Intense Carbine Updated

Had this email in my inbox this morning, another longer travel 29er:


INTRODUCING THE






"The new Carbine has all the advantages of a 29er but still feels very agile and playful on the trail. I have been riding this bike for a while now, even racing a couple EWS rounds this year with great success." - Jack Moir // Intense Factory Racing


FACTORY BUILD
Features high modulus carbon fiber (SL), carbon top link, ti hardware, internal shifting/dropper post/brake routing, ISCG05 mounts, 155MM rear travel // Front Suspension: Rock Shox Lyrik RCT3, Solo Air, 160mm // Rear Suspension: Rock Shot Super Deluxe RC3 // Enve M70/30 HV Wheels // Maxxis Minion DHR II Tires // Sram Eagle Components // Fabric Saddle // Enve Bars & Stem


ELITE BUILD
Features high modulus carbon fiber (SL), carbon top link, ti hardware, internal shifting/dropper post/brake routing, ISCG05 mounts, 155MM rear travel // Front Suspension: Rock Shox Lyrik RCT3, Solo Air, 160mm boost // Rear Suspension: Rock Shox Super Deluxe RC3 // Intense Recon Trail 29 Wheels // Maxxis Minion DHR II Tires // Sram Eagle Components // Fabric Saddle // SRAM Guide brakes



PRO BUILD
Features high modulus carbon fiber (SL), carbon top link, ti hardware, internal shifting/dropper post/brake routing, ISCG05 mounts, 155MM rear travel // Front Suspension: Rock Shot Lyrik RCT3, Solo Air, 160mm Boost // Rear Suspension: Rock Shot Super Deluxe RC3 // DT Swiss M1700 Spline Wheels // Maxxis Minion DHR II Tires // Sram Eagle Components // Fabric Saddle

EXPERT BUILD
features Enduro monocoque carbon frame, alloy top link, internal shifting/dropper post/brake routing, ISCG05 mounts, 155MM rear travel // Front Suspension: Rock Shox Yari RC 29, Solo Air, 160mm Boost // Rear Suspension: Rock Shox Deluxe RT3 // DT Swiss M1900 Spline Wheels // Maxxis Highroller II Tires // Sram Eagle Components

FOUNDATION BUILD
Features Enduro monocoque carbon frame, alloy top link, internal shifting/dropper post/brake routing, ISCG05 mounts, 155MM rear travel // Front Suspension: Rock Shox Yari RC 29, Solo Air, 160mm Boost // Rear Suspension: Rock Shox Deluxe RT3 // Intense Foundation Wheels // Maxxis Highroller II Tires // Sram Components // WTB saddle // Intense bar & stem
ALSO AVAILABLE IN FRAME ONLY








GET ALL THE DETAILS, INCLUDING FULL SPEC, GEO,
PHOTO GALLERY AND MORE AT :
www.intensecycles.com/bikes/carbine



Intense Cycles, Inc, 42380 Rio Nedo, Temecula, CA 92590

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Nice to see that they have tucked the lower linkage up to reduce impacts there.

 

Hmmmm... not sure that video inspires me to buy that bike. Nothing about what Kovarik was doing was made easier by being on a long-travel 29er. You can skid a berm on any bike, and whips are better with smaller wheels. There was about 10 seconds of running through rocks and roots - which is what the bike should be best at.

Thanks for posting, @Cornholio I am glad Intense has a long-travel 29er in the lineup now. I will be interested to see what the reviewers think of it, and I'm pretty sure I will get a chance to try one.

 

I'll be hitting the bike park for the first time on a 29er this Friday and am curious how the jumps will go.. only one way to find out though!

 

I am very perplexed by the geometry on these new intense bikes. I realize, that especially for tall guys and 29rs... the industry may have an over emphasis short chainstays. However, the intense bikes are using long chainstays with higher bottom brackets then what most of the big players in this segment are going with on this class of bike. Also sizewise, their large is coming in where most bikes medium hits. Even with the shorter reach, they are ending up with longer wheelbases with less reach then the competition. This makes sense to me from an enduro racing perspective... but doesn't make all that much sense from an average rider perspective.

I'm definitely interested in throwing a leg over one, by the numbers, it definitely seems like it's for some one that rides as hard as a pro and not really catered to the average joe.

 

Also perplexed by the #s on the geo chart. How's the ETT so long with such a steep effective seat angle, considering the reach (looking at the med)?

If only Intense worked on its carbon manufacturing quality. How do they cut a frame in half for marketing purposes and not expect anyone with an inkling of carbon laminate knowledge to not see glaring issues like a huge void in the head tube. They really dialed down the quality considering the uneven levels of compaction on the standard lay-up (see wavy thickness profiles of tube walls). The SL looks high quality, minus the the head tube. A material and lay-up difference is one thing, but an entire carbon construction process is another... what a rip-off to only discount the frame by $300/10% for the non-SL.



That's asking for a warranty and possibly a hospital visit if the head tube structurally fails when a fork steerer goes through the front of it on a sharp enough impact that pulls the wheel perpendicular to the head angle. Granted, you'd probably have to case a jump (lawn darting from over rotation or coming up way too short) or plow into a tree/wall for that to happen, but that's not something I haven't seen before.

So many other options out there that this glaring weakness is a con that should make riders consider the rest: Spec Enduro, Trek Slash, Whyte S-150, Orbea Rallon, Niner RIP9 RDO, Yeti SB55c. BMC might have something with their Trailfox too, after seeing the attention to detail on their Speedfox.

Though, sometimes after seeing quality like this pass off as high end, I wouldn't be surprised if people look to high grade aluminum frames, despite their trade offs (ex. WFO9). More of an ethical choice than a performance one...

Well, I vowed to stick to my Yeti SB5c for 2 years this past X-mas, so me analyzing this stuff is just a pass time. VitalMTB's doing a good job at it with andrextr adding his input.

 

I kinda like the Spider-Man colored one. Makes my eyes hurt...but I like it.

Also why the external cup on the bottom? Front ends on long travel 29r's are already high enough.

 

I don't understand the numbers either. The effective top tube length (very long) and the reach (relatively short) indicate a way slacker than 74° effective seat tube angle. Long wheelbase too, courtesy of long chainstays. Both @Varaxis and I understand the pitfalls of a slack seat-tube angle (His Evil and my Knolly).

 

Not so sure that the Evil's slack SA was the cause of my issues. It pedaled inefficiently both in and out of the saddle, using my round spinning pedaling technique (honed from riding FSR and earlier single pivots), and had a high degree of chain kickback. Granted, such kickback made it gain speed over rough ground when standing and keeping the pedals level, but it didn't play nicely with my knees (something I also suffered from on my Intense Spider 29 Comp). The rising anti-squat deep in travel and in the faster gears makes bikes very pedal-masher-friendly though...

Also don't understand how a long wheelbase bike can be called agile and playful. The previous Carbine 29 was not agile, and that was blamed on the wheelbase. I'm a firm believer that wheelbase determines agility and is a big factor in playfulness (the other big factor in playfulness is springiness/bounciness, having the wheels pop off the ground easier). Probably just Jack Moir bragging about his strength/power, or just isn't used to the stock Rockshox's springiness compared to his custom tuned stuff (or stock Fox stuff). Or was running high tire pressure, or...

Sorry, I'm just peeved by all the misleading BS and would like to see more truth...

I will add to the analysis that I like the VPP trait of falling brake squat deep in travel, which is due to the short counter-rotating links. Or more precisely, because the instant center is being projected further forward a great deal as it goes deeper in its travel.

Carbine 29 may a tough sell with the spy shots of a "Hightower LT". The current Hightower rides a bit planted in stock form, but a different shock tune (less damping) will liven it up a bit. Figure the HT LT will get a more fun stock tune that suits the majority, and leave it to the ones that want the ground tracking damping (riders looking for a cheater bike to tackle terrain way above their level) to opt for that option, or vice versa with the '18 HT getting the playful tune and the HT LT being the ground hugger.

 

Ironic that the best performing Intense bike is Jack Moir's aluminum prototype frankenbike! Jack might have something to do with it, however.

Vital MTB first impressions of the new Peter Parker Carbine sure were sugary sweet.

http://www.vitalmtb.com/product/guide/Bikes,3/Intense/Carbine-Factory,18876#product-reviews/2784

 

I thought I was the only one that thinks that.

 

What, another piece of Steber Sh!t box with flashy colors? Intense 6.6 #neverforget

 

I saw two of the Peter Parker versions on the back of a VW wagon, so I followed them to Laguna Cyclery (we were only a block away). Turns out one of my student's parents was in the shop and plopped down full cash for the Factory build - demo price. It was the media test model, size L. I sat on an XL - black and red. I will be invited to ride it. Then I will tell you whether the numbers on paper translate to what I might expect in performance on trails I know.

I told the rep that the world thinks the colors are garish and detract from the desirability of the product. He said, "I know, I read Pinkbike too." And added, "we have a black and white one."

 

That aside, and back on topic, I really like where Jeff Steber's going, with his holistic design principle. I was genuinely impressed by the Primer, and the Spider 275 before that. Before that I had been impressed by the Enduro 29... these 3 bikes showed me how good bikes could be with zero changes to stock. Their balance was as close to perfect as I've felt without tweaks; they had no oversteer or understeer tendency. No overly rearward weight bias like on gravity oriented bikes (issues with rear tire squirm and smashing rear rims), and no overly forward weight bias like on classic XC bikes (issues with needing to get behind the saddle for anything technical). Going flat out led to Karver-esque 2-wheeled drifts; no brakes, no death grip, just speed and a desire to get around the corner, using a loose yet intent technique, leading to pure radness:


Having owned the E29 for long enough and tinkering, I found that any changes to "fit" detracted from its performance (setback post to zero setback, shorter stem, wider bars, etc.). It was mainly performance while in the saddle, so everything from climbing to cruising was affected, which severely affects almost the entirety of an epic ride and a still a majority of the time during a quickie ride. This made me rethink a lot about geometry and what is actually ideal/desirable.

I just wish Intense raised its priority on maintaining a high standard of frame construction quality. That and I personally consider external headset cups on 29ers, anodized "fashionably" CNC'd aluminum (prefer forged, steel, or simpler parts), and other Intense quirks like the seat tube (used to be too long, but now it has a mysterious clamp and awkward gusset) and graphics to be turn-offs. The structural stiffness looks pitiful around the BB too, with all the narrow diameter tube profiles.

 

Haha yep I watched the whole Pinkbike video and I bet there was a lot of truth to it. Wonder how many companies are buying the generic pre fabed stuff and slapping paint & stickers on em and calling it their own design and the next best thing? Seems to me like it'd be a whole lot easier & perhaps more profitable to just build stuff here.