In a minor surprise, Brage Vestavik joins Norco.

Freeride has always been about imagining what doesn’t exist yet, and Brage Vestavik has built his career on exactly that: Imagining the impossible and then riding it. We’re beyond excited to welcome him as he joins forces with Norco.

Known for a riding style that’s as creative as it’s uncompromising, Brage approaches the bike as a tool for experimentation. From reaching unbelievable speeds on massive scree slopes in Chile, to hand-built features that seem to ignore gravity altogether, his projects are driven by curiosity first and fearlessness second. His riding is about pushing into the unknown and seeing what holds.

That mindset was shaped early. Growing up in Mysen, Norway, Brage spent his formative years building features, riding whatever terrain he could find, and learning through trial and error. Those early days of exploration still define his approach today. The scale has grown, and the stakes are higher, but the instinct to create and question limits has only gotten stronger.

Brage’s way of riding naturally connects with the legacy of freeride in the Coast Mountains, where the sport was forged through innovation and self-built lines. Norco has been part of that progression since the beginning, designing bikes like the original VPS in the early 2000’s to meet the demands of Vancouver’s North Shore. That same spirit of innovation and durability continues to guide how we build bikes today.

By bringing together Brage’s raw creativity, and Norco’s deep freeride roots, this partnership looks ahead as much as it honours the spirit of exploration and experimentation of the past. We’re excited to see where this collaboration leads, and how far freeride can be pushed when experience, vision, and modern engineering come together.

Norco is built on foundational values. As a family-owned company, we’re shaped by people and the energy we bring to every day on the trail. The way we show up, the way we build, the way we support and stay close to the places and communities that make this sport what it is. All that matters. We’re proud of where Norco comes from, and we’re genuinely excited about what we get to build next as the sport keeps evolving.

When Brage and I met for the first time, it didn’t feel like a negotiation. It just felt right. The conversation was easy, because our values align. Authenticity, doing things for the right reasons, with the right people, and letting the riding speak for itself. That kind of truth is rare these days, but it matters.

Brage brings a level of creativity and commitment that pushes everyone around him. For us, this partnership is built on shared energy and real trust, and on the idea that the best projects take time, passion and intention; with everyone involved believing in the same goal. We’re excited to support Brage and can’t wait to see what we create together. We’re proud to welcome him to the Norco family.
– Elli Petersilie, Brand Director

My first time meeting with Norco, the conversation with Elli really felt like the right vibe — I told Mike straight away, this was it. I loved that Norco is family-owned. People have been with the brand for decades and the love for mountain biking runs deep. Growing up, I was inspired most by seeing the North Shore and the mountain biking scene in Canada — it feels unreal signing with a brand that started here, in the birthplace of freeride.

Norco always symbolized freeride to me. A lot of my inspiration came from the early days with Ryan Leech, and Ben Boyko is one of my all-time favourite riders. Getting the OG Norco stickers from the magazines, with the rider holding the shovel, is burned into my mind as a kid!

It’s been an insane journey getting to this point, representing what I want in mountain biking. My vision for riding, and the projects the crew and I are making, take a really long time to bring to life — months or even years. To have Norco trusting the vision, moving things forward together, is really special.

Spending a lot more time in BC, it’s the dream set-up having Norco’s office close by, and the first time a team has been around me to really take the bike to a new level. It’s a huge step for me and for freeriding, to see how far we can actually push it. I’m excited to be more involved developing new bikes with the engineers and whole team at Norco, testing and riding here in Canada, and just hanging with the crew. It feels like the perfect set-up to work toward the future of mountain biking together.

Norway is my home, and moving this new chapter forward across Scandinavia was really important for me. Working with Response Nordic for so many years, it’s so sick they will be a new distributor for Norco, pushing affordable bikes for the kids and a new wave of the up-and-coming scene in Norway. There are a lot of plans soon with B-RAGE Sesh, Trysil Bike Arena, new projects… I’m proud to be representing such an iconic and OG freeride brand back home.

It all just goes back to biking, and that feeling of being free. I’m so fired up to see where we will take everything, and to just have fun and ride bikes together.

– Brage Vestavik

 

This next chapter for Brage means so much more than a new bike to ride. The foundation of this signing with Norco is about legacy, Brage giving back to mountain biking all that it’s given him. He’ll continue to push the boundaries, our crew will keep the projects coming… and off the bike, the opportunity to work so closely with Norco’s team on development, pushing affordability and all that’s important to him, fostering the next generation of freeride… that’s where the magic of this partnership is.

Brage is a once-in-a-generation talent, biker, artist… all the categories you can place him in, and with that comes unique challenges, but even bigger rewards. We’ll keep pushing each other the same we have, and we feel right at home with Norco’s team, the transparency and trust we’ve already experienced early on working with them. Trust the vision, foster the artist’s creativity, the rest will come.
– Mike Garceau