Norco’s first Killer B bikes were designed in conjunction with Norco’s World Cup downhill team. The new bikes sported 27.5-inch wheels (aka 650b, which Norco decided to dub the Killer B size) with rollover advantages that resulted in more speed. The Aurum is the product of the relentless testing Norco did with its designers and fastest racers. The first version was unveiled during the 2014 World Cup season under Norco team riders Jill Kintner and Bryn Atkinson. Throughout that first season the bike scored several podiums for the team and held up to the rigors of practice laps and World Cup race runs. However, despite the success of the original version, Norco had already begun development of the second-generation Aurum, which they hoped would improve on the already-impressive success of the original. This is that bike. We imported this second-generation Aurum DH bike (it’s nearly identical to the ones that you’ll see on the World Cup circuit) to see if the Canadian wonder bike could hold up on our SoCal DH tracks.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
This is a purebred downhill racer designed with suspension performance, handling, weight savings and all-out speed in mind. The Aurum sports an aggressive geometry that’s designed to appeal to the fastest riders and racers out there. While we won’t say that a novice DH rider couldn’t benefit from some of these design features, the Aurum is certainly built with the expert or professional in mind. While the bike tips the scales at a mere 35 pounds, don’t even dream of using this as anything other than a gravity machine.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
Norco builds the Aurum’s front triangle from carbon fiber, which not only allows the designers to save some weight but also allows them to create tube shapes and frame structures to their exacting specifications. The rear end of the Aurum is built from aluminum and features a four-bar linkage suspension system to handle the frame’s 200 millimeters of rear-wheel travel. The bike also sports the modern amenities you’d expect from a carbon down-hill bike, including a tapered head tube, press-fit bottom bracket and ISCG-05 tabs for mounting a chainguide. The Aurum also uses a slightly narrower 142-millimeter rear axle, which Norco claims has a better chainline than the standard 150-millimeter axles found on most DH bikes.
Strong foundation: The four-bar linkage suspension design delivers 8 inches of travel that has a dialed feel. The bike has a slightly progressive nature that controls the bike on big hits, jumps and drops.
Well protected: The downtube has molded plastic armor to protect the carbon fiber. The front triangle also has these cleverly engineered cable guides that double as fork stops.
Nice touch: The carbon frame has a nifty expander wedge to hold the seatpost in place. It’s details like this that make the Norco stand out.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
The build kit on the Aurum is solid, with a nice balance of weight savings, performance, durability and price. The kit brings the bike in at 35 pounds nearly on the nose, which is an impressive feat considering its relatively modest sub-$7000 price tag. While this may sound like a lot for a bike, it’s a deal when you consider it has the same level of components most elite sponsored pro riders use.
Geometry lesson: The Aurum sports a geometry that’s playful on the trail, largely thanks to the long front center and relatively short chainstays.
The attention to detail in the frame finish stands out and shows that Norco cares not only about how the bike functions, but also how it looks and holds up to the elements. The integrated cable guides that double as fork bumpers are sleek and easy to use. The included adhesive chain and seatstay guards are easy to install and keep the bike running smoothly while protecting the paint. The bolt-on downtube protector also protects the most vulnerable underbelly of the carbon frame from the rocks that will inevitably be kicked up at break-neck speeds.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
Suspension setup:
The 200 millimeters of travel are going to need some tuning. RockShox makes this simple with its Boxxer World Cup fork, which is air sprung, so it’s easy to fine-tune your spring rate. The Cane Creek coil shock may require more attention, so we suggest starting there. Our size large came with a 450-pound spring that felt on the stiff side for some of our testers. Norco stocks different spring weights for all the different-sized bikes, so while you may need to do some fine-tuning, most riders will be close right out of the box. We swapped the 450 for a softer 400, which gave us roughly 35-percent sag. We then set the fork to slightly less, at 25–30-percent sag, to keep the front end a bit higher. Finally, we hit the trails.
Moving Out:
The Norco’s lines are clean and fast-looking. The finish details are top-notch with cable routing that’s unobtrusive, quiet on the trail and easy to use. The bike fits very true to size for a downhill bike, with a long and roomy top tube paired with a relatively short seat tube. Norco even goes the extra mile by including niceties like a sano-looking expander wedge instead of a seatpost collar, integrated fork bumpers that double as cable guides and a flawless paint job. Pedaling: Every downhill bike will encounter at least a few flat sections or inclines, and how it handles those can often be the difference between a podium and a back-of-the-pack finish. The Norco’s impressively low weight helps keep this bike feeling snappy when pedaling. The suspension is plush off the top end of the stroke, which means the travel will rob you of some of your energy; however, the Cane Creek shock can easily be tuned with firmer compression to alleviate most of this. While most riders will choose a setting and then stick with it, tinkerers can take advantage of the huge adjustability to fine-tune for the trail at hand.
Low and long: The top tube is relatively long, the handlebar has a low rise, and the components are ready for action. This bike is ready for race action right out of the gate.
Cornering:
The Norco is low, slack and sports a very new- school geometry. This puts the rider in a balanced but aggressive position for cornering, especially at high speeds. When the trail gets technical, the dialed suspension lends confidence, which allows the rider to change directions even on the steepest chutes. The wheelbase isn’t particularly long, which means the Aurum is not afraid of tighter trails, either (although it is designed for stability and won’t turn nearly as quickly as a dedicated park bike).
Plow the fun lines: The Aurum can stay glued to the ground over the rough stuff, but it prefers to instead find the fun lines and extra boosters on the sides of the trail.
Descending:
No surprise. This is where the Aurum shines. This bike feels like a purebred downhill racer with a geometry that gobbles up gnarly and steep lines with ease. It has a feel that splits the difference between park-bike jumper and glued to the ground. It is a lively bike that can not only devour drops and chunder, but also feels flickable enough that you can look for fun lines to pop off of.
Flat-out fast: This is a bike that will push your limits. The Aurum is a dialed machine that’s as fast as it is playful and begs the rider to eke more speed from the trail, whether that’s on the ground or in the air.
Suspension feel:
The four-bar linkage Aurum is plush off the top of the travel, which makes it remarkably supple on small bumps. The suspension is fairly progressive, which means the bike feels firmer toward the end of the stroke. This is great for control on drops and big hits but can make it slightly difficult to make it to the end of the stroke if you’re not riding hard enough. Be sure to nail the spring rate for your weight and riding style, and the travel will serve you well on everything from smooth jump lines to down- hill chutes.
TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?
The C7.1 comes stock with DT-Swiss EX471 rims and 350 hubs. These performed flawlessly during our test and were also easy to convert to tubeless thanks to the Schwalbe Magic Mary TLR tires. This is an upgrade we recommend every Aurum rider make. The Aurum is also available with Enve carbon wheels as an option for an extra $2700, bringing the total to $9700.
BUYING ADVICE
The Aurum shows its racing-development heritage on the trail with advanced geometry that’s capable of hanging with any bike at the top of the downhill racing circuit. The suspension is predictable, reliable and controlled, even on the roughest trails. With a combination of small-bump compliance and big-hit control, we’d be hard pressed to poke a hole in the performance of the chassis. Add in a lightweight build kit that takes the bike into the 35-pound range and you have a bike that can contend at any level.
If you think spending nearly seven grand on such a down-hill-specific bike seems like buying an expensive race car that can’t be driven on most streets, you’re right. For those who would like to experience the Aurum carbon without the hefty price tag, you can choose from one of three other build kits that can whittle the price down to an easier-to-swallow $4050. Either way, the Aurum (Latin for “gold)” lives up to its name as the Canadian gold standard for DH bikes.
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