From the make of the top downhill race bicycles in the world, comes revolutionary Spider XVP.
Featuring the patented VPP suspension design, the Spider XVP has been reffered to by many as the best cross country specific bike ever made. A superior climber, torque sensative ascender and traction master.
Submitted by
frana
a Cross Country Rider
from alta loma, CA Date Reviewed: April 14, 2009
Favorite Trail:
santa ana river
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1299.00
Purchased At:
jenson usa
Strengths:
climbs well. rp23 lockout works great. Suspension soaks up bumps very well. Minimal bob when seated and not locked out. No problems with linkages or bearings. Linkage issues have been solved according to another user who I corresponded with.
Weaknesses:
Only thing I notice is on fast semi-rough descents, stiffness could be better.
Similar Products Used:
02 GT i-drive
Bike Setup:
crossmax xl wheels, fox rlt fork, titec carbon stem and seatpost, egg beaters, ceramic V brakes. 26 lbs.
Bottom Line:
Great XC bike. Smooth riding with VPP suspension with 20% sag. Great quality, no issues with the frame. I bought just the frame from Jensonusa. Highly recommend
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
teledaddy207
a Cross Country Rider
from Augusta Maine Date Reviewed: March 29, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Outdoor center Sugarloaf
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2700.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
this was my first new bike in 20 yrs, I'm am wondering why I waited so long, but 4 kids came first, I averaged @ 100 miles a week August, September and October, never had to so much as tweak a thing, followed Jenson.s unpacking info and Rockshock and Fox set up. I 'm looking forward to Spring
Weaknesses:
the brakes don't modulate as well as my old XTR V's, Juicy threes, but I took the package knowing I would slowly trade up
Similar Products Used:
my last bike was a K2 Razorback and I loved it's suspension design, my son is now riding and racing that, bought used w/ a raceface XTR mix
Bike Setup:
fox rp23 rear, reba race front, xt, x9 drive, avid juicy 3( now has magua martaSL's) truvativ cockpit and crank
Bottom Line:
very happy with my investment, this bike handles all I thro at it w/ ease, the ability to lock out front when climbing or on smooth trails is nice and adjust both front and rear shock on the fly is wonderful, still tweaking both shocks, previous Noleen was limited in adjustemnt
so far no bearing issues on frame
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Red Spider
a Cross Country Rider
from Indonesia Date Reviewed: February 16, 2009
Favorite Trail:
JPG
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Strengths:
Light & Strong Easton Frame, stable downhill, good climber
USA Handmade
Weaknesses:
Bearings need to be replaced after 6 months
Similar Products Used:
Giant Anthem (good value)
Bike Setup:
XTR Drive Train & Wheelset, Fox F100 RLC, Thomson
Bottom Line:
Fast & responsive frame, better than Anthem on downhill (but the frame will cost you almost double if compare to Anthem)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
George
a Cross Country Rider
from charlotte,nc Date Reviewed: August 10, 2008
Favorite Trail:
usnwc
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Similar Products Used:
Trek fuel ex9, giant anthem 1, specialized epic
Bike Setup:
x0 and x9, cane creek wheels, avid juicy 7, reba team
Bottom Line:
This is a follow-up to a previous post. I have been riding this bike for greater than 9 months. I ride 30 miles or more a week and I have raced the bike a bit. I bought a monoblock rear pivot..this updates the frame to 2007 spec. The frame has been great. I was worried that the pivot bolts would continue to loosen/creek. This is NOT a problem. I love riding this bike. I think this is a great bike for long rides. I also have a giant anthem. The giant is lighter and I think it climbs better. The bottom bracket of the giant is too low and is always smacking rocks/roots. I have been riding a friends specialized epic and I might like this better. Still, I would strongly recommend the spider!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
zaskar1
a Cross Country Rider
from san jose, ca usa Date Reviewed: June 10, 2008
Favorite Trail:
almaden quicksilver
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1900.00
Purchased At:
trailheady cyclery
Strengths:
control comfort
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
klein manitou
Bike Setup:
intense spider xvp
sram
Bottom Line:
i got the special deal sram setup with the ok reba race front and fox rear, still was not cheap, but is worth the $$
i was concerned that the wheels were too heavy and the limited travel of the suspension
my reservations were unfounded, as this bike climbs better than my 24lbs hardtail, an old gt zaskar race bike and sticks to the trail on the climbs and descents so i have to be careful as not to go too fast as i have absolute control
my only regret is that i didnt buy this sooner
the guys at trailhead in san jose were extremely helpful
i dont understand the negative reviews this bike has received as it is made in the usa, so you should buy this one to keep the jobs here
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Racer
from Hyannis Date Reviewed: May 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Lenox Mt/pittsfield SF Mass,
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
CBO
Strengths:
efficient suspension
Weaknesses:
the seattube BB weld has cracked on all three frames I've owned.Tire clearance
Similar Products Used:
Trek Fuel. Cdale Scalpel
Bike Setup:
2x9 drivetrain with road cassette
Bottom Line:
I am so disappointed that all my frames have not lasted more than 12 months and I don't do any crazy stunts. They tell me that I don't have enough sag so I guess I'll have to soften it. I bought this to save my HT and my HTs last longer. so now I have to purchase a crash replacement at a discounted price and the economy is failing is so is my bank account.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steven Dembones
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles, CA Date Reviewed: December 29, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Bulldog in Mailbu, CA
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Local bike shop
Strengths:
Awsome frame, very light and durable. Very quiet. Little to no frame flex or unused motion. Very responsive on all types of terrain.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Specialized stumpjumper FSR
Bike Setup:
All shimano XT and Fox suspension 4 inches of travel.
Bottom Line:
This bike rips. If you can afford this level of bike nothing in this price range comes close. It is light, has a great suspension design and is very responsive to all types of terrain. I run Mavic crossmax ST wheels and intense tires. If you like a light bike, cross country race, dont do much jumping and like to climb this is your bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
George
a Racer
from charlotte,nc Date Reviewed: November 21, 2007
Favorite Trail:
national whitewater
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Strengths:
weight, geometry
Weaknesses:
pivot bolts
Similar Products Used:
giant anthem, trek fuel
Bike Setup:
sram x.9 and x.0 , bontrager cranks seatpost and seat, everthing else easton, reba team fork
Bottom Line:
My frame is a 2006...the pivot bolt issue came up immediately...It looks like it's solved with loctite. The bike is well worth the trouble. Super fast...and light. The rear end is pretty firm even with 30% sag. Feels like a racing bike. Great paint. I feel lucky to have this bike...I just hope it lasts at least 6 months.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ernie overeasy
a
from pasadena, california Date Reviewed: October 24, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
climbs very well, seems like bottomless rear suspension, built very nice
Weaknesses:
rear wheel clearance very tight, seatpost tube is very tight and hard to adjust height
Similar Products Used:
superlight, blur, specialized fsr
Bike Setup:
see http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/2319/img6446tn8.jpg did a xc/trailbike setup w/ mavic 321 wheelset, sherman 90/130 fork, raceface xc stem, seatpost, handlebar and crank. avid mechanicals, XT drivetrain, LX brake levers, fat WTB Timberwolf 2.3 tires, flat pedals and Serfas saddle.
Bottom Line:
Only crashed once because I wasnt paying attention. However the bike rides like a dream. Singletrack, fireroads, street riding, the bike does it all. I use it for general purpose trail riding. I like the lightweight frame and the ability to be able to climb almost any hill. The powdercoat finish is great, no nicks or paint chips like most other frames on the market. I've popped over logs and some small boulders and the bike hasnt let me down. The VPP bearings has been changed once and it was easy to do. I think this version is burlier than the Santa Cruz Blur, the rear triangle seems to have more support. It doesnt flex much on sharp turns which is great for such a lightweight frame. Highly recommend the 2.3 WTB Timberwolf kevlar folding tires as well as it helps grip the dirt 120% more than other tires.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Derek Pajaczkowski
a Cross Country Rider
from London, UK Date Reviewed: October 21, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$3600.00
Purchased At:
Cycle Surgery
Strengths:
frame and VPP linkage; general looks (it's gorgeous!)
Weaknesses:
haven't found any yet.
Similar Products Used:
MARIN, SPECIALISED, SANTA CRUZ
Bike Setup:
INTENSE '05 frame; FOX F100X fork; FOX RP3 shock; MAVIC CrossMaxXL wheels; SRAM XO gears; RACEFACE DeusXC cranks; AVID Juicy7 brakes (200mmF/160mmR); CHRIS KING headset; EASTON EA70 stem, bars and seatpost.
Bottom Line:
A fantastic piece of kit. I've done about 2,000km with this bike and have thoroughly enjoyed every one. The frame is light and stiff, and the suspension is there when you need it and otherwise invisible. There is no discernible pedal bob and when climbing the VPP linkage keeps the rear end stuck to the ground. Descending and cornering it's taut and under control, always feeling like you could go faster. The bike is at it's best when hammering along a twisty bit of single track. No bearing or frame issues at all and I'm 6'1" and 200lbs. I do, however, really only ride XC -no DH-type descents and no big drops, and the bike is meticulously maintained by me and my LBS which, given the cost, only makes sense, right? It's expensive, but if you want the top of the heap for XC use then look no further...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
keith smarte
a Cross Country Rider
from earlysville,va Date Reviewed: August 12, 2007
Favorite Trail:
porcupine rim,moab
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3800.00
Purchased At:
richards bikes
Strengths:
climbing,fast cornering
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
canondale jekell,yeti 575
Bike Setup:
fox rp23 rear,foxrl,sram x-9 twister shifters with xt crank
Bottom Line:
great bike,richards bikes was a great bike dealer...they talked with me and were fantastic helping me set-up my bike for me...next bike will be from them
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: July 29, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Wrench Science
Strengths:
Very solid bike, still the best XC bike I have tried.
Weaknesses:
Limited rear tire clearance
Similar Products Used:
Marin Mount Vision Pro, Rocky MTN Element Team SC, Specialized Stumpjumper Pro, Trek Fuel, etc.
Bike Setup:
Full XTR and Chris King Wheels
Bottom Line:
This bike really works. It climbs better than any Specialized and still has active feeling suspension. When I have ridden a few of the Specialized Epics and Fuels, they always feel harsher than this bike. The Santa Cruz Blur and Marins are similar but this bike still has the best balance and feel I have tried. There are small problems with the pivots but Intense has been very good at helping over the years and really for the past 18 months I have not had a bottom pivot come out again. I am riding my third spider and all have been great. There are lighter bikes and bigger travel bikes but for all day riding and racing you cannot beat the Spider. Just look at the World Xterra Championships and you will see 2-3 Intense Spiders in the top 10, more than any other bike. It still gets attention on the trail and looks great after all the pounding I give it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rich
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Clara, CA Date Reviewed: July 21, 2007
Favorite Trail:
All NorCal trails
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1950.00
Purchased At:
LBS (Sun Bike Shop)
Strengths:
Fast, handles great, awesome looking frame.
Weaknesses:
Pricey!!!!!
Similar Products Used:
Can't compare.
Bike Setup:
07 Intense Spider XVP - Crossmax SLR (UST) - Chris king - Thompson stuff - FOX RP23 rear, F100 RLC (08 model) front - Shimano XT/XTRs - Magura Marta SL
Bottom Line:
Best bike I've ever owned so far. It cost me a fortune to build, but I have no regrets. Outfitted with hand picked components made this bike as solid as it can ever be. Handles great, decent weight for a full suspension XC (just a little over 24 lbs.). Will make you a better and confident rider.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jake
a
from West Chester, PA Date Reviewed: April 18, 2007
Favorite Trail:
The ones you ride
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1310.00
Purchased At:
Bean's Bikes
Strengths:
Light(er that my last bike), climbs like a goat, descends like a banshee. With the shock in "open" propedal the suspension absorbs any size hit. Stable in turns, and on steep descents. corners as if on rails.
Weaknesses:
Makes me want to skip class and ride. Pivots back out easily (common problem... easy fix)
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Epic, hardtails
Bike Setup:
07 Spider w/ Fox RP23, X0/XT drivetrain, shimano brakes, FSA wheels, Fox fork, ODI grips, thomson stuff...
Bottom Line:
This bike is kick ass. I've only ridden it five or six times, but I can tell that I am really going to like it. Noticed that a pivot started backing out after my first technical ride. I retightened it and am going to lock tite it closed once I get some lock tite... This bike is fast out of the gate and can easily keep up with the more race specific bikes out there (Fuel, Scalpel, etc.) Now the question is can the rider keep up... we'll see.
Bottom line: the Spider rocks. Get one. You won't regret it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
fatcat
a
from tujunga, california Date Reviewed: February 10, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
intense
Strengths:
really good climber, descends great but use 2.2 or larger tires that will barely fit for traction on steep descents.
Weaknesses:
changed the pivot bearings but with most full suspensions you have to change them, the pussies who complain about this ride should buy a hardtail and shutup
Similar Products Used:
santa cruz blur, but I like the Intense better
Bike Setup:
cant tell you then you'll be jealous
Bottom Line:
if you have the means buy this bike, so what the hell its a ripoff of the Blur, but it has Easton tubing and a bit lighter than the Blur. It looks nicer too. The stickers are cheap and fugly--who cares, rip them off, fool. The bike is made in Temecula, California, the rednecks and trailertrash who build this frame nonetheless are expert craftsmen, a bit more than the Chinese children who weld Stumpjumpers together, hahahah.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver Island Date Reviewed: October 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Cheshire Cat
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
fast, light and efficient. Quality construction. Makes climbing fun.
Weaknesses:
Pivots can back off until loctited.
Similar Products Used:
Blur, Heckler
Bike Setup:
Fox float 100 rlc, 5th Air, King hubs, Thomson, Marta SLs,eggs.
Bottom Line:
This has been my go to bike for racing and fast paced XC rides for two and a half years and I couldn't be happier. Reading this site before purchasing the frame, I was aware of the bearing issues others have had and took precautionary measures. Firstly, I painted red dots to be able to check if the pivots were backing off (the LBS guy looked at me as if I was Jesus!). Secondly, I apply a silicone sealer in the lower pivot area on occasion to try to help keep mud and dust out. Thirdly, I had the pivots loctited. My red dot tricked showed me that the pivots were backing off fractionally after a few rides so I had them loctited two years ago. No movement at all since then. The bike continues to perform as new with its initial set of bearings. There is no perceptible bob, and on adding King Hubs and Magura Marta SLs to the equation earlier this year, I am amazed by the stiff responsiveness of this setup. A1.
I ride this bike within its limits - it is by no means bomb proof but it's ridden hard and fast over XC terrain. I have a Heckler for free-ride, steep rocky descent and winter mud rides.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
eric
a
from santa cruz Date Reviewed: September 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
secret trail - heard of it?
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1300.00
Purchased At:
SuperHo
Strengths:
Excellent climber due to VPP and short chain stays. Perfect for dry weather XC riding and racing. Best FS design for up and down hills from a pedaling perspecitve.
Weaknesses:
limited mud clearance in the rear triangle. Bearing replacement is challenging. The bushing system of Turner is superior from an engineering viewpoint. Changing the VPP bearings is a pain that needs to be done. I change them once they aren't perfectly smooth. This frame is way more active when the bearings are "fresh". I had the pivot bolts come loose at first but with loctite it's not an issue.
Similar Products Used:
Gaint NRS, tried my brothers 6.6 as well. Older racing frames I've owned are so numberous I don't want to list them.
Bike Setup:
I've installed the new shock linkage from Push Industries. F100RLT up front, Swinger in back. XTR with XT wheelset. Disc brakes are the only way to go.
Bottom Line:
Rides really well when tuned up with smooth bearings. This is a great bike for someone who rides in dry conditions and is good at maintenence. If a potential owner is not up to changing the pivot bearings I'd stay away from it. The rear end will still move when the bearings are shot so at some point the VPP linkage will need to be removed to check the actual bearing smoothness by hand. In other words, rides unreal but a lot of work to keep perfect.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ernie
a
from pasadena, california USA Date Reviewed: August 28, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Easton tubes, VPP suspension climbs like a mountain goat, hand built excellence and handles the descents like a Ferrari.
Weaknesses:
The frame costs alot of money, G. You may have to work hard to get one of these, but don't trying stealing this one or else I'll tie you up and toss you in an abandoned mine.
Similar Products Used:
SC Blur
Bike Setup:
Manitou Sherman, Bombshell Wheels w/ 20mm front, Avid 7.0 disks, XT, Easton stem/hb, RaceFace crank, BB and seatpost. Franken-bike but still weighs 31 lbs.
Bottom Line:
You can't ask for a better climbing bike. Not just for XC racing, this bike makes an all around trailbike, providing 4" of rear travel which is enough for most folks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cameron
a Cross Country Rider
from Midway Ut Usa Date Reviewed: July 30, 2006
Favorite Trail:
thats to difficult
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Friend
Strengths:
No bob on climbs whatsoever, fantastic climber, handles perfect.
Weaknesses:
Nothing
Similar Products Used:
Trek Fuel, Santa Cruz
Bike Setup:
Xtr shifters, cranks, derailer, and race lite package rims and tubing.
Bottom Line:
I absolutely love this bike it blew everything else out of the water. I do a lot of racing and this gives me and edge everytime. Hands down the best full suspension bike i have ever ridden and i have never had problems with the bearings or anything. With the racelight package i got my bike down to 24 pounds which is outstanding for a 6'2" person. I love this bike
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jimi Killen
a Weekend Warrior
from Fort Collins, CO Date Reviewed: June 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Weight, Pedal Efficiency/VPP Linkage, Cantilever Brake Bosses, American Made, Handles very well
Weaknesses:
I had to ream the headtube a lot before I could press in the headset. The slot on top of the seat tube is not centered directly in the middle - instead it is positioned in the back and slightly to the side. Maybe this has a purpose. I think it is most likely shotty workmanship. Take Intense's tire width recommendations seriously. I purchased a nice set of Intense tires to compliment the frame. Both of the tires, one worse than the other, when mounted correctly woble to the side giving an appearance of a bent rim. Several years ago I had the same problem and had to send a set of Intense tires back. these tires are junk. In my oppinion the top tube is also a bit long on the smaller frames.
Similar Products Used:
Old school Outland VPP, Many full suspension XC bikes
Bike Setup:
mostly xc setup with shorter stem / riser bar
Bottom Line:
Overall, the bike has been fine but I do take issue with the mildly shotty workmanship. This is irritating considering the price of the frame and the arrogance I have encountered by some individuals representing Intense. This is a good bike if you don't mind limited tire clearance and you want to run canilever brakes. The rear triangle on this bike is quite impressive. The VPP linkage feels like there is more than 4" travel and is very smooth paired with the Fox RP3. I have had no bearing/linkage problems. Another little thing....The guys at Intense need to step up the appearance of the warranty card. I realize this might seem like a dorky point but after spending a fair amount of money on this "Elite" product, I felt a bit duped as I filled out a crappy warranty card containing text that was barely legible then finished with a crooked scissor job across the top resembling the paper cutouts performed by my two year old. Anyway good luck.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
George Trantow
a Cross Country Rider
from Basalt, Colorado, USA Date Reviewed: April 9, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Hobbit - 4 Corners (Aspen)
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$4200.00
Purchased At:
123 Bikes
Strengths:
No bob pedaling; great rear wheel tracking; light weight. Climbs better than anything else. VPP concept works! Holding up after 3 full seasons.
Weaknesses:
Rear wheel clearance & maintenance (bearings). The XTR dual control shifters, XTR rings & XTR disc brakes.
Similar Products Used:
Litespeed Unicoi owned and other full suspension tested.
Bike Setup:
XTR Wheels, cranks, dual control, disc brakes, etc. Fox Talas RL; Thomson seatpost and stem; Answer carbon riser bars; Switched over to SRAM XO Twist and XO Rear Deraileur in 2006. I kept the XTR disc brakes with XT levers.
Bottom Line:
Great bike! Yes this is a high maintenance machine due to bearings, but worth it. This is definitely a racing and technical epic riding bike. I cannot recommend this bike for super rocky high speed descents and big drops the head tube is too steep to inspire confidence on the gnarly. This bike excels on big climbs, racing and moderate rocky terrain, which is 90% of the riding from Aspen to Glenwood Springs. I am more disappointed in the Shimano XTR dual control levers, brakes and craapy chain rings more than anything else. Go SRAM and save yourself some aggravation. I have worn through 2 sets of XTR rings at ~$150/set of rings which is ridiculous and 2 rear deraileurs. The 2003 XTR disc brakes are high maintenance (drag and howl). In all fairness the XTR wheels are awesome. The dual control shifter were causing ghost shifting and had me and my LBS confused for 2 years. After I switched to SRAM my shifting became flawless...thanks to Nick and Ute City Cycles.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chuckles
a Weekend Warrior
from Shropshire, England Date Reviewed: March 6, 2006
Favorite Trail:
all of them!
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
In UK for £1749 for frame
Strengths:
Looks great, always turns heads - may not be a good thing for some, but certainly does its for me. Climbs and desends like a trooper.
Weaknesses:
Bearings - yes another one with problem bearings, however, mine is a 2004 bike without the new upgrade. BUT with a bit of TLC its not really that much of a problem.
Similar Products Used:
None - fell in love with this one and havent the heart to get rid of it.
Bike Setup:
Frame size small, in baby blue, fox talas RL at full travel (125mm) 5th element air shock, kenda blue groove/ nevegal sticky e's, hope mono minis, easton seatpost, handle bars etc.
Bottom Line:
Being a tiny lass, 5'6' weighing 57kg, this little spyder is the best bike I could possibly ask for. When i first got it after the 2nd ride or so the bottom pivot had worked loose but thanks to a suggestion by somebody on here we filed a divot in the bearing screw so the grub screw could lock it and two years down the road it has not come un done, yet!! Living in the UK I do not have the lovely dusty trails of many fellow americans etc, alot of my riding is done in mud and rain, because of this the bearings did and do take a hammering and have seized up. But I have found a local dealer who can supply replacements so i just by a load and carry them with me. Yes the frame is expensive and there should be no need to do this but it is just such a great ride its worth the hassle. The key thing is MAINTENANCE - which all bikes need! I am not a XC rider, I dont race and dont intend to. I ride trails every weekend with a group of lads all sporting bikes with 6+ inches of travel my spider keeps up with them, it takes the rough with the smooth and sometimes even beats them. For someone of a small frame like me looking for a light weight trail bike i would strongly recommend it. I run mine with 125mm of front travel - more than recommended by intense and does void warranty but I have had no trouble. Combined with the 5th element air air shock it climbs like a treat and just eats up the decents. The only time I would consider changing it is if I suddendly turned into a hefferlump therefore needing more travel - but if that time does come I think I will be really stuck trying to find a replacement. My advice go and by one NOW!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Durand
a Cross Country Rider
from Windsor Ontario Date Reviewed: January 25, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1700.00
Purchased At:
Abikes
Strengths:
Climbs and decends well. Once rear shock is setup, will take a good beating. Fairly light with no BOB.
Weaknesses:
Very bottom pivot bolt. Have owned bike for 2 years now and have broken the bolt clean in half twice. I'm on my 3rd bolt with brand new bearings, and hoping this will fix the problem
Similar Products Used:
Only other bikes ridden were RM Edge, Santa Cruz Blurr
Bike Setup:
Full XTR with shifter levers, and 4" Marathon fork, and XTR disc with Alex FD16 rims.
Bottom Line:
I've beaten the hell out of this bike in the 2 years I've owned it. It survived the 2005 Transrockies, and performed amazing. Like I mentioned earlier, the only problem is the lowest pivot bolt which keeps breaking in the middle of the threads. When I origionaly baught the bike , this bolt kept coming lose. Some lock tight helped hold it in place, but it broke anyway. THe only other issue I had with it was the bearings. The side walls completly erroded away, and the bearings were distroyed. Intense replaed them with an upgrade kit under warrently, along with the pivot bolt. The bearings being distroyed might have had something to do with 3 days and 300 Km of mud in the Trans. Other than that, the bike is a great performer, and probably saved my life a few times during the race. Highly recommended.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom Giberson
a Cross Country Rider
from Oxford, MI, USA Date Reviewed: January 16, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Any
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
Efficient design, beautiful bike. Fast, fun to ride.
I completely agree with many of the riders who have had problems with their Spider. I haven't had much trouble at all; I do most maintenance and have a great LBS who takes care of anything I can't deal with. It is like buying a ferrari or a pre-Ford Jag - ownership is truly a relationship that you have to invest in; if you do, you'll be amply rewarded.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pieter Wentzel
a Cross Country Rider
from South Africa Date Reviewed: January 5, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
USA
Strengths:
Suspension Feedback ; NO bobbing ; Fast
Weaknesses:
High Maintenance
Bike Setup:
F100X ; Fox RP3 ; XTR Front ; XO Rear ; X0 Grip Shift ; DEUS Cranks ; Chris King & XM819 ; Avid Ultimate V-brakes.
Bottom Line:
Could not afford this frame (local agent nor over internet) until friend vivsited USA last year and got a good deal for me. So build all my components from Bianchi Oetzi hardtail (that's why still doing the V-brake thing) After riding this bike I will never go back to hardtail. Just simply amazing. Yes it is high in maintenance, but I have always building and servicing bikes so no problem. After the first month the frame started to squueeeckkk. I striped the rear suspension completely. Used some Copper Slip (Anti seize)on all pivot points .... Problem solved. The only other problem I had was that the new type XTR front jock's rubs against the frame. I see I am not the only one with this problem. Filed jockey away at the limit set screws and problem solved. Although only 3 months old I do take this bike through some rough and muddy terrain. No complaints. Responds like no other bike. Climbs even feel better that the hardtail....BUY this bike. The RP3 rear shock is simply the best. You guys buying 5th Element and having problems....don't cry at Intense. No Bearing problems for me yet. Will service the complete suspension every 6 months. Bottom line is...Expensive but worth every Chili's
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick P
a Cross Country Rider
from Concord, NH Date Reviewed: December 27, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Bottom Line:
I mis-spelled the pivot bolt fix email address in my previous post. It is: tookywheelworks@yahoo.com
Let me also mention that the 5.5 uses the same pivot system-this upgrade kit would work on that frame as well
(...and my mis-spelling also gives me a chance to average out my rating to 4.5 chilis, since in my opinion it's a 5-chili frame only with the upgrade)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick P
a Cross Country Rider
from Concord, NH Date Reviewed: December 27, 2005
Favorite Trail:
That's like asking me to choose from among my children!
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Strengths:
Finally, finally finally! I found a fix for the dad-gum pivot bolt problem. I've never ridden a bike that is this aggressive, comfortable, and efficient, and both climbs and descends beautifully. When it works. Every time I thought Intense had solved my pivot issues, they promptly returned. Tried the Loc-tite. Tried plumber's tape. Tried the new bolt system. Sent the frame back to the factory. Twice. All in all, MUCH more time without my bike than with it. With just about any other consumer good I would have cut my losses and moved on. But this bike's geometry and performance absolutely rock. Soooo, imagine my glee with a pivot bolt solution that works. The upgrade kit is engineered and sold by Tookywheelworks, a small shop with superior attention to detail (no website, email: toookywheelworks@yahoo.com). The suspension has performed FLAWLESSLY since installation! I again love my bike. And I no longer have to face the prospect of writing off a large chunk o'change for a useless frame.
Considering buying this frame? Until now I would have steered you away from it, despite its outstanding geometry and ride. Now I wholeheartedly encourage you to take a look at it. Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones. But if you end up being one of the many who experience its ridiculous (at any price) pivot bolt problems, you can feel confident that there is a fix. If you already own a Spider with current (or potential) pivot bolt problems, email tookywheelworks@yahoo.com about the upgrade. You won't be sorry. 5 (qualified) chilis overall for this outstanding frame with the upgrade kit 1 stinkin' chili for value given the original and recurrent pivot bolt design failure
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Glenn Collins
a Cross Country Rider
from Newbury Park, Ca. USA Date Reviewed: November 28, 2005
Favorite Trail:
any ride is great
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
pedaling,the company
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
stumpjumper,Tracer
Bike Setup:
xtr,fox100x,etc.
Bottom Line:
I have raced in three 24 Hours of Adrenalin and gone to five. This bike is fast and comfortable. I ride it 4 times a week with no problems. I did crack the seat tube after a little over 2 years of hard riding. I e-mailed them and they e-mailed back saying I should call and that they would help me out. I called and 4 days later I had a new front triangle. Thank you for standing behind your Frames.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard Abbott
a Racer
from Salt Lake City, UT, USA Date Reviewed: November 6, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
+ Pedaling Efficiency
Weaknesses:
- Low clearance for front derailleur - Weight is a little high (not much) - One bottle cage
Similar Products Used:
Ellsworth Truth, Fuel 100, Cannondale Scalpel
Bike Setup:
Sid WC Fork, V-Brakes, 5th Element, SRAM shifting with XTR front derailleur
Bottom Line:
This bike is very good. The pedal action is noticeably better than most other bikes, even those with less travel. I always laugh when people say "climbs like a hardtail". Unless the terrain is quite smooth, this bike (and any other really good XC FS bike) climbs better than a hardtail -- and I've checked this with a stopwatch. The suspension reduces rolling resistance. Some people say this bike is racey. I don't really understand why. I won an expert class Norba National (Deer Valley) on this bike -- it is a fast bike. Some guy on another review said the Giant XTC is VPP. The Giant is a lot different than this bike.
Mine was the original bearing setup, and it worked fine after I used a little loctite on the pivot axles. The axles did work loose without the loctite. I suspect some people had them come loose and then things got messed up, but it isn't complicated system. I've done about 20 races plus two seasons of training on this bike, to give you an idea of usage.
There is not enough clearance between the rear section and the inside of the front derailler. I had to grind my derailleur (XTR) to get it to shift reliably. This would be my major complaint with the bike.
The frame weighs 5.8lbs (medium). I weighed it with a traceable scale, so my weight is right. This is not bad, but there are a few frames out there that weight 1/2 lbs less, if you care.
There is only one useable bottle cage. The other is on the bottom of the down-tube and it hits the tire when you brake, so it isn't very useful. Choosing a stiffer fork would likely help this.
The rear triangle is a little flexy with V-brakes. This doesn't affect riding, but it makes the brakes a little spungy. Disk brakes would solve this, and I'd suggest you just go disk anyway.
I really like the 5th element shock. Combined with this frame, you can get a pretty stiff platform, if you like that.
The bottom bracket is fairly high. This is results in a little slower movement from side to side in turns than some bikes, but I like the clearance for pedaling over rocks, etc.
I've listed all my nit-picks, but I don't want to give the wrong idea. This is a fabulous bike. I've yet to ride one I like better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Curt Northrup
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles, CA Date Reviewed: October 20, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Sullivan Ridge
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1750.00
Purchased At:
Helen's
Strengths:
Very light, and wait...NO BOB!! No kidding, with the Fox RP3 rear shock and a RLT front locked off, there is literally no power loss. The VPP technology is unbelieveable
Weaknesses:
Price. Perfection ain't cheap.
Similar Products Used:
Blur, GT I-Drive 5, Marin Pine Mountain
Bike Setup:
FSA K-Force Crankset, Fox 100RLT front fork, Fox RP3 rear, easton monkeylite sl bars, sram twist shifters, sram x.0 rear derailleur, shimano xtr front derailleur, eggbeater twin ti pedals, rohloff slt 99 chain, deore xt cassette, steve's olympic rims, dt spokes, chris king headset, chris king iso hubs, irc serac 2.1 tires, magura julie brakes, gravity dropper 4in post, wtb laser stealth saddle (26.7 lbs total)
Bottom Line:
Bearing problem...gone. Doesn't exist. They have a whole new bearing set up. This is the best & lightest full suspension XC frame on the market hands down. And the star feature of the whole dealio...the VPP technology is freakishly effective. I pass guys on Blurs uphill like they are standing still. The only bike that can beat me uphill is a hardtail...with a very strong climber! Since I switched frames, I have been consistently pacing hardtail riders with the Spider. Really freaks them out! Sure, you can get somewhat similar technology on the Blur, but it's heavier and it's not hand made. Downhill, you open up the shocks and it's 4in of travel completely absorbs washboards and anything up to about a 4 foot drop. But the best characteristic is the handling. It is so responsive that when operated properly, you can avoid obstacles in the last split second. Really snappy and impressive. If you can afford this frame - buy it. You won't want to ride anything else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roadracer
a Racer
from Alaska Date Reviewed: October 19, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1700.00
Purchased At:
123bikes.com
Strengths:
Smooth, responsive, and solid.
Weaknesses:
Hard to maintain ball burnish finish.
Similar Products Used:
Merlin hardtail, Santa Cruz Blur.
Bike Setup:
Fox F80 RLT Fork; XTR cranks; SRAM XO shifters & derailleur; Easton carbon bar & seat post; King HS and Hubs; tubeless wheeles/tires.
Bottom Line:
Teriffic Bike. Mine is the 2003 vintage with ball burnished finish. Reports of bearing failure remain a mystery to me. I'm 6'4, 195 lbs. and have been commuting and racing (including some cyclocross) on this bike for two years with no problems. Had one lower piviot bolt back out, but new pivot bolts (which have a shoulder machined into them for the set screw) and blue loctite fixed the problem. Relatively light at 24.5 lbs. Soaks up bumps well, but still climbs out of the saddle as good as my Merlin hardtail. You need to experiment for a while to dial in the air pressure on the 3-way SPV Manitou rear shock.
The ball burnish finish gets corroded from sweat and mud, and you can't just wipe it down like a painted finish. The aluminum actually tarnishes. I've been using metal polish to clean it up, which is a pain, but it looks good when you are done.
Customer service is good now. They have responded to my e-mails within a day or two, although in the past they have not. I think they are making a new effort to be responsive.
Given the choices out there for a high-end 4" FS racing bike (Blur, Truth, Fuel, Turner) this is right up there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Duncan
a Downhiller
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: October 16, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Jentree
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
climbs like a mountain goat, descends like a brick without a parachute, awesome piece of machinery.
Weaknesses:
Far too good for a rider like me, but then not everyone who owns a Ferarri is a race driver
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Paragon
Bike Setup:
'05 XVP Spyder frame, Manitou Mars Fork, XT & XTR componentry, Bontrager crankset (all from my faithful Gary Fisher Paragon)Bontrager Racelite Wheelset (running the Fox rear shock, it's great)
Bottom Line:
I loved my Paragon (26") but then my business partner bought me this frameset as a gift!!! Yep, friends like that are hard to find. Why did I spend the last 5 years riding hardtails? To more fully appreciate the perfection that is the XVP. If you enjoy workshop time (hell, my wife bought me a workstand so I could take good care of my bikes) then the XVP is the ideal bike. Not that it needs a lot of time on the workstand, just that it's such a pleasure to work on and a well tended bike is a happy rider. I can now ride 4 to 6 hours easily without spending the next two days walking like Quasimodo. Yes, full suspension is better, yes you need one today, yes, this bike will put a smile on your face so wide you'll be picking bugs out of your teeth for an hour after every ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom Primosch
a Cross Country Rider
from San Marcos, CA 92078 Date Reviewed: October 2, 2005
Favorite Trail:
San Juan Trail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1650.00
Purchased At:
Supergo.com
Strengths:
The Spider is a stiff and stable platform. I never feel any bob from pedaling. That makes it an efficient pedaler. However the VPP handles bumps very well.
Weaknesses:
The bolt that attaches the lower suspension arm to the bottom bracket can back off if not maintained correctly. You must make sure the bolt's thread are totally dry when you torque the bolt. I've learned a little loc-tite 242 solves the problem.
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Sugar 2+ and Santa Cruz Blur, Titus Racer X
Bike Setup:
XT, Hayes mag, Fox 100RLC, 5th element
Bottom Line:
The spider is an efficient pedaler that handles bumps well. It is also stiff side to side. You can't go wrong with this frame. I use the bike for racing and trail riding. It handles everything from technical decending to powered climbing with ease. Yes, I've had to tighten the rear suspension bolt on occasion. But it is easy to check if it is loose and there is a fix. One thing I give Intense high marks for is there warranty service. My Spider came with a hollow suspension bolt. Intense has since done away with these for solid ones. Within 24 hours I had a new bolt and replacement bearings which I didn't even ask for. After cracking the frame this year right before a race, I called their warranty people again. The invited me to that drive to there Temecula facility and pick up a new frame. These guys stand behind there stuff. It might sound like I've had issues with the frame and should be upset. I'm hard on my bikes and have cracked my last 2 non-Intense frames. I was waiting weeks for a replacement. I've never had better service on any other product than I've had with my Spider. I must say I've never been without my spider for more than 24 hours thanks to their warranty people. Bottom line, if you want a race and trail ready setup, the Spider is a great choice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wolvie
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Cruz, CA Date Reviewed: September 27, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1750.00
Purchased At:
123bikes
Strengths:
Climbs great and handles well
Weaknesses:
Paint and bearings
Bike Setup:
full XTR with Avid Ultimate Rim Brakes, Fox F100X & RP3, Easton Bars and Seat Post, Dave's Speedream Wheels, Nevegal 1.95 Tires, Eggbeater Twin Ti Pedals
Bottom Line:
I was one of the first 15 people to get a Spider and had the bearing problems everyone else had. After going through two set of bearings they came up with the "crush washer fix" and suggested using blue locktite everywhere. This made a huge difference. Road it hard for about a year and a half before I got play in the lower bearing. Intense suggested changing all eight bearings even though the uppers seemed fine. I'm over 50, weigh 155 lbs and ride 4 days a week with 2 annual trips to Downieville. The bottom line is this bike is a blast to ride but I wish the bearings would last longer. I don't know what is the normal life for bearing in other bikes. Intense says that the bearings have been improved. It has been two months with no problems> I'l let you know in 6 months.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
STEVE MAROLT
a Racer
from ASPEN, CO USA Date Reviewed: September 5, 2005
Favorite Trail:
GOVERNMENT TRAIL
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$3800.00
Purchased At:
PERFECTION CYCLERY, ca
Strengths:
DESIGN AND GEOMETRY ARE PERFECT.
Weaknesses:
THE OVERALL QUALITY OF THIS BIKE FROM THE BOX-STARTING WITH UNBELIEVABLY HORRABLE PIVOTS AND BEARINGS THAT ROUTINLEY COME APART DURING RIDING AND THAT REQUIRE CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT, AND ENDING W/ JUST PLAIN BAD CHAIN ALIGNMENT RESULTING IN CHAIN SUCK IN EVEN GOOD CONDITIONS, TO EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN YOU CAN IMAGINE ABOUT WHAT A POORLY MADE BIKE SHOULD BE.
Similar Products Used:
GF SUGAR; SC BLUR; TURNER 5 SPOT; TURNER FLUX
Bike Setup:
FULL XTR THROUGHOUT
Bottom Line:
THE BIKE IS JUST PLAIN AND SIMPLY A PIECE OF GARBAGE-LITTERALY! I HAVE OWNED THE BIKE FOR 2 YEARS AND HAVE LESS THAN 2K MILES ON IT BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SENT BACK TO THE SHOP TWICE TO BE REBUILT-AND IT STILL SUCKS. I CAN HONESTLY SAY I HAVE NEVER, AND I MEAN NEVER, HAD A CLEAN RIDE ON THIS BIKE W/OUT SOMETHING COMING APART OR MALFUNCTIONING-AND I USE THE BEST WRENCH ON THE PLANET! PURCHASED A FIVE SPOT IN THE MEAN TIME AND WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANYHTING BUT A TURNER EVER AGAIN-THEY ARE THAT GOOD. HAVE JUST PURCHASED A TURNER FLUX AND WILL REBUILD W/ THE PARTS FROM THE SPYDER. I CAN'T GIVE THIS BIKE TO ANYONE WITH ANY CONSCIENCE. IS A SHAME THE INTENSE ISN'T MADE BY TURNER. IF IT WERE IT WOULD BE A GREAT-NO MAKE THAT THE PERFECT- XC BIKE. DID I MENTION SANTA CRUZ MAKES THE SAME THING WITH GREAT QUALITY CONTROL-THOUGH NOT A TURNER?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Francisco
a Cross Country Rider
from Mexico Date Reviewed: August 18, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Ambar cascades
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1850.00
Purchased At:
Colorado
Strengths:
xvp rear suspension system light
Weaknesses:
bearings and rear shock (5º Element air )
Similar Products Used:
Ellsworth Truth , Intense Tracer, Specialized stunpjumper FSR
Bike Setup:
nothing
Bottom Line:
The Spider and 5.5 has problems with bearings and this is the real true ,many Spiders & 5.5 owners think that the problem is for the bearing wear , but in my case is not the bering wear the problem , because my frame is BRAND NEW !!! and the bearings (2 of 4 )behind the b.b. are seize ,stuck ,out of box , I think the problem are the quality assurance in the Intense factory.
Another big problem is the rear shock The 5º Element air in the brand new Intense frame , the air is leaking in both valves .
I have $1850.00 of nothing.
I sent e-mails to Intense and Progressive suspension , up date no answer...
Next time I m going to Blur XC and Fox rp3
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Martin B
a Cross Country Rider
from Arlington, Ma USA Date Reviewed: July 25, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Lynn Woods
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1900.00
Purchased At:
Cambria
Strengths:
Lightweight, Efficient, Climbs Awesome
Weaknesses:
Fake Carbon Fiber Decals, Poor Construction, Poor Customer Service
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Blur
Bike Setup:
Minute 2, Swinger 4-Way, Hayes Hydraulics, Race Face Headset, Turvativ Crank and BB, Thompson Seatpost and Stem, Easton Handlebar.
Bottom Line:
I had a Bullit which was stolen. Insurance hooked me up so I decided to go for more of a cross-country bike. I wanted the baddest thing that I could find, and the 5.5 really caught my eye. I would have gotten the Blur but I wanted a little more travel, so I went for it.
Immediately, I started having problems with the bolts backing out of the bottom part of the swing arm. I emailed Intense and they pretended like they didn't know what was going on. Finally, they email me one day, several weeks after my last contact with them saying that they wanted to hear about my problem again and that they wanted to fix it "right away." So I call them, tell them my problem and they say that they will send me new bolts for the bottom because there was a small chance that I got one of the bikes that did not have grooves cut for the set screws to secure into. Several weeks and calls back to Intense went by - no bolts. At the same time, I had sent my Swinger 4-way back to Manitou for service because it would not hold a charge. When it was reinstalled, during a ride, the bearings on the left side of the bike would pop out. The resulting music that the bike made with the metal parts of the suspension grinding against each other was not pleasant. I took it to the local bike shop, Cycle Loft, who is a dealer. They told me no-problem. We will fix it. So $110, four weeks, and a complete replacement of all of the bearings later, it was "fixed," or maybe that was just my wallet. Not before, however, they told me that there were "serious problems with the bike," which were identified as loose brake levers and shifters and the front derailleur was not set up properly. The front derailleur was not set up properly because they never bothered to reattach it and tune it when they took it apart to get at the bearings.
FIVE MINUTES into the next ride, I compressed the suspension and the bearings popped out of the left side of the bike!!! I took it back to Cycle Loft. First they told me that it was my fault-not theirs and then they said that they would fix it by lock-titeing the bearings into the frame... A friend who is a mechanical engineer was with me during this exchange and he whispered that this was maybe not a good idea, especially when the shop mechanic said a few minutes earlier that people smoke the bearings in the 5.5s every 6 months. I left them the bike and said that they were an authorized dealer and should do whatever they think was prudent to fix it - I just wanted to ride. They told me that if there was a warranty issue I would have to deal with Intense myself – they would have no part in helping me with that for some reason.
Meanwhile, I go back to work and call Intense who act very surprised that the bike could possibly be broken and say that I should get it back immediately, remove the lock-tite and send it back. I do this but not before the locktite was hardened. I pay the money to ship the bike to California. When Intense receives it, they call me and tell me that they can find no problems with it. I ask them if they can see where all of the metal was grinding together. They said yes but their mechanics find no problems. I ask if the bearings are glued in. They say yes. I ask if this is normal procedure. They say no. So they call the bike shop that did the work and call me back. VERY reluctantly, they agreed to replace the swing-arm – but won’t warranty the entire frame.
I got the bike back and put together a week later. Angels sang, the sky cleared, life was good. The bike was awesome. I have never ridden anything so good. I shredded everything in sight. Everything was spectacular - for exactly 3 rides.
On Sunday, some buddies and I went out to Lynn Woods in Ma. We did no hucking but had a really good day ripping around until we were out in the middle of nowhere. I rode down a little piece of slick-rock out of the saddle and sat down on the seat when I got to the bottom. It made a weird sound but didn't notice anything until we were about to ride off. That was when I noticed that the bolt holding the swing-arm to the shock/frame was shattered. SHATTERED. I shattered a piece of metal on this bike that has been actually ridden less than 20 times in over a year. It has never been raced. I have never jumped off of anything higher than 2 or 3 feet(I have been too scared of breaking the bike). The rest of the time it has been in the shop or waiting for parts.
I called Intense. I told them what happened. They asked me how much sag I was running. I said 20%. They said "Oh, sorry. You have to run at least 30%. Yeah. Those bolts break all of the time. Either you can order them from us for $2.00 each, or go to the hardware store like we do and get 6x75mm bolts." I said thanks but no thanks and I will figure something out.
I am so bummed and burned and unhappy. What is the point of this bike? Maybe it is aimed at those who like to hang them in their garage because it seems that any use at all will break it irreparably. I never broke anything on my previous two bikes - Cannondale F500 and 2000 Santa Cruz Bullit. I beat them to death and did 0 maintenance on them. I have babied this bike and it is always broken.
Buy at your own risk.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob Shin
a Cross Country Rider
from LI,NY,USA Date Reviewed: July 16, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Stillwell
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1750.00
Purchased At:
2005 beyond bikes
Strengths:
Best climber ever, Light, satin black color, vpp is the best, turns fast,
Weaknesses:
Sticker are weak so I put Clear 3m tape over it. Now Perfect.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Blur
Bike Setup:
XTR everything and easton post and bar FSA head set. pana racer trail blaster 2.1 520 grams
Bottom Line:
Best bike ever the rating is bad no this bike cause most the post are for the older frame I have the 2005 with 5.5 piviot screws. this is the best bike ...............
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick
a Cross Country Rider
from Bay Point, CA Date Reviewed: June 26, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1850.00
Purchased At:
Cambria Bike Outfitters (CBO)
Strengths:
efficient platform for flat out hammering in or out of the saddle. Great climber, even better on the way down the hill.
Weaknesses:
I have had the bike for about 2 monhs now. I have noticed a creeking noise, but I believe that is coming from the seat post area. Has anyone else had this issue, and what did you do to reduce the annoying sound?
Similar Products Used:
I used to ride an 03 Tracer, before that a Fuel 80
Bike Setup:
fork, Fox f100rlt, shock SPC swinger 3way, king headset, race face deus xc cranks, xtr read d, xt front d, thompson stem and post, xt shifter pods, avid sp sl levers and avid mechanical discs, Spinergy Xyclone discs. Weights in at 25 even.
Bottom Line:
I am completely blown away by how quickly this bikes reacts to pilot input. You point and go. I live in a place where everything goes up. I have never been on a bike which helps me conserve energy like this. Today I played out on the Seaotter course. 4 hours later and over 40 miles of riding in the wind and I still feel good. The bike looks great ans rides even better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Da Killa B.
a Racer
from Tampa, Florida Date Reviewed: June 17, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Any Trail That B.'s Fast On ;)
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
University Bicycle Center
Strengths:
Incredibly well built and well designed XC MTB race bike.
Weaknesses:
B.'s friends can't keep up with Da Spider!!!
Similar Products Used:
Previously was a Hard Tail devotee.
Bike Setup:
Sram XO, Magura Marta SL, Fox F80RLT Fork, 5th Element Rear Shock, Easton Carbon Seatpost & Handlebar, SpeedDream Wheels w/ Stans NoTubes, Continental Tires
Bottom Line:
The Intense Spider XVP has made XC 40+ Expert racing fun again...the bike performs flawlessly...nimble in turns (It was designed for an 80 mm Fork!), billy goat climber, and just AWESOME on the downhills (turned a weakness into a strength!)
Despite what you might read, this bike was virtually maintenance free after one year of racing...Extremely Durable...until this past weekend, when B. noticed a small crack on the frame weld where the seat tube meets the top tube...Now The Best Part Of The Story...The Fine Folks @ Intense Cycles, who have always enthusiastically answered any and all questions, acknowledged that the crack was a warranty...So, they replaced the front triangle, swapped the rear shock, replaced the rear decals to match the new front, checked the frame and linkage integrity...and shipped the frame back to B...ALL IN THE SAME DAY! - so that B. can spin Da Spider XVP Web O' Destruction on the competition in a race this weekend.
BRAVO INTENSE CYCLES!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Babar
a Cross Country Rider
from grenoble France Date Reviewed: March 31, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1450.00
Purchased At:
beyond the bike
Strengths:
this bike rocks!!! The stable platform is not a myth, it works like an hardtail when you climb and like a FS when you go downhill. The most impressive part is the lateral rigidity in single track, you could put your front wheel where you want the bike is like a scalpel (the tool not the bike)... the rear suspension is really impressive and I have much more confidence than with my specialized FSR S-works.
Weaknesses:
no issues with bearing despite several rides in the snow and mud... The rear tire clearance is not perfect, but I accept it regarding the benefit in terms of rigidity. A more complete owner guide would be a plus to explain how to build your bike (cable routing, front derailleur info, shock set-up...). No so light than advertised mine is 2750g in large.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale scalpel, Specialized FSR S-works
Bike Setup:
large frame with manitou swinger 3 ways shock, with X-max SL disk, hope mono-mini, syntace stem, Chrisking headset, Fox F80X, easton monkey lite SL, sram XO rear der, XTR front der, XTR cassette and crankset, extralite seatpost, fizik gobi seat, crankbrothers triple-ti pedals, python UST light tires
Bottom Line:
My current build is at 11.1kg (24.5pds) with disk brakes and UST tires. I found the perfect rear shock setting after several tentatives.(190 main chamber and 100 spv chamber) for my 77kg or 180pds. I found the Fox F80X travel sufficient for my usage (marathon race) and I am still thinking to move up to 100mm fork, but I am so happy with the current set-up and feelings that I will stay with a 80mm fork for a while. This bike provide more confidence in downhill...no needs to touch the brakes, it's like a rail. This is simply the best bike that I never had: fast, fast and efficient. The bike deserves a 6 chilis rating!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jared Rapp
a Cross Country Rider
from Delta Date Reviewed: March 17, 2005
Favorite Trail:
More fun-Fruita
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$870.00
Purchased At:
$870 for frame off e-bay
Strengths:
Stable platform. Rock solid construction. Meticulous craftsmanship. Sweet finish with the ball burnish option-worth the extra money to all of you who are going to buy the best bike on the market.
Weaknesses:
I have not yet ridden this bike to have found any of the problems that the other riders have complained about. Having the knowledge of the complaints will let me keep an eye out for any bearing problems. As it stands now the only weakness with this product is it has no way to grant days off to go out and ride.
Similar Products Used:
GT I-Drive Team, Ellsworth Truth and Joker, Cannondale Jekyll
Bike Setup:
5th Element Air. Spinergy Xyclone Race wheels. Sram 9.0 SL Shifter, cassette, and RD. Avid SD 7 levers and brakes w/flak jacket housing and cables. Marzocchi X-Fly 100. Race Face Next cranks. Race Face Team SL headset w/carbon spacers. Easton carbon riser bar and seatpost. Easton Mg60 stem. ODI lock-on grips. Kenda Kinetics w/Stick-E rubber (26x2.35). Crank Bros. Eggbeaters. Fizik cowhide saddle. Salsa Flipoff skewers. XT FD.
Bottom Line:
This is by far the best bike that I have ever owned. I have owned or still own bikes from Litespeed, Cannondale, GT Team bikes, and Trek. None of these bikes (the GT I-Drive Team is the closest) can hold a candle to this one. I built this bike using parts that would last, and it still weighs in at 25 pounds +/- .5 lbs depending on tires. The only reason that I say this is that you could not touch that weight with many of the full suspension frames out there-they just weight too much. Enough of the weight talk, because that really is not where this bike shines. If you want a bike that you will ride and ride and ride- THIS is that bike. It climbs better than a hardtail-technical sections that have given you trouble in the past will be eaten up by this bike. The Spider descends far better than that same hardtail-fellow XC riders-I hate to say it, but the hardtail is dead (softail too). You can race this bike, or ride it on any trail-as long as your I.Q. has not suffered so as to lead you to the side of the mountain that has drops as tall or taller than yourself. Really the bottom line is this, you can be afraid of the other posts on the bearing issue-or you can MAINTAIN your bike. The bearings should not be a problem-granted I have had this frame for only a month-but I have put over 200 miles on it so far-and everything is tight. Try to put this bike in the corner for longer than two days-you can't I tried. Now stop reading these posts and go get yourself a Spider!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben Tertin
a Cross Country Rider
from Brainerd, MN, USA Date Reviewed: March 8, 2005
Favorite Trail:
dirt
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Awesome in every respect! I feel like a genius for chosing this bike out of hundreds available, or just plain lucky. Super-lightweight and rigid with bob-free pedaling and it looks pretty slick to boot. I like the symetrical design not found in similar VPP designs, and the construction ( welds, custom tubing, ect.. )is absolutely world class. This bike can withstand decent punishment as it handles and climbs, by far, better than any XC set-up I've pedaled. I've always been one to promote the ride and not the bike, but this bike has been a bit of an eye-opener. I am very pleased and no, I HAVE NOT HAD ANY BEARING/PIVOT PROBLEMS. I haven't had any problems for that matter, and knowing what I know now I wouldn't hesitate one second to do it again. I guess that some of this high-tech stuff is actually worth it, within reason. If you can scrape together the $$, dive right in.
Weaknesses:
It might be a bit hard to scrape together all that $$.
Highly recommended. It is awfully tough to justify most of the super-antigravity-ultratech must have stuff that seems to hit the market hourly. But I would say that this is an exception, and I am very happy with the Spider.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gem Mookherjea
a Cross Country Rider
from Edison,NJ USA Date Reviewed: March 2, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Ringwood NJ
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1588.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
Welds are tight, geometry is on point, bike is fast sweet bob free and tough. Disregard competitors reviews against this product. There are no bearing issued, the new bearings rock.
Weaknesses:
Paint is less than adequate for how well they built a tubeset, nice custom drawn out artwork with stickers-lets get them to anodize or atleast paint in graphics
Similar Products Used:
Jekyll, Trek Fuel, FSR, 2003 Palomino and 2004 Palomino currently on a ML7 as well
Bike Setup:
XTR Race Face HOPE MaxM rp3, 100RLC pimped out
Bottom Line:
Efficient peddler with great compliant feel, you feel subtle jack and CLF but no bob, nothing that warrants going backwards to a single pivot (ICT or other). 05 stickers are cooler but the bike is way better than it looks, buy it race it, its fast
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Yogi
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO Date Reviewed: February 15, 2005
2003 frame had more problems than I can count. These problems seem to have been rectified in newer frames.
Similar Products Used:
Intense Tracer, GT STS
Bike Setup:
Crossmax UST disc, Full XTR, Thomson stem and post, TALAS RLC.
Bottom Line:
I originally purchased a 2003 Spider and it was the biggest pain it the arse I've ever experienced. Linkage bolts came loose during rides, rocks got stuck inside the linkage, bearings seized. I even sheared off a suspension bolt on a ride and had to walk 4 miles. The whole experience was ridiculous considering the MSRP. Prior to that I owned a 2000 Tracer for 4 years and loved it, so I felt I must have gotten a lemon. I contacted Jeff Steber at Intense and voiced my concerns. He graciously offered to replace my 2003 with a 2004 and he assembled the new frame himself to ensure I would get a good one. WOW, what a difference! The new frame has worked flawlessly since I got it. The Manitou SPV shock makes an awesome suspension design even better (old frame had Fox Float AVA non-Propedal) and I'm now completely satisfied. This bike is definitely more race oriented than the Tracer, but it still has 4" of travel and can handle a fair amount of punishment.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ, USA Date Reviewed: February 3, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Sunset
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
VPP, Super fast up hill and silky smooth down hill.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
nothing
Bike Setup:
Sram XO, Bontrager Race X Lite, Truavid, Fox 80, Forx rp3 in the rear.
Bottom Line:
I have raced this bike for over a year now, and that is about all I have done raced and raced hard. I purchased the bike as a frame set and heard the rumors about the bearings going. I took it into my local shop and they checked it out applied loc-tite in the right area's and I did not have any troubles until about a week ago. I was pre-riding a race course and sheared a bolt in the lower suspension. This was on a Monday. After a nice 4 mile hike back to the car, I went home and emailed Jeff Steber at Intense and beged for his help inorder to race on Saturday. I emailed Intese at 10pm on Monday and recieved a call at 8am on Tuesday from a Technician at Intense. I told him what happened. He explained that inorder for the VPP to work properly you have to run 25% sag in the rear shock. I was not running that much and he feared that could have been the problem. In the end Intense next day aired the parts to me and I was racing on Saturday.
If you are looking for a race rig ready for any track this is your bike.
The bike is great and the people are great to. If I owned a giant, specialized, etc.. I wouldn't even know who to call. Thanks for the great products Intense.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
J Sobrino
a Racer
from San Juan, PR Date Reviewed: December 7, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1950.00
Strengths:
Works better than any other bike in its class. Love the tube shaping and widening towards to weld areas maximizing weld surface as much as possible. Pedals firmly. Great suspension feel for XC racer.
Weaknesses:
Poor mud and rear tire clearance. Would like to see newer models have geometry adjusted for 100mm forks. 80mm front is getting a bit outdated. Cost maybe (see bottom line).
Similar Products Used:
Intense Tracer, Blur, Litespeed Unicoi, Dakar Pro, Titus Switchblade, and many others I can't remember now.
Bike Setup:
Full 03 XTR and wheels Chris King headset, Thomson cockpit, Easton EC90 bar, Shimano 959 pedals, Fox F80 RLT, also used Manitou Black Super and Skareb Platinum, and Selle Italia SLR Transam.
Bottom Line:
I'm writing this as a follow up review after nearly 2 years and 2 seasons of racing with this bike to share my experience after some far more extended use. My feelings about it after almsot 2 years? I still wouldn't give up this bike for ANYTHING! There is just nothing like it in its class. The suspension has the feel a nice and plush trail bike with the effieciency of a racer. It achieves what many others claim to offer but don't achieve. While pedaling the rear is stiff and bob free but not harsh enough that it won't activate during hits to smooth things out, like a suspension should. The rest of the time while coasting the rear feels as active and supple as any of the best suspensions out there. It is efficient only when it needs to be, while you pedal, not when you don't. No "smart" shocks are needed that will still cause slight activation delays or bump thresh holds causing pointless harshness even while when not pedaling. Look at the market for full suspension race bikes and you'll be hard pressed to find many bikes that give you 4 inches of smooth fully usable and plush travel combined with superb efficiency. Most others will give you under 4 inches with horribly harsh suspensions. The worst part is many of these other race designs actually require the suspension to be set so still to pedal efficiently that it makes you wonder whats the point of going to a full suspension anyway. From a build perspective the frame seems very solidly constructed. All the tubes are custom shaped and stretched out to massively increase the weld areas on all the joints. Overall a solidly built bike. I have never heard reports of any cracked or broken frames which I guess is a good thing.
About the bearing issue's. One of the most common problems reported with this frame were the seized bearings. I know some people had some serious problems here but I also know many THOUGHT they had them when in fact they were just misconceptions. My frame was one of the early runs and I never had any bearing issues. After about one and a half years the lower main pivots bearings had completely seized and I figured I had run into the same problem. Upon further inspection i popped out the seals only to realize they had been so contaminated that the grease had been entirely replaced by dirt. I washed out the bearings with degreaser, repacked them with quality grease and go figure, they were working like new again. Basically my problem had nothing to do with bearing failure but with simple bearing maintenance. This is a proble that applies to ANY bike that uses bearings and not a specific Intense fault. Bearings need to be serviced! About the bolts backing out. While this never happened to me I know it did happen to some including some I know. The problem seems to be easy to solve by simply cleaning the bolt of any grease and applying blue loctite. Intense also has a new bolt set that corrects the problem so this should be an easy enough issue to fix for anyone that might run into this problem.
Now on to the downsides of this frame. Fortunately this part will be short. I did not include the bearing or bolts as weaknesses because those issue's have been addressed and are very easy to correct if you have them. My only main complaint about this bike is the rear tire clearance. The biggest tire that will go back there is approximately a 2.1 and that will be a VERY tight fit. Mud clearance is virtually non-existant. One of the biggest issues I find is that when you do get into mud it packs really badly between the front reinforcment plate of the rear triangle and the seat tube. This space is very tight and there is no way for it to shed out until you get home and hose the mud out of there. It actually interferes with the front derrailleurs operation because the packed mud won't allow it to move too well given that the mud pack exactly where the derrailleurs pivot mechanism resides. Last I think the cost is still way too high at $1950. I have noticed lately many are selling for much less than that so thats much better if it can stay that way.
What I would like to see? I would like to see this frame eventually offered with geometry adjusted to run 100mm forks and still keep the 71 degree head angle and 12.5" BB height like other manufacturers are doing. 80mm seems to be a bit outdated given the amount of efficient 100mm forks on the market. Oh, and a roomier rear end of course.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
james
a Cross Country Rider
from 26 tahoe circle Date Reviewed: December 6, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
through intense
Strengths:
excellent pedaling, and great descender (comparable to my freeride bike). turns like it's on a rail!
Weaknesses:
no weaknesses found at this time.
Similar Products Used:
specialized epic, santa cruz blur
Bike Setup:
fox 100mm air fork, fox ava rear shock, truvativ cranks, stem, and carbon bars. wtb wheels, seat, and tires. 26 lbs.
Bottom Line:
from pound to performance, i haven't ridden a more nimble and solid crosscountry bike. definitely excited to enter a few races with the intense spider. possibly even a few super-d's. for anyone who wants to ride more trails in less time this is the bike for you. if you feel like pedaling a turd, then stay away. the first week alone i hit 250 miles of dirt and haven't stopped yet.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alan Bush
a
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: November 28, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Port Hills
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
The Downhill Zone
Strengths:
Good all round bike
Weaknesses:
Service
Similar Products Used:
Nil
Bike Setup:
Raceface Next Cranks & XT all over
Bottom Line:
Can anyone tell me if their Spider's down tube is slightly warped or bowed? Mine is and since Intense have repaired it they have only reamed down to the shock mount. This means my seat post can not be lowered below maximum height. Actually I've had to chop a bit off my Thomson (expensive!) seatpost to have my saddle at the correct height! I don't think this is right. Intense seem adamant that the bent down tube is standard but I don't believe them. Can anyone else confirm this?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chris
a Racer
from concord nc usa Date Reviewed: November 24, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1950.00
Purchased At:
bikes east
Strengths:
this bike handles better than any other bike i have ridden or owned. service department is great.
Weaknesses:
bearings. 1200 miles, lower bearings were toast.
Similar Products Used:
blur. too heavy.
Bike Setup:
easton , xtr , hayes , stans wheels , fox f100x and pro pedal rear. 23.9 lbs.
Bottom Line:
this bike rocks. it made me a better rider. tight single track. no problem. point it down hill, good to go. climbs better than my superlite. this bike stays glued to the ground. after i installed new bearing kit the bolts stay tight. if you want a great xc or 24 hour race bike this is it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pete
a Weekend Warrior
from Bedrock, MA Date Reviewed: November 15, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1950.00
Purchased At:
CycleLoft-Burlington MA
Strengths:
Like the last writer says a well "balanced bike". no "bob" while going up and it tracks very straight, fast and comfortable going down.
Weaknesses:
The mud does gather in back. Was the bearings coming loose, but nothing major since the fix.
Been on the Spider for a year now. Love it. Took awhile to "dial in" but even while finding "my range" it still rode/rides nice. Now my problem is: I am 30 lbs less and need to keep finding the correct pressures. (yeah we should all have problems of having to ride 5 to 7 days a week-sic) Mainly, I no longer feel “beaten up” after a 3 to 4 hour ride. Legs are tired, but my back feels as good as it did when I started. My local bike shop has been great. Fixed the bearings in a day and has answered & fixed many other issues too, with just plain ole good customer service. Many kudos to 'em.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Wein
a Downhiller
from Novato, CA Date Reviewed: November 9, 2004
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1050.00
Purchased At:
From Intense
Strengths:
Awesome balanced bike, perfect suspension design that allows a racer to ride faster than a hard tail.
Weaknesses:
High maintenance.
Similar Products Used:
Foes FXR
Bike Setup:
Bit and parts
Bottom Line:
Great riding balanced bike, but with any dual suspension frame it comes at the expense of durability. It is a fact dual suspension frames require more maintenance than a hard tail. The more pivot points the more maintenance required to keep the suspension moving correctly. This was true with my frame. The lower two bearings failed within 20 hours of use. Intense customer service was great and sent out some more bearings along with an upgrade kit to reduce the bearing wear. Still bearings do wear fast, especially in the wet. Given the four pivot points maintenance is a trade off with performance making my Intense Spider a fair weather bike race bike. If you don’t mind working on your bike and keeping it away from excessive mud/water then this is the dual suspension bike for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Marin Date Reviewed: October 26, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Boulder Creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Fast: accellerates and climbs faster then anything else I have owned in the past. Build: The welds are supurb and the fit and finish blows the Blur away. Support: Every question I have had was answered quickly and correctly. The folks at Intense are the best!
Weaknesses:
Stickers: They are a bit much so I removed most of them.....simple. For 05 they are much better.
Similar Products Used:
Switchblade, Truth, Superlight, Tazmon, Element
Bike Setup:
SRAM XO, King Hubs, DT Swiss Rims, Minis, XTR Cranks, Monkeylite, Thompson Seatpost & Stem, Flight, Twin TI Eggs and Fox Talas
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks! Don't let the bearing issue scare you away Intense has a quick and easy kit with crush tubes that fixes the issue right away. The bike has been my favorite of all my bikes and it a great all around trail bike with a 100 on the front. I took it to the Alps for two weeks and it really shined and took a beating and asked for more. I have tried to find brake jack and pedal feedback but I can't.....VPP is the real deal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
HEATHER RANOA
a Cross Country Rider
from MURRIETA, CA Date Reviewed: October 18, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
BEST CROSS COUNTRY FRAME AROUND! THIS BIKE MAKES ME WANT TO KEEP RIDING. PERFECT FEEL, LIGHT, NIMBLE, AND STIFF. QUALITY CONSTRUCTION AND FINISH. BEST HANDMADE AMERICAN MADE MACHINE AROUND!!!!!
Weaknesses:
NO WEAKNESSESS.
Similar Products Used:
ELLSWORTH, TURNER
Bike Setup:
XTR GROUP, CROSSMAX WHEELSET, CARBON FLAT BAR, CARBON SEAT POST,KENDA TIRES, MANITOU SUPER SKAREB, AND SPV REAR.
Bottom Line:
THIS BIKE WILL BE WITH FOREVER. THE GEOMETRY AND SETUP ARE PERFECT. THE FRAME AND SUSPENSION ARE HIGH QUALITY AND TOP OF THE LINE. OVERALL DURABILTY IS GREAT AND THE RIDE CANT BE BEAT!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Carl Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Novato Date Reviewed: October 17, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Bahia
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$4300.00
Purchased At:
Mail order
Strengths:
Great handing awesome balanced design.
Weaknesses:
Cheap bearings and pivot components, Intense customer service
Similar Products Used:
Specailized FSR
Bike Setup:
XTR disc group, with Fox 100RLC, Manitou 4 Way Swinger.
Bottom Line:
The bike was awesome while it held together. The VPP design creates a awesome balanced ride. Unfortunately the cheap bearings and pivot components crumble under the lightest of use. The bike now creaks and snaps more the hull of the Santa Maria rounding Cape Horn. Now to add insult to injury, customer service request from Intense was one of the most disappointing and frustrating experiences in long time. Now when asked by other riders what I think of my Spider I give the complete sad story with the hope to keep others from suffering my fate.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Southern California Date Reviewed: October 13, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Ape Canyon Mt. Saint Helens
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Like everyone say, It climbs like a scalded monkey. Extremely Well made (welds are beautiful), No flex. Light. Durable. Tracks straight and true. Set up was easy.
Weaknesses:
Bent the D Hanger, Small dent from a rolled rock, on down tube (it is tougher than the ellsworth truth), Nothing else.
Similar Products Used:
Blur, Sugar, hardtails.
Bike Setup:
Large frameset with Manitou 3 way. Bontrager race x lite tubless. White Brothers AT-3 100mm. All 04 XTR. Carbon riser. FSA 120 stem. Avid ultimates. SLR. Egg beaters. 23lbs
Bottom Line:
Sweet machine. I did quite a bit of research before choosing this frameset. I even went down to Intenses Temecula facility, and rode it in the parking lot. I didn't like the way they set it up, (to narrow) but I could feel that it was very efficient. Jeff (the owner) was very cool, and took time out of his day of building the 5.5 and showed me around. Talk about costomer service. Back to the bike: I have been riding hardtails for about 15 years, and this was my first full suspension. On the climbing, I really didn't notice a huge difference, except the 2.5lbs of weight. (this is a good thing) Traction was a little better, but on the downhill, oh yeah, it was everything I had hoped full susension would be. Aggressive geometry, the bike rails on every type of terrain. Very very fast, and fun to ride. Expensive yes, but worth every penny.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Max
a Racer
from Rhinebeck Ny Date Reviewed: October 12, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Hermosa Creek
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Awesome bike, the best suspension i have ever ridden (both the spider and the 5.5) I really like the sparkle silver. Light and stiff.
Weaknesses:
... maybe a little more info on how to set it up
Similar Products Used:
Scalpel, Epic's, Jekyll, Enduro, i-drive
Bike Setup:
Spider w/ swinger, Skareb Platinum, some carbon goodies, Crossmax's and Sram X.O
Bottom Line:
I was hooked on the vpp when I rode a 5.5 evp in colorado for a week. This bike climbed better than my hardtail and was wicked fast. when i got back home, i knew i needed one and since i dont need that much travel i got the spider. It is insane, the bike came out very light and is seriously fast. I have been trying to fool the back end but I havent managed to. when i had an Epic at the beginning of the year (w/ a f100x fork) I fooled it w/ in 10 min on my first ride. Unlike any other full suspension i have ridden the intense's are perfect. No bob, no harshness, really fast and good traction for climbing. This bike is really worth the money. I have heard people complain about the stickers and such, but have had no problems, and the sparkle silver finish is really hot. I have been on this bike non-stop since i got it and have been fiddling w/ suspension settings, i like all the options you have w/ the spv rear shock. Bottom line, an awesome, fast, light, comfortable hardtail killer. I really love this bike...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SpiderG
a Racer
from Colorado Springs Date Reviewed: October 6, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1700.00
Purchased At:
LonestarBikes.com (frameset only)
Strengths:
Superior performance at speed on XC singletrack. Climbs awesome. Very confident ride and tracks where you point it to go. Very stable. Definate eyecatcher.
Weaknesses:
A bit pricey.
Similar Products Used:
Dean, Cannondale, GT, Trek
Bike Setup:
5th Element rear, Fox100RLC front, Full XTR (v-brakes rule!), CrossMax wheels.
Bottom Line:
Had initial problem with 5th Element leaking air around IFP chamber valve housing - was a defective o-ring. Progressive mailed new o-ring (smaller than any hardware or plumbing supply store stocks) and now the 5th Element maintains the set pressure literally for weeks. No more problems there. The original pivot bearings also failed. Intense expressed a new set free. No more problems there. Since resolving the two issues above this bike has been awesome. I've raced it twice and it truley is an XC racer in every way. It tracks where you want it to go, climbs like my previous Dean Ti but no frame flex, and lets the rider descend with real confidence. Contrary to all the criticism I'm very happy with the bike. It makes racing a lot of fun.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay Floyd
a Cross Country Rider
from Las Vegas, NV Date Reviewed: September 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Noble Canyon...San Diego
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4500.00
Purchased At:
Nu Vison...Las Vegas
Strengths:
Outstanding climbing and decending. The quality is what you would expect from a high end frame.
Weaknesses:
Stickers (but not to the extent that I hate the look), next time integrate the logo into the paint job.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized EPIC, Blur, Trek Fuel
Bike Setup:
XTR/disc, FSA Carbon, Mavic rims W/XTR hubs, Fox 100X and RL ProPedal
Bottom Line:
I spent a lot of time researching and riding bikes and the Intense Spider XVP with the XTR, FSA, and FOX setup is about the best in performance and price I could build. After ten years on a hardtail, this is what I expected from the switch. It was worth the wait!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jonathan
a Cross Country Rider
from eugene, or Date Reviewed: August 31, 2004
Favorite Trail:
anywhere you can ride
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
fun, rides like a hardtail, light enough to race, climb well.. as advertised
Weaknesses:
stickers and the logo makes it look cheap!
Similar Products Used:
blur, cannondale
Bike Setup:
xtr, sram xo, xmax sl wheels, all the good stuff
Bottom Line:
had some issues with the noise in the bearings. simple oil took care of the noise. the bike eats up the bumps, holds the line true, stiff when it needs to be. great climber. my only gripe is their logo, paint job, and the stickers. they look teribble for how much we need to fork out..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig
a Racer
from Calgary, AB, Canada Date Reviewed: August 19, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
Wouldn't refer you anyway...
Strengths:
Rides like a hardtail when you stand on a hill. Looks great and turns heads.
Weaknesses:
Suddenly nothing.
Similar Products Used:
S. Cruz Superlight
Bike Setup:
XTR Disc, Carbon Fiber post and bar, Spinergy Xyclone, Racing Ralphs, Fox F100X.
Bottom Line:
There were a couple of issues with bolts coming apart at first but locktite solved that problem. The biggest issue is that you have to go over the bike before you ride it the first time to check that everything is tight. Use locktite. This is the Lamborghini of XC bikes, they are as good as they get, they can be finicky. If you are a lazy mechanic this is not a good bike. It is fast and pretty. With the F100X it has a very unique feeling going up a hill. In comparison to the Santa Cruz it is plush when it should be and a rock when it should be.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kai
a Cross Country Rider
from Brentwood, CA, US Date Reviewed: July 22, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Suicide Pass
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Strengths:
Easy to ride. Great on the climb. Fun on your way down.
Weaknesses:
Price.
Similar Products Used:
SC Blurr
Bike Setup:
Full XTR (Disc) groupo, Fox RLC, 5th Element, Mavic Crossmax SL, Easton carbon riser & seatpost, Thompson stem, Tripple ti Egg Beaters, Hutch rubbers and banana saddles (kidding).
Bottom Line:
Great bike for all-around riding. I found that the VPP lives up to its hype, definitely a must for aggressive climbers and ballsy decenders. If you're looking for a ride that can take bigger hits, get the 5.5. This is a FS XC machine that is race-ready. Too bad its kindda pricey. A complete bike is a little over my mortgage. Good luck explaining it to the Mrs. She still doesn't know that my bikes cost over $5G.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Huntington Beach, CA Date Reviewed: July 18, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$4500.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Lightweight, responsive, efficient.
Weaknesses:
Behind the seat tube at the bottom bracket there is a 2" x 3" "box" where the VPP suspension links are, occasionally a small stone will get inside and bounce around during the ride. The "box" opens when the suspension is depressed. It's not a big deal but it was frustrating until I figured out where the clink was coming from. Other than that, I haven't had any issues at all.
Similar Products Used:
Intene Tracer (which is for sale - e-mail me), GT LTS
Bike Setup:
Medium ball burnish, Fox F80x, Fox AVA RL shock, all XTR (disc), XTR wheelset, Thomson stem and post, Easton SL carbon bar.
Bottom Line:
No denying that the frame is pricey, and to build it the way it should be built will set you back about $5g retail; but this bike really motors up hill and handles most downhills without issue. Obviously when the trail get's real rocky the travel is somewhat limited but it's all part of the tradeoff for it's climbing efficiency. All in all, I've been very satisfied and would reccomend this bike to anyone who cares about how fast they get up the mountain.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luis
a Cross Country Rider
from Miami, FL Date Reviewed: July 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Any with dirt
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Lightning fast ride, efficiency, exclusivity, looks, and great customes service.
Weaknesses:
Initial bearing set.
Similar Products Used:
Blur, Epic
Bike Setup:
04 XTR, Mavic SL Disc, FOX F80X, Thompson, etc.
Bottom Line:
I have had this bike for well over a year now. I was fortunate enough to be one ot the first people to own one and I have traveled quite a bit with it, from Miami to Norther Cali. Initially I did experience the bearing failure others complain about(after 3 months of use). But once I replaced the bearings with the new set Intense sent me (via Priority Mail at their expense), the bike has been flawless. Using LockTite will resolve the issue of the pivot bolts becoming loose(use a torque rench). And as for the shock problems people are experiencing with the 5th Element, blame Progresive Suspension for making crappy shocks not Intense. Get the Fox or the Manitou and forget about it. The bottom line is that this mountanin bike is the equivalent of a Ferrari. It will only go as fast as your skills will allow you, not everyone has one, and it looks are incredible. But just like a Ferrari it does require regular check ups and maintenance. Clean it and lube it after every ride so it's ready for the next time you want to use it. After all, why spend this much on a bike if you're not going to take good care of it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Eastern PA Date Reviewed: July 2, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1.00
Strengths:
I am 100%, completely sold on the VPP technology. I love it.... Did I mention I love VPP?? Oh, and the frame is good looking and rather light.
Weaknesses:
I can think of only four things. (1.) For an extra $500, you get stickers instead of something permanent like etch?? (EX:SC Blur) (2.) XTR front derailleur fitment is rather tight. (3.) Excessive chain slap on the ruff stuff. (4.)ME.
Similar Products Used:
Schwinn S95.5, Klein Mantra, Giant NRS, Gary Fisher Cake, Specialized Epic.... Ummmmm. I think thats it..
Bike Setup:
Raceface, Easton, XTR... bla. bla. bla.
Bottom Line:
I have had zero issues with any part of this bike. But I do continue to read all posts about the bike... and well.. that has me rather concerned. Why is everyone having bearing failure? I'm considering changing out the bearings "just in case". Because of this thread, I've been paying particular attention to the frame and nothing has moved. The Fox AVA RL has done everything I've asked it too. Obviously this is all good stuff.. but what gives for everyone else? Maybe I just suck as a rider cause I can't break stuff or blow out my shock... Who knows... But I do hope Intense is listening cause I have a feeling quite a few people have changed their minds in favor of the SC Blur..
In any case, I have to rate the bike based upon my experience.. not others..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Barry
a Cross Country Rider
from Edwards Date Reviewed: June 29, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2250.00
Purchased At:
WRC
Strengths:
Nice ride and efficiency when running...
Weaknesses:
Bearings, bolts, shock
Similar Products Used:
Racer X
Bike Setup:
Mix of xt/sram components. Zoke Marathon fork. Chris King, Mavic, WTB...
Bottom Line:
I am not sure what to think. Maybe it is too early for a review. Have over 450 miles on now, so maybe not. When my bike is working, it rides very nicely. Very efficient, light, plush, etc. However, I would say about 60% of the time there has been either something wrong with it, or I am just so paranoid that something is going to go wrong that I don't concentrate on riding or pushing the bike. First the bolts started backing out. Lock tite took care of that for the most part. Then the lower bolt sheared off, probably due to a bearing issue. Replacements came from Intense. I 'enlarged' a bit some of the holes that the bearings came in, and this seems to have worked so far in keeping the bearings in working order. Then the 5th element had a problem that had to go in for warranty. Another 3 weeks... Eeesh. When things are going well, it rides most excellent. However, I can't trust this bike right now. Maybe in the future it will be past it's bugs, but right now I am scared to death to race this thing or push it too much. Anyway, Intense has been pretty easy to deal with - explain the problem, and I get an answer pretty quickly. I just wish I felt this was a more reliable ride... If things don't change this summer, I am going to have to buy a different frame next spring, and my wife is going to kill me...!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bryan Wolff
a Racer
from Toronto, Ontario Date Reviewed: June 9, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Blue Mountain
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$6000.00
Strengths:
Don't know as I have been unable to ride the bike.
Weaknesses:
I initially had to wait 6 months for a medium frame that the distributor told me would take 6 weeks.
When the frame arrived it was quickly evident that the top tube was too short. When I ordered the frame I was assured by Intense that the medium was my size. Well I had to see if a large would be a better fit. The only way that I could do this was to order a large frame(as the distributor had none)and then sell the frame that was the poorer fit. The web site had the large listed as 1" larger than the medium. I asked Intense to physically measure one to ensure that this was correct. They assured me that the 1" was correct. When the large arrived it was 1 3/4" larger. Can the people at Intense not measure? Do the laws of physics not apply in their factory? I had three independent bike mechanics measure the frames and they came up with the same measurements. I don't care how you measure it; center to center, effective or actual top tube. The difference is not 1". The other measurements on their web site were also incorrect. I have no idea if this has since been corrected. The large frame was the better fit using a seat post without an offset. I sold the medium frame and had no choice but to absorb a loss of $1000.
When I first rode the medium frame the bottom pivot fell apart. This happened on the next ride as well. On the first ride with the large frame the bottom pivot fell apart and the rear shock blew(5th Element). This was sent out and repaired. The next ride out the rear shock blew again. I still don't have this back yet. I figured this might be an ongoing problem so I tried to order a back-up shock. However, the distributor was unable to procure me one. I phoned Intense and argued with them until they agreed to sell me one. However when this arrived it was $200 more than it would have been at the shop. Enough is enough. UPS you can return this to the shipper.
Similar Products Used:
Seven Duo
Bike Setup:
XTR grouppo with XTR disc brakes. Sid world cup front shock and Stans wheels and alumininum rotors
Bottom Line:
I have no idea how this bike rides as I can never ride it because it is so unreliable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shredder
a Racer
from Bellingham, WA, USA Date Reviewed: May 27, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
mail order
Strengths:
Extremely efficient design, stiff rear end, pretty much everying about the bike is a strength.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
GT iDrive, Ellsworth Truth
Bike Setup:
20" frame, FSA carbon comps, FSA wheels, Fox F100X fork, Swinger 3-way, Sram X.0 drtivetrain, Magura Marta discs
Bottom Line:
So far there have been no bearing problems. In fact, there have been no problems, period. This is the best XC racing bike I have road, and combined with the the Fox fork it pedals and sprints like a fine rigid, while at the same time it is as plush as any full suspension bike out there. Believe the hype.
I like the paint and the stickers--the whole scheme follows the traditionally flashy Intense image. If you don't like the paint buy the ball-burnished frame.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
headlands
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles, CA, USA Date Reviewed: May 17, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Stiffness, speed, confidence-inspiration, handling.
Weaknesses:
Finish, stability (occasionally), stickers (Looks like a cheap Huffy or Sears bike -- take 'em off!), looks a bit cheap
Similar Products Used:
Blur, Fuel 100, Scalpel
Bike Setup:
Manitout Swinger 3-Way, Fox F80X, 2004 XTR disc brakes/rear der., 2004 XT shifter pods/front der./cranks, EA70 carbon post, FSA carbon flat bar, Mavic 317 w/American Classic hubs, Conti Explorers
Bottom Line:
I posted a review earlier in the 2003 section, and this is an update (the frame is 2004).
This bike is pretty damn amazing. I usually ride in the L.A. area, but did my first Mt. Tamalpais (in Marin county) ride on it this weekend, full of steep and rocky fireroads and singletracks. This thing conquered all. Stayed glued to the ground on ascents, and inspired confidence on descents. Feels like a hardtail when grinding away, and has the perfect blend of plushness and tightness. I never ever feel like I am losing any power when climbing.
I've got a few hundred miles on it, and have had none of the problem that others have mentioned. Nothing on the frame has ever needed tightening, and it remains solid. Occasionally on a down hill, I feel like the rear is moving around a bit, but when compared to my old Klein Attitude hardtail, it's actually about the same.
The thing I most dislike about this bike is the quality of the paint -- chips very easily. Also, the design of the frame itself is ugly, in my opinion. It looks like one of those cheap-o souped up Honda Civics that you see, with a giant wing on the back. The stickers (come on, guys, on a bike this expensive, why lame stickers??) are really hideous, in my opinion. They should go with a very simple design - it would look so much more professional. The Blur is a much better looking bike, simple and elegant.
Minor gripes, though...this bike is all that I could ask for in an FS design, performance-wise, and that's what really matters.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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