First Ride: Norco Team DH

Downhill racers finally have access to a machine that is simultaneously brand new and five years old. Rather than releasing a prototype and refining it through retail revisions, Canadian Cycling Magazine notes that Norco spent five years racing the all-new Team DH before clearing it for consumer release. The outcome is immediate access to a downhill race bike shaped by half a decade of elite competition before hitting shop floors.

That extended delay stems from a complete structural rethink of the platform. Bikerumor confirms Norco revived the Team DH nameplate around an entirely new six-link suspension layout, while Norco Bikes itself frames the bike as a definitive blueprint for speed. The redesign moves away from older layouts, deliberately keeping the platform confined to active racing circuits until the mechanical configuration was locked in.

The real-world verification is now underway as Pinkbike published its first ride assessment of the platform. What riders still do not know is how Norco plans to structure commercial build tiers, consumer pricing, or whether the new six-link suspension architecture will ultimately outshine its predecessors outside of factory race team setups.