Bike Check: Brian Lopes' Intense Tracer 275 - Sea Otter 2014

Apr 13, 2014 at 14:56
by Mike Kazimer  
Brian Lopes Tracer 275
Brian Lopes - 2014 Sea Otter DH champion.

After riding his way to a third place spot in Saturday's dual slalom, Brian Lopes unleashed a scorcher of a run to take the win in the downhill at the 2014 Sea Otter Classic. The Sea Otter course doesn't exactly meet the definition of a proper DH track, which is why many racers choose shorter travel rigs to take on the high speed, jump filled track (Aaron Gwin won here last year on a 29er). Lopes chose to ride his carbon Intense Tracer 275 with a few minor modifications to make it better suited for the race. The bike weighs less than 28 pounds, an impressive number for a coil sprung bike with 6" of travel.

Brian Lopes Tracer 275

Lopes' bike is outfitted with an X Fusion Vector Coil HLR in the rear fitted with a titanium spring. The shock has externally adjustable high speed compression, low speed compression, and rebound damping. X Fusion's new Sweep fork takes care of the front end, a 27.5" specific air sprung fork with 34mm stanchions.

Brian Lopes Tracer 275

A 36t Wolf Tooth components narrow-wide ring was mounted to a set of XTR cranks and paired up with a 10 speed rear cassette and XTR derailleur. A simple roller guide sits on top of the KMC chain to ensure there's little chance of it bouncing off. The Tracer rolls on Novatec's Diablo 27.5" wheelset with Kenda's Nevegal X Pro in the front and a Nevegal Pro in the rear. Even though he barely touched them, Lopes' Tracer is equipped with Magura's MT8 disc brakes, which have a full carbon master cylinder in addition to carbon lever blades. Finishing touches include a Syntace carbon bar paired with a 50mm Syntace stem, a Chris King headset, ODI lock-on grips, and a KS Lev dropper post.

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45 Comments
  • 44 10
 Definitely my favourite MTB icon, Lopes is awesome at everything he does. Awesome bike too.
  • 9 1
 and he's like in his 40s
  • 4 2
 Nutrition is key(nevermind hes been blessed w/amazing skills)...no pizza n beers for lopes.
  • 15 5
 The Vector HLR is such a good shock. I'm surprised we don't see more of X-Fusion on the pro circuit.
  • 8 1
 I love my X-Fusion setup! I want the Metric....
  • 1 0
 The intense booth said he was on a small for the DS. My guess is a medium for the DH. I was impressed with his run in DS, on a trail bike with 27.5's and still shredded!
  • 3 0
 43 years old lopez still a lettle f*cker on downhill Smile
  • 6 4
 What grip is he running? And who makes that chain guide?
  • 5 5
 is it me or is it not mounted correctly... Smile
  • 1 0
 yes, what grips?
  • 2 2
 He doesn't look overly stoked in the picture. Almost 2 seconds faster last year. Yay wheel size debate. Slick bike though :-)
  • 3 4
 he probably wishes he could have his shirt off in the pic, just sad he needs to wear it for his sponsors
  • 3 0
 Comparing year to year times isn't a good comparison, with different track conditions, wind, etc.
  • 2 1
 track was a lot looser/dustier this year
  • 1 2
 Nah cant be that ive read the adverts, 650b is atleast 4% quicker in all conditions 86% of the time due to 5.345% better rollover. Fact
  • 1 0
 Lopes would probably be great at Enduro™ as well. Hope he joins another one this year, hopefully riding this tracer.
  • 5 4
 looks like a size small frame.
  • 4 3
 Its a medium.
  • 3 2
 Is that chain on the wrong side of the lower roller of the guide??
  • 3 2
 I don't think that's a lower roller guide you're seeing. Don't know exactly what it is but it appears to be inset too much to be a chain guide.
  • 11 2
 What looks like a lower roller is actually part of the lower suspension linkage (it's a VPP bike)
  • 5 0
 There is no lower roller just the vpp linkage
  • 1 2
 He is using a chain guid with both a slider and a roller but with a n/w chainring the lower roller produces drag with out helping chain retention
  • 1 2
 Edited: He is probably using a MRP Lopes SL Chain Guide which has a lower roller but because he is also using a N/W chainring he doesn't need the lower roller which would cause more drag without being necessary for chain retention.
  • 8 8
 I rather enjoy the look of his bike.
  • 12 12
 BRIAN LOPES IS A LEGEND DOWNHILL DOMINATION UNDERRATED HIM....
  • 6 0
 why are you screaming?
  • 1 0
 LOL
  • 1 1
 maybe cause i just unlocked him...
  • 6 7
 Seems weird to me that Lopes would run a fork that doesn't have compression damping adjustment.
  • 10 3
 Im sure xfusion custom tuned the internal shim stacks for him.
  • 5 3
 Or they put a custom hlr damper in there. Ive heard it exists but not for sale to the consumer.
  • 1 1
 On the money bad.
  • 1 1
 You are correct. Spoke to Lopes at the Otter. That Sweep isn't one we can get yet.
  • 1 1
 BMX!
  • 5 8
 a world become one, salads and son, well only a fool could say that.
  • 8 5
 I think that is the lower link on the VPP suspension.
  • 6 5
 It is, if you look at the high res pic, you see that the guide is just at the top.
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