Submitted by
snafu5962
a Racer
from York, Pa, USA Date Reviewed: July 12, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Rocky Ridge County Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$18.00
Purchased At:
jenson usa
Strengths:
They are light and look cool. They are fast on the flats
Weaknesses:
Terrible traction when climbing and cornering
Similar Products Used:
Kenda small block 8
Bike Setup:
Salsa El Santo
Bottom Line:
Dont buy em
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Don Duende
a Weekend Warrior
from Eastern Sierra Date Reviewed: October 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Mammoth MTB Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$44.00
Strengths:
Good cornering and grip.
Weaknesses:
Lasted only two months due to a bad casing. Started to rub the frame and had to be discarded.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer, Kenda
Bike Setup:
Intense 5.5
Bottom Line:
Used with Stans No Tubes setup. Not well made, may not be compatible with tubelesss sealants,durablity is an issue. Never had a problem with Panaracers and Kendas in 15 years.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sharon Vasco
a Cross Country Rider
from Israel Date Reviewed: February 7, 2007
Favorite Trail:
too many to list
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$85.00
Purchased At:
ChainReactioncycles.com
Strengths:
Looks good
Weaknesses:
Very poor quality, tyre beads came apart in less than 30 miles! Do not buy these tyres!
Similar Products Used:
Geax, Bontrager, Schwalbe
Bike Setup:
Ventana’s El Saltamontes
Bottom Line:
I had a major problem with the Intense tyres (Tyre Systems CC 225 XC C3 26 x 2.25 Folding C3).
Last weekend I went on a mountain bike trip with a group of 35 riders. The train was typical cross country dirt roads and single tracks.
After about 15 km into the ride I had discovered that my rear tyre had a huge bulge and that it was loosing air and that the tyre sealant was also leaking out. In my many years of riding I had never seen anything like that happen to a tyre (the bulge).
In order to fix the problem we had to remove the tyre and use a tube and it was apparent that the tyre's inside actually came apart (the tyre beads). My friends and I were sure that this was a result of a faulty tyre and we continued our ride. An hour later the same happened to the front tyre!
Needless to say that I was shocked, after all these were new tyres (and expensive ones I should say) that have gone through less than 50 km total. None of the other riders in the group had any problems such as mine expect the usual flat here and there.
I understand that if these tyres were old and worn out this could be the result, but because these tyres only did less than 50 km total it is obvious that they're construction is very poor and unreliable.
The intense tyres looked great and you would think they are high quality tyres but the fact is they performed in an unacceptable manner. These tyres are just unreliable and I would never buy them again.
The guys from Intense claim it was a result of using the DT Swiss tubeless kit on a non-UST tyre like the Intense but this does not happen with other brands of tyres like:
Schwalbe Continental Kenda Nokian Bontrager Geax Maxxis
On the other hand the brands which are not recommended because they have unreliable beads - known to snap or so loose they roll off the rim are:
Panaracer WTB Intense IRC Hutchinson Michelin
UST tyres of any brand are fine.
In any case I don't see why a tubeless kit sealant should cause tyres beads to snap, it's not like we are talking about an acid that eats through the tyre right?
After I got back home from the ride where the Intense tyres failed, I bought myself a pair of Schwalbe Albert tyres and now I know that they will not fail me like the Intense tyres did.
I do hope this information was helpful.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Geoff
a Weekend Warrior
from nowheres home Date Reviewed: June 19, 2005
Favorite Trail:
anything with rocks
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
large air volume, grippy on dry/hardpack, predictable slide, looks the part
Weaknesses:
not so good on sandy or loose terrain, heavy, doesnt last long
Similar Products Used:
bonty jones ac, pana's trailbreakers, hutchinsons pythons and scorpions, irc... a few others
Bike Setup:
klein palomino, marzocchi forks, hope hubs and brakes, mavic rims, king headset, xt drive train
Bottom Line:
the tyres have performed well but are starting to show their wear after 6 months of solid abuse.
after riding peru i thought these tyres where the bomb, they handled everything from fire road, single track, rocky downhills.
after spain i changed my mind. had a few puntures from thorns, some of the knobs are missing and every knob just had chunks flying off it! and in the soft sandy conditions i felt like i was on ice skates.
the conclusion: great tire all round tyre with great grip in most conditions. but after 2000kms they will need replacing soon. great as an all mountain tyre if you are unsure what the trail has in store for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Wein
a
from Novato Date Reviewed: October 23, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Good width and weight for dry rocking trails. Easy to mount.
Weaknesses:
Quality control. This is the thrid 2.25CC tire I ahave had and all have been off center.
Similar Products Used:
Lots and lots of tires.
Bike Setup:
Anvil Hammer steel hard tail, Sram XO Fox 80RLT, Easton carbon bars, Magura Marta brakes, Am Classic wheels.
Bottom Line:
Great tire for the dusty rocky trails of Northern Ca, but the quality control sucks. The tread has been vulcanized crooked on to the casing. The tire causes the wheels to ride as if out of true. Great design poor excution. I would give these tires 5 flaming chilis if the where made correctly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roberto
a
from Alabaaama Date Reviewed: August 30, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Similar Products Used:
Fire XC's are/were(?) my favorite
Bike Setup:
I've been running the Fire XC's exclusively for years. I have a Blur
Bottom Line:
I run a 2.25CC on the front only and I think it performs admirably compared to the Fire. The grip is consistent and it breaks traction predictably. Works really well in the sub-tropical wet, rooty, AL,TN,NC environment. I have had no sidewall or knob problems, but they do wear fast. I don't know why you'd buy these if 1/2 of your "mtn" ride is on the road. The widely spaced knobs are obviously not going to do the job. But, anyway, 4 flaming nuggets... because no tire is perfect.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gvoz
a
from New York, USA Date Reviewed: May 22, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Lower Whistler
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Bike Man
Strengths:
Reliable, consistent grip
Weaknesses:
high rolling resistance (SR version)
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Id, Mavic disc rims, CK hubs
Bottom Line:
They grip predictably and put a lot of tire volume between me and the trail. What you get in grip you pay for in rolling resistance with the SR rubber. Great for the varied conditions of the east coast trails I ride. Have not ridden them frequently enough to get the adverse results described by others. Great hookup one rainy day on the rocky trail at Round Valley Reservoir, NJ. Not yet tire Nirvana, but a good stop along the way and nothing has happened to make me want to swap them out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mac
a Cross Country Rider
from Montana Date Reviewed: October 12, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Excel Sports
Strengths:
None, they separated before I could get much of a chance to ride them.
Weaknesses:
Tires separated along the center of the tire and one eventually blew a 2.5" hole along the center. No customer service. I called and emailed for 4 months with no response. The retailer even tried to call the warranty department and they would not return even his calls.
Bottom Line:
Be warned. My tires were poor quality and I recieved no customer service. I only rode my tires for a little over a week. I wasted almost $80 on these tires. It is unbeleivable that they can stay in business with faulty tires and no customer service. Please consider this before buying any intense tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim Lyonn
a Racer
from Seattle, WA Date Reviewed: October 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:
ANYTHING in Sun Valley!
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
$40.00 ea.
Strengths:
Tires had OK grip.
Weaknesses:
These tires had the most fighteningly inferior casings I've ever seen on any mtn bike tires. There were odd lumps and bulges throughout both tires. One lump grew until the tire was hitting the seat stay. After riding them for about 60 trail miles I pulled them off as I was afraid they would totally go out on me miles from the trailhead. I showed them to other riders who couldn't believe how bad they looked. I took them back to the shop where I bought them and Intense never returned his calls to try and send them back nor would they respond to my e-mail attempts to contact them either. I have never met with this kind of lousy customer service from any mtn bike parts vendor. To create an inferior product and then not even have the decency to admit it is unforgivable.
Similar Products Used:
You name it. High end race and trail tires from Continental, Panaracer, Specialized, Michelin, Kenda, Hutchinson and now, unfortunately, Intense.
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Truth w/ mix of SRAM, Shimano, Marzocchi and Magura.
Bottom Line:
I would NEVER buy another tire from Intense. I have never seen more inferior tires nor encountered such crappy customer service. Be forewarned!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pete
a Cross Country Rider
from vail colorado Date Reviewed: September 29, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
these tires do grip like crazy. they corner like a dream.
Weaknesses:
These tires are not for people who have to pay for them! my road tires would last longer on the trail.
Similar Products Used:
fire xc pro michelen wtb conti
Bike Setup:
santa cruz blur Z1sl xtr
Bottom Line:
I fourtunetly did not pay for mine. I feel REAL sorry for those who got hit with the 40 plus price tag for these gems. If you've got money to burn, use em for the max 5 months you will get. IF money and longevity are youre thing, do not go for these tires
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
j johnston
a Weekend Warrior
from oakland, ca, usa Date Reviewed: September 9, 2003
Favorite Trail:
chaparral
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Revolution, Arcata
Strengths:
fast, good grip
Weaknesses:
weak sidwalls, no pinchflat protection, expensive, don't last
Similar Products Used:
WTB
Bike Setup:
COVE G-Spot
Bottom Line:
Don't buy these tires if you ride anywhere rocky or need a tire that lasts. I erroneously ran this tire during the Downieville classic this year and flatted 4 times! I'm sorry but if you flat that many times on a trail you normally clean, something is up with the tire. After the third flat I noticed that there was a hole in the tire itself. I patched this, and picked up another flat a couple of miles down the trail. None of the flats occured in overly rocky sections, and I never felt the rim once. By the end of the ride I realized just how little sidewall protection these tires have and how the lack of any real bead probably contributes to easy pinch flats. I was surprised because I had ridden this tire many times for a month or two prior to the race in rough terrain with no problems. If you ride cross country and can afford new tires every few rides, go for it, they hook up great. Otherwise, go with WTB, best tires in the world!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marc Straight
a Weekend Warrior
from Redondo Beach Date Reviewed: September 8, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Seem to grip good for the short time I rode them, Good size for a 2.25.
Weaknesses:
Knobs tear of, weak side walls, short knob blocks would probably wear fast if tire could last more than one ride.
Similar Products Used:
Michelin, irc, Panaracer, wtb
Bike Setup:
Santa cruz Heckler built up for heavy trail abuse.
Bottom Line:
These tires came stock on my Heckler. Only went less than a mile down the Mt. wilson trail when I got the fist pinch flat. While changing the tube I noticed that the side wall had riped about 1/2". Used three (3) patches to fix it and put in a new tube. Pumped the tire up to the max and was on my way. I made it about a mile when I jumped of a rock and drifted down the trail and got another pinch flat. Had to baby the bike the rest of the way for fear of geting another pinch flat again. I replaced the rear tire with an IRC because It has a stronger sidewall. I thought I could keep the front tire, but after inspecting it I noticed that some of the knobs were tearing back exposing the inner casing. This was after only one ride! If these tires come stock on your new bike chuck them in the trash.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mark
a Weekend Warrior
from R.I. Date Reviewed: August 28, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
great traction, rolls much better than d/h tires that came on bike.very strong
Weaknesses:
they are expensive
Similar Products Used:
many different tires
Bike Setup:
bullitt jr/t 5th element all xt hayes 8 in hyd brakes
Bottom Line:
the bike came w intense 2.35 d/h tires. they are not good for trail or going uphill. put the cc 2.25s on they have held up very well.i ride on rocky rooty east coast terrain.sidewalls are getting a little beat from sliding on boulders but thats the only wear issue. i run them at 34 lbs with slime tubes no problems at all. they hook up well even on wet pine roots very stable at speed and take down hill rocky descents like the big boys they are. if they were a little less expensive i would buy a lifetime supply. to the people who cry cause a knob came off stay on the road bikes!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roberto Handal
a Weekend Warrior
from San Juan PR Date Reviewed: July 31, 2003
Favorite Trail:
monogas
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
cam with the heckler
Strengths:
Couldnt say much about the tire only used it twice before it started to fall apart.
Weaknesses:
The knobs are flying of after only two rides. This has never happened to me before after two rides. The tire is not worth buying i still cant believe it fell apart so fast on the knobs
Similar Products Used:
Continenta 2.35. Panaracer Fire XC, Traction Pro
Bike Setup:
Heckler with 5th element
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike complete from santa cruz they should change these tires on there complete line of bikes. Tire is no good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom Foselli
a Racer
from Palm City, FL.......USA Date Reviewed: July 20, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
Cambria
Strengths:
light for it's width, although not a CC race tire! Full knobs.
Weaknesses:
Mud
Similar Products Used:
Too many to list from Conti, Michelin, Kenda, Maxxis, Schwalbe, etc etc.
Bike Setup:
Switchblade, full XTR, FOX, Martas, etc... Set up for CC use.
Bottom Line:
Rode this tire (2.25 version) on my trailbike for about 75 miles of the most aggressive trails I could find during a trip to GA/TN mountains, and have had none of the knob tearing issues mentioned on this forum.
The tire is in absolutely perfect shape, and hooked exceptionally well on hardpack, rocks, clay, roots, loam, gravel forest roads, etc. in wet and dry conditions. Maybe I would say it is an 8 out of 10 in slippery clay-mud, but much better than a Mutanoraptor. It will, however, COVER you with the amount of the sticky stuff it can throw back up at you when you do go through it, which is good, I guess as it does clean itself of the mud.
If you are looking for an aggressively-knobbed super-wide, confidence-inspiring tire for your trailbike, this is the one. Get it and you'll be happy.
BTW, mine weigh 670g, and are ~1/4 inch W-I-D-E-R than a 2.4 Mutanoraptor, have super-aggressive knobs, and seem to roll as easily if not easier. And they downright hook up.
While it is NOT for a CC bike (heck, the sight of this tire alone would make a SID cower in fear), it is in a class by itself when you consider its weight, width, price and traction to anything else out there for CC use.
I give it 4 chili's for value only because $45 for a bicycle tire is pretty ridiculous when you think about it. I've paid more for lesser tires, though.
An impressive tire.
-T
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a Racer
from Boulder, CO Date Reviewed: July 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
porc rim
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$38.00
Purchased At:
Excel Sports
Strengths:
SUUWEET all-around XC tire. Lots of air volume to land big drops with and to fly like monkey-on-crack down trail.
This tire also works great on slick rock -- its like wearing a pair of climbing shoes baby!
These tires will just about climb up anything else as well. I have never ridden a better climbing tire.
Weaknesses:
One knob has peeled off front tire
Similar Products Used:
Ritchey ZED's, Intense System 2's, Conti Twister Pro's
Bike Setup:
SWorks M5 FSR
Bottom Line:
These tires are F-U-N to ride. Don't race on them if your an XC-geek tho, rolling resistance is too high.
These things are great when you wanna go to Moab and blast down trails with your peeps.
Read: These things will just about turn your full suspension XC bike into a free-ride bike.... one more time, F-U-N
The only reason I didn't give them a five is b/c of the knob peeling off
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alexander Repenning
a
from Boulder, Colorado Date Reviewed: March 16, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Walker Ranch
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$37.00
Purchased At:
Exel Sports
Strengths:
This is the SR Sticky Rubber (50 durometer) version. This tire is phenomenal. Sticks to rocks like no other tire. The combination of tracktion, weight, and air voume is unique. Because of the rubber type bike feels as if it has added suspension. A great tire while it lasts...
Weaknesses:
... it does not last at all. I knew because of the soft rubber this tire would not last long but I had to return mine after only 2 months of riding.
Similar Products Used:
Conti Explorer, IRC Notos, Panaracer Fire Pro
Bike Setup:
Marin, full suspension bla bla
Bottom Line:
This tire is too good to be true. Truly amazing. I did not know that a tire could make this much of a difference (compared to my Panaracer Fire which I liked). I expected the rubber to wear but I can see the canvas peeking through in the middle. The knobs are still on but after just about 10 rides this tire looks like it's about to disintegrate. Scary. The 60 and 70 durometer version of this tire may be better. Frankly this tire may be optimized for sponsored racing. Works extremely well for short time. After the race toss it. I am neither a racer nor sponsored in any way. I need a tire that last a little longer. If you have a suggestion for a tire that has high volume, is reasonably light (~600 grams) and is pretty sticky send me an email.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael
a Weekend Warrior
from The Mountains of Tennessee Date Reviewed: February 15, 2003
Favorite Trail:
which one, it is hard to narrow it down
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$13.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Insane grip, cool grey sidewalls, got them for a good price
Weaknesses:
Knobs on front tire started to tear off(probably due to braking or turning on the pavement/rock faces) which is probably the side effect of the gripping characteristics
Similar Products Used:
too many to name them all
Bike Setup:
Airborne Corsair, XT/LX mix, Sun Rhyno rear rim, 517 front, Duke SL
Bottom Line:
This is an update to my earlier post, I highly reccomend that you only use them for the rear. The grip is phenomenal, but since they grip like a scared cat on all surfaces, when you are making a turn on any rock face or paved road, they can tear themselves apart. The knobs that are coming off are on the side which suggests just this. If you can get a hold of them, get them and use them as a rear tire as they will grab onto anything you cna ride through, and I have found them particularly effective on rock faces, just use a different tire for the front.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
playerX3
a Weekend Warrior
from Hrusica,Jesenice.Slovenia Date Reviewed: November 25, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Extreme Vital
Strengths:
-excelent grip on everything except mud -very light for 2.25 tire -wide(it's wider than Kenda Kinetics 2.35)
Weaknesses:
-thin wall -no grip in muddy conditions(it's not a mud tire so I can't blame them for this)
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Kinetics 2.35,Specialzed Roller 2.3
Bike Setup:
Scott G-zero FX3,Manitou Black Elite 100-120,Formula 4Racing front,Hayes HMX-1 rear,LX/XT,Deore Octalink cranks,HTI 828 pedals,...
Bottom Line:
This tires are great.I've used them in every condition.It offers much grip when it's dry,but in mud they aren't that good.I will buy Intense Edge for muddy conditions.They have thin wall so i can't run lower presure.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Adelaide, South Australia Date Reviewed: November 21, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Mount Lofty Fire Tracks
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
JTCycles, Pultney St. Adelaide
Strengths:
1. Very light weight. 2. Very sticky on pavement (when they're scrubbed in) 3. Great in the dirt. 4. Braking performance ...given their grip on the road I can't explain their durability, they appear to wear really, really well.
Weaknesses:
..they are expensive but then again they're the only thing between you and the trail/road.... ..the only negative thing about them is possibly their shape, their contact patch with the road is quite small and when leaned over hard they don't make contact really well due to their profile dropping off quite sharply.....
Similar Products Used:
...mutano raptor...panaracer...marvic....
Bike Setup:
KHS FXT Rage
Bottom Line:
My setup normally consists of a mutano raptor 2.25 front and an Intense 2.10 rear, cause the mutano raptor really bites in high speed cornering. However today I purchased a set of these Intense 2.25's, threw them both on (had to cut the edges off the rear with scissors to clear the frame) and did my normal run which is 30 minutes on road and 30 minutes on trail. Comming up to first high speed road corner, leant over and swoosh...the front washed out and I kissed bitumen. This never happened with the mutano raptor, perhaps they just need some scrubbing in, I'll persist for a few rides and see if this is going to be something of a problem.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
weather expert
a Weekend Warrior
from iowa Date Reviewed: October 20, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$17.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
traction, cush. VERY good braking performance. not too heavy.
ran them on 30 psi and got the best traction i've had. hooks right up on climbs. big air volume means a lot more comfort w/o the hassle of rear suspension. felt like floating on trail. braking is also top notch. some rolling resistance on road but i've seen worse.
only problem so far--it's pretty big for my frame so i chipped the outside knobs a little bit to get soem extra clearance. didn't seem to affect teh performance a bit. i'll assume a good durability--otherwise i'll post again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
J.J Texas
a
from JJ123@hotmail.com Date Reviewed: October 17, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$17.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
Price
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
revolt super x, Michelin XLS, front S, Hutchinson mosquito gold, IRC notos
Bike Setup:
Klein Attitude Comp with all the bling bling parts.
Bottom Line:
I put 20 miles on these bad boys on the first day I rode on them and I was not dissapointed at all. I'm a clyde so I have the 2.25's. The tires grips well with minimal rolling resistance. I haven't encountered any horrific "peeling of the knobbies" or any type of failure. The terrain was a mix bag of roots, loose dirt, and some baby heads and the tires responded really well to each of them. Use the tire for its intended purpose and it should not give you any problems. Tires are expensive these days but for $40 a pair (includes S&H) you cannot go wrong.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
nick
a
from amarillo tx Date Reviewed: October 6, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
wicked awsome in all conditions
Weaknesses:
tons of rolling resistance on road
Bottom Line:
totally badass tires, little heavey,and lots of rolling resistance, but they will save your life 1 day
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael
a
from The Mountains of Tennessee Date Reviewed: September 9, 2002
Favorite Trail:
which one, it is hard to narrow it down
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Grip, wow I have never had so much traction with a tire, nice feel
Weaknesses:
Little heavy
Similar Products Used:
WTB, Bontrager, Ritchey tires
Bike Setup:
Airborne Corsair, Duke SL, XT/LX mix
Bottom Line:
Wow, these tires will help you climb up and over anything, from loose conditions, to open rock ledges and drops, I have ridden several trails in the past couple rides that I would never have been able to ride on my old Bonti's. While they are nice tires, they just didn't have the traction I needed. I bought the Intense tires because the price was right, and I was intrigued by the possibility of the special compound. It is hard to compare them to the WTB's since they were stolen on my old bike and I can't really afford to have to many extra tires. But these Intense tires seem to do well in areas that would probably eat the WTB's up, i.e. rock faces and ledges. Five flaming turds for now, we'll see how they hold up over the long run though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve R
a Weekend Warrior
from Irvine, CA Date Reviewed: August 19, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Aliso Woods - mathis
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
Grips like crazy - I was really impressed with these things. I'm getting to be a more agressive rider with turning and jumps, and these work so well for both.
Weaknesses:
None that I've found - I'll have to use them for a while to see how long they last.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer fire XC pro, irc mythos xc - the intense grips better than both.
Bike Setup:
Alum hardtail, modified mars shocks, XT drivetrain, etc
Bottom Line:
Amazing tire for an amazing price - paid $30 for both of them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Cylinder
a Cross Country Rider
from USA Date Reviewed: August 4, 2002
Favorite Trail:
The Bone
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Wheels
Strengths:
Wide 2.25", grippy.
Weaknesses:
Not durable--blew the rear one out on a jump? thought you could only pinch flat tires.
Similar Products Used:
irc mythos xc
Bike Setup:
Haro Escape 8.2 (Red/Black 19.5”): Manitou SIX Comp (100mm); Avid disc brakes (f&r); Shimano LX rear derailleur; Shimano Alivio shifters and front derailleur (8-speed); ProMax brake levers; TruVativ 5D Cranks; SRAM 5.0 cassette (8-speed 11-32T); Shimano IG51 Chain (8-speed); Alex DM18 Doublewall rims (32H); Intense 2.25" CC tires; Haro disc hubs, handlebar, stem, and seatpost; WTB Inner Peace ST headset and Speed V Comp saddle.
Bottom Line:
I spoke too soon in my review (below)--these tires WOULD be excellent if you do everything but jumps (this is true for me anyway). They are perfect width and have good handling/braking but didn't get to use them in wet, sloppy, muddy conditions. Not good for jumping. I'm considering slightly wider tires (nothing over 2.4" though) but don't want to transform my bike to be more DH oriented.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Cylinder
a Cross Country Rider
from USA Date Reviewed: August 2, 2002
Favorite Trail:
The Bone
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Wheels
Strengths:
I love these tires. They are perfect width, not too wide, not to thin. They handle extremely well and take big jumps great, too.
Weaknesses:
None at all but haven't ridden them in wet conditions yet.
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos XC 2.1". Intense 2.25" CC are much better.
Bike Setup:
Haro Escape 8.2 (Red/Black 19.5”): Manitou SIX Comp (100mm); Avid disc brakes (f&r); Shimano LX rear derailleur; Shimano Alivio shifters and front derailleur (8-speed); ProMax brake levers; TruVativ 5D Cranks; SRAM 5.0 cassette (8-speed 11-32T); Shimano IG51 Chain (8-speed); Alex DM18 Doublewall rims (32H); Intense 2.25" CC tires; Haro disc hubs, handlebar, stem, and seatpost; WTB Inner Peace ST headset, and Speed V Comp saddle.
Bottom Line:
I love these tires for the reasons mentioned above. Will probably continue to buy these in the future.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a Downhiller
from LA, CA. USA Date Reviewed: August 1, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
Cambria Redondo Beach
Strengths:
1) good simple design 2) tough as rocks casing 3) rubber compound is good 4) the factory team uses the same tire 5) KOVARIK!
Weaknesses:
1) ugly graphics(I think.) 2) cant find them at very many shops
Similar Products Used:
IRC, Maxxis,
Bike Setup:
Turner DH (it's for sale!)
Bottom Line:
I really love this tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Cambridge, MA Date Reviewed: June 10, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Fells
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$55.00
Purchased At:
Cycle Works
Strengths:
Look good
Weaknesses:
Knobs tear off casing after 1 ridge, tire wasted after 3 rides
Similar Products Used:
Many
Bike Setup:
DBR XR*, Hope Minis, Chris King hubs, Sun Ringle wheels, LP riser bar
Bottom Line:
The knobs tore off the casing so quickly I never had a chance to determine if I liked them. After three rides the tire was wasted (rear)!! I called Intense and they said would replace with new tire with improved rubber. Sent the tire back (at my expense) to never get a replacement. In other words, total waste of money and time. Tire was exensive too. I kept emailin my contact and he never returned my emails after saying he would replace it. I hear through the rumor mill they fixed the tearing problem, but I was pretty disatisfied with the service after the company obvioulsy sold completely useless tires at way high prices. They should have jumped through hoops to replace them instead of the other way. My local dealer would not help either.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Seismic bomb
a Downhiller
from Knoxville,Tennessee,,USA Date Reviewed: June 10, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Ridgecrest
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Intense
Weaknesses:
none yet..Gravel roads ,they have No grip!---But the 2.35" FRO60's dh tire have great grip on gravel roads !!
tires seem to work good for me & i ride fast...They seem to "suck" on a fireroad that has loose gravel on it for sure !..No knobs tearing off yet...But i havn't been through any ROCK gardens....The 2.35" FRO60's Rock & Roll--
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pete
a Downhiller
from Georgia Date Reviewed: April 11, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Mansell Rd
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Fat City BMX
Strengths:
Big for a 2.25, reletively light for it's size, excellent grip, easy to remove from rim, costumer service is excellent
Weaknesses:
Knobs came off the first set I had.
Similar Products Used:
Hutcheonson Python, Alligator, Mosquito
Bike Setup:
Intense Uzzi SLX, JrT, Purple Hayes brakes, MRP, a little of this, a little of that
Bottom Line:
The first set had great traction in everything except pine straw( what does?) Knobs came off, I called Intense tires. They told me to send them in. A few weeks later a new set showed up. They said these are the new and improved ones. I've done some XC, DHing and "freeriding" on them and they work great. They will pinch flat in rock gardens. I run a true DH tire in the rear now to prevent that. I like them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chan chan
a Weekend Warrior
from singapore Date Reviewed: March 17, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Strengths:
look great light wall is quite tall light
Weaknesses:
wear out fast no grip on most surface i got no confidance in fast wet slippery sections
Similar Products Used:
tioga(better then intense) panaracer Fire dh(best but too small and have short wall)
Bottom Line:
don't buy them but if you got too much money buy them if it is reall cheap buy it and sell at a higher price
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jonesy Boy
a Cross Country Rider
from Granite Bay, CA Date Reviewed: March 11, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Short Uphill, Long Downhill, Car Waiting at the end --- ;)
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
MTBR Classifieds
Strengths:
Phenomenal Grippage!!!
Weaknesses:
Knobbies keep tearing off
Similar Products Used:
WTB Velocirapators
Bike Setup:
Intense Tracer, XTR everything, Mavic wheels
Bottom Line:
I might actually consider replacing these in hopes that they've solved the knobby tear off problem. I love how they handle THAT MUCH!
An obvious defective manufacturing problem, though, nothing rider attributable. I wore out a new set of OEM Tioga tires in Moab on another bike, knobbies where shredded by the rocky terrain, but the tire was still sound. But, I've never seen sections of tire separate from the ply layer like this before. Maybe they had Firestone make these!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Glenn
a Cross Country Rider
from Malibu, CA. USA Date Reviewed: January 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Backbone
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
SuperGo - Santa Monica
Strengths:
Great traction & cornering without too much rolling resistance. Very cushy. They MAKE you go faster.
Weaknesses:
Zippo, nada
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1
Bike Setup:
2002 Intense Uzzi SL, Mavic CrossMax with Shimano XT discs. Marzocchi Z-1 MCR, SRAM 9.0sl shifters. Chris King, Easton, RaceFace ISIS Next LP,
Bottom Line:
I don't know what these other reviewers are talking about. These Intense tires kick ass! Gabe at SuperGo in Santa Monica talked me in to buying these for my UZZI SL. The only thing better than the tires is the bike itself. Great traction and control. I've got a bout 300 miles on these tires so far and I love em. Gabe was right again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from MA Date Reviewed: November 21, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Intense name. Their bikes products and warranty people are great!
Weaknesses:
Defective tires, very slow warranty service and unacceptable customer service
Bottom Line:
Here's an update to my review below: Yesterday, on 11/20, a replacement pair of Intense CC tires arrived. When I called last, I was told the tires were shipped to an old address last month and were returned because I no longer lived there. Thing is, in one of my many calls to Intense Tires over the summer trying to find out what was going on with the warranty issue-I gave them my new address. Well, in summary it took me 4 months to finally get a pair of usable Intense CC tires I purchased in July.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Boston, MA USA Date Reviewed: November 1, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Downieville
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint, Colorado Cyclist
Strengths:
Decent traction, good rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
Defective product (first pair), terrible durability (second pair), terrible customer service from Intense Tires
Similar Products Used:
Continental Vertical Pro 2.3, Michelin Wildgripper Hot-S
Bike Setup:
2001 Intense Tracer, XTR, Hayes Disc
Bottom Line:
Avoid Intense CC tires like the plague! I ordered a pair from Colorado Cyclist in July for a 2 week bike trip in Cally. I mounted & test rode them twice at the Fells (NEMBA loop). After only 15 miles, knobs were falling off left & right, and the casing was exposed in several places. I called Intense tires and spoke with Mark, who seemed apologetic, admitting they were defective and advised me to send them back right away. So, there's a brand new set of tires I didn't get to take on my trip... I sent them back priority mail that week- This was in mid-July.
Thinking it was a fluke in quality, I orded up another pair of the 2.1's from PricePoint for a 24 hour race in August. They exhibited none of the immediate defects as the first pair, and I happily raced them that weekend. After 100 miles, I noticed several knobs missing from the rear, with my tube bulging out in a couple of places.
I phoned Intense Tires several times over the next several months to find out where my original tires are-at one point after the second set turned sour, I simply requested my money back, not wanting to take another chance with shoddy craftsmanship. Well, nothing ever happened. No tires, no calls, no refund.
Fast forward to November 1, roughly 3.5 months from originally contacting Intense Tires. I phoned them today to find that they shipped a replacement set out in mid-October. They're finding a tracking number for me so I can locate where they might be.
So, to sum up-of 2 pair, the first disintegrated within 2 rides. The second lasted longer, but only 100 miles. Warranty service has been among the worst I've experienced. What's left of my remaining good CC tire is cut up and being used as a chainstay guard on my Tracer.
This soundslike a pretty scathing review. It should be. Now-flipside: Owning my 2000 Tracer has been a dream. The bike handles fabulously and I've very few complaints. The tire operation and bike operation are 2 separate entities, and customer service from the bike side has been great. It was tested when my frame broke twice this summer-thanks to the collective efforts of my lbs and Intense service. Avoid the tires, not the bikes!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave Leibert
a Cross Country Rider
from Bethlehem, PA USA Date Reviewed: October 31, 2001
Favorite Trail:
American Standard JT PA
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$48.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
2.25 size, cushy ride,open tread, side knobs dig in for turns, rounded profile improves handling
Weaknesses:
side knobs cannot take rocks-they will rip off!
Similar Products Used:
several different tires but nothing exactly like this
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 90 disc, size L
Bottom Line:
I am very dissapointed with these tires.I thought they would be an upgrade from the dangerous Bontrager AC's on the Trek. At first they were great. They allowed for a cushier ride and they gripped and handled better. However after about 4-5 rides I noticed that a few of the side knobs were loose on the front tire.I asked some other bikers and they said you can use silicon to glue it back together. Anyway, I kept using these tires and at least 10 of these side knobs have come loose or ripped off entirely!When they rip off you can see the tires' cord. I think this is due to the rocks here in the Northeast.All the trails have them somewhere. These tires seem to make that "thwonk" sound when the side knob catches the rocks.I noticed that the side knobs stick out pretty well on these tires.There is a Tioga tire that looks as wide as this but it is only a 2.1". Anyway,these tires were expensive at nearly $100 a pair and they have some big durability issues.Other tires I have tried do not have this problem.Therefore, I think these tires are kinda cheesy.I am trying to get a set of tires that have some grip,durablility and don't have high rolling resistance.I know that this may be a tall order but I'll keep looking!I give the Intense CC's a 2.If the knobs didn't rip off I'd give them a 4.One final thing is that I don't dig the grey sidewall. Why not have a all black tire?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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