Skip to main content

INTENSE TRACER T275


140/150mm (5.5/6in) of VPP2 rear suspension, 650b wheels, a burly frame and unmistakable Intense styling make the Tracer 275 one hell of a bike. The new T275 version ups the ante with subtle geometry changes that enhance its downhill capabilities and a switch to carbon fibre that sheds heaps of frame weight.

A slacker 66.5-degree head angle means more confident high-speed handling, the BB’s up from a ground-scraping 338mm to 343mm to reduce pedal strikes, and the seat tube’s a little more laidback too.

A medium alloy Tracer frame weighs a claimed 8lb with shock, but Intense reckon the carbon version is just 5.7lb (2.6kg) – a drop of nearly 30 percent. Other upgrades include an extra-wide press-fit BB shell, 142x12mm dropouts, rubberised down tube guard and internal cable routing.


The T275 is available as a frame kit or one of three complete builds. The top-end Factory bike comes with a RockShox Pike RCT3 fork, Monarch Plus RC3 rear shock and Reverb Stealth post, SRAM XX1 drivetrain, Shimano XTR brakes, ENVE Composites AM carbon wheels and Renthal cockpit for 9,999$, and weighs a claimed 26.5lb.




Popular posts from this blog

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.

Merida Big Nine 100

Wit the bikes swapped over, we head out on the same loop again, this time on the 29in Big Nine 100. Whereas the Big Seven was snappy off the line, the 29er takes a couple more pedal strokes to get up to speed. That said, once it's up there, it's easy to keep the big wheels rolling, allowing us to cover ground with ease. The fire road is at times a little rough, and the bigger wheels roll over the imperfections so we barely notice them.

CANYON NERVE AL 8.0

  S ince their entry into the UK market a few years ago, Canyon have made a name for themselves as purveyors of well-made bikes that exhibit often extraordinary value. The secret (or catch, depending on your point of view) is that the brand don’t have dealers – they ship bikes directly to your door.

KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

SKS Airbuster CO2 inflator

The alloy Airbuster has a large knob so you can regulate the flow of gas, a mechanical stop to prevent the cartridge being pierced in transit and a dust cap to keep the valve free of debris. While it works with Presta and Schrader valves, switching between them requires a fiddly change of the valve head. The thin rubber sleeve doesn’t provide much protection from cold spent canisters. You can’t insert much of the valve into the inflator head, so you have to be careful to avoid leaks. Price $33 w/16g cartridge