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.
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I dont think the ISCG tabs work very well with the VPP design of the lower linkage. I have the ISCG tabs on my tracer mk1 and you cant mount a chainguide on them as it would hit the bottom link. Have to use a BB mount one instead (Which still needs a bit of enhancing with a dremel to make it fit) So I can understand why they havent bothered with this bike. I’d much rather just run a bash and one of the new mechs with a clutch to stop the chain coming off.
what a beautiful frame wheres my lottery ticket i havent checked it yet
I know it wins on the “sluttyness” factor, but have they just bought a Trek Fuel EX 9.9 and a Remedy 9.9, stolen all of the carbon ideas, popped VPP and an Intense badge on it and sold it as “Looky here! Aren’t we clever!!”
Don’t get me wrong, i’m a gigantic Intense fan, but it all seems a bit too little too late.
Lovely frame but very Santa Cruz Nomad-ish…
hopefully if its made in taiwan it’ll be well built. the use made intense i had was the worst finished frame i have ever owned. and I’ve owned a few.
nice looking as ever though.
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.