The Aurum Carbon Killer B was designed in conjunction with Norco’s World Cup DH teams past and present and proven on the 2014 World Cup stage. This 650B-wheeled race bike represents the cutting edge of Norco’s engineering and design capability and brings together all of our most advanced carbon and mountain technologies. The Aurum — Latin for “gold” — earned its name by turning the most challenging terrain features into advantages over other riders.
Everything that made the original Aurum great lives on in the Aurum Carbon. Additionally, cutting edge carbon frame design enables us to deliver optimal fit and body positioning, confidence-boosting traction and control and a race-winning potential to reach and hold incredible speeds over the steepest, most technical terrain imaginable.
GRAVITY TUNE
With traditional frame designs, engineers adjust front-centre lengths for each frame size but use a single, fixed rear-centre length. This traditional design approach leaves riders of certain body types in a poor position when standing, and this uneven weight distribution negatively affects traction, control and overall performance and ride characteristics. Gravity Tune adjusts the rear center proportionally with the front center, which means that the rider’s weight is always optimally distributed – regardless of their height and the frame size they choose.
ADVANCED RIDE TECHNOLOGY (A.R.T.)
Advanced Ride Technology is the direct link between engineering and experience. More than a single suspension platform, A.R.T. is a system that we optimize for each intended use. Norco’s engineering team strategically manipulates pivot locations to precision-tune suspension kinematics, ensuring that every full suspension bike will excel in the environment it was designed for. A.R.T. delivers four major benefits to riders: increased square-edge bump compliance, progressive suspension characteristics, improved braking performance and enhanced pedaling efficiency.
RACE DEVELOPED 650B GEOMETRY
Years in the making, the Aurum’s geometry is a product of collaboration with our World Cup race teams, past and present. Designed from the dirt up around the 650B wheel and our Gravity Tune philosophy, the frame was tested and proven on the 2014 World Cup circuit. A 63-degree head angle and long wheelbase deliver stability at speed through rough terrain, while the low BB and unrivalled Gravity Tune weight distribution ensure maximum grip through corners. Thanks to input from team riders via our Norco Race Development Program, the new geo will enable riders to excel on the racecourse or in the park.
PROGRESSIVE CARBON DESIGN
We adhered to a strict design philosophy to realize our goal of producing a highly efficient carbon structure. Simplified tube cross sections meet and blend seamlessly with one another at all junctions. SmoothCore mandrels enable us to maintain precise control over the inner surfaces of the frame, particularly critical at complicated, high stress areas like the head tube and bottom bracket junctions. Our superior ArmorLite resin further enhances frame strength and impact resistance. As a result, the new frame is the toughest, most resilient DH frame we’ve ever made, inside and out.
INTEGRATED PROTECTION
DH bikes are some of the most routinely abused in the bike world. However, we believe they should be built to take the punishment, shrug it off and ask for more. Whether it’s a rock striking the down tube at Mach 10, a dirt and grit covered machine being thrown into the bed of the pickup for one more lap, or the relentless biting of chain on chain stay, our integrated frame protectors offer the Aurum the protection it deserves. These custom frame guards are designed to offer maximum protection while integrating seamlessly into the frame’s aesthetic.
142X12 OPTIMIZED FOR 7SPD
The first groupsets truly optimized for DH racing, 7-speed drivetrains deliver the full gear range needed by racers and offer more useful jumps between gears. We are such strong believers in the 7-speed DH system that we designed the full Aurum lineup around it, using 142 x 12 mm rear spacing. Though it is narrower than usual for a DH bike, we chose to employ a 142 x 12 throughout the line because it offers a number of significant advantages to the rider, including an optimized chainline for the 7-speed system, improved heel and trail hazard clearance and a lighter rear wheel.
Australian Retail Pricing:
Aurum C 7.1 Black/Yellow/Grey RRP $8,699
Aurum C 7.2 Black/Red RRP $7,199
Aurum C 7.3 Black/White RRP $5,599
We’ll expect these bikes to land in Australia this April.
http://www.norco.com/15aurum/?