Submitted by
Mark Flanagan
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakewood CO USA
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2005
Strengths: Overall performance and durability. The bike climbs, cruses and descends. The bike will challange you to ride better. My 00 is still going strong.
Weaknesses: Replaceable hangars break. I quess thats what they are suposed to do. You better cary one with you. Main pivot bolt doesn't age well. Replace every two years. Carry extra one on epics.
Bottom Line:
This is an update of my 02 review. I've upgraded to a Romic shock and it's a huge improvement. Romic modified their shock valving for this frame. I had to stuff it into place but it does fit. Also added a pulley so I can use a convential front D (highpivot bottom pull). I think this bike in current form has reached it evolutionary maximum. 28lb coil/oil trail riding bike. Its funny, when I started riding five inch trailbikes in 97 everyone thought I was nuts for riding a "downhill bike". Intense has moved on with the 5.5 VPP stuff and they seem really nice. I wonder if Intense's motivations are driven by the need to get away from paying specialized for use of "their" patent (4bar). This bike was ahead of its time and in some ways still is.
Bike Setup: Vanilla forx,king,magic cranks,Hope,mavic/continentals/stans,gripshift,Romic
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Submitted by
George Plati
a Weekend Warrior
from Minneapolis MN USA
Date Reviewed: February 4, 2004
Strengths: Solid suspension design, Fox shock and well...it's an Intense!
Weaknesses: Chain slap, it's hard to get at the shock, chain slap, the paint is easily chipped, chain slap, mediocre customer service, chain slap, chain slap, chain slap, did I mention chain slap?
Bottom Line:
If you are a hard rider who likes to push the limits, the bike always goes where you point it and gets the job done with style, if you can put aside a little extra weight, chain slap, paint issues, and sub-par customer service then this bike is for you. All bad points aside I love the bike, 50% for the ride and 50% because I've never seen another in my area.
Bike Setup: Rock Shox hydracoil 100 (waiting for the Minute 1), WTB momentum headset, XT derailuers, LX rapidfire shifters, Raceface Next LP cranks, XT BB, Salsa Shaft post, Titec berzerker Ti saddle, Raceface System 130mm, Titec Ringleader HB, ODI grips Avid mechanical disk brakes, XTR brake levers, Mavic Crossmax XL wheels, WTB Wierwolf 2.1 tires
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Submitted by
JB
a Weekend Warrior
from Antelope,CA USA
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2002
Strengths: It's an Intense.
Weaknesses: Price and Intense's lack of customer service. I called and asked if they had any stickers for the vehicle and they told me they had none. The funny thing is, I have a large Intense logo sticker on my truck that I got from them. Go figure.
Bottom Line:
Great bike, takes the abuse. Bad rear derailler slap due to being a four bar design and I had XTR rear der. Switched to Sram and problem was solved. So, for the people that think it is Intense's fault for the derailler slap, it is due to the four bar suspension design. It's licensed from Specialized and theirs make just as much noise.
Bike Setup: Z.1, King Hubs, Rhyno Lites,Maxxis 2.35 High Rollers, Hope discs, Thompson stem/seatpost, Easton Scandium h-bar, Sram 9.0sl shifters, Sram x.o. rear der, Xt front der, Race Face Next Lp ISIS,
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Submitted by
Robert Moore
a Cross Country Rider
from Grand Junction, Colorado, U.S
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2002
Strengths: cnc machined, impecable welds, built to last.
Weaknesses: rear derailur slap, but easy to fix, hard to get rear shock set up for varying trail conditions
Bottom Line:
This is an all trail bike/light freerider, it can take everything you throw at it. the bike is simply awesome, many people complain about the derailur slap, but if you can handle the noise the bike is well worth it. only has 4.5 in the back, but feels like six and can still climb the hills and my bike only weighs in at about 32lbs. pricey, but well worth it.I had to wait three months for my frame to arrive. The bottome line is if your a freerider and also has to climb buy this bike it does it all!
Bike Setup: z-1 up front race face throughout and xtr
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Submitted by
Mark Flanagan
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakewood CO
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2002
Strengths: Well built,pivot bearings perform and last, ride quality
Weaknesses: Requires top pull topswing front derailure.
Bottom Line:
This review is of the 2000. Needed to upgrade from the FSR. Wanted to run disc brakes. This bike rides nice! I could feel the difference in the turns right away, quality. Found a hairline crack forming next to the disc brake mount. Sent the linkage section back and Intense replaced it for free. That's service. Propper chain length,B screw tension and shifting will minimize chain/derailure noise. If your looking for a sweet trailbike this might be the ticket.
Similar Products Used: 97 specialized Max backbone FSR comp (They don't stand by their products)
Bike Setup: Hope Mini,King hubs,Shmegg beaters,gripped shifters etc.
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Submitted by
Pablo
a Weekend Warrior
from Solana Beach, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 16, 2002
Strengths: Lot's of ways to adjust size and set up to give you a great fit and most comfortable feel. Solid construction for durability. Others our jealous!
Weaknesses: Rear derailleur slap. Seat tube too short. Stickers need some work.
Bottom Line:
Sorry Intense but it appears that the Uzzi SL is not the only bike you make with rear derailleur slapping the frame problems. From the reviews the Tracer does too. This problem is so bad that as your hammering down rocky sections, your $1500 frame sounds like a Huffy underneath you. Yeah it powers through rock gardens great but if that chain pops off because the derailleur can't put enough tension it, your going down on your next peddle stroke. I called Intense and after a while they put me on the line with one of the owners. He said that their customers have reported this problem but by tightening the b-screw and putting something soft between the derailleur and frame problem should be solved. I tried both of these but the derailleur still slaps the frame and the chain still comes off during downhill rocky technical sections. Until Intense solves this problem by having a chainstay that doesn't drop down at the rear pivot point, I recommend you spend $500 more dollars on a Turner XCE or RFX. I f#!#$! up but I had broken my last frame and I needed something right away because I have to ride. Unfortunately, MTBR.COM did not have any reviews on this bike that may have helped guide me in my decsion. Hindsight is always 20/20.
Bike Setup: XTR rapid rise derailleur. Intense claims the bike is spec for it.??? XT cranks, disc brakes, ... who cares whats on my bike? ...just the usual stuff.
