Prototype to Podium - Jill Kintner's Slalom Secret - Video

May 3, 2012
by Norco Bicycles  
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An athlete in any sport depends on several things for success to even be a possibility. Fitness, skill and experience play major roles but without the right tools, success may well be a hopeless aspiration. When it comes to mountain biking, one such integral tool is the bicycle. Without the best possible design and latest technology – hopes of victory are useless and an otherwise top level athlete can be left behind by superior product.

When it came to Team Norco International’s Jill Kintner and her dual slalom bike the engineers at Norco Bicycles had to take a look at the drawing board and start from scratch. While a slalom specific frame is not in the current product lineup, taking key features from existing bikes and applying them to a custom design could looked to be the ticket to the fastest bike on the track.

The idea was to take Norco’s technologies such as A.R.T. Suspension, hollowform linkarms, tapered headtube, post mount brakes and hydroforming processes then apply them to a new design making a totally unique racing machine.

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The specific needs of Jill Kintner in this project do not resemble that of a typical bike. This frame needed an extremely short rear end, unique leverage curve and low center of gravity. After crunching the numbers a design drawn up and YESS Products was brought in to help with the manufacturing.

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YESS was able to take the measurements, design and pieces then assemble them into a finished product. This process involved machining existing tubes, CNC Machining new parts and welding it all together into a completed frame.

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Following the manufacturing process the frames were powder coated then had decals applied before assembly.

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The custom slalom frame is one of the smallest productions ever done, a slim 5 frames were made in total. This allowed for Jill’s race bike plus a few sizing options and additional frames for testing purposes. The niche category of slalom this is not a bike that is highly demanded in the marketplace but the need is there nonetheless. Giving Jill a custom frame with key Norco technologies is necessary in order for her to meet her true potential.

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The 2012 Sea Otter Classic saw the bike unveiled for racing. Jill’s Norco Frame was outfitted with gear from Fox, Shimano, Crankbrothers, Renthal, Maxxis, Fi’zi:k, e*thirteen, and Canecreek. This bike was ready to race!

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Through four rounds of racing Jill fought through the field of competition and took home a medal resembling the colour of her bike. Jill’s winning run left Melissa Buhl chasing behind for a second place finish.

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Jill has put so much into her season and she has the tools necessary for success. Congratulations Jill on a spectacular victory and a great start to the 2012 race season!

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Have a watch through the design, production and racing of Jill’s custom bike.



Posted In:
Jill Kintner


Author Info:
norcobicycles avatar

Member since Feb 11, 2000
125 articles

51 Comments
  • 21 3
 Quote: "The specific needs of Jill Kintner in this project do not resemble that of a typical bike. This frame needed an extremely short rear end, unique leverage curve and low center of gravity."

Sounds kind of like the Transition Double that she used to kill it on last year..
  • 9 1
 There are similarities to it, but in talking to Jill at the Sea Otter she explained the differences and it's all in the details at that level.
  • 5 2
 Short rear ends rule!
  • 29 2
 Im a big "rear end" guy myself...
  • 8 1
 There is definitelly an untapped market here that frame makers seem blind to - so many people want specialized SX's (rare) meta 4X (not produced now) or Doubles. Come on Norco! This WILL sell!
  • 19 3
 I wish she still rode for Transition, that company Rocks! on another note, is this a sentence?: "The niche category of slalom this is not a bike that is highly demanded in the marketplace but the need is there nonetheless." does anybody edit this stuff? you guys hiring? lol
  • 10 1
 It's great to see Norco as a contender again
  • 7 3
 I don't get why companies get rid of all of their bikes when they refine suspension designs. Both rocky mountain and norco redo their suspension and get rid of most of their models. It doesn't make sense, if you refine the platform extend it too a range of models that encompass all that which you currently make. Its like if toyota said well we want to make our cars more efficient so....we will get rid of all of our trucks and suvs and just stick to passenger cars. If you don't want to spend money and time redesigning every model at least continue to make those instead of just abandoning them.

This bike is obviously what should replace the norco xxxx and maybe even the empire 5, so why norco do you not get on the ball and make this?

As for rocky mountain, the company that claims to have started the freeride movement. They don't even make a freeride bike anymore whats up?

I am tired of companies releasing tens of cross country and trail bikes and then not making anything else. I ride cross country just like the next guy but come on people!!!!
  • 2 0
 100% agree with you on that. maybe they wanted to something new because the Norco xxxx is a really fun bike to ride. they just added some bends to the frame and worked some magic and this is what came out.
  • 1 2
 If they would keep all existing models, than after a while they would have a redicilous amount of SKUs, and for those they have to have large inventory, wihich is for one a supply chain nightmare, and two, they would have mmore money in they inventory than the annual profit. But this in only my 2 cents. Also they want to sell their newer products, as companies always have bigger margins on NPIs than already exisiting products.
  • 4 1
 I think the xc/am trend getting stronger everyday proves that the average user mostly wants a do it all bike. People don't want to buy 8 bikes because most of us can't afford it. So smaller companies, like devinci for instance, covers the entire mountain bike range with 3 bikes (110mm/145mm/216mm). It's not perfect but their accountants probably told them that creating "in-betweens" for niche markets wasn't worth it, much less keeping older models into production.

Now if some big companies like trek/specialized want to make 100mm/120mm/140mm/145mm/150mm/160mm/180mm/200mm bikes with different geos and all the different specs that come with it then so be it. Don't forget that they are more popular and distributed much more broadly so they'll sell more of each bike and in the worst case, they won't mind losing some money on the less popular models as they'll make up for it somewhere else. I'm pretty sure they'd rather keep the visibility and the market shares than supress those bikes from the lineup.

As for keeping older models/designs into production, well, what does it say about your "new tech" if the old tech is still in the line up because it does the job just fine?
  • 1 1
 Completely agree with you this. Good point!
  • 3 0
 Norco has really brought themselves up to the next level. I'm proud of them, and they should be proud of themselves. I mean look at the truax and the aurum. Just all round Slick!! And the support they offer there riders is second to none in my mind.
  • 1 0
 Hmm, CrankBrothers Iodine 3 in gold are good for Pro slalom podium! I have to reconsider my decision of not buying them.. May be they are not as weak as people say! Thanks pinkbike for bling ideas!
  • 3 0
 This bike is sweet, looks like a potential slope bike too!
  • 2 0
 Norco are really one of the most stunning,curvy bike frames around.Like Knolly. Just curves,curves,curves! Smile
  • 4 0
 4th and 5th place FTW!
  • 4 1
 Jill is the man, the Wo-man!!!
  • 3 0
 People have no sense of humor.
  • 2 0
 Please put that frame into production.
  • 1 0
 Black and gold crank bros wheels :O
  • 2 0
 talk about luxury...
  • 2 0
 I want one!
  • 1 1
 everybody's got facial protection except the man working the machinery.. come on son, what you doin.
  • 2 2
 I'm not saying that what he's doing is smart, however with that kind of a CNC Machine the door slides closed to allow the coolant/cutting oil to spray all over the workpiece without drenching everything else in the shop. This also allows for recycling of the coolant Wink None the less what he's doing is stupid.
  • 2 0
 A CNC machine is designed to work only with a closed door.There are a few safety's build in to make sure you cann't work with an open door.Also,the drilling tool is all the way up to the left.He's most likely just taking out some parts.
  • 1 1
 The drilling tool? You mean the spindle? Also you can go around those safety features that make you keep the door closed while cutting. It's a setup option. On a mill though the door tends to be closed more while parts are being made vs a lathe. More open door time on that.
  • 3 0
 Attention to safety is key. Thanks for pointing out the photo. In this situation the worker is taking out a CNC machined piece after it was completed. This machine is set up as to not work with the glass open as per BC WCB standards.
  • 1 0
 Yes it is. 1st priority in a machine shop. Looks like a rocker link?
  • 1 0
 I believe that was an ISCG-05 tab. The piece he is holding is likely tooling.
  • 1 0
 Ah right on. I wish our machines were open long enough for me to make some parts.
  • 1 0
 I'm used to the old metal milling lathe's in my workshop, none of those guards and computer controlled milling machines.
Then again im only using it for for minor repairs to parts and getting nuts off that have been glued in. (i know people actually glue 20mm axle nuts on!! why would u do that?!)
  • 2 1
 Cool soundtrack. Reminds me of mr. Ron burgundy's flute
  • 5 5
 once you see a fox fork with kashima coat you never look at another fork the same
  • 26 2
 You must not get out much
  • 2 1
 Good to see Norco making it happen with some new (potential) offerings.
  • 1 0
 Are those crankbrothers wheels they look keen
  • 1 0
 Yes they are. I think they look amazing as well!
  • 1 1
 The frame looks like an updated version of the old Arrow Racing DS frame which was made by YESS years ago.
  • 1 0
 OMG her bike is pretty amazing!
  • 1 1
 I'd like to see some geometry numbers on that little sweetie's.......little sweetie
  • 1 0
 I bet the female riders love the podium girls in daisy dukes.
  • 1 0
 Is that a fox 831?
  • 1 2
 So, when they will produced and
be available for purchase?
  • 1 2
 When did she leave Transition and go to Norco bikes?
  • 1 2
 i think this is her first season with norco, but im not sure
  • 2 1
 this is her first season.... it happend a cppl months ago
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