You could say Intense has been on a roll as of late, keeping their ‘For Racing Only’ moniker in full effect, all while catering for the trail riders of the world with new models built to shred anything and everything. Case in point, the new 2018 Carbine 29er.
Their DH heritage has been showcased to the full, climbing back up to the top steps with proto 29er rigs under Jack Moir and Dean Lucas. The recently reborn Tracer blew the doors off the big hit enduro market and on the smaller travel front, the Recluse made it’s mark on us in it’s test a few issues back. But today it’s all about the 155mm 29inch Carbine.
Intense’s first carbon MTB rig, the Carbine was a very well received ride back in 2011 and paved the way for further advancements in Intenses carbon bikes. Fast forward to today and the crew from Temecula have dropped a full reboot of the much loved trail weapon. Enter the 2018 Carbine 29.
For 2018, the new bike offers a laid back 65.5° head tube, 655mm top tube (large) and slammed 445mm chain stays for a 1233mm wheel base (in large). Wrapped around it’s 155mm of JS Tuned suspension, the new “enduro link” has been developed and refined, made longer (including a carbon upper link) to optimize leverage curve, axle path and overall performance to make the Carbine an uncompromising 29” enduro race machine.
“The new Carbine has all the advantages of a 29er but still feels very agile and playful on the trail. I have been riding this bike for a while now, even racing a couple EWS rounds this year with great success.”
Jack Moir // Intense Factory Racing
With Jack Moir smashing his proto over the last months to great success, we’re thinking this bike is going to up the ante on what 29ers are capable of. Strap DH rims and rubber on and it’s obvious what the bike will be capable of….
Chris Kovarik grabs the reins on the new 29″ Carbine and puts all 160mm of travel to use through Squamish trails and the park.
Like the rest of the range, Intense offer the Carbine in an entry level Foundation build kit all the way through to a Factory option complete with ENVE M70’s. Two colour options are available for each build spec.
Intense are offering two frame options, a normal carbon and SL high end model. These frame options also cross through the lower to higher range of complete builds.
Full specs and information on the new Carbine can be found at: