Norco's New DH Bike: What World Cup Racers Learned After 5 Years

James Moore · 2026-09-25

### From the World Cup Podium to Your Local Trails You know that feeling when you finally get your hands on something that's been teased for years? That's exactly what happened when Norco dropped the 2027 Team DH. This isn't just another downhill bike—it's a machine that's been beaten, refined, and ultimately proven on the toughest tracks in the world. And after five years of development, it's finally ready for you. We got the chance to test it in Val di Sole, Italy, one of the gnarliest downhill courses on the circuit. Let me tell you, this bike feels like it's been waiting for you to push it hard. ### The Specs That Matter First, the numbers. The Team DH 2 Fox comes with 200mm of travel front and rear—that's about 7.9 inches, for those of us who think in imperial. It's available in five frame sizes, and our test bike in S3 tipped the scales at 41.9 pounds (19.0 kg). That's not featherweight, but downhill bikes aren't supposed to be. The price? $7,999 USD. Yeah, it's an investment, but you're getting a race-ready platform straight out of the box. ### Built on Race Miles, Not Marketing Hype Here's the thing that sets this bike apart: it wasn't designed in a conference room. Norco spent nearly five years developing it, with countless prototypes and hundreds of days of testing. The geometry, stiffness, and suspension kinematics were constantly tweaked, with the World Cup serving as the ultimate stress test. Greg Minnaar and Gracey Hemstreet, two of the biggest names in downhill racing, provided feedback under race conditions. But the real secret weapon? Kirk McDowall, who races in the World Cup and also works as an engineer at Norco. He gave the Team DH its final sign-off after racing it himself at the World Cup in YongPyong, South Korea, in May 2026. That's not just marketing—that's a rider putting his neck on the line to prove the bike works. ### The Tech Behind the Ride Norco didn't just rely on rider feedback. They built their own telemetry system and kinematics software with an external partner. With a six-bar suspension design, the interaction between links and pivots is incredibly complex. Their custom software helps engineers balance desired kinematics with the available space in the frame. They can define target parameters and limits for pivot positions, then use optimization tools to find the best configurations. Telemetry reveals what the suspension is actually doing on the track. Those mounts that look like bottle cage bosses? They're also for attaching the data acquisition system. Combined with dyno testing and rider feedback, Norco can compare measured data directly with how the bike feels on the trail. This blend of hard data and rider feedback also feeds into Ride Aligned, Norco's setup guide that we consider one of the best in the business. > "The mullet setup wasn't our first choice—Greg Minnaar originally preferred full 29-inch wheels and was convinced they were faster. But after numerous back-to-back tests, the stopwatch showed no advantage. The mullet setup gave him greater agility and more freedom of movement over the rear, so that's what we went with." — Norco engineer ### Why Mullet Only? The Team DH combines a 29-inch wheel up front and a 27.5-inch at the rear. Norco also tested a full 29-inch version during development. Interestingly, Greg Minnaar initially thought the full 29er was faster, but even after extensive testing, the stopwatch didn't back that up. The mullet setup offers better agility and more freedom of movement over the rear wheel. So Norco decided to offer the production bike exclusively in this configuration. That also reflects what many riders are choosing on their own. ### What This Means for Your Home Trails You don't need to be a World Cup racer to benefit from this bike. The Ride Aligned setup guide gives you a solid starting point based on your height, weight, riding position, terrain, and personal preferences. It won't replace those final few clicks of fine-tuning, but it takes much of the guesswork out of finding your setup. And you get all the lessons learned from years of World Cup racing, without needing your own race mechanic. So, is the 2027 Norco Team DH worth it? If you're serious about downhill and want a bike that's been proven at the highest level, absolutely. It's a race bike that's ready for your local trails, and it's been refined by some of the best riders in the world. That's not something you find every day.