[DIRTJUNKIE]

The original Tracer was a XC bike. This new bike is considered an All Mountain bike. The UZZI-SL and SLX was the All Mountain bike back in the day they bridged the gap between the original XC Tracer and the full blown DH rig the M1. So I don't see any correlation between the original XC Tracer and this new All Mountain bike. If it had to be named after one of it's forefathers it should be after one that it had the most in common with. Which would have been the original All Mountain bikes the UZZI-SL and SLX. I personally think INTENSE dropped the ball on this one. They only named it after the original Tracer because of the huge following that bike had and not because the new bike has so much in common with it. And the only reason the original Tracer had a larger following than the UZZI-SL and SLX was because there was such a huge misconception back then about weight and trail worthiness. In today's world people jump at a more aggressive trail bike with more travel and are not as concerned with weight as they were back then. So because of this, more Tracers were sold than UZZI-SLs and SLXs. I bet if INTENSE were to offer the same line of bikes in today's world that they did back then the UZZI-SL and SLX would get much better sales than the original XC Tracer. Don't get me wrong I think the original XC Tracer was an awesome bike but it has less correlation between this new bike than the SL and SLX. I guess you would have to be familiar with the INTENSE bike line up back in 2000' through 2003' to get my point

 

[BillT]

Its just a friggin' name...get over it. I'd say they dropped the ball if they spec'd the bike with a 75 degree head angle or a ridiculous 5 to 1 leverage ratio, etc...but by calling it the Tracer, nah.

 

[Larsey]

Get a hold of yourself man! Look back in time and the Tracer was thee Trailbike to have. Now that forks are all in the 5.5" range Trailbikes followed with the same travel (5.5, mojo, 5.5 Spot, Blur LT, 575 etc). All Mountain or Trailbike it's all good.

 

[DIRTJUNKIE]

Get a hold of yourself man! Look back in time and the Tracer was thee Trailbike to have. Now that forks are all in the 5.5" range Trailbikes followed with the same travel (5.5, mojo, 5.5 Spot, Blur LT, 575 etc). All Mountain or Trailbike it's all good.

the Tracer was thee Trailbike to have.

Yeah if you were to add the UZZI-SL link.
Nah I think it all had to do with money. The original Tracer had a huge following so why not name the new one after it. Thinking they will increase sales because of it. But if you look at the INTENSE lineup from back in the day the original Tracer was a XC bike and the SL and SLX were the All Mountain bikes. Your statement "the Tracer was thee Trailbike to have". Yeah if you added the UZZI-SL link. It then became more of an All Mountain bike and less of a XC bike. It made it more like the UZZI-SL and SLX. Wake up people and look at INTENSES history and where the correlation between this new bike and it's previous models have.

 

[twouareks]

The original Tracer was a XC bike. This new bike is considered an All Mountain bike. The UZZI-SL and SLX was the All Mountain bike back in the day they bridged the gap between the original XC Tracer and the full blown DH rig the M1. So I don't see any correlation between the original XC Tracer and this new All Mountain bike. If it had to be named after one of it's forefathers it should be after one that it had the most in common with. Which would have been the original All Mountain bikes the UZZI-SL and SLX. I personally think INTENSE dropped the ball on this one. They only named it after the original Tracer because of the huge following that bike had and not because the new bike has so much in common with it. And the only reason the original Tracer had a larger following than the UZZI-SL and SLX was because there was such a huge misconception back then about weight and trail worthiness. In today's world people jump at a more aggressive trail bike with more travel and are not as concerned with weight as they were back then. So because of this, more Tracers were sold than UZZI-SLs and SLXs. I bet if INTENSE were to offer the same line of bikes in today's world that they did back then the UZZI-SL and SLX would get much better sales than the original XC Tracer. Don't get me wrong I think the original XC Tracer was an awesome bike but it has less correlation between this new bike than the SL and SLX. I guess you would have to be familiar with the INTENSE bike line up back in 2000' through 2003' to get my point

So does this mean you won't buy a new Tracer VP?

 

[dusthuffer]

Wake up people

nuf said

 

[Orange-Goblin]

Anyone for a slice of 'Care-pie'?

 

[ddraewwg]

I don't understand the rant. If you're right about why they named it the Tracer, why are you so surprised. ANY business is out to make money Why should Intense be any different? You can all believe what you want with the "boutique" shops...thinking that they're doing it for the love....that's only partially true. Intense is trying to sell bikes....that's the bottom line...whatever it takes to sell the bike is what they should do and you shouldn't be upset at them for that. Is it going to make the bike ride more or less worse because it's named "Tracer"? No...not in the least so I don't know why you're getting all fired up about this.

Spesh did the the same thing with the Stumpjumper line...and I'm not even talking about in recent years. The Stumpy IS the longest tenured name in biking history....hell, it was a fully rigid bike! Do you think it was wrong for Spesh to carry the Stumpy name all the way into the present? Almost any product goes through evolutionary changes to match the times....the "Tracer" is exactly the same.

 

[BillT]

If the name really upsets you that much, get some custom stickers created with the name of your choice and that way you can feel special.

 

[tscheezy]

Man, do you have some bourgeois problems.

 

[PAmtbiker]

Man, do you have some bourgeois problems.

Yes sir... what does it matter anyway what the bike is named anyway? It's all about the ride...

 

[Jersey Rob]

Is someone bitter they didnt win the "name the bike" comp!!

 

[Orange-Goblin]

I note that you have an Uzzi SL.

Nothing to do with your bitterness of course........

 

[DIRTJUNKIE]

I note that you have an Uzzi SL.

Nothing to do with your bitterness of course........

I am not bitter one bit about not winning the contest. All of you are missing my point. I just think that the name Tracer was chosen due to it's huge following and not for comparison purposes being closer than other models in the old line up. I dug up a couple of old INTENSE catalogs to give you the description that INTENSE gives for each of the models. I have no way of scanning them so I will type per quote from INTENSE. These catalogs are 2001' and 2002' and both give the exact same description on all models.


Original Tracer
CROSS COUNTRY FULL SUSPENSION RACING
-3''-4'' Travel

UZZI-SL
LIGHTWEIGHT FREERIDE / CROSS COUNTRY
4.5" Travel

UZZI-SLX
BIG HIT LONG TRAVEL
Mix of M1 and UZZI-SL Technology
6" Travel

M1 PROFESSIONAL DOWNHILL
9" Travel

The terms Lightweight Freeride & Big hit Long travel of the SL and SLX define an All Mountain rig of today. Not the term Cross Country Racing of the Tracer. And this new bike is considered an All Mountain bike and not a XC Racer like the original Tracer.

 

[BillT]

I don't think anyone missed the point at all...we are all very amused that a simple name of a bike has got your panties all twisted up.

 

[ddraewwg]

Original Tracer
CROSS COUNTRY FULL SUSPENSION RACING
-3''-4'' Travel

UZZI-SL
LIGHTWEIGHT FREERIDE / CROSS COUNTRY
4.5" Travel

UZZI-SLX
BIG HIT LONG TRAVEL
Mix of M1 and UZZI-SL Technology
6" Travel

M1 PROFESSIONAL DOWNHILL
9" Travel

The terms Lightweight Freeride & Big hit Long travel of the SL and SLX define an All Mountain rig of today. Not the term Cross Country Racing of the Tracer. And this new bike is considered an All Mountain bike and not a XC Racer like the original Tracer.

Ah yes....but the "Big hit/long travel" category that the UZZI-SLX belongs to is no longer 6"...same with the "light FR" category. There is already an "UZZI" anyways so they couldn't have called it that. I would bet that no one would call a 4.5" bike "light FR" nowadays. Times have changed....progression. So there is nothing wrong with moving farther up the chain if you will. Are you upset with the UZZI VPX name? Why not? It has way more travel now (7.7") than previous but yet they still call it "UZZI".

 

[Err]

You're wrong. The Tracer was quite capable as an all-mountain ride. My wife road one for years and it is now owned by a friend of ours who as been plowing through rock gardens and launching drops (within reason) to his heart's content.

 

[TheSchwagman]

You drag it around like a ball and chain
You wallow in the guilt; you wallow in the pain
You wave it like a flag, you wear it like a crown
Got your mind in the gutter, bringin’ everybody down
Complain about the present and blame it on the past
I’d like to find your inner child and kick it’s little ass

Get over it
Get over it
All this *****in’ and moanin’ and pitchin’ a fit
Get over it, get over it

Get over it
Get over it
It’s gotta stop sometime, so why don’t you quit
Get over it, get over it

- The Eagles

 

[DIRTJUNKIE]

Ah yes....but the "Big hit/long travel" category that the UZZI-SLX belongs to is no longer 6"...same with the "light FR" category. There is already an "UZZI" anyways so they couldn't have called it that. I would bet that no one would call a 4.5" bike "light FR" nowadays. Times have changed....progression. So there is nothing wrong with moving farther up the chain if you will. Are you upset with the UZZI VPX name? Why not? It has way more travel now (7.7") than previous but yet they still call it "UZZI".

So they progressed with the travel but the bike is used for the same purpose as the previous one. So they kept the name UZZI but changed the last part of the name due to the suspension design change, that all makes sense. My point is the UZZI-SL and SLX have way more in common to this new bike than the original Tracer XC Racer by definition and in use.

 

[DIRTJUNKIE]

You're wrong. The Tracer was quite capable as an all-mountain ride. My wife road one for years and it is now owned by a friend of ours who as been plowing through rock gardens and launching drops (within reason) to his heart's content.

I never said the original Tracer was not capable of All Mountain riding. It's a sweet machine and I'm sure it is, but by definition and it's originally intended purpose it was a XC Race bike. And the UZZI-SL and SLX were the All Mountain bikes of the day bridging the gap between the Tracer and the M1. Why do you think most people that ride the Tracer opt to make it more trail worthy by adding the UZZI-SL link. To make it more like the SL and SLX. Along those lines the new all Mountain trail bike should not be named after the original Tracer. I'm not saying the name should be after the SL or SLX but if you are going to name it after an older brother they would be a better choice by definition and use.