Intense Primer 29 Factory Frame

Intense Cycles is often associated with the creation of the modern downhill bike. Their M1 was everything that downhill has become: in your face, performance-oriented, and fast. The Intense Primer is a perfect embodiment of this ethos, a lightweight trail bike that handles it all with pace, flair, and a helping of value to boot. The 2020 Intense Primer 29 Factory Frame is everything one might want in a trail bike.

The magic sauce of each Intense mountain bike comes from their JS Tuned suspension. For years Intense used a licensed version of the VPP suspension that is synonymous with Santa Cruz. And while VPP suspension has a lot of benefits, JS Tuned suspension seeks to improve it. Primer uses their Enduro linkage design, geared to be more supple off the top (read: more active on small bumps) while still keeping the pedaling platform VPP is known for. This is paired to a high modulus carbon fiber frame and rear triangle, a carbon top link, and titanium hardware, all an ode to their racing heritage. Together with the 29er wheels, the Primer 29 is Intense’s ideal bike for fast, flowing singletrack where momentum is much more critical than pure ins and outs.

Intense also looks to make sure the Primer stays “True to the Trail”. This means it bucks (slightly) the longer, lower, slacker trend by pairing a slack 65.5-degree head angle with an average for the segment reach measurement. The fit might be a bit snugger than what people are accustomed to these days, but shorter reach helps keep weight over the front wheel through berms while making bikes maneuverable through technical terrain. A monster truck bike this is not.

Have any questions about the 2020 Intense Primer 29 Factory Frame? Send us an email any time to info@contenderbicycles.com, or give us a call during business hours.