Spider 29 Comp Expert Complete Mountain Bike - 2014
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The supercar-inspired handling of the Intense Spider 29 Comp Expert Complete Mountain Bike doesn’t take long to make itself known. Named after the stunning Italian masterpiece, the Spider features striking carbon fiber lines and responsive VPP suspension that serve to honor its muse. With either 4.5 or 5 inches of available travel, it has plenty of give for rocky trails, but make no mistake, the suspension feel is responsive, and it handles best when ridden with calculated aggression. And with it draped in FOX suspension, a Shimano drivetrain, and a top-tier finishing kit, you can be sure that the build will bring out the Spider's best attributes. Ride your local trails, or race the weekly XC series, the Spider will be happy pretty much anywhere, so long as it's going fast.
Like the rest of the bikes within Intense's lineup, the Spider's refined trail manners can be chalked up to its 4.5 or 5 inches of adjustable VPP suspension. It's a suspension platform that offers a fantastic blend of pedaling efficiency and trail-erasing smoothness. VPP employs two aluminum counter-rotating links to achieve this balance. The upper link provides most of the rotation as the bike compresses into the sag point. This yields a vertical wheel path, which you'll notice in the form of a firm feel when you get on the pedals. As the bike compresses deeper into the suspension, the lower link activates, moving the axle path in a rearward direction. The rearward axle path enables the rear wheel to travel out of the way of square-edged impacts.
Suspension is nothing without the geometry to match, and needless to say, the Spider has that covered. Starting at the front, the 68.5 degree head angle is stable at high speeds, while still being sharp enough to hold a line on the most demanding climbs. Roomy top tube lengths combine with the steeper seat angle, allowing for a relaxed riding position with today's shorter stem lengths. A 13.2-inch bottom bracket height is amply low for railing turns, even when traction is hard to come by. And the 17.5-inch chainstays offer stability and grip, while maintaining the neutral weight distribution that's crucial for getting through corners quickly. It all adds up to a bike that's highly capable at speed, while maintaining a lively feel when the trail gets more technical.
While Intense is best known for its American-made aluminum bikes, the Spider is built from carbon fiber. And since carbon fiber, in addition to being strong and light, can be quirky to work with, Intense brought in consultants from the composites gurus at SEED to make the best possible use of the material. Part of the result of that partnership was finding one of Taiwan's finest composites manufacturers to build the Spider. And the Made in USA ethos still holds strong, thanks to the fact that all the links, dropouts, and hardware are built in Temecula, Calif., alongside Intense's aluminum models. This ensures cutting-edge composite construction, and maintains the soul you'd expect from an Intense.
Both the front and rear triangles are constructed as a whole, rather than bonding them together from sub-assemblies. This construction method not only minimizes unnecessary material, and accordingly weight, but it maximizes the strength of the structures as well. That's because the fibers are uninterrupted by seams, which happens with bonded constructions. Weight is minimized as excess epoxy is squeezed from the frame prior to curing, and this ideal degree of compaction optimizes the strength. Plus, it keeps the frame weight at 5.5 pounds for a medium frame. The strength and stiffness are further enhanced by the oversized collet-style hardware, 12x142mm thru axle, and tapered head tube.
The asymmetrical rear triangle is built light, but it's deceptively strong. By using an oversized upright on the non-drive side, the drive side of the rear triangle is able to be lightened, while simultaneously improving drivetrain clearance. And it gets Intense's G1 replaceable dropout system, with a modern 12x142mm thru axle. By using a replaceable dropout, rather than a replaceable derailleur hanger, you get a stiffer mount for the derailleur, and accordingly, crisper shifts. Best of all, you get the peace of mind that comes with knowing you can replace your hanger, should your derailleur meet a particularly grisly demise.
For the Expert build, suspension duties are handled by Factory Series FOX units, specifically a FLOAT 32 up front, and a FLOAT CTD out back. The brakes and drivetrain come from Shimano's revered XT lineup, so there should be no questions as to durability or performance. The cockpit consists of a KS Lev dropper seatpost topped with an Intense saddle, while a Thomson X4 stem holds onto the FSA SLK Carbon handlebar. It rolls on Novatec Flow Trail tubeless-compatible wheels, wrapped in Maxxis Ardent tires.
The Intense Spider 29 Comp Expert Complete Mountain Bike - 2014 is available in three sizes, from Small to Large, and in the colors Matte Naked Carbon, and Gloss Naked Carbon/red.
- Frame Material
- carbon fiber
- Suspension
- VPP
- Rear Shock
- FOX FLOAT CTD Trail Adjust Kashima
- Rear Travel
- 4.5 - 5.0 in adjustable
- Fork
- FOX 32 FLOAT 29 FIT CTD with Trail Adjust Kashima
- Front Travel
- 120 mm
- Headset
- Cane Creek 40 Mixed Tapered
- Shifters
- Shimano M780 (XT) 10-speed
- Front Derailleur
- Shimano M781 (XT) 10-speed
- Rear Derailleur
- Shimano XT M786 Shadow+
- ISCG Tabs
- yes
- Crankset
- Shimano XT M780
- Bottom Bracket
- Shimano BB90
- Crank Arm Length
- 175 mm
- Cassette
- Shimano HG81
- Chain
- Shimano CN-HG74
- Rotors
- XT SM-RT76
- Handlebar
- FSA SL-K Carbon
- Handlebar Rise
- 0 mm
- Handlebar Width
- 740 mm
- Grips
- ODI Intense
- Stem
- Thomson Elite X4
- Stem Length
- 70 mm
- Saddle
- Intense
- Seatpost
- KS Lev Dropper
- Seat Collar
- Intense
- Wheelset
- Novatec Flow Trail 29
- Tires
- Maxxis Ardent
- Pedals
- not included
- Recommended Use
- cross country, trail
- Manufacturer Warranty
- limited
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