Topperharley
Likes Dirt
When i was looking at one of these I would have been glad for some non-media based opinion from someone who had ridden one, so...
Component check -
Frame: Aurum DH race frame , 200 mm travel , hydroformed 6061 aluminum
Fork: Rockshox Boxxer R2C2 - Swapped out for 2013 Marzocchi 888 RC V2
Rear Shock: Fox DHX RC2 Coil
Wheels: Sun Jumping Flee/Inferno 29 Welded Rim (20mm Front, 157 x 12
Tyres: Minion 3c 2.7F and Minion 2.5F Supertacky
R.Derailleur: Shimano Saint Short Cage RD
Chain Guide: e.13 LG1+ with Taco
Shifter: Saint 10 speed rear
Crank: Truvatic Descendent DH Single 36t 83mm Shell
Pedals: Straitline
Brakes: Shimano Saint 200mm rotors Front & Rear
Handlebar: Easton Havoc DH Bar 800mm DH - Swapped out for Nukeproof Sam Hill ed.
Stem: Easton Havoc Direct Mount Stem 35mm - Swapped out for ODI
Chain: Shimano HG54 Chain
Cassette: Shimano Tiagra 12-28t
Saddle: WTB Silverado Race SL Black
Seat Post: Norco Lite Two Bolt Forged 2 bolt seat post 2014 Alloy 30.9mm
Grips: TLD
Top Cap: Alloy Top Cap
Head Set: Cane Creek Forty
Head Set Spacer: 1x10mm, 2x5mm, 3x3 Head Set Spacer
Claimed Weight: 17.3kg
Chain Tensioner: E.13 LG1 Chain guide with Tacg - Replaced with Straitline silent guide
In a position fortunate enough to take some time and do not much but ride, i chose to return to a place i had spent many a mis-spent year as a young adult, Morzine, in the French Alps. Now 30, i wanted to get back into rock strewn steeps and rooty off camber madness i cut my DH teeth on.
I had spent the last 12 months on a small 2012 Specialized Demo. I bike I had really enjoyed for it's playful, jump me attitude and nimble feet in tight situations. I felt though, the small would be just a little too unstable in the faster parts of France, so i figured a size up and maybe a change of scenery, the Norco Aurum 1 ticked all the aesthetic boxes, the car park test went reasonably well (when does a DH really feel good in the car park!?), so I took the plunge and stuck it in the bag for Europe.
Before doing so I immediately sold the Boxxer R2 C2's, good forks, but knowing the abuse kit takes in the Alps and the servicing these can require on a regular basis, I decided to risk Marzocchi's again. Kind of a weird choice but I'd heard great things about the new gear, 888 RC V2's on board. Changing handlebar and stem to personal preference.
Morzine, and most of vast riding neighbouring terrain consists of varying runs 4 - 10 minute long, very steep wooded sections bike park berms and jumps (some big 20ft + some small), and LOTS of roots, corners literally made up of roots, loose mud, loam, hard pack and rocks, aswell as some serious braking bumps. More than could ever be thrown at a bike in Australia.
The first thing i noticed on the bike was the riding position, the top tube is quite long, moving your hip weight over the centre of the bike and your shoulders forward. It feels immediately balanced and aggressive at speed because of this. You need to actively move your weight back when it gets steep, when you do you are rewarded with a nimble back end that is extremely predictable. It especially loves repeated hits where other bikes want to ramp up and skip, this will hold a line in the rough.
However, the draw back of this is it's predictability in the air. I feel comfortable jumping a DH bike, so I was surprised when i would be thrown into a bar hump/ dead sailor or nose case with surprising regularity. I immediately set about blaming my equipment and adjusting rebound/compression knobs. I had literally run the bike from stock settings so figured it might make a difference. It genuinely did, the bikes tendency to squash had, I assume, put me into over compensating. Coupled with the longer feel of the frame, i was getting all out of shape. So a few turns to quicken up the rebound front and rear, hardened up the preload and killed some LSC in the fork and things were looking a little better.
This bike really came into it's own after about 2 weeks solid riding. It simply can't be ridden comfortably while cruising, it wants to shred. I don't think you have to be quick to ride it by any means, i'm not quick, but you need to muscle the frame around to get it working for you. If you don't use your arms, shoulders and knees, as though they are part of the bike, it ends up taking you for a ride. This can be said of basic DH technique, but the point is, your wasting your money on this bike if you just want to pootle along. You reap the rewards of it's centered geometry when you push yourself. Commit to the traction offered and it will repay your trust. The worst time I had on the bike were the first few weeks, now, it is the best DH bike iv'e ridden by a long way. I feel faster for it and my skids are definately longer and more rad too.
It does struggle in tight corners, and i still feel something like a demo is a far more suitable jumping machine, but for pointing down, it's pretty bloody cool.
After 4 days my fork started spewing oil from the RH leg, enough to cover the frame and shoes in one run. Straight to the workstand, turns out a sur-clip inside was either (I kinda think this is the case) not installed correctly or had worked it's way loose. This had caused some rub on the stanchion, de-colouring the lovely gold. I emailed Marzocchi in the UK, France, Italy and Australia looking for some advice and wether this was a known issue that may lead to warranty. The only replies I have had to date was from the UK and France saying send them (at my cost), and we'll see but any work will be at your cost. Hmmmm. Anyway after replacing the clip and popping some slightly heavier oil in, I've had no issues and these forks are absolutely brilliant, trouble free and very solid.
After about a week I was having a quiet beer when i heard a clunk from the balcony. On inspection it came as a surprise to see that the e-13's lower guide had disintegrated around the bolts! So, though I expected this to go at some point, a week in was a little rough. Maybe over tightened when fitted? As I didn't fit it, I can't say.
Moral of the story, check your bike thoroughly!
Saint 820's have not required bleeding, still feeling sharp. They do get upset when the pads are wearing or misaligned, but thats easy to fix. the fins do absolutely nothing.
The drivetrain is solid, i missed Sram's shifter at first, but the reward with Shimano's solid, reliable clunks soon made me forget that.
The Straitline Silent Guide is definately the most reliable in the market, everyone I have met running one say's nothing bad at all, apart from the colour. Descendant cranks may have a little more flex than Saints, some will like that, others not, others, like me, probably won't notice.
The Sun Ringle wheelset has taken a pounding. I had to re-tension the rear wheel twice after some heavy sideways whip off's, but they held true and solid. The front is making some grease me sounds but other than that, good.
The frame itself needs to be protected, I used 3M clear tape and black duct tape on the down tube, especially where it meets the BB, this is very vulnerable to rocks and debris. The chain & seat stays need some obligatory inner tube reinforcement. The bearings are absolutely as new though, after some serious mud, jet washes and sideways abuse they are very happy bunnies.
My vote, if you like bike parks, wooden ramps, no foot can's and the like, this will work but there are surely more suitable bikes. If you want to rail turns, smash woodland steeps and ultimately impress the ladies, this is a great bike.
Component check -
Frame: Aurum DH race frame , 200 mm travel , hydroformed 6061 aluminum
Fork: Rockshox Boxxer R2C2 - Swapped out for 2013 Marzocchi 888 RC V2
Rear Shock: Fox DHX RC2 Coil
Wheels: Sun Jumping Flee/Inferno 29 Welded Rim (20mm Front, 157 x 12
Tyres: Minion 3c 2.7F and Minion 2.5F Supertacky
R.Derailleur: Shimano Saint Short Cage RD
Chain Guide: e.13 LG1+ with Taco
Shifter: Saint 10 speed rear
Crank: Truvatic Descendent DH Single 36t 83mm Shell
Pedals: Straitline
Brakes: Shimano Saint 200mm rotors Front & Rear
Handlebar: Easton Havoc DH Bar 800mm DH - Swapped out for Nukeproof Sam Hill ed.
Stem: Easton Havoc Direct Mount Stem 35mm - Swapped out for ODI
Chain: Shimano HG54 Chain
Cassette: Shimano Tiagra 12-28t
Saddle: WTB Silverado Race SL Black
Seat Post: Norco Lite Two Bolt Forged 2 bolt seat post 2014 Alloy 30.9mm
Grips: TLD
Top Cap: Alloy Top Cap
Head Set: Cane Creek Forty
Head Set Spacer: 1x10mm, 2x5mm, 3x3 Head Set Spacer
Claimed Weight: 17.3kg
Chain Tensioner: E.13 LG1 Chain guide with Tacg - Replaced with Straitline silent guide
In a position fortunate enough to take some time and do not much but ride, i chose to return to a place i had spent many a mis-spent year as a young adult, Morzine, in the French Alps. Now 30, i wanted to get back into rock strewn steeps and rooty off camber madness i cut my DH teeth on.
I had spent the last 12 months on a small 2012 Specialized Demo. I bike I had really enjoyed for it's playful, jump me attitude and nimble feet in tight situations. I felt though, the small would be just a little too unstable in the faster parts of France, so i figured a size up and maybe a change of scenery, the Norco Aurum 1 ticked all the aesthetic boxes, the car park test went reasonably well (when does a DH really feel good in the car park!?), so I took the plunge and stuck it in the bag for Europe.
Before doing so I immediately sold the Boxxer R2 C2's, good forks, but knowing the abuse kit takes in the Alps and the servicing these can require on a regular basis, I decided to risk Marzocchi's again. Kind of a weird choice but I'd heard great things about the new gear, 888 RC V2's on board. Changing handlebar and stem to personal preference.
Morzine, and most of vast riding neighbouring terrain consists of varying runs 4 - 10 minute long, very steep wooded sections bike park berms and jumps (some big 20ft + some small), and LOTS of roots, corners literally made up of roots, loose mud, loam, hard pack and rocks, aswell as some serious braking bumps. More than could ever be thrown at a bike in Australia.
The first thing i noticed on the bike was the riding position, the top tube is quite long, moving your hip weight over the centre of the bike and your shoulders forward. It feels immediately balanced and aggressive at speed because of this. You need to actively move your weight back when it gets steep, when you do you are rewarded with a nimble back end that is extremely predictable. It especially loves repeated hits where other bikes want to ramp up and skip, this will hold a line in the rough.
However, the draw back of this is it's predictability in the air. I feel comfortable jumping a DH bike, so I was surprised when i would be thrown into a bar hump/ dead sailor or nose case with surprising regularity. I immediately set about blaming my equipment and adjusting rebound/compression knobs. I had literally run the bike from stock settings so figured it might make a difference. It genuinely did, the bikes tendency to squash had, I assume, put me into over compensating. Coupled with the longer feel of the frame, i was getting all out of shape. So a few turns to quicken up the rebound front and rear, hardened up the preload and killed some LSC in the fork and things were looking a little better.
This bike really came into it's own after about 2 weeks solid riding. It simply can't be ridden comfortably while cruising, it wants to shred. I don't think you have to be quick to ride it by any means, i'm not quick, but you need to muscle the frame around to get it working for you. If you don't use your arms, shoulders and knees, as though they are part of the bike, it ends up taking you for a ride. This can be said of basic DH technique, but the point is, your wasting your money on this bike if you just want to pootle along. You reap the rewards of it's centered geometry when you push yourself. Commit to the traction offered and it will repay your trust. The worst time I had on the bike were the first few weeks, now, it is the best DH bike iv'e ridden by a long way. I feel faster for it and my skids are definately longer and more rad too.
It does struggle in tight corners, and i still feel something like a demo is a far more suitable jumping machine, but for pointing down, it's pretty bloody cool.
After 4 days my fork started spewing oil from the RH leg, enough to cover the frame and shoes in one run. Straight to the workstand, turns out a sur-clip inside was either (I kinda think this is the case) not installed correctly or had worked it's way loose. This had caused some rub on the stanchion, de-colouring the lovely gold. I emailed Marzocchi in the UK, France, Italy and Australia looking for some advice and wether this was a known issue that may lead to warranty. The only replies I have had to date was from the UK and France saying send them (at my cost), and we'll see but any work will be at your cost. Hmmmm. Anyway after replacing the clip and popping some slightly heavier oil in, I've had no issues and these forks are absolutely brilliant, trouble free and very solid.
After about a week I was having a quiet beer when i heard a clunk from the balcony. On inspection it came as a surprise to see that the e-13's lower guide had disintegrated around the bolts! So, though I expected this to go at some point, a week in was a little rough. Maybe over tightened when fitted? As I didn't fit it, I can't say.
Moral of the story, check your bike thoroughly!
Saint 820's have not required bleeding, still feeling sharp. They do get upset when the pads are wearing or misaligned, but thats easy to fix. the fins do absolutely nothing.
The drivetrain is solid, i missed Sram's shifter at first, but the reward with Shimano's solid, reliable clunks soon made me forget that.
The Straitline Silent Guide is definately the most reliable in the market, everyone I have met running one say's nothing bad at all, apart from the colour. Descendant cranks may have a little more flex than Saints, some will like that, others not, others, like me, probably won't notice.
The Sun Ringle wheelset has taken a pounding. I had to re-tension the rear wheel twice after some heavy sideways whip off's, but they held true and solid. The front is making some grease me sounds but other than that, good.
The frame itself needs to be protected, I used 3M clear tape and black duct tape on the down tube, especially where it meets the BB, this is very vulnerable to rocks and debris. The chain & seat stays need some obligatory inner tube reinforcement. The bearings are absolutely as new though, after some serious mud, jet washes and sideways abuse they are very happy bunnies.
My vote, if you like bike parks, wooden ramps, no foot can's and the like, this will work but there are surely more suitable bikes. If you want to rail turns, smash woodland steeps and ultimately impress the ladies, this is a great bike.
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