in this project do not resemble that of a typical bike. This frame needed an extremely short rear end, unique leverage curve and low center of gravity. After crunching the numbers a design drawn up and YESS Products was brought in to help with the manufacturing. YESS was able to take the measurements, design and pieces then assemble them into a finished product. This process involved machining existing tubes, CNC Machining new parts and welding it all together into a completed frame.

Following the manufacturing process the frames were powder coated then had decals applied before assembly.

The custom slalom frame is one of the smallest productions ever done, a slim 5 frames were made in total. This allowed for Jill’s race bike plus a few sizing options and additional frames for testing purposes. The niche category of slalom this is not a bike that is highly demanded in the marketplace but the need is there nonetheless. Giving Jill a custom frame with key Norco technologies is necessary in order for her to meet her true potential.

The 2012 Sea Otter Classic saw the bike unveiled for racing. Jill’s Norco Frame was outfitted with gear from Fox, Shimano, Crankbrothers, Renthal, Maxxis, Fi’zi:k, e*thirteen, and Canecreek. This bike was ready to race!

Through four rounds of racing Jill fought through the field of competition and took home a medal resembling the colour of her bike. Jill’s winning run left Melissa Buhl chasing behind for a second place finish.

Jill has put so much into her season and she has the tools necessary for success. Congratulations Jill on a spectacular victory and a great start to the 2012 race season!


Have a watch through the design, production and racing of Jill’s custom bike.

[ZoRo]

so will norco ever consider producing a small batch of those for customers?

[EVRAC]

Funny how Norco has absolutely no mfg. capabilities of their own.

[IH8Rice]

Funny how Norco has absolutely no mfg. capabilities of their own.

i was just thinking that. youd think theyd be able to do the majority of the fab in house on protos like this or upcoming models

[dilzy]

Norco these days make terribad bikes (sorry design) complete with unbelievably pregnant down tubes and stupd curves in everything they can and they're still fugly. Complete with worlds weakest fsr pivot.

[thad]

I don't think there are too many bike companies that manufacture their bikes in Taiwan, that have manufacturing capabilities at home. Transition, Kona, Jamis, Marin, etc. The big 3 do, and companies like Santa Cruz and Rocky that used to build in house, but are now overseas, but still have the equipment.

I used to be the biggest Norco hater. They always worked ok, durable, but were always so ugly and heavy. Their new bikes have a lot of clean details, and actually nice to look at. I think the Aurum, Truax, and Shinobi all look good.
http://www.vitalmtb.com/photos/featu...,0/bturman,109

[Beef Supreme]

Norco these days make terribad bikes (sorry design) complete with unbelievably pregnant down tubes and stupd curves in everything they can and they're still fugly. Complete with worlds weakest fsr pivot.

I would somewhat agree with you on the previous round. Their newest round of redesign is impressive. The Aurum, Truax, Range and Shinobi are well engineered and well speced. They ride and pedal great as well. I know there is some history to hate on but the new ones are nice.

[dilzy]

I would somewhat agree with you on the previous round. Their newest round of redesign is impressive. The Aurum, Truax, Range and Shinobi are well engineered and well speced. They ride and pedal great as well. I know there is some history to hate on but the new ones are nice.

You know what, I just watched the vtlmtb vid on the new Aurum and it has some very nice detail I do agree. It's certainly a nice change from their last year stuff. I even finally see double shear seat stay pivots and what looks like sizy fsr pivots.

[epic]

I would somewhat agree with you on the previous round. Their newest round of redesign is impressive. The Aurum, Truax, Range and Shinobi are well engineered and well speced. They ride and pedal great as well. I know there is some history to hate on but the new ones are nice.

I agree. I've always been totally unimpressed with Norco. I'd be happy to ride that Aurum. It's also really cool to see them going all the way for Jill and her results already show it.

[xy9ine]

I would somewhat agree with you on the previous round. Their newest round of redesign is impressive. The Aurum, Truax, Range and Shinobi are well engineered and well speced. They ride and pedal great as well. I know there is some history to hate on but the new ones are nice.

i concur. i spent a good part of last season on a truax and came away suitably impressed. the aurum and range sound similarly solid. they're doing some nice work these days.

[baca262]

aurum looks great in linkage, as rearward as possible axle path without pedal kickback, the fsr actually makes sense compared to previous models. i think it's one of the better dh bikes out there atm, also the stock builds are fairly light.

but that bs about needing a new bike to win...

[Pslide]

As race bikes go, I think this is about as rad as they come...

[no skid marks]

Aurum looks a bit like a Zerode.
I also think the new Norcos look pretty good. I always did think Norcos were a bit underrated though. The bikes Konas could be if they payed the Horst Link royalties to Specialized.
Would love to see Norco chuck an idler(or better still gearbox)on their design, drop the horst link lower or raise the main pivot to give more rearward axle path.
Jills bike with a Pinion would be rad too.

[mattmatt86]

Word. I'm in love with the Aurum, I love the combination of simplicity and attention to details.