We got a sneak peek of it at the Sea Otter, but had to keep quiet, but finally everyone is allowed to talk about the bike that everyone’s known about for ages. Intense’s new Carbine frame marks the US firm’s first foray into the black stuff. It mostly seems based on the very popular Tracer 2, with an adjustable 5.5in or 6in of travel. The weight, though, brings it down into almost full XC duties, with a 5.5lb frame – including shock…
Here are the glossy studio pics of it. We’ll hope to bring you a real review when we get hold of one this winter. Frames should start showing up in the UK around November.
Ex-pro racer Scott Sharples is now doing PR for the brand and is gushing in his praise for the new bike:
The Carbine is a very refined 5.5 – 6 inch travel all mountain bike that climbs like you can not imagine. Really, I cant lie, standing up wrenching on the bars, or sitting – spinning – making peanut butter. It is really mind boggling how good it is at going up a hill, (it could have something to do with the 5.5lb frame, and maybe the well engineered carbon construction, maybe the VPP design or maybe the superior geometry). I guess I am raving about how good this thing climbs, because of how well it descends. And how well it handles tight poppy single track, and jumps, and corners, and, and, and…
Frames will be turning up with UK Importer, Extra UK around November. In the mean time, there’s nearly everything you could ever possibly want to know over at the Carbine mini-site. UK retail will be £2099 with a Fox RP23.
What are the benefits of carbon when compared to alu on a big rig like this?
Any benefits must be slim when compared to the cost increase.
If there were any then we would be seeing carbon framed MX bikes.