Bike Check: Isabeau Courdurier's Intense Tracer - EWS Finale Ligure 2018

Sep 29, 2018 at 21:23
by Mike Kazimer  


Isabeau Courdurier will be wrapping up an incredibly consistent season this weekend in Finale Ligure, Italy, although she'd undoubtedly like a chance to stand on top of the podium once the race finishes on Sunday. It's the second step down that's become a very familiar spot for her – she's stood on it at every single EWS race this year.

Isabeau's bike of choice is a size small 27.5" Intense Tracer, which she says is a good fit for her diminutive height. Her previous race bike was a custom aluminum Sunn, but the dimensions of the carbon Tracer fit Isabeau well enough that no custom modifications were necessary. The bike's overall setup stays relatively similar between races, but Isabeau will change the number of spacers under the stem and increase or decrease suspension pressure depending on the weekend's course conditions.
Isabeau Courdurier happy with another 2nd place.
Isabeau Courdurier
Age: 25
Hometown: Gardanne, France
Height: 154 cm / 5'0"
Weight: 50 kg / 110 lb
Instagram: @isabeau_c

Isabeau Courdurier

Isabeau Courdurier
Intense Tracer

Size: Small
Travel: 165mm
Tire pressures: 20(f) / 23 (r)
Fork pressure: 48 psi, 1 token
Shock pressure: 105 psi
Bar width: 760mm

Isabeau Courdurier
Isabeau works closely with RockShox to ensure that her fork and shock are properly tuned for her light weight. There's 48 psi in that Lyrik, with 1 token and 1 click of HSC, and 7 clicks of rebound.
Isabeau Courdurier
The shock is inflated to 100-105 psi depending on the track.

Isabeau Courdurier
Isabeau's testing prototype tires from Hutchinson, with a thicker casing tire in the rear. There's also a Huck Norris insert in that back tire for additional flat protection.

Isabeau Courdurier
Grip tape on the shift lever provides a little extra traction, and Renthal's Ultra-Tacky push-on grips provide even more assurance that Isabeau's hands will stay on the bars.

Isabeau Courdurier
A SRAM X01 Eagle drivetrain with HT T1 pedals.

Isabeau Courdurier
Those spacers get moved around depending on how steep the weekend's tracks will be.

Isabeau Courdurier
SRAM Code RSC brakes with carbon lever blades.

Intense Tracer


Author Info:
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Member since Feb 1, 2009
1,719 articles

48 Comments
  • 28 2
 Fried eggs on a pink skillet? Interesting graphics.
  • 1 0
 is this the black/green non SL frame ?
  • 2 0
 @Lagr1980: This is a raw SL frame.
  • 15 0
 I like Cecile, but it sure would be nice to see Isabeau take a win
  • 9 3
 Next year when she retires out of boredom
  • 4 1
 She is a certified spinner.
  • 8 0
 Her bars is shorter now. Pinkbike can sleep well tonight.
  • 6 0
 So funny I was thinking that every time I saw a video of her it looked like she was going to face plant into the stem because her arms were so stretched out! She is still running wider bars that Rude though!
  • 1 0
 I was one of the whiners about her bars. Good lord, they were wide. I'm 6'1 and her bars were as wide as mine.
  • 6 0
 Funny, she and I are about the same stature and this was one of the first 27.5 bikes I've actually enjoyed
  • 3 0
 Those Prototype Hutchinsons look very promising, especially if the are anything like the Barracuda's that they resemble
  • 1 0
 Hutchinson Barracuda are still the best downhill tire ever... For me...
  • 3 0
 maybe a dumb question: is the yellow spoke to quickly spot the presta valve stem?
  • 2 0
 It is marketing for Mavic
  • 1 0
 Yes it can be. Some people do wheel builds with that in mind, and for looks
  • 1 0
 Not a dumb question nor suggestion. How many times did I spin that wheel when it was dark outside ?
  • 2 1
 proportions look similar to that brodie 8 ball that was featured recently. Are short people weird or do we just suck at short person bike fit?
  • 10 0
 From persinal experience (and much frustration), we just suck at short person bike fit
  • 4 0
 @the-lorax: I thought it was tall people who struggled. No bike can be huge enough nowadays, didn't you hear? I'm almost surprised Isabeau is on a small frame given how long everyone seems to be going in terms of reach.
  • 4 0
 @BenPea: Every reviewer seems to be shorter thab average height but riding a large these days.
  • 6 0
 nah man small people aint got it easy either - infact some bikes (Slash and Session to name a few) actually have a higher standover in the small than the medium?! Luckily everything is going low and long so standover is becoming less of a concern... however the whole 29er thing is rough because at 5'7 I aint getting on a 170mm 29er anytime soon, theres no room for all that bike in the small front triangle.
  • 4 2
 Gimme a break. Literally every bike ever was made for dwarves. Stop upsizing and everybody will be happy
  • 2 0
 @LOLWTF: I'm 5'2" (yes, I've been done growing for 15 years) and feel that the majority of size small bikes are still too large for me and most companies don't make an XS. If they do, it's either a women's bike or cockpit is too small/cramped for me. Sooooo, not sure what you mean by "stop sizing up". Size smalls should fit small people like myself.
  • 3 1
 All that effort to paint and colour code it in a pretty pink pattern and RS ruin it by giving her a red fork!
  • 2 0
 It's not the fork for me... it's the red rocker link... WHY!?
  • 2 1
 Naw, it's the bright yellow wheelset.
  • 2 0
 Now that’s a bike check!
  • 2 1
 She has such a crazy cool style to watch ride. Were it not for Cecile, she'd be completely dominating the EWS.
  • 5 1
 If Tracy Moseley were still racing, Cécile would be 2nd, and Isabeau 3rd, aaaaaall the time.
  • 2 1
 not agree. red Lyriks are siiick!
  • 2 0
 Monarch? interesting..
  • 2 0
 I was also thinking that , guess itense haven't bought into the whole metric thing yet
  • 2 2
 Well at least I can cross this one off my list of top 10 ugliest bikes I've ever seen.
  • 1 0
 Which @mavic wheels is she running?
  • 1 0
 I'm into some controversial color ways but red and pink just hurts my eyes
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