The Intense SS - Versatile builds make it a Swiss Army knife of a bike
This season I have spent the vast majority of my riding days on one bike (which is unheard of for me) and I have to say that I've had a pretty great season. Typically I've had a small stable of bikes that accommodated a variety of riding styles, but this season I decided to try what most people have to do and ride the same bike all the time. The Intense SS was the frame I chose to start with for a variety of reasons, the biggest being its versatility in regards to build up options.
Have a look at the Intense SS in a Freeride and in a All Mountain build form inside:The first version of the Intense SS was built up to be a bike park and shuttle machine, with full SAINT components and RockShox suspension. The bikes that see constant vertical in bike parks need to be pretty robust and need to love braking bumps. Between bike parks and shuttles up on Vedder mountain this build held strong. Ok I had one issue with a wheel coming out of tension, but that had nothing to do with the components themselves. But I'll touch on how everything held up a little further down the article.
For anyone that missed the SAINT launch article and initial build up of the Intense SS, please visit this link to read about it all.
Dan riding the SAINT built up Intense SS in the Whistler bike park:
![photo]()
Intense SS with SAINT build kit:
After spending a lot of time on the newest SAINT parts here are some of my thoughts:
-the rear derailleur is pretty bad ass-truly one of my favorite new bike parts in the past year, but I'd match it to an XT shifter.
-don't like the ergos of the shifter nor how tough it is to shift. The XT shifter feels good on your digits, where as the new SAINT shifter pod felt like an older non ergo design and the amount of force required to make a shift seems high to me.
-cranks spun well all season, but if you are a rider who's feet rub their crank arms, eventually the graphics will be gone (Jordan rides this way, I ride with a wider stance on the pedals).
-the RockShox Domain did everything I wanted it to at the resorts. It may be an inexpensive fork, but for all around performance, it too is at the top of my favorite products for 2008 list.
-the SDG Formula FX saddle and my butt never got along, I prefer the Bel Air shape from SDG.
-the FSA Gravity guide worked well, but I prefer to have a dual roller set up to keep things quiet.
-hard to go wrong with Maxxis DH tires on a big bike, but bike parks eat soft tires pretty quick.
Weight for the build up was 38.7 lbs.
Links of interest:
Intense Bikes
Shimano Saint
SDG
RockShox
![photo]()
Since not all of my riding is done at resorts or shuttling, I had to have a second build that would be easy to swap between. This is where Race Face, Easton and a few other swaps came into play to make this bike more uphill friendly, but still ready for the descents. I swapped out the single ring SAINT cranks and Gravity guide for a set of Race Face Atlas FR cranks with a 24/36T set up and a front derailleur. This would still give me a bigger gear for the descents but the granny gear was always only a click away too, so it was a no brainer to run the dual ring set up. Weight was not effected by that swap.
![photo]()
The wheels only made sense to sway out though to a lighter set up. The SAINT hubs with DT 6.1D rims were removed and a set of Easton Havoc AM wheels put in their place. The 2.5 Maxxis DH tires were also swapped out for 2.4 Maxxis Advantage tires with folding beads-this is where the weight loss happened. I also ran a smaller rotor on the rear of the Easton wheel set. Click here to learn more about the Easton Havoc wheels.
![photo]()
![photo]()
More swaps were made to make the SS more trail friendly, like the 70mm stem and 1/2" rise bars. The SDG post and saddle was swapped out in favor of a Race Face Deus XC post and a traditional rail WTB Devo saddle. I soon found the Devo to be not my cup of tea for longer pedally rides and swapped it for my old Chromag Trail master seat and my butt was happy once again.
![photo]()
While the Shimano DX flat pedals are really light and have bomber axles, I had trouble getting used to the small pins on them and ended up swapping to my older Easton Flat boy pedals for overall feel. The Flat Boys are nowhere near the lightest pedals on the market, but damn they feel great.
![photo]()
Once all the primary swaps took place this is the built that I found myself most often riding on. Check out the specs and how I felt about it all further down the article.
![photo]()
Intense SS with All Mountain / Light Freeride build kit:
![photo]()
I took this bike all over the place with this build and really found myself enjoying the All Mountain set up. I know that it would have been capable at a bike park, but not nearly as fun this way with single play tires and a more XC orientation overall. A few clicks to firm up the compression on the fork and on the Vivid shock and you had a great climber and then reverse that process for the descents. Now that the season is complete in our neck of the woods, here is how the frame and parts fared to the wet riding and good times in the Fraser Valley:
-the RockShox Domain fork and Vivid 5.1 shock have proven to be the most painless additions to my bike this year. Once they were each dialed in to my liking, nothing odd happened and they worked like they were supposed to.
-having a dual ring front set up was great and facilitated a lot of rides.
-the bottom bracket bearings did not last the wet season and need to be replaced before I but those cranks on another bike.
-speaking of bearings, the bearings in the SS also died at the end of the season do to all the wet and muddy weather we experience. To me I wish that the frame bearings had not been effected by the weather as much as they have shown. Could be an area that Intense could look into.
-the 27 inch width of the Race Face bars took a bit to get used too as I run 28s on all my bikes, but the low rise felt fine coupled to the 70mm stem. I did try a 50mm stem a few times too, but the 70mm option was just more versatile.
-the 28 spoke Easton Havoc AM wheels held up amazing and never had any issues (even bearing related) during their use on the SS. I'm very interested in seeing their DH version next season.
-some called it frivolous, but my Chromag seat post Q/R is great. I have to put the odd drop of lube on it when it gets dry, but the thing keeps that post in place and is easy to open and close and has not bent or broke like many did before it came along.
Weight for the build up was 35.7 lbs.
This may not have been really light, but if you look at where the weight really changed it was all in the wheels and rotating mass is the easiest to notice. I'll leave you with a few pics to show that it saw some proper muddy use too:
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
Links of interest:
Intense Bikes
Race Race Components
Easton Components
Shimano Saint
RockShox
Chromag Parts
-Tyler "Brule" Maine
Have a look at the Intense SS in a Freeride and in a All Mountain build form inside:The first version of the Intense SS was built up to be a bike park and shuttle machine, with full SAINT components and RockShox suspension. The bikes that see constant vertical in bike parks need to be pretty robust and need to love braking bumps. Between bike parks and shuttles up on Vedder mountain this build held strong. Ok I had one issue with a wheel coming out of tension, but that had nothing to do with the components themselves. But I'll touch on how everything held up a little further down the article.
For anyone that missed the SAINT launch article and initial build up of the Intense SS, please visit this link to read about it all.
| Frame size | Intense SS-Medium in Works Blue |
| Rear Shock | RockShox Vivid 5.1 |
| Fork | 2008 180mm RockShox Domain 318 |
| Headset | Cane Creek 1.5" to 1.125" reducer internal, low stack |
| Crankarms | SAINT 170mm |
| Bash Ring | Shimano |
| Chainrings | Shimano 36T |
| Bottom Bracket | SAINT |
| Pedals | Shimano DX flats |
| Chain | Shimano |
| Cassette | Shimano (11-28 9 spd) |
| Rear Derailleur | SAINT Mid Cage |
| Shifter Cable/Housing | Stock |
| Shifter Pods | SAINT 9 speed |
| Handlebar | PRO 2" oversize riser |
| Stem | PRO 50mm 0 rise |
| Grips | ODI Ruffian Lock Ons |
| Brakes | SAINT with 203mm rotors |
| Front hub | SAINT 20mm TA |
| Rear hub | SAINT 135x10mm |
| Spokes | DT Swiss |
| Tires | Maxxis Minion 2.5 Front and Highroller Rear 2.5 - both 3C Compounds |
| Front Rim | DT Swiss 6.1D |
| Tubes | Standard XC |
| Rear Rim | DT Swiss 6.1D |
| Saddle | SDG Formula I-beam |
| Seatpost | SDG I-beam Alloy |
| Extra | Chromag Q/R Seat post Clamp FSA Gravity Chainguide |
After spending a lot of time on the newest SAINT parts here are some of my thoughts:
-the rear derailleur is pretty bad ass-truly one of my favorite new bike parts in the past year, but I'd match it to an XT shifter.
-don't like the ergos of the shifter nor how tough it is to shift. The XT shifter feels good on your digits, where as the new SAINT shifter pod felt like an older non ergo design and the amount of force required to make a shift seems high to me.
-cranks spun well all season, but if you are a rider who's feet rub their crank arms, eventually the graphics will be gone (Jordan rides this way, I ride with a wider stance on the pedals).
-the RockShox Domain did everything I wanted it to at the resorts. It may be an inexpensive fork, but for all around performance, it too is at the top of my favorite products for 2008 list.
-the SDG Formula FX saddle and my butt never got along, I prefer the Bel Air shape from SDG.
-the FSA Gravity guide worked well, but I prefer to have a dual roller set up to keep things quiet.
-hard to go wrong with Maxxis DH tires on a big bike, but bike parks eat soft tires pretty quick.
Weight for the build up was 38.7 lbs.
Links of interest:
Intense Bikes
Shimano Saint
SDG
RockShox
Since not all of my riding is done at resorts or shuttling, I had to have a second build that would be easy to swap between. This is where Race Face, Easton and a few other swaps came into play to make this bike more uphill friendly, but still ready for the descents. I swapped out the single ring SAINT cranks and Gravity guide for a set of Race Face Atlas FR cranks with a 24/36T set up and a front derailleur. This would still give me a bigger gear for the descents but the granny gear was always only a click away too, so it was a no brainer to run the dual ring set up. Weight was not effected by that swap.
 |  |
The wheels only made sense to sway out though to a lighter set up. The SAINT hubs with DT 6.1D rims were removed and a set of Easton Havoc AM wheels put in their place. The 2.5 Maxxis DH tires were also swapped out for 2.4 Maxxis Advantage tires with folding beads-this is where the weight loss happened. I also ran a smaller rotor on the rear of the Easton wheel set. Click here to learn more about the Easton Havoc wheels.
More swaps were made to make the SS more trail friendly, like the 70mm stem and 1/2" rise bars. The SDG post and saddle was swapped out in favor of a Race Face Deus XC post and a traditional rail WTB Devo saddle. I soon found the Devo to be not my cup of tea for longer pedally rides and swapped it for my old Chromag Trail master seat and my butt was happy once again.
 |  |  |  |
While the Shimano DX flat pedals are really light and have bomber axles, I had trouble getting used to the small pins on them and ended up swapping to my older Easton Flat boy pedals for overall feel. The Flat Boys are nowhere near the lightest pedals on the market, but damn they feel great.
Once all the primary swaps took place this is the built that I found myself most often riding on. Check out the specs and how I felt about it all further down the article.
| Frame size | Intense SS-Medium in Works Blue |
| Rear Shock | RockShox Vivid 5.1 |
| Fork | 2008 180mm RockShox Domain 318 |
| Headset | Cane Creek 1.5" to 1.125" reducer internal, low stack |
| Front Derailleur | Shimano LX |
| Crankarms | Race Face Atlas FR 170mm |
| Bash Ring | Race Face |
| Chainrings | Race Face 24 / 36T |
| Bottom Bracket | Race Face X-Type DH |
| Pedals | Easton Flat boys flats |
| Chain | SRAM PC-79 |
| Cassette | SRAM (11-32 9 spd) |
| Rear Derailleur | SAINT Mid Cage |
| Shifter Cable/Housing | Stock |
| Shifter Pods | SAINT 9 speed |
| Handlebar | Race Face Diabolus 1/2" riser OS, 27" width |
| Stem | Race Face Atlas AM 70mm 0 rise |
| Grips | ODI Ruffian Lock Ons |
| Brakes | SAINT with 203mm rotor up front and 180mm rotor rear |
| Front hub | Easton 20mm TA 28 spokes |
| Rear hub | Eston 135x10mm 28 Spokes |
| Spokes | Easton |
| Tires | Maxxis Advantage 2.4 - both 60A Compounds Folding bead |
| Front Rim | Easton Havoc AM |
| Tubes | Standard XC |
| Rear Rim | Easton Havoc AM |
| Saddle | Chromag Trailmaster |
| Seatpost | Race Face Deus XC |
| Extra | Chromag Q/R Seat post Clamp |
I took this bike all over the place with this build and really found myself enjoying the All Mountain set up. I know that it would have been capable at a bike park, but not nearly as fun this way with single play tires and a more XC orientation overall. A few clicks to firm up the compression on the fork and on the Vivid shock and you had a great climber and then reverse that process for the descents. Now that the season is complete in our neck of the woods, here is how the frame and parts fared to the wet riding and good times in the Fraser Valley:
-the RockShox Domain fork and Vivid 5.1 shock have proven to be the most painless additions to my bike this year. Once they were each dialed in to my liking, nothing odd happened and they worked like they were supposed to.
-having a dual ring front set up was great and facilitated a lot of rides.
-the bottom bracket bearings did not last the wet season and need to be replaced before I but those cranks on another bike.
-speaking of bearings, the bearings in the SS also died at the end of the season do to all the wet and muddy weather we experience. To me I wish that the frame bearings had not been effected by the weather as much as they have shown. Could be an area that Intense could look into.
-the 27 inch width of the Race Face bars took a bit to get used too as I run 28s on all my bikes, but the low rise felt fine coupled to the 70mm stem. I did try a 50mm stem a few times too, but the 70mm option was just more versatile.
-the 28 spoke Easton Havoc AM wheels held up amazing and never had any issues (even bearing related) during their use on the SS. I'm very interested in seeing their DH version next season.
-some called it frivolous, but my Chromag seat post Q/R is great. I have to put the odd drop of lube on it when it gets dry, but the thing keeps that post in place and is easy to open and close and has not bent or broke like many did before it came along.
Weight for the build up was 35.7 lbs.
This may not have been really light, but if you look at where the weight really changed it was all in the wheels and rotating mass is the easiest to notice. I'll leave you with a few pics to show that it saw some proper muddy use too:
Links of interest:
Intense Bikes
Race Race Components
Easton Components
Shimano Saint
RockShox
Chromag Parts
-Tyler "Brule" Maine
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PEOPLE! START RIDING ALL ROUND BIKES FINALLY! It will improve your technique and stamina!
P.S. And buy more Lyriks and Foxes 36 so I can buy one from you!
NO disrespect intended, but I've tried out some FOX suspensions and I wasn't convinced regarding their hype.
After all, correct me if I'm wrong; isn't Rock Shox the originator of suspension components? That's got to be worth something when it comes to long term industry insight, and product R & D.
Yay Intense! well done.
Are you on to a new bike for 2009??
All I said was if it isn't designed to hold somebody's ass, I am sure as hell it can't take a 15ft + drop. To sum it up, I am sure its fine riding the thing with a high saddle.
Your little comparison to 15+ foot drops is completely irrelevant.
Even IF it was designed around a "slammed" seat, doesn't make it any weaker having a raised seat. All I am saying is, if it can't handle a high seat, what makes you think it could handle big drops and jumps? Nothing negative will happen to the integrity of the frame from a raised seat. And please don't give me that shit about how the designers said it themselves. You could have easily pulled that out of your ass, its like me telling everyone online I drive a Ferrari 599 GTB.
foxmtbing, it is true, the designer DID say that. i would quote him but i cant be arsed to trawel through old threads to find it. and the basic laws of physics state that the longer a seatpost, the greater the leaverage on a frame. use some common sense. yes your right, it is strong enough for 15 foot drops and may well be for a high seatpost, but that doesnt mean it was designed that way....chill out!
So don't come in between our argument you smug little f*ck.
you're actually a dumb, smug little f*ck
you did say it doesn't put any more stress on your frame if you're seats up high or not. which it does.
and designing a bike to be strong enough for big hits, can still have a seat tube designed only to be slammed, and therefore not as strong with the seat up high.
and that is why you are dumb
just trying to stop the spread of stupidity.
could i recommend a verbal profelactic?
we wouldn't want anyone else to become stupid what with you just spraying it all over the place with no care of who gets in the way
I make my own custom Moto style ones outta coroplast. It is like plastic cardboard, flexible and very light weight, pretty durable too. Keeps the shock and pivots from getting too gummed up.
I rode it all season while @ the shop in everything from the north shore to Williams Lake and I never once though the fork wasnt up to the job.
Im now riding an Intense SOCOM with a Totem, and while the totem is pretty cool. I wouldn't be upset owning or buying a Domain.
Just a comment on your views regarding coil Vs Spring, I can see where you are coming from and would never dream of having anything apart from coil on my DH / FR bikes...HOWEVER I have a RM Slayer SXC for my "all mountain" (which is what you are classing yours as?) and I run DHX air on it, maybe its the better suspension setup on the RM but it does feel fantastic up and down hills.
Before I get slated for suggesting that the RM has better suspension design than the Intense I just want to clear up that is MY opinion having rode both a fair bit, I am not asking everyone to agree with me.
Love the bike and the builds, maybe a bit out of the pricerange of many on here (thats a LOT of $$$ in parts to keep lying around) but good idea, I am considering selling my "big" bike and trying a season on just the RM (hitting the parks etc) maybe I will look at changing out some parts and trying it.
I am, however considering going over to the "dark" side and throwing a coil on the RM and seeing if I feel the love, I will let people know how it goes (don't hold your breath..its winter and my bikes are nicely tucked up hibernating)
just ride it, whatever it is, and jumpy bikes tend to be tough enough to really take an @$$ kicking. you know you are riding your bike if it gets an @$$ kicking!!
lol
Ever tried a fender to keep things from filling with crud? Was that the dial down Domain or the reg. Thanks.
Ya fender (as in plastic) would have got wrecked on Greenstone and the old rubber tube method would have jammed full too. Sometimes it is best to just let the mud do it's own thing-especially Kamloops mud. As for Weight-no idea, just really heavy and way less fun! The Domain is the 318 180mm version that remains at that travel setting.
The only shimano range to still make 8spd shifters :L
dream bike