Intense Spyder XVP Reviews

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Intense Spyder XVP

MSRP			$ 1950.00
Weight			5lbs
# of Reviews			69
Average Rating			4.3/5

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Submitted by mtbtriguy a Racer from Newport, RI Date Reviewed: February 21, 2009
Duration Product Used:	More than 3 years
Strengths:	stiff, low BB gives awesome technical handling, dependable, american mad
Weaknesses:	Not the lightest XC frame, VPP bearing require replacement after a hard season of riding, low BB can risk pedal stabs
Similar Products Used:	Santa Cruz Blur XC....horrible by comparison, the Blur is a flex-o-matic in comparison to the intense contruction and triple butted build
Bike Setup:	XTR disk, fox float front shock
Bottom Line:	awesome ride...stiff, inspries confidence, best pedalling efficiency. If only they made it in carbon so it was lighter...it would then be the perfect XC race bike. Otherwise, it's an excellent light xc bike Gave it 4 chilis for value, because 1900$ is expensive for this bike in comparison to new carbon blur XC...which looks like the intense spider rear design.
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Submitted by markus a Racer from raleigh Date Reviewed: November 30, 2007
Duration Product Used:	2 Years
Price Paid:	$4800.00
Purchased At:	clean machine
Strengths:	love the spider. handles great. super fast. everything the review says about tracking, handling, downhill control is true, and then some. super responsive
Weaknesses:	broke rear triangle one time, near drop out, after 18 mos. bad weld, not a problem. had to mail piece back to get replacement. other manufacturers would have let me take picture (such as turner), send to manufacturer for replacement, without having to first mail broken piece in.
Similar Products Used:	turner
Bike Setup:	talas rlc 140 mm fork, full xtr
Bottom Line:	would buy an intense again, any day. to me, best aluminum frame out there.
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Submitted by Carlos Ferreira a Cross Country Rider from Ladera Ranch Date Reviewed: January 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:	San Juan, Trabuco, noble canyon
Duration Product Used:	2 Years
Price Paid:	$3500.00
Purchased At:	Supergo
Strengths:	Fast, responsive and light… I am not a Pro, just started to ride in 2002. I used ride a $500 Treck.
Weaknesses:	Frame is not strong enough for my size (220 pounds) it has a few cracks on the frame. Pivot bolts will brake at some point…
Similar Products Used:	Intense 5.5
Bottom Line:	I came here to let everyone know that Intense has been great as Bike Company and also has been great with their customer service! My bike has been having problems it is been a while. For any crazy reason I haven’t been able to adjust the shifting on this bike any more. I guess the frame couldn’t handle my weight anymore. 5 or 6 months ago I heard a different noise while riding (cracks opening) and I didn’t know what it was. Well, the bike didn’t last very long with me. I took it to the shop and they contact Intense for me. It sounds that Intense understands the problem and should be replacing the frame for me. I truly believe that Intense is the best bike out there. My Spider made me a better rider and I was happy while the bike was in one peace. I have to say that I would buy another Intense even if they were not going to replace the frame for me. The bikes are the best. I was thinking about the Blur from SC and the 5.5. I tested the 5.5 this past weekend and I FELT IN LOVE WITH THAT BIKE. It is not as twitchy as the spider but it made me feel safer while going down hill. The bike seems to climb as well as my old spider. Intense: The guys were great this past Sunday in Fontana! The only advice I would have for you guys from Intense is: TRAIN those guys from Performance a little better. I bet we would not be having this replacement situation right now. Big guys should not be told to get a Spider if they are going to ride it 3 to 4 times per week. I guess Performance doesn’t even sell Intense bikes anymore…
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Submitted by Rick P a Cross Country Rider from Concord, NH Date Reviewed: December 27, 2005
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: tookywheelworks@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.
Weaknesses:	Pivot bolts, but...see above.
Similar Products Used:	Owned Sugar 1, Intense 5.5, tested Epic, Blur, Scalpel
Bottom Line:	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 (or 5.5 for that matter) 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
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Submitted by Greg Johnson a Cross Country Rider from Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA Date Reviewed: November 24, 2005
Favorite Trail:	Laurel Mountain, Pisgah
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$2400.00
Purchased At:	Used
Strengths:	Great climber, handles great, smooth as silk
Weaknesses:	Cost, but firm believer that you get what you pay for
Similar Products Used:	FSR Pro, FSR Enduro, FSR
Bike Setup:	2004 Spider, Full XTR, Mavic Cross Max, Fox FX 80, 5th Element
Bottom Line:	It took me a year and a half to find one with the components I wanted and the price I could afford. Even if I could only afford a used one, it was impeccably maintained. Half price sure was better than full price. Everyone that has a passion for cross-country should have the opportunity to experience the ride because that is what it is...an experience. It makes poor riders good and good riders GREAT! Like anything else that is built with the utmost performance in mind, it must be maintained and maintained some more to get the best performance out of it.
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Submitted by Shawn a Cross Country Rider from Long Island, New York Date Reviewed: November 7, 2005
Favorite Trail:	Rocky Point
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Price Paid:	$1750.00
Purchased At:	LBS
Strengths:	Bike is fast. Climbs better than a hardtail. Awesome in tight singletrack. Bombs the downhill.
Weaknesses:	Guess? The shop spends more time with the bike than I do. Initially I thought it was drivetrain problems, ghost shifting, chain suck, poping the chain, and generally poor shifting. Then a buddy told me that my rear tire was torquing to the right with every down stroke. Into the shop. LBS determined that the bearing were crushed. This enabled the rear triange to shift to the right when downward force was applied. Therefore, moving the drivetrain out of alinement and causing shifting problems. Intense sent the crush kit which was installed by the LBS. I get the bike back and it rides great, for four rides. Again the rear triange is all over the place. The bottom pivot slides forward, until it hits the BB. Back to the shop. Not sure what the fix will be this time, but I am concerned that this is going to be a problem that will persist until the point that Intense will say it is no longer under warranty.
Similar Products Used:	Blur, Eli
Bottom Line:	I was looking for a highend bike that I could ride every weekend without issue. Maybe this is a racer bike that needs constant attention? When it is working properly the bike rides great. However, that is not very often. Further, the bike was not cheap. I am not sure what Intense is going to do. When and if they do something I will post it on MTBR.
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Submitted by George a Cross Country Rider from Basalt, Colorado USA Date Reviewed: May 1, 2005
Favorite Trail:	Hobbit (Aspen)
Duration Product Used:	2 Years
Price Paid:	$3300.00
Purchased At:	123bikes.com
Strengths:	Precise climber, no-bob pedalling, tracks great, fast. Great for racing 10K to 100 miles.
Weaknesses:	More maintenance than expected, low bottom bracket, rear tire clearance is tight.
Similar Products Used:	Litespeed Unicoi
Bike Setup:	XTR disc, Fox Talas, Fox RL AVA, XTR Wheels
Bottom Line:	2 Years later it is still a great bike, awesome climber and fun to peddle over the rough stuff. Worked great for Leadville 100 race and local Aspen Clycling Club races (climb, climb, climb then descend). I also replaced bearings twice but when this bike is dialed in I love it. My Fox RL AVA started losing air and the guys from pushindustries.com rebuilt the shock and it now rides better than brand new stock. Thanks Push Industries. Recommendations: (1) Fox Talas adj. fork is awesome for this bike. (2) Don't go with XTR cranks the replacement rings will break the bank ~$80-100 each. (3) VPP + disc brakes + tubeless + Fox Talas = Race Setup. Rating would be 5 Chilis if maintenance were lower.
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Submitted by Flying Bananas a Weekend Warrior from Harrogate, North Yorks., England Date Reviewed: November 5, 2004
Favorite Trail:	Garburn Pass to Kentmere
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Price Paid:	$1700.00
Purchased At:	High Peak Cycles, Glossop
Strengths:	Stiff AND supple, uphill and downhill. Intense service (see my earlier posting).
Weaknesses:	Hopefully none now
Similar Products Used:	Santa Cruz Blur, good but not as stiff on climbs. Also the Blur chain tension seems to pull the rear wheel too low so the back end bobs up with pedal pressure. To get rid of this the rear would have to be set with no sag.
Bike Setup:	Fox Vanilla 130 RLC
Bottom Line:	I finally spoke to Intense on Monday, and today, Friday, I have the kit to fix the rear suspension at no charge. I am impressed by that level of service. Well done Intense. Julian
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Submitted by Adam Wilson a Cross Country Rider from Matthews, NC, USA Date Reviewed: November 5, 2004
Favorite Trail:	any of them
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$1995.00
Purchased At:	Bicycles East
Strengths:	Crazy lite weight for a full suspension, Fast, Stiff, the VPP takes out any of the bumps in the trail
Weaknesses:	I am having problems with the bearings as it seems that most people on the site is having... the bearings are crunchy to say the least.
Similar Products Used:	I love Intese bikes that is why this is my 4th one I have the Uzzi-SLX, Uzzi-SL, and the M-1 in addition to my spider. Hope to have a m-3 by the years end
Bike Setup:	Spider, manitou fork with SPV, fsa cranks, marta SL brakes, king hubs and headset, easton stem, handle-bar, and seat post,
Bottom Line:	What a bike, I love this bike. this bike is lite weight, stong and fast, can we say "no bob" all the power goes stright to the wheels. Now only if I can get the bearing problem fixed this bike would ride like a million bucks.
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Submitted by Franz Garsombke a Cross Country Rider from Golden, CO, USA Date Reviewed: September 27, 2004
Favorite Trail:	Colorado
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Strengths:	Great all around bike.
Weaknesses:	They seem to have been taken care of.
Bike Setup:	See previous review. I did switch to the Manitou Swinger which seems to be a pretty good shock.
Bottom Line:	FOLLOW UP REVIEW - I posted a negative review about 6 weeks ago and would like to post a positive follow-up. I spent 45 minutes on the phone with Jeff Steber (Intense President) and he promised me he would take care of my bike. Now that's customer service! Long story short, I have had the same experience that the last two reviews did. The bike is working as designed and is eating up the trails. Jeff personally took charge of fixing my bike and I really appreciate that attention to detail. Thumbs up and I am back in the saddle again. I hope to buy another Intense when I wear this one out.
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Submitted by Martin Bixby a Cross Country Rider from Bellevue, Nebraska, USA Date Reviewed: September 19, 2004
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$2000.00
Purchased At:	High Gear of Omaha
Strengths:	FOLLOW UP REVIEW. About a month ago I posted a disgruntled review on my Spyder frame. Jeff Steber of Intense Cycles contacted me shortly there after and we discussed my issues with the frame. He offered to overhaul my frame personally to correct the difficulties I was experiancing and with a one day turn around at Intense in California I had my frame back within a week with all the shipping. I reassembled the bike and have ridden it harder than I have since building it up this spring and now there is Z E R O problems with the suspension sqeaking or fasteners and hardware coming loose. In fact I have been able to refine my suspension pressures and sag so that it is truly much more fun to ride than it was before. I applaud Jeff's effort to contact myself and other disgruntled riders and providing personalized service to make us satisfied with the frame.
Weaknesses:	None now. Nothing comes loose or squeaks.
Similar Products Used:	Specialized FSR, Trek Y33
Bike Setup:	See previous review, except the Progressive 5th Element has been replaced with a Manitou Swinger 3-way. Overall the Manitou is working much better than the progressive.
Bottom Line:	I'm now totally satisfied with the Spyder frame and would recommend it highly to anyone who desires a very high performance XC rig. It performs exceptionally well in tight twisty single track littered with roots and rocks. My break in riding when the frame came back was at Winter Park Colorado and it was a stellar performer. Thanks Jeff.
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Submitted by Chris Allen a Racer from New Jersey Date Reviewed: September 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:	Middle Run / White Clay
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Price Paid:	$2000.00
Purchased At:	Online Bike Shop
Strengths:	Climbs, Decents, Overall ride!
Weaknesses:	Maintenance, rear tire clearance (not uncomman for a X-Country racer)
Bike Setup:	Large Frame, 5th element Shock, Fox F80x Fork
Bottom Line:	This is a follow-up to my previous post (see below). After my last review in which I expressed concerns regarding this frame. Jeff Steber (Owner/Founder of Intense) contacted me personally and we had a great conversation regarding the Spider. Jeff listened to what I had to say and explained everything Intense is doing to address certain issues. Since then Jeff sent me a kit to rebuild the pivots on my bike, particularly the lower pivots which now include crush tubes to take the load off the bearings and bolts with slots cut into them so the set screws have something to set into. I completed rebuilding everything and the bike was running great. The ultimate test came over this past weekend though during a 24 Hour Mountain Bike Race. For all you East Coasters, it was Allamuchy so you know the terrain is super technical!! The bike held up great!!! In fact the only thing I did during the while event was lube the chain, nothing ever loosened or needed adjusting! I broke the bike down after the race (it rained and was muddy) to clean and check over and all bearings are still running smooth. As I stated in my last review, this is the best bike I have ever ridden and now that my problems are addressed and Intense is taking care of me, I will give it the 5 Chili's it deserves. I will post another update in about a month to let all spider owners know how things are going.
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Submitted by el matador a Racer from Littleton Co Date Reviewed: August 23, 2004
Favorite Trail:	whats a trail???
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Price Paid:	$1750.00
Purchased At:	singletrack factory.
Strengths:	Great all around bike. Fast climber. Good desceder. The thing I love about this bike is that it doesn't suck the energy out of your legs like other full suspension designs when climbing and you compress the suspension.
Weaknesses:	Linkage. Continious maintenance. However, I was told that this bike needed more maintenance than others. That being said I have been pretty happy on this puppy. I bought it in february and had to replace 2 bearings out of 8. Miles logged since february: 2600...yeah...thats not a bad failure rate is it? I've also had one bolt break. However, I am quite pleased with intense's support. usually a 3 day turnaround from when I need parts and when I get them. not bad eh?????
Similar Products Used:	Titus racer-x. Early series FSR. Friends bikes....
Bike Setup:	xt.
Bottom Line:	As soon as I bought this bike paranoia set in. But after I put it through the ringer I gained some confidence in it. I raced all season on it(2 wins) and it held up quite well. This is not a bike for people who take their bikes to bike shops for maintenance. YOU will have to learn about the bike and the mainentance needed. But if you spend an extra 15 minutes a week checking up on it it will make you happy. Great bike, design could have some tweaks, but I'm pretty happy with mine. Props to intense for taking care of the flamers on this board.
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Submitted by Franz Garsombke a Cross Country Rider from Golden, CO Date Reviewed: August 14, 2004
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Price Paid:	$3400.00
Purchased At:	Beyond Bikes
Strengths:	Great bike, when it isn't in the shop.
Weaknesses:	Same as everyone else...bolts/bearings/swingarm.
Similar Products Used:	Cannondale Jekyll
Bottom Line:	The bolts, the bolts, the bolts. Same story as everyone else. My bolts came loose, I tightened them again and again. The bearings were crushed and swing arm was cracked...so had to spend a $100 shipping the bike back to Intense. They replaced everything...AND 2 RIDES LATER THE WHOLE DAMN THING STARTED HAPPENING AGAIN. Bolts came loose, etc. I would NEVER buy a bike again with this shoddy quality. I spent $1950 on the frame alone. What a scam these guys are pulling. I wonder if a BLUR is better?
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Submitted by Chris Allen a Racer from New Jersey Date Reviewed: August 4, 2004
Favorite Trail:	MIddle Run / White Clay
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Price Paid:	$2000.00
Purchased At:	Online Bike Shop
Strengths:	Great ride when working.
Weaknesses:	It's a piece of you know what!
Similar Products Used:	Trek Hardtail was better since it never broke.
Bike Setup:	Full XT/XTR, 5th Element, Fox F80X, Mavic Crossmax SL, Disc, Race Face Carbon....
Bottom Line:	Even though this post will be repetative with others I wanted to force the point!! This bike rides awesome when it's healthy. However, Intense needs to address the problems with the pivots not staying tight. My story is very similar to others: The main pivot on the shock would always loosen while riding and eventually starting cutting into the aluminum pivot bolt until one day it snapped the bolt. I called Intense and they replaced evrything with that pivot, I rode once after reassembly and after one hour of riding I was using a multi-tool to tighten the pivot back up. INTENSE, You clam this to be a race bike... What race lasts less then an hour??? How can we race a bike that has these falls apart? When I contact Intense they act like no one else is having these problems? Well thank you MTBR.... I think it's obvious that everyone is having these issues. Anyone who has questions or ideas on what to do next feel free to contact me. This bike would definitly be a 5 star if it didn't have these serious issues.
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Submitted by Martin Bixby a Cross Country Rider from Bellevue, Nebraska, USA Date Reviewed: July 20, 2004
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$2000.00
Purchased At:	High Gear
Strengths:	Great handling and awesome suspension when the suspensiong is dialed in...and not squeaking or falling apart.
Weaknesses:	SUSPENSION LINKAGES, BEARINGS and PIVOTS. Concur strongly with most of the other reviews...Big $$$$s for a frame that bolts that back out or fall off during rides. I have to overhaul the pivot points with grease every 8-10 hours of riding or else they sqeak terribly...HOW MUCH DID I PAY FOR THIS FRAME?? Service support from Intense is lacking, they never return my emails asking for torques for all the bolts and fasteners in the suspension...my dealer doesn't get straight answers from them either. The Pivots also are getting tore up badly by bushings from the shock that cause the metal to gouge up the aluminum pivot shaft.
Similar Products Used:	Specialized FSR, Trek Y33
Bike Setup:	All XTR minus the shifters and brakes which are 04 XT, FOX RLT 80mm, Progressive Air Shock, Mavic UST rims and Hutchinson Python rubber. Wasted money on a Easton EC seat post, should have went with an aluminum post.
Bottom Line:	I will never buy another Intense frame again because they don't stand behind their products with support. Granted the thing is a blast to ride and handles better than anything else I've ever been on in 16 years of trail riding, the aggrevation of having to retrace the trail on foot to find fallen off suspension parts truly sucks...I've been fortuate to find them so far. Can't wait to have to replace all the bearings when they fail soon. Where do you get those German bearings again??? Hey Intense...ship a pint size bottle of LOCK-TITE with every Spyder frame, and fix the tire clearance on the rear swing arm.
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Submitted by dave ruby a Cross Country Rider from la verne, ca Date Reviewed: May 31, 2004
Favorite Trail:	my backyard
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$1700.00
Purchased At:	incycle
Strengths:	Cimbs, descends,no-bob, everything well as it says it would.........
Weaknesses:	I do not know how long Intense tested this frame but it could not have been much.The bearings go, and when they do, you can ride an ineffecient noisy bike and be frustrated.Or spend more $$ and time and be frustrated.I was sold on the early hoopla and was happy initially.Not now when I would rather be racing on it this weekend, but will not until the new bearing arrive.My single speed will have to do, and looks more attractive each with all that simplicity.Come on Intense, step up to the plate, and at the very least, offer new, better, bearings to those who dished out much deniro, promote your product, and are dissatified.I would love to leave a better feedback, but right now not a happy camper.
Similar Products Used:	Most all.
Bike Setup:	XTR.Fox F100x.Mavic Crossmax.
Bottom Line:	I like this bike.I would love to keep it.One more bearing tear-down/replacement though and I'll let her go.I enjoy riding.I enjoy racing.Neither can be done while waiting on parts/ repair.
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Submitted by prion a Weekend Warrior from Vienna, Austria Date Reviewed: May 27, 2004
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$2000.00
Purchased At:	Internet retailer
Strengths:	Excellent, unparalleled suspension.
Weaknesses:	Permanent maintenance needed. Tyre clearence not the optimum. Catches dirt easily, very difficult to clean.
Similar Products Used:	Epic, but not really comparable.
Bike Setup:	Fox 100 RLC and assorted bling-bling
Bottom Line:	This is a follow-up to my earlier report. The Spider's suspension is almost unbelievable good with its mixture of plushness and firmness, when needed. BUT, it requires constant maintenance. First, disassemble the rear end completely, carefully remove all the outer sealings from the bearings and regrease them (I still have the original '03 ones). Secondly,tighten the shock bolts in a way that the shock reducers rotate in their DU bushings, the bolts must not turn! This prohibits play that otherwise would loosen the lower pivots, leading to bearing failure. Thirdly, remove the zercs, then the lower pivot bolts, degrease them, apply blue loctite and tighten them firmly as specified. I did that after my first ride when I noticed that the lower pivots unfastened themselves. Luckily, my bearings survived. Since then I had no trouble at all. I think that the trouble with '03 frames lay not with bearing quality but with the fact that the rear will become loose when not checked constantly. So this is my bottom line: the Spider's suspension works outstandingly but requires a good amount of maintenance. If you love to work on bikes as much as you like to ride them this is the perfect frame for you. If not, leave it. Five chilis for the suspension, four for all the work you have to do prior to riding. This is something Intense should have adressed earlier and marrs the excellent riding experience
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Submitted by John Juzbasich a Cross Country Rider from Fort Collins, CO Date Reviewed: May 26, 2004
Favorite Trail:	All
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Price Paid:	$5000.00
Purchased At:	Bean's Bikes
Strengths:	This is a follow-up.
Weaknesses:	N/A
Similar Products Used:	N/A
Bike Setup:	N/A
Bottom Line:	There has been a lot written on drilling. I will neither agree nor disagree with an appropriate course of action, but there is some information which could help make a more informed decision. I, like most Spider riders, had bearing problems. I have had my bearings replaced & new pivot bolts put in as well. There are two set screws on the bottom bracket which act to prevent the bolt from loosening. Like another rider stated, this does no good because the screws have no leverage & poor placement. When I repeatedly tightened my bolts, without releasing the set screws, over time the set screws dredged and gouged a path into the pivot bolt. This led to much annoying creaking. Thankfully there was no damage. A word of caution for aspiring craftsmen: the possible consequences of drilling a bolt for the set srews could land your bicycle in the repair shop, needing new bolts & bearings like mine did. The bearing problem is serious. If you're smart and have money, don't waste time- immediately throw the stock bearings away, purchase high-quality German-manufactured bearings and ride. Regarding the pivot linkage & bolts, constant maintenance after each ride will prevent damage in my opinion.
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Submitted by T L a Cross Country Rider from Anaheim Hills Date Reviewed: May 25, 2004
Favorite Trail:	Slate Mountain
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$1900.00
Purchased At:	Supergo
Strengths:	Light, great handling, very quick climbing.
Weaknesses:	Bearings and rear end are horrible. Price($317.67 per ride)
Similar Products Used:	Turner O2 Ellsworth Truth
Bike Setup:	Fox F100X, 5th element air, XTR, FSA, Time, Crossmax.
Bottom Line:	The bike was a dream for the first few rides. It handled everything from rock gardens to twisty switchbacks with unmatched perfection. Then reality hit. During the third ride my suspension stopped working. I looked down and noticed that my pivot bolts were backing out. I couldn't believe what was happening. I dropped $3400.00 for a bike that only worked well 5 or 6 times. The rear end has been sloppy since the problem was "fixed." I have decided to stay away from Intence bikes until they take care of the design issues. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I WOULD RATE THE SPYDER 5 CHILIS IF THE BEARING PROBLEM DIDN'T SURFACE.
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Submitted by Jason a Cross Country Rider from Calgary, Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: May 21, 2004
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Strengths:	Awesome pedaling performace and great feeling ride.
Weaknesses:	Bearings?
Similar Products Used:	Blur, Rocky ETSX-70, Epic
Bike Setup:	Full XTR and Fox F100X
Bottom Line:	I have been using my Spider for over 6 monhts now and am loving it. It still amazes me how good the suspension system works. I read the reviews which disucced the beaering problems and thought that I was just lucky not to have any problems. Well, my luck changed. The day I arrived in Utah for 2 weeks of riding I discovered my lower linkage bolts coming undone and when I dissasembled 3 of the 4 bearings were frozen and the 4th barely moved. I cleaned and reassembled but they still did not move well and the bolt came out 3 times while in Utah. I asked Intense via e-mail for help but they took so long that I decided to work on it my self. I removed all of the bearings and cleaned then and lubricated and found that they all worked great - when they were out of the bike. I then measured the bearings and the part of the frame where they seat and found the bearing seats in the frame were smaller than the bearings and when you inserted them they caused the bearings to compress and not function. After careful thought I decided to try and ream the frame alittle to get the bearings to sit more passively. I do not recommend that everyone try this unless you are comfortable working with power tools on you $2000 frame!! I took off about 0.1-0.2mm and reseated the beaerings and they were magically smooth. The suspension felt great, better that it ever had and still had no pedal bobing. Awesome! I also decided to mark the bolts that hold the lower linkage and then filed a small flat area where the small set screw locks onto the bolt for added security. That was all about 600 miles ago and I have had NO problems and when I checked the bearings they are still working smoothely. I wonder if Intense would like to know about the clearance problems?? I would let them know but they still have not answered my e-mail from April.
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Submitted by Bryan a Cross Country Rider from Forest Grove, OR Date Reviewed: April 21, 2004
Favorite Trail:	Pacific Northwest Singletrack
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	River City Cycles
Strengths:	see prior review
Weaknesses:	see prior review
Similar Products Used:	see prior review
Bike Setup:	see prior review
Bottom Line:	This is a follow-up to my prior review from mid-summer last year (03). There are alot of very positive things to mention about this bike. And, most of them center around the ride... when it is not in the shop. INTENSE - I hope you read this stuff. The people represented in this forum spend big $ for your products and need a place to sound off about the performance of the ride. Positive points: Handling and Suspension. Great dialed ride for the everyday cross country rider. I have been riding for many years, with many different high-end rides... and, this is hands-down the best ride I have experienced. Not a bad comment because it is the best one you can possibly receive. However, you will want to read further. Detractors: With the exception of a Klein Palomino, this bike has been in the shop more than any other bike I have owned (at least a baker's dozen). The first problem was the bearings and bolt tightening issue. As mentioned in a prior review, my LBS was great and helped straighten this out. However, after some time, the bike did develop a chronic case of the wiggles in the rear end. This phenomenon has been well-documented in other reviews and my comments are strikingly similar. The Fox AVA shock has also been problematic. After about 5 months, it decided that air is something best kept outside the shock body. Again, my LBS came to the rescue by sending in the shock to Fox for a rebuild... however, after about 1-2 months, the shock has been leaking air on rides again. I guess Fox will have another try in the near future at the expense of more "down time" for me and my quirky riding steed. A few more beefs for one of the most expensive bike frame mfgrs in North America... What is with the lower pivot? This hollow steel contraption traps more mud and rocks than a crab pot in Tillamook Bay! And, it sounds like a baby rattle to boot. Sorry guys, my riding partner's Santa Cruz Blur has a billet aluminum (SOLID) lower pivot that does not have these problems. Problem Solved! The rear tire clearance is... well... narrow. I live in Oregon and ride year-round. The rear swingarm on this nervous little ride has proven to be one "swingin" dude when it comes to attracting a little skanky mud. OK... enough mud slinging. I think the bike rides and handles great. It just does not live up to the incredibly high expectations that were set by prior Intense craftsmanship and the bike mags, who hyped this bike to no end when it first came out. I guess you can call this long-term review a reality check. (FYI - the actual duration of this review is from July 2003 - April 2004). My flaming chilis are losing their heat.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by Chad S,. a Cross Country Rider from Rancho Date Reviewed: April 20, 2004
Favorite Trail:	Depends on day
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$1700.00
Purchased At:	Supergo
Strengths:	Does exactly what this bike says it can do.
Weaknesses:	Two weeknesses. The first is the bolt that reverses out down by the bottom bracket. to be honest, yes I did have a problem in the beginning of ownership. I used to own a Harley in the 90's. The #1 tool to a Harley is Loctite 242. I took out the bolts and cleaned them, put a couple of drops of loctite. I have had no problems for at least 4 months. No need to be drilling and complaining to Intense about this problem. They make an outstanding product. My second complaint is how the rear triangle is so close to the rear tire. Rocks get stuck to the tire then it hits the first spot of the triangle, then the rock gets stuck in this pocket behind the bottom bracket. You litterly need to sit up then bounce so the pivot opens the little pocket and the rock falls out. I know it sounds crazy but if you own an Intense spider XVP you would understand. This still would not change my mind on purchasing this frame.
Similar Products Used:	Cannondale Scalpel, Specialized Stump Jumper FSR.
Bike Setup:	5th element shock (a must), Fox Talas,Sram X.O rear der., XT front der., Race face, Chris King, Mavic wheels, Magura Marta brakes. ETC...
Bottom Line:	Intense has been a bike that I dreamed of. The Tracer was the bike to own a couple of years. I know that it is still an incredible bike but with new technology it made sense to move forward with the Spider XVP. If you are an aggressive rider with big drops for an XC person maybe go with the 5.5 but if you are a fire road rider then don't waste your time with the 5.5. The 4" of travel has worked out great for me and I ride pretty hard.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by Bobby F a Cross Country Rider from San Diego Date Reviewed: April 14, 2004
Favorite Trail:	iron mountain
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$1750.00
Purchased At:	Performance bicycles
Strengths:	Pedaling efficiency and light weight.
Weaknesses:	It's not the bearings people, it's the frame design.
Similar Products Used:	None
Bike Setup:	Top of the line everything.
Bottom Line:	This is a follow up to a previous review. I fixed the problem with the suspension bolts that back out near the bottom bracket. The bearing failure that is pissing everyone off, including me, results from lateral movement that occurs when the large bolts back out. There is a set screw to hold them in but they are worthless as delivered. That screw has a job that is like you trying to do a pull-up on a door frame. It has nothing to hold on to. Put the large bolt in tight, I don't recall the torque specifications but I think they can be found in the owner's manual. With the bolt tight, remove the set screw and scribe the bolt with an awl or something like that through the hole where the set screw came from. Take the pivot bolt out and get drill bit that is approximately the same diameter as the set screw. Get on the mark and drill a small dimple into the screw; it helps to have the drill spinning relatively fast before touching the metal. If you start slow, the bit will walk. Put the pivot bolt back in, line up the hole with the new dimple and tighten the screw. Happy riding. I am not happy that I had to do this but it works flawlessly and does not compromise strength. Intense, fix this problem. My $1000 Giant full suspension was more reliable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by N. a Cross Country Rider from Los Angeles, CA, USA Date Reviewed: March 30, 2004
Favorite Trail:	Sullivan Ridge/Gardenland
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$4150.00
Strengths:	Climbing, agility, geometry.
Weaknesses:	None so far.
Similar Products Used:	(Tested) Cannondale Scalpel, Trek Fuel 900, Santa Cruz Blur.
Bike Setup:	XTR rear der. & disc calipers, XT cranks, shifter pods, and front der. American Classic/Mavic 317 (great built/price from Mike Garcia), Fox F80X fork, Manitou Swinger SPV 3-way rear shock, FSR carbon flat bar, EA70 seatpost, WTB Rocket V Race, Chris King headset, Easton MG60 stem, Conti Explorers w/Stan's treatment.
Bottom Line:	I came from 4 years on a Klein Attitude hard tail, so getting used to this new setup took a few rides, but now I'm loving every second. The geometry is perfect for me, though I had to make the switch from riser bars to flat bars after trying the risers out (yuck). I climb faster than I did on my Klein, and obviously the descents are like a dream. Oddly, it felt really twitchy and nervous at first, until I got used to it and dialed in the setup. SPV is pretty trick...I highly reccomend it if you can afford to shell out the dough. The F80X fork really complements the frame well. Yeah, it cost me a lot, and the Blur might have been as good for a little cheaper, but what's done is done and I love the damn thing. I mostly ride fire roads with semi-technical single tracks and plenty of climbing, and for me, this is a great frame for all of that. I'm sure it would take more if I dished it out. No bearing problems yet...have ridden about 130 miles.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by Randy Peterson a Cross Country Rider from Sudbury Date Reviewed: March 29, 2004
Favorite Trail:	all
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$4800.00
Purchased At:	bikeroom.com Canada
Strengths:	Really fast, great handling bike. Climbs & decend with total confidence.
Weaknesses:	These stickers are way tacky. XS size will not take a fox fork (my wife and I both got them)Credit card still smokin.
Similar Products Used:	Truth, XTC, Fuel
Bike Setup:	Light race, Hope Bulb 717 wheels (nice build from Bikeroom)Hope Mono Mini brakes, X9 drive with a great deal -RaceFace Evolve XC crank so I could afford a Ti BB. Talked into Stans tubeless system. F 100x fork is a dream.
Bottom Line:	Great fast singletrak bike I can't wait to race. Scales say 25lbs, which I can live with. It's going to be tough to live up to my Truth, but fun to compare. Nice buying experience from super low pressure Dave at BikeRoom.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by John Juzbasich a Cross Country Rider from Devon, PA Date Reviewed: March 14, 2004
Favorite Trail:	All!!!
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	Bean's Bikes
Strengths:	VPP = Excellent Climbing & Descending
Weaknesses:	This is also a follow-up review, specifically for people concerned with bearing troubles. What has been written concerning the bearings & pivot links on the Spider XVP are true. However, a potential customer must realize that with use & time, all products break down. The bearings & pivots are designed to move. The screws used to tighten the bearings and pivot links, however, are not designed to move. Hences there is an engineering conflict present. After every ride, I have always tightened all of my pivot bearings to ensure that they do not unscrew during the next ride. Yes, they do require tightening at the end of every ride, and particularly the small screws on the top & bottom of the lower pivot link. I agree wholeheartedly with everyone that this should not happen- but it does. This is a problem which Intense Cycles should remedy, and should a solution to this problem be found, also have availabe a retrofit kit for the 2003 & 2004 models, free of charge in my opinion. I have not had a bearing crack, or any similar troubles that other customers have complained about. With a little maintenance and careful inspection, the bicycle's lateral stiffness & bearings continue to be as secure as when it was originally purchased.
Similar Products Used:	None.
Bike Setup:	N/A.
Bottom Line:	Intense, These complaints by myself and other consumers are a warning addressing a problem of dire importance. This problem must be fixed, and with the high cost of the frame as it is, it should not occur in the first place. Intense is reknown for producing world-class racing bicycles, and I think I write for all when I type that I am frankly disappointed with the design engineering and lack of customer satisfaction. The ratings of 3 represent the middle of the road- the worst position a company could occupy because it is neither so terrible where consumers can demonstrate where improvements could occur nor is it the best, because as a consumer, I know that you can do much, much better. Raise the bar. Period.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by brad g a Racer from dallas Date Reviewed: March 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:	hermosa, aspen
Duration Product Used:	1 Year
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	lone star bikes (defunct)
Strengths:	great racer
Weaknesses:	constant bearing troubles (see below) crappy fox ava shock doesnt hold air well
Bike Setup:	see prior post
Bottom Line:	alright....b#%&*# session begins: 1. i have never spent so much on a product that has been so crappily designed. the bearings have loosened/malfunctioned and have all been replaced (by parts off of another spider from my friends at local shop). the replacement parts did the same thing!!!! i have used lock tite and finally have the upper bearings stuck in place. now i only have to check every ride (several times) to see if the end-bolts are shaking free. 2. the lower bracket screws keep loosening and coming out. 3. the frame is NOT as laterally stiff as when i got it, and both i and my local bike guy cant figure this out. 4. the fox ava shock doesnt hold air well. i start each ride at 200 psi, and end at 130-150, bottoming out toward the end. 5. the guys at product support did not do as promised and sent me the new bearings, costing me $$ and precious riding time. PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS BIKE!!!!!!!! i can go on about the benefits of the vpp, and it really makes a difference in climbing and descending. i would reccommend that you look long and hard at the santa cruz blur if you want the same effect. i am convinced that the differences in frame geometry between the blur and the spider are negligible, and any of these millimeter differences can be made up by adjusting the seat position, stem or handlebars. i think that the "agressive" geometry that is hyped in the mags (see recent velonews or bicycling product guides) is just that....hype. i think that anyone would ride aggressively when bent forward on a light bike with good (modest travel) suspension. i would also wonder if the stable platform rear susp would add benefit to most any light fs bike on the market. again, i am very dissapointed in my bike, because i bought it to race, and i've had to go back to my hardtail on a few of the fall and spring races around here because my spider is "waiting for parts". i'm seriously thinking about taking my toys off of the spider and getting a fuel frame would welcome anyone elses input brad g
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Submitted by Mike a Cross Country Rider from Chino Hills, CA 91709 Date Reviewed: February 23, 2004
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$1999.00
Purchased At:	Supergo
Strengths:	Climbs like a dream.
Weaknesses:	Quality Assurance
Similar Products Used:	Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:	XTR deraileur, shifter, brakes, Easton carbon handebar/seatpost, Raceface Next LP cranks, World Class BB, Selle SLR seat, Chris King headset, Fifth Element shock, Fox terra logic fork, Mavic Crossride wheelset
Bottom Line:	Just a follow-up to my last review. Bobby from Intense call me and I had the go-ahead to get it fixed at Supergo. Josh at Supergo made the fix while I was waiting. They were both great in taking care of my problem. The problem was the main pivot bolt was backing out after two rides. My bike did not come with a locking screw to prevent the bolt from backing out. After the fix, I'm a happy camper. There was no issues with the bearings and I was told the bearing supplier had a QA problem that was fixed. I'm giving the spyder 4 flamin' chili. It could have been 5 if I didn't have to get my bike fixed after two rides.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by Mike Lam a Cross Country Rider from Chino Hills, CA 91709 Date Reviewed: February 18, 2004
Favorite Trail:	JPL/Carbon Canyon
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$1999.00
Purchased At:	Supergo
Strengths:	Bike climbs like a dream and performance does not suffer on the downhills.
Weaknesses:	Pivot bearing came lose after two rides. A total of 25 miles! There has been alot of talk about the bearings and it's all true. It's the weak link in the bike.
Similar Products Used:	1999 Specilized FSR
Bike Setup:	Fox terra logic shock, 5th element shock, XTR brakes, shifters, derailuer, Raceface cranks, Easton carbon handlebar & seatpost, Mavic wheelset
Bottom Line:	The bike handles great, however the quality of the bike is less than desired. Don't buy the Spider until they fix the bearing problems. I've call Intense for a fix under the warranty. Hopefully, I will get a faster response that the other guys. Currently my Spider is in my gargage collecting webs while while my brother is out riding his Ellsworth, and that's the Truth! I'm giving them 2 chilis because I'm stuck at home while my brother is riding!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by Tommy Hatcher a Racer from NashVegas,Tn Date Reviewed: February 12, 2004
Favorite Trail:	Montgomery Bell State Park
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$1900.00
Purchased At:	Cumberland Transit Bicycles
Strengths:	The 2004 model is an incredible frame,light,supa tight handling, and great suspension feel!Really good finish work and details and built up really easily, no gimmicks!Perfect for the serious racer or trail demon!
Weaknesses:	None so far!
Similar Products Used:	Marin Mt.Vision Pro and too many other FS frames that I've tried out working in Bike sales.None can touch this one,it's in a class all by itself!
Bike Setup:	Fox Float 80RLC,5TH Element Air,Sram X.O system,Sram 9 speed cassette,XTR front D,Avid mechanicals w/CNC'd levers,Mavic Crossmax UST disc wheels,Python tubeless lites,Easton CT2 post,Titec TI Hbar,Ritchey WCS 100m stem,Titec Mag barends,Flite 165gr saddle,Chris King headset,FSA Carbon cranks,Shimano 959 pedals.Weighs 24.8lbs
Bottom Line:	The best part about this frame is it's uncanny ability to make the obsticles you hit feel like they are propelling the bike foward,like it springs off of them!I'm sure that the 5TH has something to do with how well it functions,excellent adjustability on this shock!No pressure problems and many setting choices that all feel TOTALLY stable when pedaling!NO BOBBING whatsoever!WOO!HOO! It climbs exactly like my old Kline Attitude(like a scalded GOAT!) but rides so smoothly that you CAN stay seated and survive!HA!I really can tell that I am faster moving with less effort which is a really sweet surprise for me since I'm looking for any small extra advantage I can get! Handling is SPOT on and makes you feel much more balanced and able to let the bike steer YOU in the right line no matter how rough!Suspension is super stable feeling!Also looks trick as hell in BLACK and is defintely a looker bike(Which means I have to REALLY get in shape!)!!!!!!!!! I have had nothing but excellent service from the staff at Intense and realize that some other folks who have posted here might have had problems,but remember that they are a small firm and have been overwhelmed with extra work since their new frames have recieved such acclaim.It takes a diligent crew to dial in a new product and since I've been in the business as well and understand what that will do to a company, I'm asking all you owners to give em' a break! They are definitely GOOD people!They always answer my questions in a polite and timely manner. I am definitely satisfied with my purchase and it has definitely renewed my love for spankin' trails! Thanx to the Intense gang!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by Bobby F a Cross Country Rider from San Diego Date Reviewed: February 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:	Iron Mountain
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$1750.00
Purchased At:	Performance Bikes
Strengths:	Belive the hype. It thought my Giant ATX 980 was great since I could dust a lot of people on better bikes but the Spider opened new doors in climbing, descending, and handling. Very few people have them on the trails to add to the cool factor and they are made in the USA. Glad the stickers came off with ease, I hate stickers.
Weaknesses:	Bearings. The main pivot bearing nearest the B.B. went out after fewer than 100 miles. No jumps, no downhilling, just cross-country riding. My previous bike never gave me any problems so this was a shock after paying for one of the best frames out there. The sealed bearing went to pieces; Intense needs better quality control when dealing with their suppliers. Contacting the company was mildly annoying but I guess they are busy. I received no response from the warranty department after leaving numerous messages and e-mails. Finally selected the "sales" option of the automated phone system where my call was immediately answered. I was patched through to a seemingly overworked guy named Bobby Vore who immediately took care of me.
Similar Products Used:	Blur
Bike Setup:	Easton monkey lite riser bars, Thomson stem and post, Race Face Next LP cranks wiht R.F. signature bottom bracket, Eggbeater pedals, Magura Marta discs, SRAM X0 shifters and rear derailleur :), XT front derailleur, Chris King headset and hubs, Mavic 313 rims, SRAM PC-99 chain, SRAM 9-speed cassette, Terry Fly seat, ODI lock on grips, Salsa flip off skewers, and IRC mythos tires.
Bottom Line:	Great bike that really performs but not thrilled with the cheesy bearings used. If you want to make hardtail die-hards suck wind going up while leaving them behind when the trail points down, get the Spider.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by Dean a Cross Country Rider from Lexington, Ky. Date Reviewed: January 19, 2004
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	Beyond Bikes
Strengths:	VPP and SPV platforms are awesome. Strong climbing. Razor-sharp handling. Fast and light. High drool factor.
Weaknesses:	You're gonna need some cash and some patience.
Similar Products Used:	2002 Gary Fisher Sugar 1. 2002 Fisher Supercaliber. Ancient Fishers, Manitou FS and HT. Brief rides on Santa Cruz Blur.
Bike Setup:	Gray Spider frame. Manitou Swinger shock, 100mm Manitou Skareb SPV fork. Crossmax SL. Easton carbon handlebar and seatpost. New XTR including disc. Other assorted bling-bling.
Bottom Line:	This bike has great soul. I love hardtail bikes and the Spider gives away nothing to them. I just beefed this one up with the 100mm fork, but even with an 80mm, you'll find the Spider offers the rider a lot of options on the trial. It almost screams, "Pick a line, any line -- it doesn't matter." Sure enough. I loved the Fisher Sugar for its climbing, but the Spider is better. The Spider is also well balanced, and this shows up especially in how it handles tight switchbacks. Intense is a small company -- fewer than 20 people -- so you might have to wait a while for your frame. Mine took two months, but I really wanted a Gray frame. Be patient. The guys at Beyond Bikes cut me a wonderful deal on the frame and some parts. I thought about giving this bike just 4 chilis for value because of its price, but I'm going ahead with five chilies. You're paying the biking equivalent of Porsche dollars and in return you get Porsche-like performance. It's just that exotic and that much fun. Enjoy your rides.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by Jim a Cross Country Rider from Fremont Date Reviewed: January 13, 2004
Favorite Trail:	Toads
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$2000.00
Purchased At:	123 bikes
Strengths:	Light , climbs great , looks great , great on downhills .
Weaknesses:	Bearings , bearings , bearings !!! All four main pivot bearings are completely shot after about 5 months of trail riding by my 120 lbs. sister . The bike has been washed a lot but the bearings are supposed to be sealed . Having a hard time getting replacement bearings . What a pain in the azz !
Similar Products Used:	Superlight , Tracer , Truth , Blur and many FSRs .
Bike Setup:	XTR drivetrain , King hubs and headset , Raceface cranks and bottom bracket , Marzocci Marathon 100 mm , and Fox AVA shock .
Bottom Line:	This bike has been very dissapointing cosidering the cost of the frame . I have been riding high end full suspension bikes for years now and have never seen bearings fail so soon and trust me the bike was not abused , I built it for my sister who rides a bit on the mellow side - sorry sis . Hopefully the new bearing will last a lot longer because this is a great bike but it should be a lot more durable . Stop using cheap bearings over there at Intense !!!
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Submitted by John Juzbasich a Cross Country Rider from Devon, PA; USA Date Reviewed: January 7, 2004
Favorite Trail:	All
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$5000.00
Purchased At:	Bean's Bicycles
Strengths:	Intense is reknown for producing world-class racing frames that win. The Spider XVP is no different. The frame is incredibly light and is very aesthetically pleasing. The quality of the welding is superior, and the frame design and assembly is also superior. The bike is incredibly fast. I have been able to ascend trails which I have previously walked on my hardtail bicycle, and the same can be said for going downhill. The bike screams down any trail. The VPP technology, which I was admittedly skeptical of, smooths out any trail incredibly well. The bike is very responsive and feels just as firm under pedal power as any hardtail I've ever ridden. There really is no riding-induced "bob." The bicycle lives up to and exceeds my own expectations. Since the bike is not set up with full Shimano Total Integration (STI) system, it should be noted that it continues to perform flawlessly, so consumers should be aware that there are ways to continue using 6-bolt rotors and wheelsets with the STI system.
Weaknesses:	The Spider XVP frame is pricey, but the quality of the frame design and manufacturing process outweigh this factor. Rear tire clearance is a problematic issue which cannot be explained away. The tire is very close to the swingarm, but it has not stopped in mud yet. Intense may want to consider this as the #1 negative factor when adjusting the 2004 Spider XVP models to better meet the demands of the XC market.
Similar Products Used:	None. This bicycle is in a league of its own.
Bike Setup:	The frame size is a medium black, with a Chris King NoThreadSet and a Thomson stem, with an Easton Monkeylite Carbon riser. The grips are ODI Lock-Ons. Full XTR comprised the componentry except for a custom built wheelset with a Mavic 819 Disc-specific rim, laced to Chris King ISO Disc hubs. The rotor was the 2002 XT model to match the 6-bolt rotor configuration of the Chris King hubs. The fork is a Manitou Minute 2:00. Seatpost and saddle are the Easton EC70 & Fizik Nisene respectively. The frame came with Manitou 3-Way Swinger rear shock, not the Fox AVA. which was advertised.
Bottom Line:	The bike is outstanding. The quality frame design and manufacturing coupled with superior componentry combine to give the bike an ability which far surpasses my own riding ability. The frame is expensive, but this is no different than any quality product. Most of what needs to be stated about this bicycle already has been. The real bottom line is that this bike fulfills what it was designed to do: win races.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by Baconman a Cross Country Rider from RI Date Reviewed: January 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:	The Edge
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	wrenchscience
Strengths:	Speed. This bike is out and out fast. When climbing the bike responds immediately to a hard push, rewarding the rider with more speed. Descending the bike smooths out the trail resulting in tighter handling and more speed. It corners as if on rails. Comfort. Even after riding rocky, rooty, bumpy NE trails for hours I dont' feel shaken up. No bob. It doesn't bob unless the IFP chamber is improperly inflated. Long top tube to match my long torso.
Weaknesses:	Feels a bit dead riding through thick mud or deep sand, especially in low gear. If I put the bike down for a second it gets picked up and ridden.
Similar Products Used:	Santa Cruz Blur (much softer,not as fast), Specialize Epic (fast climber, not as fast descending)
Bike Setup:	Full XTR, including disks and hubs. Fox F100X Terralogic. Easton cockpit. Hutchinson Python AirLites with Stan's.
Bottom Line:	I wanted a really fast trailbike. This is it. All day comfort and speed to burn. The faster you ride the more this bike gives back. Less experienced bikers will do better with a Blur because the Blur is smoother, especially at slow speeds. Spend the time to dial the fork and shock setups in. Poorly setup the bike feels just OK. It comes alive when dialed in.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by Prion a Weekend Warrior from Vienna, Austria Date Reviewed: December 11, 2003
Favorite Trail:	hills and mountains of Austria
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$2000.00
Purchased At:	online
Strengths:	fast, responsive also on very small bumps, excellent uphill traction, ultra stiff rear end, cool design, relatively light.
Weaknesses:	1. narrow rear limits tyres to 2,1 size. 2. bushings won't turn in the shock eyelets (Fox's fault, but where was Intense's quality control?)
Similar Products Used:	specialized epic
Bike Setup:	small frame, grey, w. Fox Float AVA, Chris King, Fox Float 100 RLC, Crossmax SL w. Schwalbe Racing Ralph, Magura Marta SL, SRAM X.0 Rear Der w. X-9 Triggers, XTR Cranks, XTR front der (Pimpbiker couldn't fit it on his bike, but it worked on mine. However, it is a very tight fit with less than 1 mm clearence; probably due to engineering tolerances it might collide with the rear triangle on other frames)
Bottom Line:	Excellent bike so far, please notice that I've not ridden it that long yet. Thought I'd share my experiences on the front der. Superb handling, stiff rear end. Pricey, but that's Intense for you. Value:4 chilis, for that price one would expect better end control(re: AVA bushings)overall rating: 5. Caution: check that bushings rotate in their eyelets. Look for clearence when fitting the front der.
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Submitted by Dirk a Cross Country Rider from Auburn, CA, USA Date Reviewed: December 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Too many to choose one
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$1800.00
Purchased At:	LBS
Strengths:	Frame design. The rear end firms up and does not bob when spinning or standing and giving it your all. But the suspension is still working. It is not locked up, awsome. Also when braking the rear hooks up fantastic, does not jack.
Weaknesses:	None yet. Worried about the bearing failure talked about in other reviews. Bike came with 5th Element which would not hold air. Traded for Fox.
Similar Products Used:	None simular, previuos bikes: Foes FXC, great bike, Specialized A1 ground control.
Bike Setup:	Mostly XTR, (xt crank and front derailer), Easton, Hugi, Beaters, DIY tubless, Avid ... under 24 lbs.
Bottom Line:	Fantastic bike. Disagreee with Pimpboy below. Rear end is very firm with out any flex,(as compared to my previuos bike, know as one of most flex free frames made). Rear end does feal soft in parking lot when push down. Wile riding, this bike is totally awsome. This bike encourages fast, attack type riding style, and supports this unbeleivable handling. Buy a VPP bike be it Blur or Spider, you will be loving life.
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Submitted by PimpBiker.com a Cross Country Rider from Reno Date Reviewed: November 19, 2003
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Strengths:	Light, handling, Looks good.
Weaknesses:	Soft rear-end when you sprint.
Similar Products Used:	Blur
Bike Setup:	New XTR Disc Manitou Cross Max UST
Bottom Line:	After two days later I post my past review, gentlman from Intense cycles e-mailed me. And gave me his e-mail address to find out the problem. Anyway, I was little critical to them. However, I really happy because I could receive response from Intense Cycles for my bike issues.
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Submitted by PimpBiker.com a Cross Country Rider from Reno Date Reviewed: November 16, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Flume Trail at Lake Tahoe
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Strengths:	1.Light weight---It is light as a dual suspension bike frame. (However, you can reduce bike weight by choosing right tires, wheels, etc) 2.Design---It is very cool looking bike. Especially Size Medium, not for Small size. 3.Control---It is very easy to control this bike under technical downhill sections.
Weaknesses:	1.Rear end---It si very soft, weak rear end. I can feel the flexing the rear end when I peddal hard even I do not do standing. And I weight only 135 Lbs. 2.Bearing---Please do not use Taiwan made bearing for this bike. My bearing just behide the B.B broke after 2 month of riding. It makes this bike more rear flex bike. 3.Front Derailleur---When I built this bike, I used full New XTR components, however, XTR Derailleur het swing arm when it compressed. This is very bad. I think that we should use XT front Derailleur for this frame otherwise, front Derailleur hits the swing arm!!! I already talked with Intense guy at the Interbike 03, they knew it. However, I could not get enough information from them. So, if Intense people read this review, please post message for us.
Similar Products Used:	Santa Cruz Blur
Bike Setup:	Manitou New XTR Disc Cross Max wheelset(Old one, Black)
Bottom Line:	First of all, I want my bearing replacement as soon as possible. And, I want idea for front derailleur for this frame. I asked intense by e-mail, however, one of guy at Intende forwarded my question for front derailleur to warranty department, and I still not receive answer from the. It've been more than two month. Oh, it makes Intense bad image. It is important to take care of each of customer for all kind of business, if you own or operate. In short, except "Bearing problem," Front Derailleur Problem," and "Customer service," I love this bike. It is very fast on downhill section, and pedal just good enough. I can not wait to get my bearing replaced!
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Submitted by George Trantow a Cross Country Rider from Basalt, Colorado Date Reviewed: November 14, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Hunter Creek & Hobbit Trail
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$4300.00
Purchased At:	123bikes.com
Strengths:	6 Month Check-Up -- The honeymoon isn't over. This bike still amazes me with a solid, predictable, no-bob ride. This is a XC racers bike, an ultra bike that handles great for epic riders and the die hards who have the commitment to spend the extra cash. I have added a little more air pressure to rear shock. Try 5-10 lbs. more than your body weight. No regrets on spending extra for the Spyder frame. Read other reviews for specifics.
Weaknesses:	Mud clearance Weight -- choose components wisely to get weight down. My bike was over 26 lbs. before I started changing out tires. The expectation to ride up to the quality of the bike...that's tough!
Similar Products Used:	SC Blur was briefly demo'd. Just couldn't ride the same bike as the masses.
Bike Setup:	GET THE TALAS FORK, TUBELESS RIMS WITH STAN'S AND REGULAR LIGHT TIRES!!! I cannot emphasize the satisfaction/joy of not having one flat this entire season. This includes racing Leadville 100 and local Aspen Cycling Club races. The adjustable fork is great and you get flexibility and Fox quality stiffness. Why limit yourself with one fork length? Medium frame, Fox Talas RL, 2003 XTR, Mavic 3.1 with Stan's No Tubes and Hutchinson Python Lite, Thomson seatpost/stem. Eggbeaters, Answer Carbon riser bars.
Bottom Line:	Buy it, enjoy it and ride with a big smile.
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Submitted by Whit a Cross Country Rider from Texas Date Reviewed: November 12, 2003
Favorite Trail:	as long as I am riding I am happy
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	lonestar bikes
Strengths:	I hesitated to write this review since most of the reviews on this page explain why the Intense Spyder is an unbeleiveable piece of machineary, but I must proceed since I love talking about this bike. Strengths: Climbing Smooth and predictable ride Quality of frame build
Weaknesses:	Since there are very few weeknesses, I must be fairly picky to find some. 1. narrow rear triangle limits tire selection 2. cost 3. Decals....Intense, please make the change 4. I had a some minor rubing in the pivots but was corrected by cleaning, re-lubing and tightening
Similar Products Used:	Maverick, Santa Cruz - blur, Seven - Duo (I have a seven axiom road bike - awesome company)
Bike Setup:	Easton carbon xl, Easton EA70 stem, wtb saddle, easton carbon seatpost, '03 XTR group (shifter/brake, discs, etc), Mavic 3.1 rims, King hubs and headset.
Bottom Line:	This is a great bike. I spent a lot of money and now live in a box which almost seems worth it. I do 24 hour mtb races and some xc races but only on a recreational basis. I probably do not need such a rig, but thought this bike stood out among the others I tested. If your wallet can handle the sticker shock.....do it baby!!! It is only money. I am 6' 2", 220 lbs (proud clydesdale!!) with a another vice called food and alcohol so my competive spirit is usually matched by my enjoyment of culinary excess. This bike has made the endurace events I enter quite enjoyable. I feel I climb better and decent with more confidence. NOTE: The complexity of any full suspension bike with top line components can not be forgotten. Maintenance has definitley increased from my hard tail with v-brakes and XT. Be prepared to spend a little more time giving your bike some TLC if this is your first experience with the likes of discs, bushings, hydraulics, etc. I am very happy with this purchase and welcome any other questions that people have about this bike or the setup.
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Submitted by Mike a Weekend Warrior from Allentown, PA Date Reviewed: November 11, 2003
Favorite Trail:	All of them
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Purchased At:	jbmountainbikes.com
Strengths:	MADE IN USA!!!! No need to state what has been said repeatedly. Read every review for this frame.
Weaknesses:	Again, most have been stated. Minimal rear tire clearance for mud and muck. 2.1" is as wide as she goes. $2k buys you "stickers" which probably won't last a year or two. (Hint for Intense: Take a lesson from Klein). Rear V-brake mounts rusted VERY quickly, but since I have disk brakes... I took them out. "Me: The rider". The pain it generates to my face everytime I so much as look at it... nevermind ride it. Oh, and if someone actually recognizes what your riding... LOOK OUT!! better be prepared for a show and tell session.
Similar Products Used:	POS Schwinn hardtail, Giant NRS 1, Klein Mantra, Demo'd an S-Works Epic.
Bike Setup:	Every component that costs three times as much as it should.
Bottom Line:	I hesitated to write this review so quickly because I typically like to test something for at least 6 months to a year before giving any real feedback. Sorry, I'm slow.. I seldom generate die hard feelings about anything quickly. Guess I'm a skeptic. However, this bike has been the exception. It really does climb like a mountain goat, and provides an immediate confidence builder. Not that I wanted to doubt anyone who posted a review for this frame, but sometimes people stretch the truth... if you know what I mean. Bottom line, everything that has been said.. is absolutely right on the money. If you can afford it, and your willing to wait.. this is with out a doubt the best FS mountain bike I personnally have ever ridden. Worth every stink'n chili.
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Submitted by Steve a Racer from Salem OR Date Reviewed: November 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Phil's Trail -Bend OR
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$5000.00
Purchased At:	Excel Sports
Strengths:	Technical climbing, power climbs in the saddle, very fast on fire roads and mellow trails. Comming off an S-Works FSR this bike is so responsive that I was overdoing everything. Now I just think turn and the bike carves down or up the trail. The paint job is really good, I got black. No regrets at all about this "investment".
Weaknesses:	Not as light as they say, it's actually a little heavier than the FSR, but way more solid and efficient. Too many stickers, I removed all of them.
Similar Products Used:	I tried the '03 Epic, and it was a good climber, but didn't have the in the saddle plushness for smooth speed.
Bike Setup:	Full XTR, wheels and discs, Easton, Thomson, Ritchey and a SID Team fork. The black SID and the nude black frame with XTR look awesome and everyone asks what the heck it is.
Bottom Line:	It's not the cheapest bike around, and not many people know what it is. That's fine with me because I am confident that it's the best bike made for the kind of riding that I like to do. Comfortable all day in the saddle but still efficient enough to win races.
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Submitted by Rick a Cross Country Rider from Concord, NH Date Reviewed: November 5, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Bear Brook
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$3100.00
Purchased At:	frame on ebay, components mail-order
Strengths:	What an awesome bike! I've got short legs (29") and an average torso (5'8" total), have found it hard to find a bike with longer travel than my Sugar, but with adequate standover room for da boys! This is it. Got a small, which has a longer top tube than the small Blur. I loved Sugar but this is heaven. Climbing may be a tad less quick, but I got grown-up Fox suspension instead of SID toys, and I've only been on it for 2 weeks. But oh, how nice this active suspension is! Climbing, descending, flat, gnarly rocks and roots...You name it, this bike is SOOOO nice. Cushy without loss of efficiency....Go figure.
Weaknesses:	It's a little pointy in spots so my wife is getting a little tired of sharing the bed with the two of us....
Similar Products Used:	Sugar 1 (really great bike, but kind of punishing, and I had chainsuck too!), test rode Blur (also a fine ride)
Bike Setup:	Talas RL (running generally 90-100), Fox AVA rear, Crossmax SL's, Serac XC's w/tubes (going Stan's this week), Hayes Mag Plus, King headset, RF carbon risers, XTR rear der, XT front der, XT crank, Time carbon pedals
Bottom Line:	This is the best bike I've ever ridden. Very efficient, no wasted energy bobbing. Climbs smoothly and efficiently, descends much more stably and reliably than Sugar. Very fast over varied terrain. Still dialing in the suspension, but it WORKS! So smooth. Pricey, but competitive. I couldn't tell much difference compared to Blur (rode only for 1/2 hour), but the standover height sold me and I'm a happy man. Buy this bike if you're short-legged and want the best longer-travel bike you can get. Come to think of it, buy this bike no matter how long your legs are, for the best bike you can imagine.
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Submitted by sandan a Cross Country Rider from Greenwood Village,CO. USA Date Reviewed: November 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Tipperary Creek, WP
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$1750.00
Purchased At:	mtbr Classifieds
Strengths:	This bike is freaking unbelievable. I was able to clean some rocky steep climbing sections I've never completed before. The traction this bike gets is fantastic, though, I found I was torqueing my front wheel off the ground. Had to adjust my position a bit to keep the front wheel down. Sitting and spinning this bike will climb anything, out of the saddle efforts were just like the old hardtail, instant reponse, but no loss of traction due to rear wheel kick. In fact the bike wanted to go so fast I found that I had to conciously slow down a bit so I could conserve some energy for the rest of the climb. Line selection isn't so critical anymore since the rear tracks over anything. Coming down this bike rocks. The 4" of travel front and back really smooths out the trail. you can stay seated where you would have to hover on a hardtail. Hovering you can really fly. The rear end is super stiff so the bike is a point and shoot affair. There are some tight singletrack sections and you can just flick this baby through them, you gotta watch your speed cause this bike is fast.
Weaknesses:	So far I only have one thing negative to say about this ride. The bike clanks on some descents when in the middle ring and small cogs, if I shift to the big ring the nopise goes away. I don't know if this is an issues with the suspension, chain length or the derailleur hitting the chain stay. I will figure it out and correct it though. I hate a noisy bike.
Similar Products Used:	SC Superlight, GF Sugar Team
Bike Setup:	'03 XTR cranks, '01 XTR rear der., '03 XTR front der., Chris King HS, XTR Calipers and rotors, XT shifters, XT levers Maxm 1" rise bars, Profile 110 x 7 deg stem turned upside down for a negative rise, FOX FLoat 100RLC fork and Float AVA RL in the back. Mavic 317s w/ obviously '03 XRT hubs both shod with Conti Explorer Supersonics. I haven't put it on a scale yet but I'm probably in the 25lb. range.
Bottom Line:	The $1750 was for the frame, shock, headset and front der. I was going to pay retail for the frame and shock but couldn't pass up the deal in the classifieds. Do I have any regrets buying this frame? NO!. would I recommend it? YES!. Would I buy another? and pay full price? DEFINITELY!!!
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Submitted by Michael a Cross Country Rider from Texas Date Reviewed: November 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Davis Mountains
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$4500.00
Purchased At:	Beyondbikes.com
Strengths:	Climbs like a dream. Suspension is working all the time without the rider being aware. Unbelievable. Allows for great leg speed and cadence on flats and climbs without bobbing.
Weaknesses:	Mud Clearance on rear but no bike could handle the sticky mud when it rains where I ride.
Similar Products Used:	This is my first full suspension but had a Litespeed Obed with suspension seat post for a few years. Cannondales before that.
Bike Setup:	Intense Spider - red, Fox F100X, Hayes Hydro brakes, SRAM X.0 shifters, Chris King Nothreadset, Thomson Elite stem and seatpost, Easton MonkeyLite bars, WTB Laser V Ti saddle, Egg Beater pedals, XT Wheelset, Continental Vertical Pro 2.3 UST tubeless front tire, Panaracer UST Tires with Carl's for thorns tubeless tires, Cateye Cordless 7.
Bottom Line:	Get this bike if you can afford it and get it from BeyondBikes.com. They are really knowledgeable there and very courteous. They really enjoy their bikes and have some great suggestions. And the best part is you get to watch your bike being built on their webcam. At first I disliked the SRAM shifters but after a month it's automatic and really keeps your leg speed up. You'll climb better with this bike. Downhill is adequate depending in large part on your fork selection. Get one and ride it for long, healthy life.
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Submitted by steve a Cross Country Rider from Salt Lake City Date Reviewed: October 26, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Anything in the Wasatch Front Mountain Range
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$2000.00
Purchased At:	Golson's Cycles
Strengths:	Quality workmanship, excellent climbing, great decender, fast.
Weaknesses:	Price
Similar Products Used:	Klein Palamino, Santa Cruz Blur, Ventana
Bike Setup:	Mavic UST wheels and contiental UST tires, SRAM XO rear deraueler, grip shifters and cassett, shimano XT front deraueler, Easton Monkey Lite SL bars, EA70 seatpost and EA70 stem, Fox FLOAT RLC rear shock, Avid V brakes, Shimano Hollow Point bottom bracket and cranks, Sella Itallia SLR gel saddle.
Bottom Line:	This bike rides like a dream. Climbs very well and fast and smooth on the downhill. Since I was riding a hardtail I thought that I would notice a difference in the climbing but as of yet I think I am slightly faster on the Intense. The Fox front shock is great, absorbing the bumps well and keeping the ride smooth. The grip shifters are great. The rear deraueler is nice but I think it still needs some additional adjustment. As for the brakes they work great. If I lived in a wetter evnironment most likly disk would be the way to go. I had the bike built at Revolution Mountain Sports in Sandy Utah. Mat did a great job and gives excellant advice on how to save money and keep the weight down.
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Submitted by Kevin a Racer from Colorado Springs Date Reviewed: October 10, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Anything in WP
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Purchased At:	123Bikes.com
Strengths:	So far it's lived up to the reviews and billing as the next great XC racer. Excellent efficient climber, plush tight handling downhiller, light weight. What more can you ask for in a FS bike??
Weaknesses:	I haven't found any major weaknesses so far.
Similar Products Used:	Santa Cruz Blur
Bike Setup:	Silver Spider XVP, XTR, Fox F80X, CrossMax SL, Thompson, King, Answer Pro Taper
Bottom Line:	Here is the deal...I just came off a Blur (raced it this past season and loved it). I've only had this thing out a couple times and the ride is very similar..BUT..the Spider is a little more responsive, handles a little better and is an overall better/more efficient climber. It feels very solid, like a hardtail. You ask it to go and it freakin goes. As far as going downhill, it again feels very similar to the Blur - but a little more plush and it seems to handle better too. Pick a line and take it, makes no difference how smooth or rough it is...just go! Overall a very fun bike to ride and I know this thing will make a superb XC racer. Thanks to the guys at 123Bikes.com, Mike hooked me up big time. I got an excellent build customized exactly the way I wanted it. They will work with you to get you what you want and deliver it at a great price!
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Submitted by John Carpenter a Cross Country Rider from Mission Viejo Date Reviewed: October 1, 2003
Favorite Trail:	San Juan
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$4200.00
Purchased At:	BeyondBikes.Com
Strengths:	Strengths: Climbing like a Goat: The Spider gives me the confidence to pick the best, and usually more aggressive line. Instead of twisting around in the saddle, and dodging obstacles on the trail I am able to find the smooth line while climbing up and over things I previously avoided. The suspension is so efficient and smooth under power, that I now simply aim the bike straight and spin. The VPP suspension positions the shock at a sweet spot in the travel that allows you to almost effortlessly propel forward, up and over obstacles you face. The whole reason I got this bike was that I couldn’t stand the unnecessary bobbing and suspension feed back I found in other frames designs Thankfully I am done with that portion of my riding career! Now I get to enjoy the ease and efficiency this bike provides on the climb, only to be rewarded with an even better feeling during the decent. Going Down Like A Champ: The Spider descends with as much confidence as it climbs, but with half the effort and twice the fun. This bike is set up for XC, yet it inspires my confidence toward being a more aggressive trail rider/decender. The Spiders has no side-to-side later flex, even for a larger rider 185+. My technical skills have improved greatly to the point that I no longer have problems with obstacles and lines I have always avoided. The cushy VPP suspension makes this bike feels like a magic XC carpet that allows you to float over obstacles rather then bash through them. It’s a Very light frame at around 5 pounds. Fully built up with a pretty light build, the bike weighed about 23 pounds. It has awesome geometry that seems to put you in the right place on the bike no matter what the situation! Another thing that I really enjoy about this bike is that, aesthetically, it looks like an Italian sports car. The lines and shapes of the tubes compliment the unique design and give off the feeling ,and look of something handmade by a true artist!
Weaknesses:	Weakness: I had to wait a few months for this frame, 3 months 12 days for the medium Iron (Bad Ass Looking), which not everyone seems to ride. I would rather wait and get what I wanted for my hard earned coin then settle for my second choice! As far as the bike goes to be honest I can only really say that it would be nice to be able to in theory have more clearance for mud. With a 2.1 it’s Ok but it could be a bit better (sorry to all those that say it is the immaculate conception)!
Similar Products Used:	Similar Products Used: Specialized Epic S-Works, Santa Cruz Blur!
Bike Setup:	BIKE SET UP: Frame in Iron with red decals, Fox Forx F80X, All Shimano XTR, 03 Dual brakes/shifter controls, 03 XTR Disc brakes, Thomson Elite Stem (Black), Mavic UST X3.1 Wheels Hand Built Buy a Pro, Easton Ec 70bars, Thomson Seatpost, WTB Rocket V Laser Saddle, panaracer 2.1 meats!
Bottom Line:	I am a better rider on this bike! It gives me more confidence on the trail due to the awesome geometry, stiff Easton ultra-lite race tubing, and the VPP Suspension! Prior to purchasing this bike I tried the Blur and the Epic. The Blur was similar, in performance and feel, but I could tell that the rear en was not quite as stiff as I would have liked. It just didn’t have the pop effect that the spider gives off. As for the Epic, it seems there is a slight delay in the inertia valve from it is locked out to fully active. It had a much harsher ride over all. I can’t possibly imagine cross-country bikes getting any better than the Spider. It puts these frames to shame!! I did have to wait a while for the frame to come in, but so did every one! Thanks to the guys at BeyondBikes.Com for the awesome custom build, and the perfect set up. I was originally going to do the bike a little different, but they really worked with me to get the perfect custom build worthy for a bike of this caliber. I am riding with more confidence no, and really enjoying the trails. If you want a bike that will get you psyched on riding everything look no further!!! 5 #&*% Fin chilis for the best ride ever!
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Submitted by v rod a Cross Country Rider from denver Date Reviewed: September 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:	teocalli ridge
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$2100.00
Purchased At:	supergo
Strengths:	Light, excellent suspension design, frame is art
Weaknesses:	price
Similar Products Used:	titus racer x, specialized stumpjumper comp, gary fisher paragon
Bike Setup:	manitou spv front and rear suspension, race face cranks, dave's speed dream wheels, xtr shifters and deraillers, avid single digit ti levers and brakes
Bottom Line:	This is the best suspension design I have ever ridden, very efficient, no pogo'ing, stays stiff until spv is activated then cruises over anything 4 inches or less. The geometry is very similiar to my racer X, but the ride is much plusher, yet efficient. The bike negociates climbs and downhills 100% better then the racer X. Pick a line and ride it, where the racer X would bump me out of the saddle I cruise on this bike. I used to think my racer X was an efficient climber, but I rind myself using at least 15% less energy on the spyder. I cannot imagine a better suspension design- then vpp-coming out in the near future.
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Submitted by Chuck Caffarella a Cross Country Rider from Sudbury, MA Date Reviewed: September 24, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Mt. Misery, Stow, Great Brook
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Purchased At:	123bikes.com
Strengths:	VPP technology, light (5.2 lbs.), bi-oval tubes add to strength and stiffness, 4" travel, trick red color looks great, it's an Intense Spider!
Weaknesses:	None identified so far.
Similar Products Used:	None. This is my first mountain bike, although I ride and race road bikes (Merlin/Cat.4) and motorcycles (Ducati 998S Bostrom).
Bike Setup:	2004 Intense Spider - red, Progressive 5th Element Air, Fox F100X, full '03/'04 XTR with hydro and discs, Chris King Nothreadset (rasta), Thomson Elite stem and seatpost, Easton MonkeyLite bars with ODI Ruffian grips and lock jaws, WTB Laser V Ti saddle, M959 pedals, XTR M965 Wheelset, Continental Vertical Pro 2.3 UST tubeless front tire, Continental Explorer Pro 2.1 UST tubeless rear tire, Ringle skewers, Cateye Cordless 7.
Bottom Line:	I considered the Ellsworth Truth (light, high quality frame, excellent customer service, many 5 chili reviews) and the Seven Duo (the pinnacle of titanium cycling, although limiting rear shock selection), but chose the Intense Spider due to its VPP technolgy. Although the ride and performance of a bike is attributed to many components, the frame is critical for handling, terrain feedback, comfort and overall control. The Spider is compliant and comfortable while giving the rider lots of confidence when the riding gets sketchy. Climbing is efficient both in and out of the saddle and both acceleration and riding at speed produce little bob. (Road cycling helps to develop an efficient spin). Tire selection is best kept at or below a 2.1 rear, since there is less clearance than some other frames. The bike is very fast but provides stable control on decents and power delivery seems very good, with little or no wasted energy being pushed into the frame. The geometry seems well suited to X-country riding/racing and I like the v-design top tube better than a straight tube. This allows Intense to beef up the connection to the downtube making for a more responsive feel. While the Spider cannot accept a Romic coil rear shock, the Progressive Air does a great job with very little weights. There is no sense going for a super light frame and adding a heavy shock, especially since this is a cross country racer not a hucking, freeride or downhill bike. Finally, I have to thank Dave, the owner of 123bikes.com. He spent considerable time helping me spec my bike, provided me with a great price, built my bike himself and even took time out of his days to track the delivery of my bike, calling me 15 minutes after it arrived to make sure I was completely satisfied, which I am. Although people may say that local shops provide the best service, few could ever compare to that which I received. I would highly recommend 123bikes.com.
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Submitted by Bryan a Cross Country Rider from Forest Grove, OR Date Reviewed: September 16, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Browns Camp, Bell Camp, Capitol Forest - WA
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Purchased At:	river city cycle - Portland, OR
Strengths:	dialed ride; lateral stiffness for such a lightweight frame
Weaknesses:	rear mud clearance, bottom linkage is hollow and traps rocks (giving a constant rattle sound), poor bearings from mfgr... step up and buy german bearings for a bike of this price. Paint and stickers... come on guys. Klein, Ellsworth, Santa Cruz... these guys know how to paint. My stickers are already coming off.
Similar Products Used:	fisher sugar, klein palomino
Bike Setup:	xt/xtr, easton, fox fork, ava rear shock, hayes, thompson cockpit parts
Bottom Line:	OK... lots to say here now that I have abused the bike for 3-4 months. First, let me begin by saying that if you live in the Portland, OR area, you should really look into River City Cycles for your next purchase. This bike is a replacement for a Klein Palomino that I destroyed in about 3 months. Thanks River City.... and, thanks for great service Brandon - you are the best warranty in the industry. After the first 3 weeks of early summer riding, the bike developed significant play in the rear suspension linkage. The bearings were totally trashed. Evidently, the bearings were cheap Taiwan bearings ... not the good German bearings that Intense should have used. However, at the behest of my LBS, Intense was happy to remedy the problem. The Ride... Wow. Not as plush as the Maverick/Klein design, however, it is much more efficient. If you want a fast trail bike, this is it. When the trails were dry this summer, I was able to climb some technical sections that none of my riding partners have ever conquered... it felt really good. The harder you were willing to pedal, the faster and smoother the bike went over obstacles such as successive rocks and roots. Now that it is wet, I prefer a more plush ride to deal with the slickness of the rocks... I will post later after I figure this out. Perhaps, tire selection will help. The bike tends to do alot of work without noticing it. For example, leave the lockout OFF and ride... just ride anything and when you look down, the suspension is cycling but my legs are still spinning as if nothing was happening down below. This is a good feeling ;-) There are limits to a bike's prowess in all conditions, however, this one seems to master most and perform at least moderately well on those that it does not master. Position... You will want an adjustable fork. I have a 100MM Fox and I really wish it was a TALAS b/c the front end wanders and raises on steep climbs, making me revert to the uncomfortable seat up the *** posture. The bike is ideal as a trail bike with 100MM, but, for climbing and racing, you will want 80-90MM. Overall... get ready to miss your family. If you don't have one of these little metal beasts, you must go to your LBS and buy today - Scrape your penny bank, become a street vendor, take a second job at Krispy Kreme. It will be worth it when your grin from each ride lasts several days (if you can make it that long between rides). BTW - buy a comfortable saddle, you will need it with the amount of time you spend there. Cheers, B Anyone up for riding in the PDX area? Send me an email.
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Submitted by Nate a Racer from Los Angeles Date Reviewed: August 28, 2003
Duration Product Used:	6 months
Purchased At:	Frame=Intense, Build=Helen's Santa Monica
Strengths:	I was fortunate enough to be one of the first lucky few to get my hands on a Spider XVP. From all of the reviews, and knowing Intense’s reputation, I had very high expectations. After my first few rides, I was in love. I now have over 1,000 miles on this bike, all of them in race or training situations, including 3 NORBA nationals, the Brian Head Epic 100, and the Leadville Trail 100. I have taken this bike from the dry dusty trails of Big Bear, CA all the way to the mud and roots of West Virginia and Vermont. I am still in love! The Spider’s strongest points are: Technical Climbing: The Spider has caused me to re-assess my notion of what defines a good line. On my previous FS racer, I spent a lot of time twisting and turning around trail obstacles trying to find the smooth line while climbing. On the Spider, all this has changed. Because the suspension is so efficient and smooth under power, I now simply aim the bike straight and spin. I am not an engineer, so I can’t explain exactly how or why the VPP design hugs that wheel to the ground so smoothly. But I know this…on my previous FS, any bump or depression sent the rear end of the bike (and my rear end) in a straight up and down vertical path, basically a pogo motion. On the Spider, first, everything is smoothed out much more. Second, the only feedback you get from the suspension is a subtle feeling of being propelled forward and over whatever obstacle you face. I believe this is due to the s-like pattern of suspension travel and the fact that the chainstays lengthen and contract during travel. Is it possible that a rocky line could actually be faster than a smooth line? I don’t know, but the Spider sure as hell makes me feel that way! I call it the Hovercraft. Good ‘Ol Fashioned Out-of-the-Saddle Jamming: On my old FS rig, I was a lockout lever loser. I constantly flipped that lever on the Fox Float RL back and forth, over and over. I just couldn’t stand unnecessary bobbing, especially the power-soaking bob I got if I had to get out of the saddle for a brief sprint or to clear an obstacle. While the Spider comes equipped with a Fox Float w/ lockout, it is not needed. Intense really got this one dialed in properly. When I stand up and grind, the rear end is firm like a hard-tail. So, when I hit the occasional short smooth power climb, a stretch of pavement, or a finish-line sprint, I have all the power I need. I virtually never touch the lockout on my shock, only occasionally on extended paved roads. On other bikes, I have been locked out as much as 75% of the time to avoid bobbing. Descending: The Spider goes down as well as it goes up. It descends like a beefy freeride bike. I can’t even compare the improvement of the Spider relative to my old FS or any other FS that I have tested for that matter. My technical skills and confidence have improved so much on this bike, obstacles that I used to tense up on and bail, now seem ridiculously easy. Again, I just pick the straightest line down and go. The Spider gives the sensation of floating over things. I never get that hard bottoming out feel you get on many race-oriented FS bikes. The frame is very stiff laterally. There is no sensation of side-to-side flex. I am on the bigger side (175 lbs) and other frames literally felt like they could snap at any time. The Spider is rock solid, tracking exactly to the line you choose and hugging the trail. Other Strong Points: Very light. Frame came in just a shade over 5 pounds. Fully built up with a light but not unreasonable build, the bike weighed 22.9 pounds. Looks hot and not that common out on the trail. It’s nice to have a bike that is in high demand. I have been at some of the biggest races in the US, and have never seen more than 2-3 other Spiders out of hundreds of competitors. I get lots of stares, compliments, and questions. Comfortable aggressive geometry: On previous bikes, I never quite felt like I was positioned properly. Either too high off the saddle, or too close to the bars. On my first few rides, all my friends commented that I looked much more natural and comfortable on the Spider. What’s wrong? I have virtually nothing negative to say about the Spider. The only points I can come up with to suggest any improvements are so petty that they make me sound like a tool. But in fairness: Mud clearance: The suspension reinforcements and VPP linkage create a pretty tight fit around the back tire, allowing mud to gather. At the NORBA in West Virginia, which was one of the sickest muddiest things I have ever seen, I ended up riding a 1.7 Michelin mud tire, and it worked fine and basically solved the issue. Portaging: Placement of the shock means there is no great place to carry from. The best place to grab is the shock body. This is fine, except occasionally I inadvertently flip the lockout switch, and when I get back on and ride I’m locked out. Derailleur slap: The rear derailleur slaps the chainstay when I am in my absolute biggest gear. BOTTOM LINE: The bike rocks. I can’t imagine how Intense will be able to improve upon it. I am a better faster rider on this bike and riding is more fun than ever before. Complete and total home run.
Similar Products Used:	Specialized S-Works, Epic, Blur, Sugar
Bike Setup:	SID Team w/ Remote Lockout, DT Hugi hubs, Mavic 317 rims, Hutchinson Python tires, Stan's Notubes tubeless kit, Magura Marta SL disc brakes w/ Stan's Notube lightweight aluminum rotors, King headset, Ritchey WCS stem, Easton carbon bar, Serfas grips, Easton carbon post, SLR Gel Flow saddle, TIME ATAC carbon pedals with Stan's Notubes Ti conversion kit, old XTR shifters and rear der, new XTR front der and crankset,
Bottom Line:	The bike rocks. I can’t imagine how Intense will be able to improve upon it. I am a better faster rider on this bike and riding is more fun than ever before. Complete and total home run.
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Submitted by brad gamble a Cross Country Rider from dallas, texas, usa Date Reviewed: August 13, 2003
Favorite Trail:	hermosa creek, gov't trail aspen
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	lone star bikes
Strengths:	As my first full susp. bike, i had all kinds of crazy expectations coming off a super light specialized m4-1999. The bike excels at climbing...i unknowingly had the rear shock set at 160 lbs (i'm 190) and even with the shock way underpressured, there was no uphill bob. On the flats, there was a little when i hammered standing, and less when pedaling full out sitting. Once i read the owner's manual, i pumped the shock to 215 lbs and holy cow, i found the holy grail. The bike is stiff as my hardtail climbing, but without any of the back wheel bouncing over roots and rocks that comes when sitting on a hardtail and pedalling rapidly up hill on a technical section. my biggest complaint about my hardtail was the spin out of the rear wheel while doing steep ups which would invariably lead to my dropping my foot and or coming to a stop. I may be raving about something that any full susp owner raves about, but the spider really surpassed my expectations in that the back wheel stays in contact with the surface, whatever it may be. Set up with the terra logic front f 80, the bike is the perfect climbing and flat-hammering xc bike.
Weaknesses:	expensive, but it's only money, and anything that you spend money on that doesnt make you fat is worth it.
Similar Products Used:	i rode the titus racer x (same price but bouncy as hell, no matter what you did with the shock pressures), trek fuel 100 (i would break the carbon frame in a heartbeat, and i didnt want all of the stuff that comes standard), blur (like sitting on a couch, would have had to really alter the geometry by getting a longer stem and a set-back seat). of all comers, the fuel was the best second choice, for weight conscious xc racers it is hard to argue with many of my local pro's who swear by the fuel. will be watching for the spider in local races, but most of the pro's will still stick to their hardtails.
Bike Setup:	full xtr with v brakes. crossmax sl with hutch pythons, easton carbon risers and seatpost, selle italia slr (ball buster on a hardtail, but no problem on the spider...and 185 grams). f80x terralogic is really great, although it is a bit complicated to get perfectly tuned and can be a little harsh if the screw on the bottom is not set up just right (be patient and work a little with it) It is about 1/2 pound heavier than the sid world cup or race, but its technology really is worth the weight and since i utterly abuse all of my gear, i really wanted the beefier fox superstructure and stanchions.
Bottom Line:	This is a race ready rig, the only thing i need is a flat front bar and to move the seat forward a bit for better pedaling effeciency. the flat bar really extends the racer for the litany of trees that most texas trails throw at you. black looks great, red looks great, i didnt really like the silver and settled on the black. there may be a wait if you want a large frame (i ordered mine in early june and got it 6 weeks later).
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Submitted by John a Weekend Warrior from ND Date Reviewed: August 12, 2003
Favorite Trail:	the world
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	epic cycle
Strengths:	weight, effeciency,geometry
Weaknesses:	none
Similar Products Used:	Blur,Epic,enduro,homegrown
Bike Setup:	xtr cranks,xt fd, xt rd,sid team, speed dream wheels, hutch tires, easton carbon sl riser, thompson stem and post, bike weight in at 23.8 lbs
Bottom Line:	This is a full out race bike very effecient, the geometry fit me like my old homegrown, it's better then epic because it takes up the small stutter stuff, it has a stiffer ride then the blur but it out accletrates the blur because of the shorter chain stay's it's not as plush but very effecient the vpp pushes you up the hill it's hard to explain you would just have to try it. If you want to race a full suspended bike this would be it. at 23.8lbs I could drop another 1/2 pound easy I think right now this is the ultimate XC bike you won't find a faster xc rig.
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Submitted by Chris Campbell a Cross Country Rider from Austin, TX, Earth. Date Reviewed: August 5, 2003
Favorite Trail:	City Park
Duration Product Used:	Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	123bikes
Strengths:	Hey there- Just read these reviews of the Intense Spyder. One question: How does the bike "fit" you? I'm 6-2 and I'm wondering if a large will be large enough. I've been riding a Trek Fuel 100 size XL. Will I feel totally cramped on a size large Intense Spyder. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. My email: i.pedal@sbcglobal.net Chris
Weaknesses:	Hey there- Just read these reviews of the Intense Spyder. One question: How does the bike "fit" you? I'm 6-2 and I'm wondering if a large will be large enough. I've been riding a Trek Fuel 100 size XL. Will I feel totally cramped on a size large Intense Spyder. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. My email: i.pedal@sbcglobal.net
Similar Products Used:	Hey there- Just read these reviews of the Intense Spyder. One question: How does the bike "fit" you? I'm 6-2 and I'm wondering if a large will be large enough. I've been riding a Trek Fuel 100 size XL. Will I feel totally cramped on a size large Intense Spyder. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. My email: i.pedal@sbcglobal.net
Bike Setup:	Hey there- Just read these reviews of the Intense Spyder. One question: How does the bike "fit" you? I'm 6-2 and I'm wondering if a large will be large enough. I've been riding a Trek Fuel 100 size XL. Will I feel totally cramped on a size large Intense Spyder. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. My email: i.pedal@sbcglobal.net
Bottom Line:	Hey there- Just read these reviews of the Intense Spyder. One question: How does the bike "fit" you? I'm 6-2 and I'm wondering if a large will be large enough. I've been riding a Trek Fuel 100 size XL. Will I feel totally cramped on a size large Intense Spyder. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. My email: i.pedal@sbcglobal.net
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Submitted by Wolvie a Cross Country Rider from CA Date Reviewed: July 28, 2003
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Purchased At:	123bikes.com
Strengths:	Climbs like a mountain goat on steroids. Handles great. Very stable.
Weaknesses:	You'll miss your family. It is way too much fun. The paint chips petty easy. I wanted the polished aluminum but I did not want to wait another 3 months to get it.
Similar Products Used:	Blur, Epic
Bike Setup:	23.25 lbs, Full 03 XTR including V Brakes, Dave Speed Dream Wheels w/Valient Rims and Hugi Hubs, Fox F100X Fork, Easton Carbon Seat Post and Monkey Lite Handle Bars, Selle Italia SLR Saddle, Eggbeater Single Ti Pedals,
Bottom Line:	I love this bike. It is my first full-suspension bike after riding my Klein Hardtail for 6 years. Climbing with the terralogic fork is amazing. The combination of the nobob fork with the VPP frame rocks. I did get a a creaking sound from the main pivot points in the first month. Intense suggested I tighten the pivots which did help a little but then it would get worse. Finally after my third call to the company I was told to grease the pivot bolts. When I removed the bolts I found that the main bearings had crumbled on the bottom right side. I sent the bike back to Intense on Monday, they got it on Wed. Fixed and shipped it out the same day! I got it by Friday in time for my big weekend ride. They said that there was a "bad batch of bearing from Taiwan". Even though I wasn't happy about the defective bearings I can't complain about the service.
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Submitted by Matt a Racer from Los Angeles, CA Date Reviewed: July 28, 2003
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Strengths:	I’ve now put about 200 miles on the bike, including 100 miles at the Brian Head 100, so I thought I’d provide some feedback. Climbing When I picked up the bike from my LBS I got professionally fitted this time. As a result, I’m positioned further up in the cockpit than on my last bike, a Giant NRS. After a small adjustment period I definitely feel like the move has led to more power in my climbing. From a Bike perspective, I’ve probably made the biggest jump in performance I have in a while. My Achilles heel has always been technical climbing. I’m simply blown away at how this bike has made me a better technical climber. I have no urge whatsoever to leave the saddle to negotiate climbing obstacles – I’m content to sit in the saddle and let the rear end track. It just stays glued to the ground and it doesn’t buck me. I can concentrate on a smooth pedal stroke and not worry as much about the perfect line around obstacles. This bike and the activity of the rear suspension have created new lines in the trail during technical climbs. My build came in at 25 lbs, so there certainly hasn’t been any issue with the snappiness of the bike on climbs either. Finally, coming from the NRS my expectations were very high in regards to no-bobbing. The NRS seemingly never moved, but of course you gave away tons of plushness on the downs. This VPP barely moves, if at all, on the climbs. The only time it seems to be moving is when it is tracking the terrain. Again, I’ve been pretty blown away at its overall climbing ability. Descending Coming from the NRS which feels close to a hardtail, and even then was very laterally flexy, I was most excited about feeling VPP in action. The best way for me to describe the descending is: you can feel the frame floating on the suspension. I bombed a very choppy singletrack at speed, a trail that usually bucks the NRS off the trail and becomes quite dangerous, and the Spider just held the line. It really removed a lot of challenge from that section. I’ve also ridden that section on my 7”x7” Bullit, and honestly, the Spider felt more like the Bullit than it did the Giant. On another occasion I misread the trail and wound up heading into a deep rut at a perpendicular angle….at good speed. With no time to react, I decided to ride it out. It was a big hit, but the bike plowed through it pretty smoothly considering. I bottomed front and back, but the bike was stable. I’ve been very impressed with the Spider’s rear lateral stiffness. I’m coming from the NRS, which felt like a fish, but this thing just stays in a hard, straight line. Miscellaneous As you can probably tell, I love the bike. With the Fox Float RLC 100 up front it’s the perfect endurance machine. At mile 90 in the Brian Head 100 it was a great relief to keep soaking up bumps while in the saddle. The only issues I’ve actually come across are the position of the rear shock mount has forced me to hike-a-bike differently because I can’t rest that shock mount on my shoulder like I did with a flat top tube. Not much you can do there. Also, like any unlocked suspension it wants to bob a bit while hammering in flats. I can usually neutralize this by concentrating on a smoother pedal stroke and flipping into a harder gear. More importantly, I only notice it when I look down and actually see it….I don’t feel power loss when looking straight ahead. So, I wish I could play devil’s advocate a bit more and give you some serious criticism, but I can’t. The bike is amazing. It is just so damn plush for a race-worthy XC rig.
Bottom Line:	THE XC bike.
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Submitted by Feideaux a Racer from Tasmania, Australia Date Reviewed: July 15, 2003
Favorite Trail:	The Holy Trail
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$101010.00
Purchased At:	The Restraunt at the End of the Universe
Strengths:	Cures diseases, increases sex drive
Weaknesses:	Weaknesses? How dare you suggest such a thing!
Similar Products Used:	My right hand
Bike Setup:	Tuned by Loki, Nordic god of Mischief. Hey Loki!!
Bottom Line:	I fear my limited human intellect will prove insufficient in summoning sufficiently melifulous prose with which to lavish praise upon this gift from the gods. Untill I got this bike, I was a loser. No friends, no money, and the concept of having a girlfriend was about as probable as me being picked as captain of the Football team and Prom King ON THE SAME DAY!!! (did I mention I had no friends?). Anywho, as I was laying in my bedroom, reading some classic X-MEN comics (pre 1984, thankyou very much), I noticed a shaft of light suddenly appear from my window. "Mom, stop checking up on me, I'm not wacking off!!" I cried. All of a sudden, the light intensified. I shielded my eyes with pain. When it had subsided, there it stood, unsupported, gleaming like Papa Smurfs gleefully red cheeks, the INTENSE SPIDER!! I immidiately hopped on and rode it out of my bedroom window. The plush 100mm travel soaked up the two storey drop with ease, I barely felt a thing. Who said this is a strict xc bike? It felt like I was riding a DH rig!!. I sprinted up the road, and...guess what NO BOB!!! You see, whenever I leave the house, my neighbour, Bob, will shout out to me "Hey, asswipe, get a life loser!!" and chortle maliciously, high fiving his buddies. He was nowhere to be seen, in fact, there was a small pile of ash on his lawn where he usually stands. I pedalled further on down the street. It was a beautiful day. The sun shone, the wind blew my hair, small hummingbirds dropped beads of nectar on my upper lip. I stopped at the lights and reflected. "This is the best thing that has ever happened to me". Just then, a silver BMW pulled up alongside me. "Hey good lookin, nice bike". It was Britney Lears, the hottest girl at our school!! "er.. hi?" I croaked, could she really be talking to me?. "You look like a total stud on that bike, why don't you bring it to the keg party tonight? See you there, cutie pie", she cooed, roaring off, leaving nothing but a smell of burning rubber mixed with expensive perfume. That was but one of my experiences riding this bike. Others include ascending Mt Everest with no oxygen (my riding buddy had to be carried out by the sherpas, crying "I can't make it, my bike bobs too much..."), winning world cup races (DH and XC) and generally having a blast. In fact, one of my local trails goes by the local hospital, and just lately ALL TERMINAL PATIENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED MIRACULOUS RECOVERIES!!!! Personally, I attribute this to the fine craftmanship of the frame. Surely, no other welder (Asia, I'm looking in your direction) can match this level of excellence in joining pieces of metal tubing together. This bike is the best thing in the whole world. You thought penacillin was a big hit? THIS IS BIGGER!!!
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Submitted by Luis Poessy a Cross Country Rider from Miami, FL Date Reviewed: July 9, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Markham Park
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Strengths:	See previous review
Weaknesses:	See previous review
Bottom Line:	This is a follow up clarification to my previous review. As I stated in my first review, I obtained my frame directly from Intense. The reason for this is that I had originally purchased the frame from JA's Bikes located in Stillwater, Minnesota. The owner's name is Josh Abrahamson. I gave Josh a deposit on the frame and I was supposed to receive the frame in 2 to 3 months. After two months I called Josh to check on the delivery date of the frame but to my surprise the phone number to the shop had been disconnected. I tried emailing him to inquire as to what was happening but he did not return any of my email's. At this time I contacted Intense and explained my situation to them, due to the circumstances they were kind enough to sell me the frame directly. This was a one time good faith sale on their behalf. They explained to me that they had been trying to chase down Josh Abrahamson from JA's Bikes also and that he scamed them as well. To my fellow Mountain Bikers out there, please beware of this crook and be very weary of who you are doing business with. Make sure they are an authorized dealer prior to shelling out your hard earned cash. Intense not only makes first class bikes but they also run a first class operation as well.
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Submitted by Luis Poessy a Cross Country Rider from Miami Date Reviewed: July 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Markham Park
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Purchased At:	Directly from Intense Cycles
Strengths:	Imaculate attention to detail in craftmanship. Virtual Pivot Point suspension has absolutely no pedal induced bobbing. The equivalent in looks, performance and exclusivity of a Ferrari on two wheels.
Weaknesses:	Having to wait the three to four months to receive your frame (The price for exclusivity). But hey, it was worth every second of the wait.
Similar Products Used:	Santa Cruz Blur, Specialized Epic S-Works.
Bike Setup:	Frame in Intense Red, Fox Forx F80X, All Shimano XTR, 03 Dual brakes/shifter controls, 03 XTR Disc brakes, Easton MG60 Magnisium Stem (Black), Mavic UST wheels, LP Carbon bars, Thompson Seatpost, WTB seat.
Bottom Line:	I cant begin to describe the amazing ride this bike has, it is totally efficient with no pedal induced bobbing what's so ever. Each pedal stroke produces instant foward accelaration and with the combination of the FOX F80X fork it is a marriage made in cross country heaven. The bike climbs like a mountain lion on crack and descends like a greased up mountain goat running away. The attention to detail is superb. The Easton Ultralite Race custom tubing has amazing shapes, from the diamond shaped bottom tube and seat stays to the tear drop and reversed tear drop shape of the top tube. Easton has manipulated the shape of the tubes to be as light as possible without sacrificing any strength. All the tubes have a larger diameter at the weld junctions to eliminate any gussets and the added weight. Prior to purchasing this bike I tried the Blur and the Epic. The Blur seems to be pretty close to the Spider in performance but it seems I had to crank on the pedals a bit harder to have the rear suspension lock up. As for the Epic, the problem I found with the Epic is the fact that it seems there is a slight delay in the inertia valve from it is locked out to fully active. It also has a much harsher ride. I cant possibly imagine cross country bikes getting any better than the Spider. The bike not only performs as promised but also looks fast and exotic just standing still. If you can afford one and are willing to wait, it does not get any better than this.
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Submitted by Jose Sobrino a Cross Country Rider from San Juan, PR Date Reviewed: July 3, 2003
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	Excel Sports
Strengths:	Incredible build quality and attention to detail. Tube shaping and widening towards to weld areas for maximum strength. Pedals firmly. Great suspension feel for XC racer.
Weaknesses:	No significant weaknesses. The only minor detail that comes to mind is that the rear shocks lockout lever is too close to the water bottle cage. Its easy to accidentally lock the shock and not realize it when putting the bottle back in. The lockout function is somewhat pointless on this bike. Maybe they should have used a Float R and knocked the 100 bucks of the price. Mud clearane on the rear wheel could be a problem. Its crazy expensive although quite worth it.
Similar Products Used:	Intense Tracer, Santa Cruz Blur, Litespeed Unicoi, Jamis Dakar Pro
Bike Setup:	Full 2003 XTR w/discs. Crossmax SL wheels, Easton EC90 bar, EC70 post, Thomson stem.
Bottom Line:	Bottom line is the bike feels incredible. The harder you pedal the firmer the suspension gets. When not pedaling the suspension feel has the plushness of a fully active system compared to other harsher XC racer suspension systems. Coming of a Tracer trail bike I rode and raced for nearly 2 years I was concerned the Spiders suspension might not feel as smooth. To my surprise it felt nearly identical to the Tracer in almost every way. It only stiffens up when you need it; while you're pedaling. The Intense implementation of the VPP system seems a bit better than Santa Cruz' with the Blur. The spider will get very firm and nearly not move even during normal pedaling to even out of the saddle attacks. The Blur seems to take more pedal for to stiffen up and even during hard attacks it squishes quite a bit more.
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Submitted by tom margulies a Cross Country Rider from ashland oregon usa` Date Reviewed: July 1, 2003
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Purchased At:	river city bicycles portland, oregon
Strengths:	Light frame, pedals like a hardtail uphills even standing, beautiful fit and finish, rails turns, cushy for a cross country race bike.
Weaknesses:	AVA Fox Shock has and air spring rate adjustment that as far as I can tell has no effect at all of the shock characteristics. Price is steep.
Similar Products Used:	Titus Racer X, Raven, Merlin hardtail
Bike Setup:	22 pounds
Bottom Line:	Fantastic bike. I like Intense as a company. My dealings with Santa Cruz have been unpleasant, so I am biased. Even so, the Blur frame is considerably cheaper. I like the build quality better on the Intense.. but you pay for it.
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Submitted by George Trantow a Cross Country Rider from Basalt, Colorado Date Reviewed: June 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Hunter Creek--Hobbit--Sunnyside
Duration Product Used:	3 months
Purchased At:	123bikes.com
Strengths:	Efficient climber, great geometry and VPP no-bob. Great service from 123bikes.com.
Weaknesses:	Mud clearance and limited sizing (S, M, L). Attention grabber...everyone has questions and wants to ride it.
Similar Products Used:	SC Blur, Sugar and Yeti ASR were the other contenders
Bike Setup:	Full XTR with Disc brakes. Mavic 3.1 with XTR hubs; Fox Talas RL; Thomson seatpost & stem; C.King Headset; Hutchinson Python Lite (non-UST) with Stan's Sealant in UST works great.
Bottom Line:	Best bike and great fit. The medium fits my 6'0" frame. This bike climbs great at 80mm fork setting and downhills awesome at 100mm or more. I highly recommend an adjustable fork (Fox Talas RL) for epic trail riding, but would stick with a lightweight 80mm fork for racing.
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Submitted by MTBBill a Cross Country Rider from Oceanside, CA Date Reviewed: June 22, 2003
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	Supergo
Strengths:	Light Weight, Great Handling, Plush going down, climbs like a hardtail except smoother
Weaknesses:	None noticed yet
Similar Products Used:	Other FS rig was a Schwinn Rocket 88, and a Syscip hardtail
Bike Setup:	Fox Forx Float 100RLC, XTR03 Group (hyro disc), 959 pedals, Easton Carbon Bars and Seatpost, Spinergy Xyclone Disc wheels, Thompson Elite Stem, Sella Italia Trans Am Ti Saddle, Maxxis Larsen TT tires.
Bottom Line:	This bike rocks! The VPP setup is incredible. The bike is nice and plush going down and over rough stuff and it climbs like a billy goat on crystal meth. It is almost surreal the feeling the back end has when you get on the pedals. If I was a real weight weenie I would take the lockout lever of the rear shock because I just can't see why I would ever need it. The bike handles amazingly. A nimble singtrack carving machine. The bike easily acclerates, shot it begs you to hammer. I find myself making subtle changes to my riding sytle because this suspension does not cost you in get of the saddle and hammer. I was expecting great things from my Spider but I was totally unprepared for the quantum leap in performance the bike provides. Pricy but well worth the investment
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Submitted by D Oka a Weekend Warrior from Riverton, Utah, USA Date Reviewed: June 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:	American Fork Canyon
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	123 Bikes
Strengths:	Efficient peddling, smooth suspension, nice out of the saddle feel. Looks as sweet as it rides. Made in the U.S.
Weaknesses:	It'll take you away from your other commitments.
Similar Products Used:	Santa Cruz Blur (tested)
Bike Setup:	Intense Red Frame, XTR drivetrain, Easton seatpost/handlebar, Thompson headset, Mavic wheelset, Hope Mini discs, Fox TALAS RLC, Chris King Headset, etc.
Bottom Line:	Before I bought the Spider I almost got the Blur. Why not? It's $600 cheaper and it's the same design. Yes, to the first, no, to the second. The Spider is a smooth X-Country specific machine. The top tube is longer than the Blur which helps on climbs and keeps your position well balanced. It is not as plush on softball-sized rocks and loose stuff as the blur, but feels much more efficient and faster. The rear suspension seems to tension the chain at the right time which helps the pedal stroke and makes for more crisp shifts. If you like an efficient, crisp, comfortable, well-balanced machine, pay the extra $500 to $600 and get the Spider instead of the Blur. I'll never wonder about the decision I made. If I got the Blur, I'd always be wondering why I let the Spider go.
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Submitted by Ed L. a from Ventura, CA, USA Date Reviewed: May 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Guadalasca Trail
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$1950.00
Purchased At:	123bikes.com
Strengths:	Weight Build Quality Efficient Climbing & Decending Technical Hills
Weaknesses:	None
Similar Products Used:	Santa Cruz Blur
Bike Setup:	Black/Medium, 2003XT, Avid Ultimate Levers, Avid Mechanical Disc, 959's, Chris King Headset, Rocket Shifters, Answer Pro Taper Carbon Bars, Thompson Elite Stem & Seatpost, Mavix 317's, Fox RLC 100, Fox AVA RL, SelliaItalia Maxflite Ti, Stans No-Tubes System, Hutchinson Python Air Lights. 24.7lbs.
Bottom Line:	Another quick thanks to Mike & Dave @123bikes.com. They were very easy to work with on my order and hooked me up with one of the first Spiders. This bike is Great. I love to climb and this rig really hooks up on steep loose climbs. Going downhill is even that much more fun as the suspension smooths out the trail where now my vision is no longer a Blur(No Pun Intended) as my wife is now behind me on Hers. Coming off a Hardtail I have noticed NO Pedal Bob in or out of the saddle with the front locked out. The bike is very responsive on tight single tracks and corners and tracks where you point it. Great Design, Light Weight 24.7lbs and well worth the wait. Thanks Mike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

Submitted by Alton Mays a Cross Country Rider from Pflugerville,Tx Date Reviewed: May 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:	Comfort Texas
Duration Product Used:	Less than 1 month
Price Paid:	$2050.00
Purchased At:	123bikes.com
Strengths:	The best fs bike I have ever ridden. Attention to detail by intense is top notch. The bike is very efficient,stiff and super PLUSH with no pedal bob. Tracks like your riding on rails.
Weaknesses:	None
Similar Products Used:	Super V 700 SX, Santa Cruz Superlight, Intense Tracer
Bike Setup:	Poilshed,03 XTR cranks,Marta,crossmax,easton carbon seat post/handlebar,Talas RLC set at 80mm,mosquito. 24.5 pounds
Bottom Line:	Quick thank you to Dave and Mike over at 123bikes.com. They were awesome to work with. I bought this bike specifically for racing purposes only. I will use my Tracer for trail riding. Words just can't explain the experience of riding a Spider. The suspension feels like it turns rough terrain into a flat surface and super efficient at the same time. I haven't experienced any flex. I have experienced hitting some rocks unlike the Tracer. The trade off is much sharper ability to turn. I am clocking faster times with this bike. In my opinion this bike is the ultimate FS bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:

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