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.
