I have two frames at the moment waiting to be built, one is a Titus motolite with a fox rp3 and the other is an intense 5.5 evp with a pushed rp23. I’m wanting to build one of them up but can’t decide which one would suit me best, any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
I have always rode hardtails and have decided to take a plunge into full sus.I like to ride a mixture of trail centres and natural stuff, much prefer the downs than the ups and like to push myself. I like to try to hit jumps and drops (nothing much over 7ft) and would like a bike to pop over roots and Rock’s rather than straight plow through them (even though I still lack finnesse)
The parts I have would be a choice; 140mm magura thor (2009) or 150mm magura Thor (2012). 1×10 zee gears. Magura MTS brakes or juicy 7s. Xt, saint or race face cranks atlas. DT Swiss fr2350 wheels or hope pro 2s on either 5.1d or ex721. The finishing kit I would swap about till it felt right.
Any thought or experience much appreciated.

Hi
A mate has a 5.5 and it rides really well. His is currently built as an overall “trail” bike for similar stuff to what you describe.
3×10 gears, hope pro2 on flow rims and Revelation forks.
The forks are goosed and he’s looking to put Fox36’s on it which I think will suit the bike really well.
From what you describe any of the bits will be ok but I would go for the 150 forks.
Cheers
Steve

I’d suggest not the Motolite, not for jumpy stuff – it’s an XC bike. Had one several years ago and one of the reasons I sold the frame on was the horrible, horrible main pivot bearings; two small pairs side by side.

Cheers guys. It looks like it’s 2-0 to the intense up to now. Steve, it’s good to know that long travel forks work well on the intense. The motolite is just a lovely looking simplistic frame though, the intense does look like it can be a lot more of a hooligan though.househusband, what length forks did you have on your motolite as I do also have some white brothers dt1.2 (120mm), so I might just build it up with other random spare buts just so I can have a few rides on it before flogging it.

IIRC I had some Magura 130mm forks – then good old coil U-Turn Pikes! (The original Pikes, that is.)

Intense 5.5 is a fantastic bike, get it built up!

I had an intense 5.5 … brilliant bike, climbs really well and descends even better.
Wish I still had it

For me … That would be my choice … and it’s an intense!!

Intense it is then! I’ve got a crazy idea if what to do with the motolite and spare parts for mucking around on my very local trails (Clayton vale, MCR) before flogging it.

I’ve had both bikes and still have the Motolite. The 5.5 was a brilliant bike but would bite you in the ass if you didn’t really pay close attention. I found it the most skittish of all the bikes I’ve had.

The Motolite is a more forgiving bike and I have to say feels more instinctive to ride. It really is a bike I feel I’m “in” rather than “on”.

However, I don’t really hammer bikes. I do clumsily slam into obstacles others ride over and the Motolite has coped well with that type of abuse.

I do regret selling that 5.5 though….

In fact, if you decide to sell either drop me a line.

Thanks for the info shooter man. Can I ask you what kind of places you rode on them both and what setup you had/have on them? They both seem to have similar geometry but the Intense look like it could stand more abuse. Do you think the motolite could take a 150mm fork if I use a short stack headset (the maguras have a quite a shortish a to c too). I would like to have a bike that can stand up to a bit of abuse and maybe trips to the alps (as my cousin lives the Hautes alps region). cheers

Heres my old Intense 5.5. Built up quite burly with 140mm Revalations. They’re a bloody brilliant bike! Had it for years and only got shut last year. Ridden just about everywhere including Morzine. Don’t be expecting a slack DH bike though. They will bite you on the arse, as shooterman pointed out, if you don’t stay awake. I’ve got the scars on my face to prove it!

Andy, I am running a 140mm TALAS on the motolite. I would’t go any bigger. I had my 5.5 a few years back and was running a TALAS 36 on it.

Reading that you’re thinking of the Alps, I would go for the 5.5.

Reading the posts above I can’t help wondering why Intense stopped making the 5.5 when so many rider loved it. If they started making one again, I’d snap it up!

Sweet, Intense it is then for sure. I only bought it the other day for a steal from the local cash generators (I went in to buy a ps3 joypad!). Its had all the police checks etc done it so hopefully its fully legit. I was just about to build up the titus when the intense popped up!. It need s a lot of tidying up and im going to swap quite a few bits about on it (ive got a decent stash of random bits), plus thinking of stripping the paint off the frame as its pretty tatty. The bearings seem sweet though, all tight and that.
Would it be a terrible thing to single speed the motolite, stick a white brothers dt1.2 on it and use it for ripping around Clayton Vale and the canal paths on till I decide to sell it?

If you have a look Andy, that photo of my old Intense is at Clayton Vale. It’s fair to say that I was a tad over-biked 🙂

Definitley bringing a bazooka to a gun fight there! Ive just moved close by to clayton vale and I work at the national cycling centre on Saturday nights so this is going to be local trail for pre work and dog walk/rides.

Andy – if you’re local-ish, why not join us on the weekly Monday Night Pub Ride

Thanks. It sounds perfect, beer pie and bikes. I have a crazy work schedule as im a self employed mural artist and i never know where i am from one week to the next, but i will definitley join you guys on one. Im darn sarf tommorow day and them in blackpool in the evening so tommorow i cant make it. Maybe next monday though.

Really liked my old Intense 5.5, even did a few uplifts on it (inc Antur BTW) Snapped a shoulder bolt and getting a spare through Intense was an utter PITA, eventually went through my LBS and they sourced me a replacement super quick and super cheap.
I’d defo have another.
Gratuitous pic of her in Jumpy / DH lite mode. Note the 26″ wheels and triple chainset!

Nice, im really digging the colour scheme. im thinking of rawing mine, either that or getting it powder coated in either a khaki green or a very dark sea green/turquise/petrol blue kinda coulour (obviously still deciding!) Decisions, decisions!

here’s mine in raw … looked amazing IMHO!

OK so the panaracers are a bit much … but kinda liked them on this 😳

That just looks pure class. It looks like there is a lot of love on here for the intense. I’m definitely loving the raw look

Thanks andyparle … it was … sadly sold it in a stupid ‘weight weenie’ phase … one of my worst decisions!
Never yet found a fs bike that climbed as well and felt as planted coming down … and I’ve been through loads