Blenki's Norco Bike Check - World Cup DH, Lenzerheide

Jul 2, 2015
by Paul Aston  
Sam Blenkinsop, the Norco Factory Racing rider is a long-term crowd favourite on the World Cup scene, yet he only turned 26 years old this year. His style is distinctive, often wild and is always a threat to the top steps, although his potential results have failed to materialise since his win in Schladming in 2008. Lenzerheide is going to be full on, loose and sideways which should suit the Kiwi down to a T. We take a look at his Norco Aurum Carbon Killer B race machine.

Sam Blenkinsop s new Norco. You tell us what you think is so new about it
After Gwin's chain-less win in Leogang, riders are removing whatever they can to find a competitive edge. Blenki is the first rider we have seen to remove the pedals.


5mm longer reach in the headset but no change to head angle
50 years in business for Norco, celebrated by this suave top cap.
5mm longer reach in the headset but no change to head angle
Another rider looking for a little more room in the cockpit, this headset gives 4mm of extra length in the reach, but no change to head angle.


no idler to reduce drag and for better small bump performance. With it installed the clutch of the read derailleur had too much effect on the suspension for Blenki
Blenki isn't running a lower chainguide roller. He told us that the lower roller - when combined with the clutch of the rear derailleur - had too much effect on suspension suppleness. Sam is running Race Face SIXc carbon cranks, but opts for a aluminium handlebar up front.

Blenki Bike Check - Lenzerheide World Cup
There are many FOX-supported athletes using the new X2 shock for racing on serious mountainsides, not just for the odd practice run or on shorter, flatter tracks. Is the end nigh for coil springs?

Blenki Bike Check - Lenzerheide World Cup
Sneaky cable-tie through the pivot bolt, keeping things in place for the Saint shifting.
Blenki Bike Check - Lenzerheide World Cup
The Aurum uses a huge, 2-piece rocker link to drive the FOX X2 shock.
Blenki Bike Check - Lenzerheide World Cup
Lenzerheide is definitely a 200mm rotor kind of track. Sam's brake of choice is the Formula RO with a oval caliper.
Blenki Bike Check - Lenzerheide World Cup
The Aurum uses a 142mm x 12mm Novatec Demon wheelset. The rear-end spacing is optimised for a 7-speed set up.


MENTIONS: @norcobicycles / @schwalbe / @foxracingshox / @raceface / @shimano


Author Info:
astonmtb avatar

Member since Aug 23, 2009
486 articles

75 Comments
  • 161 7
 "he only turned 26 years old this year" ...would not be better to turn 27,5 years old?
  • 10 1
 uuummmm.....it's OK. They can just run another story next year with him in it and use that joke.
  • 7 72
flag ShreddieMercury (Jul 2, 2015 at 10:23) (Below Threshold)
 I remember watching some 'day in the life' or whatever video with him and Loic Bruni last year or the year before, this guy seems like a total dork. The things he was saying, the way he acts, everything. He is a caveman, and I was very happy to see his younger teammate smoke him.
  • 6 2
 Looks like he wants to beat Gwin without Pedals.
  • 97 2
 I don't think we're making a dig enough deal about Norco making this bike 142x12. You mean I only have to buy one carbon wheelset for both my trail bike and my DH bike? What will I do with all this extra money?!?!
  • 27 2
 buy another complete bike without its 142x12 wheels.
  • 8 2
 Good to see Norco moving away from the awkward 157x12 they have on the other aurums
  • 26 2
 You could buy a Boost wheelset and bang your head against it. Medical bills will still be less though!
  • 38 1
 If everything could be 20mm front/142 rear the world would be a much, much better place. Here's the funny part though: 142 is apparently stiff enough for Norco's DH bike, but their full trail line up is going to Boost 148. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
  • 7 0
 The Spec Demos use a 135 rear according to the last PB article on Gwin's bike, they said heal clearance was an issue going wider.
  • 3 1
 waiting for all the lawyers and doctors to sell their out of date 142 axle bikes for cheap. I can feel it any minute now...That's right...boost 148 is so much better. You should just give your 142 stuff away. I'll help you get rid of all your outdated 142 stuff for a fee.
  • 1 0
 I'd say just burn it
  • 3 2
 "one carbon wheelset for both my trail bike and my DH bike"
(Jokes aside) Answer is yes, but only if you are Ok running 7 speed on your trail bike because full cassette will not fit. If you "only ride parks" it shouldn't be a problem through Smile
  • 1 0
 Use DT Swiss hubs, and you can pull off your cassette and driver with your hand, and swap it out for another one.
  • 1 0
 THe main reason for Boost 148 is to move the cassette further out, also moving the front chainring outwards. This then enables the rear wheel to come closer up to the BB, making shorter chainstays. Which is quite good for a 29er. It's not as needed on a 27 or a 26 inch bike.
  • 51 0
 More pro bike checks please pinkbike!
  • 32 1
 Eh, I just want to see someone finish top 20 bike-less. That'd be a real show
  • 14 0
 What if Aaron Gwin delivers this weekend?
Will you run naked through downtown for at least 3 miles?
  • 33 0
 I'll run a naked marathon
  • 9 0
 I'll fly over from Scotland just to witness this marathon if it happens!
  • 13 6
 No homo?
  • 18 0
 We've all seem that Sam gets as many pedal strokes in as possible, sometimes in the air or on the ground power sliding out of corners. I'm wondering what he thought of Gwins and Nekos chainless runs.
  • 18 0
 I have the outmost respect for Blenki, he's such a loose and stylish rider, yet still 'racing fast', but I think his super-over-the-top pedally style actually cost him time at world champs in Hafjell, he just jerked the bike around and it looked to be robbing him of momentum in places where others were tucking or getting a breath to lay the power down where it mattered.
  • 12 0
 Much has been made of his aggro air-pedals, but sometimes "habits" like this are just part of a rider's MO, and its what helps them get amped for/during a race run. Maybe it does cost him some time, but it may also be like asking Danny Hart to stop throwing massive whips on world champ runs...Plus, it certainly seems like he's got the fitness to pedal stomp for 4 straight minutes, so I don't think it hurts him from that perspective.
  • 11 2
 And it looks rad!
  • 1 0
 @karaknic, so true...I remember thinking the same, esp that run. So close. Looked like he didn't care though, much respect for that.
  • 5 0
 I know I'll never reach his speed but if only I could get a bit of his "wild-style" ! I just love it ! Hold on, I do ride glove-less sometimes actually !It's a god start !
  • 5 0
 Nice bike. Good luck, Blenki
  • 1 0
 I'd be interested to try out this new air shock malarkey and compare it to my CCDB coil I currently have. Anyone ridden both top end coil and air shocks? Are there any noticeable differences in feel?
  • 4 0
 I rode vivid and vivid air shocks and to be honest there is a difference but alott less than I thought it would be just a bit less supple of the top but you could only noticed it at slower speed when stuff started to fly there wasn't much different between the two, so i can only imagine the pro's custom tuned air shocks are as close to the coil as possible
  • 4 1
 I had a ccdb, and now have a ccdb air. Steel spring is better, stay with the ccdb for now.
  • 5 1
 It all comes down to preference. I personally prefer air because they're much lighter than coil counterparts and I like being able to setup my air specifically to whatever I may be riding.
  • 2 0
 Talking of springs... Is there any difference in feel of steel to titanium? Obviously there's a weight difference but does it noticably affect how the shock performs?
  • 3 0
 I have 5 seasons running CCDB coils on my DH bikes, and switched to an XV'd CCDB air last year on my Aurum. the air performed flawlessly. I have two days on my DB air'd Darkside (XV as well), and no complaints yet. unless I start having reliability issues, or move to a bike with a super progressive suspension design, I see no reason to go back to coil.
  • 4 0
 I think the linkage design is the big driving factor. The 2015 Aurum is pretty linear, so an air shock would probably be the better option.

linkagedesign.blogspot.com/2015/03/norco-aurum-carbon-2015.html

Something like the Pivot Pheonix is a bit more ramped, so it would probably do better with a coil.
linkagedesign.blogspot.com/2014/06/pivot-phoenix-cf-2015.html
  • 1 2
 the biggest issue I've noticed with air shocks, even more so than the lack of top end suppleness, is that when you take a lot of consecutive hits, such as in washboard, they tend to pack up. Maybe just me though...?
  • 2 0
 Interesting that his bike is sans full chain guide. If I didn't have my DH bike set up with 9 speed, I'd like to try that set up. It's been 100% perfect on my AM bike.
  • 2 1
 I fail to see how number of speeds makes much difference. I have a 8speed system though I'm currently running only 6 and I run no chainguide, a bashguard with a narrow wide ring. Do chain drops, no drag less noise. And yeah that is for DH.
  • 1 0
 Oops, my bad - didn't realize they make 9 speed N/W rings. You've probably made me spend some money, but thanks nevertheless Smile

Ditching the lower roller is just one more step towards going full Gwin and riding a DH balance bike (with aero skin suit of course)
  • 2 0
 It looks like you have to do some tweaking to a 10-speed clutch / Type-II derailleur to get it to work with a 9-speed drivetrain, though.
  • 1 0
 Ahh, the wonderful side effects of advanced age. Thanks once again to another helpful PB member. I knew there was something sh!tty about the idea, but I confused 9 speed N/W chain ring availability with 9 speed clutch derailleur availability (i.e. none...which obviously sucks). So I'm back to square one, as I'm not willing to try the no lower roller without a clutch, and I'm too cheap to buy a whole new drive train to go 10 speed. Oh well, I will spend that new chain ring on beer this weekend.
  • 1 0
 @jackalope
Raceface make a NW ring which is 9/10/11 speed compatible and I'm currently on a 10/11 speed NW ring with an 8 speed chain. It works just fine. If you want to run a clutch deraileur with a 9 speed system you can. I run a Sram 8 speed (9speed will also work) shifter with a shimano 10 speed Zee deraileur and it works super. The catch is it only works with Sram shifter and shimano deraileur no other combination works. Go ahead and ditch that lower roller or the whole chainguide for that matter!
  • 2 0
 Wait, are you saying I shouldn't be drinking $50 worth of beer now? You know it's 4th of July weekend, right? It's only proper to celebrate throwing off the yoke of expensive British tea but getting drooling drunk.

But wow, good info. Many thanks.

Can't ditch the top guide, as I tried the clutch and N/W ring with no top guide and it'd drop every 3rd ride or so (new chain and proper length, new cassette). Seriously am surprised people can get away it without a top guide, but hey, if it works for ya, props.

Now back to my purple drank.
  • 3 1
 After Gwin's chain-less win in Leogang, riders are removing whatever they can to find a competitive edge epic caption
  • 1 0
 Really dig that ride. Shit looks light, tight & right, yeah? Just gimme a pimp job with more black & less yellow & maybe I give you some scrilla.
  • 2 0
 First caption made me laugh..
  • 2 0
 One of my personal favorite riders, and his sled is pretty awesome
  • 3 0
 awesome bike. I love it.
  • 2 0
 Why didn't they give they give the weight of the bike.
  • 1 0
 love the fork... a lot. and the rear shock...
  • 1 0
 chain is a little too long...
  • 4 2
 Take his chain off!!!
  • 2 1
 Oval rotor??? what is this magic you speak of???
  • 3 0
 Oval caliper, basically an oval piston. I guess it makes for a twin piston brake that's powerful enough for DH
  • 1 0
 Ah! Gotcha. Thanks for enlightening me. Will have to do some reading on this technology.
  • 1 0
 Yeah, piston, not caliper. An oval caliper means nothing, a properly oval caliper would be almost impossible to mount to the frame Razz

Using an oval piston means you can enlarge it while still keeping a normal height of the rotor with the piston not looking over it's edges. It would have a similar effect to a 4-piston brake, yeah, it's basically increasing the piston surface area (and therefore force on the rotor) without having an insane rotor height.
  • 1 0
 Pedal-less run is the only thing that can beat a chainless run.
  • 1 0
 Paintjob by... Commencal?
  • 8 11
 Confused. Using a lower roller to wrap the chain further round the bottom of the chainring should reduce how much the suspension action pulls on the chain. Blenki's logic is completely backwards.
  • 24 5
 I'm inclined to believe Blenki; he's still faster than you...
  • 11 1
 I think he saying its the other way around.... The chain was so "tight" That you can feel it affect the suppleness of the suspension....
  • 2 10
flag jaame (Jul 2, 2015 at 3:23) (Below Threshold)
 coil shoc
  • 21 13
 He is indeed far faster than me. Being fast does not make you a good mechanic tho...
  • 3 1
 If he feels the difference not running the roller, then how can his logic be backwards?
  • 1 2
 I suspect he took it off to save weight as he didn't feel he needed it with a n/w chainring and clutch mech, or has been asked to remove it by sponsors to prove to customers n/w works. I think he was either taking the piss about the sus action, due to gwins chainless win, or he is genuinely confused. It is not impossible this confusion has led him to "feel like" his sus is working better.
  • 2 0
 Interesting article about the chainless run on dirt just now. Feel is mentioned a lot.
  • 1 0
 he's right, to much tension affects the plushness, just like tightening the chain to much on a motorcycle. sram clutch is particularly shit tbh compared with shimano. youcan feel the tension when back pedaling..
  • 1 1
 Oh for sure the chain absolutely effects the rear suspension, not denying that for a second. However, removing the lower roller will make this affect worse not better....
  • 2 1
 I see what you mean now. in gonna experiment...
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