Intense Sniper XC owners?

http://www.carbonda.com/mountain/full-suspension/98.html

In comparison to the Sniper XC it's slacker, has a steeper seat tube & more reach.

I run mine with a 110mm / 35mm SID fork.

Yep - I've got one. There's a huuuge MTBR thread on them. Really like mine, any slacker imo would lose the agility that's always nice in an XC bike. Builds up really light, mine is a standard 2019 'Pro' build and I haven't really felt the need to change anything on it @ 10.5kg. (I've only changed tyres and saddle which is hardly surprising.) Will take a 120 fork too if you want to make it a bit more downcountry.

Yes - love mine.

Currently rebuilding it with SID F & R 100mm. It's a brilliant XC bike. Incredibly agile, very competent descender, climbs more than well enough. Only I would say is that a lock out would be really good on it. Oh & get the cross brace - really stiffens up the rear end. Would definitely recommend, its the most fun bike I've ever had except for a gen 1 SC Blur (26").

I wrote a review on it somewhere on here....

Found it:

"

I’ve had my Intense now for about 2 months now & I’ll admit I’m still getting used to it, but I’ve ridden & raced it in that time so I’ve a few thoughts on it.

Background.

My 1st XC race bike was a SC Blur XC. This bike was a total blast. Eminently flickable & agile, a superb climbing bike & stiff enough to point down things it had no right to take on. LOVED IT. It carried me safely trough BC Bike Race & other shenanigans too! Then I tore a tendon & I was off the bike for 2 yrs or so.

Return to racing.

I bought a Trek Top Fuel as 26″ bikes just weren’t cutting it in XC any more. Lots of very positive reviews on this bike so I felt comfortable taking a punt & managed to get a good deal on a 2017 frame. This bike has a lovely, supple rear end – one of the best I’ve ever ridden, almost as smooth as Pivot’s DW. But the front end? I just could not get on with it – often felt that front wheel was trying to tuck in underneath me. Frightening at times…perhaps it was me?

New bike time.

I needed something new if I was going to carry on racing, something still race orientated but a bit more fun! Thankfully, there’s a lot of choice now when it comes to to slack angled short travel bikes & rightly so. I looked at the Scott Spark (obvious choice really) but something about it I didn’t like. I did demo one & the twin-loc is useful but it felt a little too flimsy though I’m sure that isn’t the case. Santa Cruz have a new Blur XC out but HA looked too steep. Yeti? Lovely bike but a complete unknown to me. The Pivot has really nice rear end but HA still too steep. Then spotted the Intense & I’ve always had a soft spot for the Intense since way back in the day with the M1. Plus it had VPP which I’m familiar with & all the numbers checked out.

What’s it like?

Fun! Carry’s incredible speed, agile, planted on descents (by which I mean I’m not sh1ttig myself & can recover a touch too), climbs well enough….only thing I’d say is I’m not sure I’ve got the VPP set up yet – feels a touch agricultural.

Intense set up the bike with a 50mm stem & a fork offset of 44mm, I run mine with a 60mm stem & 51mm offset. I found a 60mm stem way too short & felt like I was hanging off the back of the bike & the front wheel was miles out in front. God knows what a 50mm stem must feel like…… I tried a 80mm stem (from the Trek) but that felt I was being pulled out too far in front & I was losing some of the agility in the bike. Settled on 70mm & so far, so good. No real idea how the different in fork offset has affected the handling, but the change in trail should slow down the handling a touch. It seems fine regardless.

In short: the Intense is a fun race/short travel trail bike. I did a test lap at Torq in your sleep – on the Saturday night before it rained – & it was a riot. Fast, capable, confidence inspiring. Did I say fast? Like Endor speeder bike fast! In the mud on Sunday it was still good, though I think I could have done with grippier tyres……it’s had a couple of blats round Swinley/Crowthorne too & well, I think I’m in love!"

Rode one around Cannock a while back, felt really fast and capable... Probably the best bike for a trail centre like Cannock...

Thanks for all the feedback folks - now beee to actually shift the three bikes I have for sale so I can get one of these!!!

Not sure how much help this’ll be but I’ve got the sniper trail elite. I waxed and waned between xc and trail but a lot of people on the mtbr thread said you don’t lose much efficiency but you gain a lots of stiffness with the x brace. I’m 92kg.

love mine - it’s super fast up and down, agile and I’m confident riding it. I’ve had my best ever xc race results on it and also happily pull it out for century rides.  I even raced a light enduro on it. Just clocked 4000 miles in 2 years.

downsides - not much tyre clearance on the rear (2.3 is fine), components (e13 wheels) have had issues and I’m on my third freehub and snapped axle. Dub bb is shite. Ks carbon lost broke under warranty.  Defiiitely more of a summer bike.

despite the gripes, intense has been great to deal with. It’s the bike I pull out of the shed most of the time (in summer)