2025 Team Rumors

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1/2/2025 8:30am
Also, someone must get to the bottom of where Norco is finding all this money in 2024 and 2025 with the bike market being in the...

Also, someone must get to the bottom of where Norco is finding all this money in 2024 and 2025 with the bike market being in the dumpster. 
Greg, team manager and part-time racer has to still be commanding $200-250K+/yr. Then 6 factory-level riders. Granted the only 'big names' are Danny and Erice (Danny likely still came at a discount, maybe $175k). But still, having 6 full-time riders, Greg part-time. That's a ton of mechanics, travel expenses, etc. And their marketing budget is considerable, based on what they did last year with the videos and design. This fresh team announcement video alone could have easily topped $25k when factoring in film crew, pre-planning/printing of stuff used in video, producers, edit, flying 10 people (riders and crew) into the UK, lodging them up for a couple of nights, etc. 
 

Even for us in Canada, it doesn't really make sense on how Norco went from randomly sponsoring some people in dh and having an xc team to formula 1 level announcement of big money teams and spending... All while 2/3 of other brands over here are struggling.

7
drakefan705
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North Vancouver, BC CA
1/2/2025 8:40am
Also, someone must get to the bottom of where Norco is finding all this money in 2024 and 2025 with the bike market being in the...

Also, someone must get to the bottom of where Norco is finding all this money in 2024 and 2025 with the bike market being in the dumpster. 
Greg, team manager and part-time racer has to still be commanding $200-250K+/yr. Then 6 factory-level riders. Granted the only 'big names' are Danny and Erice (Danny likely still came at a discount, maybe $175k). But still, having 6 full-time riders, Greg part-time. That's a ton of mechanics, travel expenses, etc. And their marketing budget is considerable, based on what they did last year with the videos and design. This fresh team announcement video alone could have easily topped $25k when factoring in film crew, pre-planning/printing of stuff used in video, producers, edit, flying 10 people (riders and crew) into the UK, lodging them up for a couple of nights, etc. 
 

Sorry there’s absolutely no way danny hart is being paid more than 100k canadian per year. I would wager there’s very few riders on the downhill circuit getting more than that from one contract. Engineers at Norco don’t make much more than that. 

4
12
DIGRIDEPARTY
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Burlington, VT US
1/2/2025 8:56am
Sorry there’s absolutely no way danny hart is being paid more than 100k canadian per year. I would wager there’s very few riders on the downhill...

Sorry there’s absolutely no way danny hart is being paid more than 100k canadian per year. I would wager there’s very few riders on the downhill circuit getting more than that from one contract. Engineers at Norco don’t make much more than that. 

Greg agreed to cover Danny's bar tab at every world cup race and give him a bike with full factory support. Who would say no to that offer? 

10
sspomer
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1/2/2025 8:59am

Giant Factory Team is official with Jewett bros and Alan Hatherly on - full PR - https://www.vitalmtb.com/news/press-release/giant-factory-road-team-ups…

2025 Giant Factory Off-Road Team

Dane Jewett (Canada), DH

Jakob Jewett (Canada), DH

Rémi Thirion (France), DH

Luke Meier-Smith (Australia), DH

Dario Lillo (Switzerland), XC

Alan Hatherly (South Africa), XC

Jens Schuermans (Belgium), XC

Carter Woods (Canada), XC

Jakob and Dane portrait
17
roost66
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1/2/2025 9:06am

I thought the Meier-smiths were like a package deal, I guess not

3
WMullins
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Blind Bay, BC CA
1/2/2025 9:10am

Taking a look at the other websites state of the sport survey, majority of high level racers are looking at 100k give or take 25k as a total salary (110-180k CAD). Not sure how that is split between racing contracts and separate brand sponsorship money but it’s safe to say most is coming through a race team. I guess the question is whether or not teams see Danny and other older riders as good investments at their age. Obviously there are exceptions to the age rule such as the GOAT but most riders are peaking in their late 20s these days. All things considered, probably not crazy to see them pay 175K CAD for Danny considering the track record/points.


The crazy part of this survey to me was the fact that a majority of riders are expecting to make more money this year than last considering the economic climate. Could be that they’re out to lunch or that the team shrinkage means that those who still have a ride get a bigger piece of the pie.

(Not an exact summary as it encompasses a few disciplines.)
IMG 1404

2
barryjenson
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1/2/2025 9:20am

Giant team announced and no mention of the enduro team.  That’s another enduro team gone then?!

2
austin-NC
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1/2/2025 9:21am
Also, someone must get to the bottom of where Norco is finding all this money in 2024 and 2025 with the bike market being in the...

Also, someone must get to the bottom of where Norco is finding all this money in 2024 and 2025 with the bike market being in the dumpster. 
Greg, team manager and part-time racer has to still be commanding $200-250K+/yr. Then 6 factory-level riders. Granted the only 'big names' are Danny and Erice (Danny likely still came at a discount, maybe $175k). But still, having 6 full-time riders, Greg part-time. That's a ton of mechanics, travel expenses, etc. And their marketing budget is considerable, based on what they did last year with the videos and design. This fresh team announcement video alone could have easily topped $25k when factoring in film crew, pre-planning/printing of stuff used in video, producers, edit, flying 10 people (riders and crew) into the UK, lodging them up for a couple of nights, etc. 
 

Sorry there’s absolutely no way danny hart is being paid more than 100k canadian per year. I would wager there’s very few riders on the downhill...

Sorry there’s absolutely no way danny hart is being paid more than 100k canadian per year. I would wager there’s very few riders on the downhill circuit getting more than that from one contract. Engineers at Norco don’t make much more than that. 

Its not crazy at all to think that he is making more than an engineer at the company, almost any other sport is like this. Its just a bike company we are talking about its not like you need to pay an engineer 250K a year. 

14
gonza.s.m.
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1/2/2025 9:21am
sspomer wrote:
Giant Factory Team is official with Jewett bros and Alan Hatherly on - full PR - https://www.vitalmtb.com/news/press-release/giant-factory-road-team-ups-its-game-new-superstar-talent-including-xc-world-cup-and-world-champion2025 Giant Factory Off-Road TeamDane Jewett (Canada), DHJakob...

Giant Factory Team is official with Jewett bros and Alan Hatherly on - full PR - https://www.vitalmtb.com/news/press-release/giant-factory-road-team-ups…

2025 Giant Factory Off-Road Team

Dane Jewett (Canada), DH

Jakob Jewett (Canada), DH

Rémi Thirion (France), DH

Luke Meier-Smith (Australia), DH

Dario Lillo (Switzerland), XC

Alan Hatherly (South Africa), XC

Jens Schuermans (Belgium), XC

Carter Woods (Canada), XC

Jakob and Dane portrait

no Enduro riders??

1
sspomer
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1/2/2025 9:22am

Giant team announced and no mention of the enduro team.  That’s another enduro team gone then?!

their PR says "sharpening focus on xc and dh"

3
1/2/2025 9:23am

Giant team announced and no mention of the enduro team.  That’s another enduro team gone then?!

In the announcement they said they'll pause it for 2025.

1
1/2/2025 9:26am Edited Date/Time 1/2/2025 9:28am

Norco will have a World Champ?

Danny Hart seems - to me anyway - a great fit for that team.

Anybody call it here before me?

I'm trying to figure out if I heard it somewhere else or if I just guessed correctly.

p.s. I was SUPER wrong about the Jewetts so I'll take this correct guess as a consolation prize.

6
5
amaranth
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Nutley, NJ US
1/2/2025 9:58am

Visited a bike shop up in Killington and the owner said Norco bikes generally sell really fast; another bit of anecdotal evidence is when I visited Squamish this past summer there was a shop there that exclusively had the older gen Sights (not the high pivots) as their longer travel rental fleet(the head mechanic there commented it was easy to service and hard to trash). While I have seen deep discounts on the outgoing Range and a couple other older models they also seem to be holding a relatively stable price too (as compared to the companies in trouble - Rocky/GT etc.) Maybe Norco decided this was the time to buy in when other companies are struggling? 

5
1
1/2/2025 10:06am
Also, someone must get to the bottom of where Norco is finding all this money in 2024 and 2025 with the bike market being in the...

Also, someone must get to the bottom of where Norco is finding all this money in 2024 and 2025 with the bike market being in the dumpster. 
Greg, team manager and part-time racer has to still be commanding $200-250K+/yr. Then 6 factory-level riders. Granted the only 'big names' are Danny and Erice (Danny likely still came at a discount, maybe $175k). But still, having 6 full-time riders, Greg part-time. That's a ton of mechanics, travel expenses, etc. And their marketing budget is considerable, based on what they did last year with the videos and design. This fresh team announcement video alone could have easily topped $25k when factoring in film crew, pre-planning/printing of stuff used in video, producers, edit, flying 10 people (riders and crew) into the UK, lodging them up for a couple of nights, etc. 
 

Even for us in Canada, it doesn't really make sense on how Norco went from randomly sponsoring some people in dh and having an xc team...

Even for us in Canada, it doesn't really make sense on how Norco went from randomly sponsoring some people in dh and having an xc team to formula 1 level announcement of big money teams and spending... All while 2/3 of other brands over here are struggling.

There are a few factors:

- Norco is owned by LTP, which is a distributor of other brands in Canada. Norco has long been financially floated by the relative profitability of LTP

- At one time Norco had a solid XC team, a DH team, sponsored the Gehrigs for Enduro and had Jill Kintner and Bryn Atkinson, and a bunch of others at the same time not too long ago. They dropped everyone else.

- They just split with their CEO with "no plans to replace him". The company was flying him in from California to BC every week as he was an American and remained living there. I would imagine a CEO salary plus flights and accommodation every week would pay for most of these team additions this year

15
1/2/2025 10:07am
Sorry there’s absolutely no way danny hart is being paid more than 100k canadian per year. I would wager there’s very few riders on the downhill...

Sorry there’s absolutely no way danny hart is being paid more than 100k canadian per year. I would wager there’s very few riders on the downhill circuit getting more than that from one contract. Engineers at Norco don’t make much more than that. 

I'd agree that $150k USD might be steep for Danny these days. But I reckon he's getting at least $100k after some good results this year and his name. This will be the final 'big' contract of his career. Probably a 2-year deal. Maybe $80k-100k base, with bonus opportunity. The reason I think he could possibly be 100k+ is that Danny is a well-loved character, and is a consistent finals guy. Norco is now a full-blown marketing machine and they will find ways to bring his likable personality to the fore and get eyeballs on the brand. 

9
djyosh
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Vancouver CA
1/2/2025 10:28am
amaranth wrote:
Visited a bike shop up in Killington and the owner said Norco bikes generally sell really fast; another bit of anecdotal evidence is when I visited...

Visited a bike shop up in Killington and the owner said Norco bikes generally sell really fast; another bit of anecdotal evidence is when I visited Squamish this past summer there was a shop there that exclusively had the older gen Sights (not the high pivots) as their longer travel rental fleet(the head mechanic there commented it was easy to service and hard to trash). While I have seen deep discounts on the outgoing Range and a couple other older models they also seem to be holding a relatively stable price too (as compared to the companies in trouble - Rocky/GT etc.) Maybe Norco decided this was the time to buy in when other companies are struggling? 

I was pretty psyched to see a Norco last week on the north shore... of Oahu. I wonder if they are using some incentivized salaries to pay out more if individuals/the team get podiums etc... 

1
1/2/2025 10:46am

Why have top tier enduro team when it seems like enduro at that level is being pushed out?

But, with some of the regional series still going strong, supporting some riders at that level can be worth looking at..

4
veefour
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1/2/2025 11:34am Edited Date/Time 1/2/2025 11:37am
Sorry there’s absolutely no way danny hart is being paid more than 100k canadian per year. I would wager there’s very few riders on the downhill...

Sorry there’s absolutely no way danny hart is being paid more than 100k canadian per year. I would wager there’s very few riders on the downhill circuit getting more than that from one contract. Engineers at Norco don’t make much more than that. 

I'd agree that $150k USD might be steep for Danny these days. But I reckon he's getting at least $100k after some good results this year...

I'd agree that $150k USD might be steep for Danny these days. But I reckon he's getting at least $100k after some good results this year and his name. This will be the final 'big' contract of his career. Probably a 2-year deal. Maybe $80k-100k base, with bonus opportunity. The reason I think he could possibly be 100k+ is that Danny is a well-loved character, and is a consistent finals guy. Norco is now a full-blown marketing machine and they will find ways to bring his likable personality to the fore and get eyeballs on the brand. 

Considering the points he brought along with him I wouldn't be surprised if Danny had the pick of a few teams this year. I'd guess negotiations have been very different for him than they were a year ago.

10
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owl-x
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1/2/2025 11:43am

Seen as a marketing move, 100 grand for a World Cup racer is no problem to me…triple that for Danny fuckin Hart Mr stay on your bike big balls boy. Slam dunk! I remember launching a shitty bike for a Norco-esque company like ten years ago…IIRC it was like 35,000 bucks for a banner ad “takeover” week on pinkbike. They didn’t like the bike (it was ugly and nobody really liked it) but they took our money and came up with some positives…tons of money disappeared in those schmoozey “media camp” payola parties too  I get it, thats a way to do it, but there’s tons of marketing dollars going to corny uncool slow mofos…it should be going to the racers!!!


 

5
2
1/2/2025 11:48am
Also, someone must get to the bottom of where Norco is finding all this money in 2024 and 2025 with the bike market being in the...

Also, someone must get to the bottom of where Norco is finding all this money in 2024 and 2025 with the bike market being in the dumpster. 
Greg, team manager and part-time racer has to still be commanding $200-250K+/yr. Then 6 factory-level riders. Granted the only 'big names' are Danny and Erice (Danny likely still came at a discount, maybe $175k). But still, having 6 full-time riders, Greg part-time. That's a ton of mechanics, travel expenses, etc. And their marketing budget is considerable, based on what they did last year with the videos and design. This fresh team announcement video alone could have easily topped $25k when factoring in film crew, pre-planning/printing of stuff used in video, producers, edit, flying 10 people (riders and crew) into the UK, lodging them up for a couple of nights, etc. 
 

Even for us in Canada, it doesn't really make sense on how Norco went from randomly sponsoring some people in dh and having an xc team...

Even for us in Canada, it doesn't really make sense on how Norco went from randomly sponsoring some people in dh and having an xc team to formula 1 level announcement of big money teams and spending... All while 2/3 of other brands over here are struggling.

Norco actually have a former f1 engineer helping them develop their bikes so it tracks.

1/2/2025 12:14pm
Tim Bringer off Canyon..Shame this talent is without a ride..

Tim Bringer off Canyon..

Shame this talent is without a ride..

1000017965

Bummer... He seems to be on the upswing right now.. Hopefully he gets something good..

6
roost66
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Potsdam, NY US
1/2/2025 12:34pm
Tim Bringer off Canyon..Shame this talent is without a ride..

Tim Bringer off Canyon..

Shame this talent is without a ride..

1000017965

Tahnee commented some choice stuff in French on that post, I don’t really understand the translation though.  
Canyon must be going through something…

2
zundawg23
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1/2/2025 12:44pm
Tim Bringer off Canyon..Shame this talent is without a ride..

Tim Bringer off Canyon..

Shame this talent is without a ride..

1000017965
roost66 wrote:

Tahnee commented some choice stuff in French on that post, I don’t really understand the translation though.  
Canyon must be going through something…

Tried translating it a few times on various apps, seems like she is saying nothing is going right at the moment? Perhaps disappointed in canyon leaving many riders/teams IMG 5356.png?VersionId=A08HAP0fvzTW5kmg8i.Re1Qy0sHc.

2
1
veefour
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1/2/2025 12:45pm
Tim Bringer off Canyon..Shame this talent is without a ride..

Tim Bringer off Canyon..

Shame this talent is without a ride..

1000017965
roost66 wrote:

Tahnee commented some choice stuff in French on that post, I don’t really understand the translation though.  
Canyon must be going through something…

I think their finances might be taking a batter(y)ing.

18
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zundawg23
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1/2/2025 1:22pm

Kaos putting this on his story adds fuel to the fireIMG 5357 0

8
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jpowski
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Lethbridge, AB CA
1/2/2025 1:31pm

I am here for the Danny Hart cartoon image on the back of the truck. So excited for him! We didn't know we needed him on proper Factory Team. He is gonna be the years biggest star!

9
1
toast2266
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Whitefish, MT US
1/2/2025 1:45pm
Also, someone must get to the bottom of where Norco is finding all this money in 2024 and 2025 with the bike market being in the...

Also, someone must get to the bottom of where Norco is finding all this money in 2024 and 2025 with the bike market being in the dumpster. 
Greg, team manager and part-time racer has to still be commanding $200-250K+/yr. Then 6 factory-level riders. Granted the only 'big names' are Danny and Erice (Danny likely still came at a discount, maybe $175k). But still, having 6 full-time riders, Greg part-time. That's a ton of mechanics, travel expenses, etc. And their marketing budget is considerable, based on what they did last year with the videos and design. This fresh team announcement video alone could have easily topped $25k when factoring in film crew, pre-planning/printing of stuff used in video, producers, edit, flying 10 people (riders and crew) into the UK, lodging them up for a couple of nights, etc. 
 

Even for us in Canada, it doesn't really make sense on how Norco went from randomly sponsoring some people in dh and having an xc team...

Even for us in Canada, it doesn't really make sense on how Norco went from randomly sponsoring some people in dh and having an xc team to formula 1 level announcement of big money teams and spending... All while 2/3 of other brands over here are struggling.

There are a few factors:- Norco is owned by LTP, which is a distributor of other brands in Canada. Norco has long been financially floated by...

There are a few factors:

- Norco is owned by LTP, which is a distributor of other brands in Canada. Norco has long been financially floated by the relative profitability of LTP

- At one time Norco had a solid XC team, a DH team, sponsored the Gehrigs for Enduro and had Jill Kintner and Bryn Atkinson, and a bunch of others at the same time not too long ago. They dropped everyone else.

- They just split with their CEO with "no plans to replace him". The company was flying him in from California to BC every week as he was an American and remained living there. I would imagine a CEO salary plus flights and accommodation every week would pay for most of these team additions this year

I kinda assumed that Norco took a look at the landscape, saw an opening amongst North American (and specifically Canadian) brands, and is now making a longer term play to increase its market presence.  Basically step into a void created by Rocky Mountain and Devinci, both of which are withering.  

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1
1/2/2025 1:47pm
toast2266 wrote:
I kinda assumed that Norco took a look at the landscape, saw an opening amongst North American (and specifically Canadian) brands, and is now making a...

I kinda assumed that Norco took a look at the landscape, saw an opening amongst North American (and specifically Canadian) brands, and is now making a longer term play to increase its market presence.  Basically step into a void created by Rocky Mountain and Devinci, both of which are withering.  

That's my bet.

When the competition reduces their marketing to cut costs, you increase your marketing to invade their market.

7

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