Following a rigorous five-year period of prototyping and refinement, Norco has officially launched its latest Team DH model. This high-pivot downhill machine was crafted with input from Greg Minnaar, a four-time world champion, alongside Danny Hart, who has claimed two world titles.
The Team DH has already proven itself on the world stage, with Norco team rider Gracey Hemstreet securing her first three Elite World Cup victories on an S1-sized prototype version of the bike.
The new model delivers 200mm of rear travel through Norco’s HPV6 suspension platform and is exclusively offered in a mixed-wheel configuration, meaning it cannot accommodate a 29-inch rear wheel.
A quarter-century of downhill heritage, five years of development
Twenty-five years have passed since the original Norco Team DH hit the market, and this latest iteration underwent five years of prototype testing and development before reaching production.
At the heart of the bike is a high-pivot rear suspension design that employs an inverted four-bar arrangement—sometimes referred to as an upside-down FSR or Horst-link—to control the rear axle’s trajectory. Other downhill bikes, including the Forbidden Supernought, utilize a comparable approach. The benefit of a high-pivot design lies in its ability to maintain a pronounced rearward axle path, which helps riders preserve momentum across chunky, demanding terrain.
The shock on the Team DH is driven by an additional set of links that sit outside the four-bar structure, and Norco refers to the complete setup as its High Virtual Pivot Six-Link (HPV6) suspension system. It’s worth clarifying that this six-link design is essentially a four-bar system supplemented by an extra pair of links to activate the shock—not a true six-bar suspension layout.
To manage anti-squat behavior—a necessity given the elevated pivot position—the Team DH incorporates an idler pulley. This particular idler is an i-Track adjustable unit, giving riders the ability to fine-tune both anti-squat levels and pedal kickback generated by the HPV6 system.
By repositioning the idler, riders can strike their preferred balance between pedaling efficiency with elevated anti-squat (which brings increased pedal kickback) and reduced anti-squat, which introduces more pedal bob but less kickback as the rear suspension compresses.
Further tuning options come courtesy of a patented flip chip located at the shock mount. This component allows riders to alter the progression rate in the shock actuation ratio by 2.5% throughout the suspension’s travel.
Each Team DH ships with custom shock tunes that Norco has specified to complement the bike’s suspension characteristics optimally.
Frame geometry and construction
The new Team DH combines an aluminum front triangle with carbon seatstays and carbon chainstays. According to Norco, the aluminum front end provides a stiffer structure, while the carbon rear triangle was selected specifically to minimize unsprung mass—not primarily for reasons of stiffness or compliance.
Five frame sizes are available, labeled S1 through S5. Each of the five distinct aluminum front triangles is matched with a size-specific rear center, ensuring that geometry remains proportionally consistent across the range. Additionally, the Team DH features reach-adjust headset cups that allow riders to tweak reach by +/- 5mm within any given size.
Norco lists reach figures starting at 418mm for the S1 and extending to 498mm on the S5, with 20mm gaps between sizes. Rear center measurements begin at 440mm for both the S1 and S2, then increase by 2.5mm increments up to 447.5mm on the S5.
Head tube angles measure 63 degrees on the S1 and S2, while the S3 through S5 sizes run a slacker 62.5 degrees.
Available builds and pricing
Two complete builds will be offered. The DH Team 2 Fox comes equipped with a Fox 40 Performance Elite fork and a DHX2 Factory shock, while the DH Team 2 RockShox features a RockShox Boxxer Select D2 fork paired with a Vivid Coil Base shock. Both builds share a SRAM GX drivetrain and Maven Base brakes.
Staying true to Norco’s Ride Aligned sizing approach, the S1 through S3 sizes come with 160mm Praxis cranks, while the S4 and S5 receive 165mm cranks.
- Norco Team DH 2 Fox: $7,999 USD / $10,499 CAD
- Norco Team DH 2 RockShox: $7,399 USD / $9,500 CAD
- Norco Team DH frameset: $4,599 USD / $6,199 CAD
