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norcos-new-truax

daisycutter

Turbo Monkey
Apr 8, 2006
1,686
176
New York City
http://nsmb.com/4153-norcos-new-truax/



Date: 2011-01-27

What is a TRUAX you ask? Well, if you were to Google it you would find information on Barry Truax, an electroacoustic composer; the town of Truax, an unorganized hamlet in southern Saskatchewan; and Robert Truax, an inventor of low-cost rocket engines among other things.



But the real origin of the name stems from Mount Truax. Located in the Chilcotin mountain range of British Columbia, the rugged and beautiful scenery of this mountain provides the perfect setting for an adventure and the perfect name for the evolution of the legendary Shore bikes.

INTENDED USE
The TRUAX is designed for those riders who are just as likely to pedal up to the trailhead as they are to take a shuttle or chairlift to the top of the mountain before they dive in and revel in their descent. Seven inches of travel and a slack headtube angle make this bike right at home on the way down. Ride it everywhere, every day: jumps, ladders, berms, steep descents, park, shore ... wherever you need a fast, versatile and incredibly fun bicycle.



“The TRUAX rides the line between a traditional shore bicycle, a freeride bike and a downhill bike, pulling the best from each world and essentially creating a new style of bicycle design and intended use.”

The TRUAX is an evolution of the iconic Shore bicycles that Norco pioneered. The original Shores were built for and named after the fabled North Shore mountains near Vancouver, BC. This fairytale dreamland is filled with ladder bridges and skinny beams suspend- ed perilously high above the forest floor. To add to these harrow- ing stunts were drops, jumps and steep rock faces; the Shore is a place of great experimentation and pioneering which spawned new bicycles and riding styles.
As this style of riding has evolved and diversified, so too have the demands and needs of Shore-style riders on their equipment. The Shore style has grown to include long and fast descents, flowing trails, and drops, gaps and jumps with smooth transitions; most now term this riding in general as “freeride.” And this is where the new TRUAX steps in.



The TRUAX rides the line between a traditional Shore bicycle, a freeride bike and a downhill bike, pulling the best from each world and essentially creating a new style of bicycle design and intended use. Just as at home on Vancouver’s renowned North Shore as it is leading a pack of friends through the downhill park, the TRUAX makes short work of the climb up for those who chase self-access thrills as well. Lightweight, fast, nimble and adaptable, it is the one- for-all bike for those who tread on the side of steep, technical, good times over spandex-clad climbs.

INTEGRATED DROPOUTS
• Syntace X12 142mm x 12mm axle: stiffer, more precise than other axle design



• Integrated derailleur hanger is stronger and much stiffer than conventional designs.
• Post mount brake: Get rid of half the hardware from a normal brake and while you’re at it toughen things up a bit and improve braking - done. Better braking, lighter system = more fun to ride.



• Tapered full-contact integrated gussets: Strong, light and nice to look at, these stiffen the rear end, improving riding performance.
• Custom tapered tubing: strong and great to look at. Allows us to create lightweight tubing that is designed for specific applications while improving aesthetic appeal (like high-performance plastic surgery).
• Clevis-less pivot system (Clever Pivot Design): Having fewer welds allows us to make a stronger and lighter connection point for pivots.


Custom Hydroformd Tubing
Our tubing wasn’t made in an Easy-Bake Oven - a great deal of time and technology goes into making every tube. This extra effort provides two major advantages: The first is that by using custom tubing, we can reduce weight while improving the strength of the bicycle, creating light, lively and exhilarating ride properties. The second is clean, inspired lines that lend to eye-catching aesthetics; a bicycle should look as good as it rides.



Integrated ISCG Tabs
As a part of the bottom bracket, the integrated ISCG tabs create a super strong connection point for chainguides.



Integrated Front Derailleur Mount
To allow the front derailleur to follow a more natural path as the suspension compresses, we have integrated the front derailleur mount onto the chainstay.

Tapered Head Tube
This is a huge step forward in bicycle design that allows for three major benefits, all making the bike more exciting to ride.



The first is the design allows for larger tubing at the front end, making it stiffer and more resistant to side loading, ensuring precise steering and bicycle control. The second is it allows fork manufacturers to make a stronger crown (the piece that connects the legs of the fork to the steer tube) with no weight penalty. That means it can be stronger and more precise with no downsides – have your cake and eat it too. The third is the bearings in the lower headset cup are oversized, allowing them to be stronger and last longer.

Custom Stainless Hardware
It has been said that it is the little things that count. Our custom stainless steel hardware is designed to be both precise and easy on the eyes.

Asymmetrical Chainstays
The right chainstay is dropped to improve front derailleur clearance and to reduce chain slap while riding.

One-Piece Forged Link
Holloform one-piece forged link arm: The link arm is an integral connection point for full suspension bicycles. Traditional two-piece link arms tend to twist under pressure from side loading which is a problem. To remedy this perplexing kink in design the Holloform link is forged as two pieces, then CNC’d and finally welded together to create one very rigid and hearty link arm which also adds to the aesthetic attraction of the bicycle design. Super stiff and super strong = super responsive bicycle.



Integrated Seat Tube Pivot
Built right into the seat tube, it allows for fewer welds with added strength (like Popeye on a diet).



Clevis-Less Pivot System
If you were to look at a normal pivot point you would notice that the end point is connected by a piece material welded to the tube,also known as a clevis.As we take strides forward in bicycle design we found a way to do away with the traditional clevis system by producing clevis-less pivots. With fewer welds and custom tapered tubing these pivots are stiffer, stronger and lighter, giving you a better ride.



SUSPENSION
INCREASED PEDALING EffICIENCy
To combat the mortal enemy of suspension known as bob (the bouncing that occurs when pedaling), A.R.T. was designed to provide a 20% increase in chain growth. This improvement creates anti-squat forces, which effectively counter the forces that produce suspension bob. The result is an incredibly efficient power transfer that provides excellent climbing abilities for our bikes.

IMPROVED LEVERAGE RATIO CURVE
Ever notice how sometimes you can fiddle with a shock for what seems like hours, yet your suspension feels exactly the same? To remedy this, A.R.T. provides a lower and more progressive leverage ratio curve. In plain English it means that a bike with A.R.T. is easier to tune and has a bottomless feel to its suspension travel.

INCREASED SQUARE-EDGE BUMP COMPLIANCE
Square-edge bumps will slow most suspension designs down in a hurry. A.R.T., however, improves the wheel’s ability to travel rearward as it travels up, allowing the wheel to move out of the way of obstacles. When put in practice it provides a smoother, faster ride over rough and varied terrain, perfect for mountain bikes.

Improved Braking Performance
You may have heard of brake-jack before, and perhaps you’ve seen the interesting contraptions bolted to the rear of bicycles to mitigate braking forces. With A.R.T. the rearward axle path allows the suspension to remain incredibly active under braking. The result is smooth, powerful braking with fully active suspension and a whole lot of traction when you need to slow down immediately. It’s like magic, but really, it’s just good engineering.



THE RIDE
There are three major benefits presented by the new TRUAX over previous Shore models: versatility, strength and precision.

VERSATILITY
A combination of excellent climbing ability with astounding prowess in the descents provides a thrilling experience for riders. With the new A.R.T. suspension the TRUAX is a much better climber than its predecessors. Combined with an uninterrupted seat tube and a lighter overall bike weight, self-access riding is now more accessible. On the descent, though, is where the TRUAX really excels: fast, nimble and light, it is at home anywhere it is pointing down. Ride it up and then point it down and repeat as necessary.

STRENGTH
The Shore style of riding is never kind to a bicycle, but our engineers have managed to make it lighter and stronger at the same time. The TRUAX is built to handle the abuse of the Shore, downhill parks or any other self - or lift-accessed descents you can find.

PRECISION
Custom tubing, integrated dropouts, a one-piece link arm and a tapered head tube make this bike incredibly stiff especially when side-loaded, like when you go through a corner. All you have to do is think about where you want the bike to go and it will go there. The TRUAX is responsive, nimble and playful, not to mention wickedly quick. This bike is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,657
6,875
borcester rhymes
A little swoopy but nice packaging. I like that manufacturers are finally putting it together...solid, simple chassis with clean lines. Reminds me of a trek minus abp plus horst and swoops.
 

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,659
1,237
Nilbog
A little swoopy but nice packaging. I like that manufacturers are finally putting it together...solid, simple chassis with clean lines. Reminds me of a trek minus abp plus horst and swoops.
agree'd it really is a solid functional bike...and it looks good.
 

yuroshek

Turbo Monkey
Jun 26, 2007
2,438
0
Arizona!
looks like a sunday, trek and giant had an orgy and came out with this. :thumb:


seriously tho, I think Ben had a lot to do with the design, looks like a solid shredder

 

Wa-Aw

Monkey
Jul 30, 2010
354
0
Philippines
Looks like a great package...

But that downtube is scary small. But admittedly I am big a fan of the old straight tube front triangles.
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,752
5,554
Ottawa, Canada
A little swoopy but nice packaging. I like that manufacturers are finally putting it together...solid, simple chassis with clean lines.
This is exactly what I thought when I saw it. I'm really curious to know how the A.R.T. kinematics will work out in the long run. I've always found Norcos to be good, solid, value bikes, if a little un-refined. I've got hope that with this new system it will lead to a more refined bike.

Last fall I ended up riding the lift at WBP once with their engineering manager PJ Hunton and he told me all about this new direction they were taking. He said they have assembled a new team of engineers to really refine the suspension action and produce really competitive bikes. He told me they wanted to break out of that "solid, value, but bland" mold they've been type-cast in. They had a Range all wired up and were doing all sorts of stress analysis, and I ended up riding behind them once on A-Line and once on Schleyer for a bit, and I can say they really weren't taking it easy on that poor bike. Since then, they've "revealed" the new Team DH, they released the Range, and now this Truax. I really hope this works out for them.

I'm a fan of Specialized bikes. I've been riding an Enduro for over 10 years under various guises. I really like that fully active feeling of the Horst link. My first DH bike was a 2005 Norco A-Line and now I'm on a 2008 Demo 8. What a world of difference. I figure if Norco can really work on dialling in their suspension kinematics and the geometry of their bikes, they'll really be onto something. I'd consider switching over to one.
 

Fool

The Thing cannot be described
Sep 10, 2001
2,891
1,643
Brooklyn
Consider just the link vs. cutting and pasting voluminous press releases.

Re: that downtube: Someone is in love with their french curve protratcor from 8th grade art class.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,657
6,875
borcester rhymes
I'm a fan of Specialized bikes. I've been riding an Enduro for over 10 years under various guises. I really like that fully active feeling of the Horst link. My first DH bike was a 2005 Norco A-Line and now I'm on a 2008 Demo 8. What a world of difference. I figure if Norco can really work on dialling in their suspension kinematics and the geometry of their bikes, they'll really be onto something. I'd consider switching over to one.
See, this is the beef that I have with specialized. It's like they've figured out the suspension pretty well, and have a handle on geometry, but they make their bikes so wacky just to be different or stand out (ie: MOAR CHAINSTAYZ). I understand that it's probably to make their bikes stand out, but I find it hard to believe they couldn't make a bike with the same traits and less tubes/linkages/stuff. Some of their bikes are home runs, and some of them are just too much swoops and linkages and stays.

I think I like the trek bikes so much because ABP is such a clean design. DH is easy because you have one chainring and therefore "antisquat" is relatively easy to tune, then simply by moving the rear pivot, which is already there, you tune the brake characteristics. Otherwise the frame is a pretty simple double diamond with a single linkage. Norco is following suit although slightly differently. I wouldn't have even thought about their previous DH racer, but their new one is so fresh and clean.
 

frango

Turbo Monkey
Jun 13, 2007
1,454
5
The first bike which comes to my mind, when I look at Truax is Giant's Faith (current). But, some how, due to Truax's skinny tubes, it doesn't look like extreme FR bike, IMO ;)
 

mullet_dew

Monkey
Mar 22, 2009
224
0
Bellingham WA
Read my mind. Can they export to the US (because of Horst Link)?
They license FSR from Specialized.

I don't get why they would make a 7 inch freeride bike with a tapered headtube, of all bikes you would think that is the one you would use a 1.5 fork on.


Combined with an uninterrupted seat tube and a lighter overall bike weight, self-access riding is now more accessible.
Is there a hole in the tube so a full length seatpost can fit thru? Otherwise I don't see how you could get full leg extension for pedaling uphill.
 

demo 9

Turbo Monkey
Jan 31, 2007
5,910
47
north jersey
I read it, sounds like marketing to me, you can pedal uphill on an SX trail and probably bomb down ever harder. Yeti AS-X? Seems stupid, i applaud them for trying, but i dont see how slack HA and 7 inches of travel will want to go uphill, even if its 20 lbs
 

yuroshek

Turbo Monkey
Jun 26, 2007
2,438
0
Arizona!
I read it, sounds like marketing to me, you can pedal uphill on an SX trail and probably bomb down ever harder. Yeti AS-X? Seems stupid, i applaud them for trying, but i dont see how slack HA and 7 inches of travel will want to go uphill, even if its 20 lbs
It could if you give it lock out and dropper seat post. why not?
 

Banshee Rider

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2003
1,452
10
I read it, sounds like marketing to me, you can pedal uphill on an SX trail and probably bomb down ever harder. Yeti AS-X? Seems stupid, i applaud them for trying, but i dont see how slack HA and 7 inches of travel will want to go uphill, even if its 20 lbs
Climbing on dirt roads generally isn't that demanding. From what I gathered, this bike isn't intended to scale hour long singletrack climbs or roaming the foothills - it seems to be marketed towards the guys with a pack full of a gear who are riding up only because they want to ride down where there's no chairlift. It seems pretty useless here on the east coast IMO, where climbs aren't all that long, but for out west, I could see it being practical in a bunch of locations. Seems really specific, and not my thing by any means, but I'm sure it tickles many fancies. w00dy should probably be their new aesthetic designer though...
 

w00dy

In heaven there is no beer
Jun 18, 2004
3,417
52
that's why we drink it here
What is a TRUAX you ask? Well, if you were to Google it you would find information on Barry Truax, an electroacoustic composer; the town of Truax, an unorganized hamlet in southern Saskatchewan; and Robert Truax, an inventor of low-cost rocket engines among other things.



But the real origin of the name stems from Mount Truax. Located in the Chilcotin mountain range of British Columbia, the rugged and beautiful scenery of this mountain provides the perfect setting for an adventure and the perfect name for the evolution of the legendary Shore bikes.
Just figured it out. Truax is the sound of somebody with a thick French accent saying "thru axle", which this has. Thought you could fool me, eh Canada?
 

mullet_dew

Monkey
Mar 22, 2009
224
0
Bellingham WA
when was the last time you checked which manufacturer still makes true 1.5 forks?
Guess its just Rock Shox now, there are still plenty of 1.5 forks out there though. From my perspective it seems like they lose some fork compatibility, in exchange for some weight savings with the tapered. I would rather have more options than an ounce or two lighter bike.