The new Norco Threshold is a light weight CX bike designed to rally ruts, and sprint to a podium finish, but deep down, it has the heart of a mountain bike. Designed on the Pacific Coast of Canada, the Threshold may have started development as a purebred racer, but the groms in engineering helped turn it into a trail slaying monster.
With disc brakes, a 15mm front axle, and a 142×12 rear hub, the Threshold is one flat bar conversion away from ruling the CX course, and the local Wed night mountain bike pedalfest.
Drop past the break to learn more.
Just like the new Specialized Tarmac 5, Norco has calibrated the stiffness of the frames proportionately to the average weight and size of the riders. Whether you identify yourself as a Clydesdale, or are punching above your weight in the super-featherweight class, the ride characteristics of the frame will remain the same.
The cleverly named Gizmo system utilizes a two piece plug system to create a tight seal against water and debris, and keeps cables cleanly routed internally.
Out back, the Threshold borrows the Arc Race seat stay technology from their road racing platform, the Tactic. According to the press, the ARC stays have a “distinctive bow shape that works like micro-suspension to dampen fatiguing vibrations,” so just think “vertically complaint and laterally stiff.”
Part of that secret laterally stiff formula is the use of a 15mm axle in the front, coupled with a 142x12mm axle in the rear. The new fork keeps your front end planted through rutted out corners like Ryan Villapoto in the 450 main, and that rear end transfers power to the ground like a pissed off funny car thanks to dramatically over-sized tubing.
Heavily inspired by Norco’s top notch Mountain bike development program, the new Treshold looks to be the grown up downhillers XC/road/and commuting machine.
Not only does the sub 1000 g frame like to get rowdy, but it has racing chops. Last year, Aaron Schooler rode the redesigned frame to a 2nd place at the Canadian CX champs, and has been racing it at world cups and events all over the world.
We’re still waiting to hear from Norco about pricing and availability, so please stay tuned for more details.
