Intense Cycles

Tracer 275 C Foundation Complete Mountain Bike - 2015

For 2015, Intense's Tracer 275 C Foundation Complete Mountain Bike returns with a longer wheelbase, a slacker head tube, and a claim to be among the top enduro frames in the global circuit. The geometry changes compel aggression when the road points down, the double Shimano drivetrain means the Tracer 275 C Foundation has the gears to clean steep grades, and the mid-sized wheels strike a balance between the pure speed of 29ers and the nimble dexterity of 26-inch wheels.

The frame at the Tracer foundation's heart comprises two monocoque carbon triangles, which allows the engineers to wrap the carbon through each triangle's joints. While this construction method produces noticeably increased structural integrity and stiffness, the primary benefit is that Intense can use less material, which lowers the overall frame weight. After all, you'll be carrying every gram of this uphill during events, and each watt wasted on the climb is less juice you're bringing to the fun part of enduro. The Tracer's tapered head tube, thru axles, short links, and second generation Virtual Pivot Point (VPP) suspension take full advantage of those weight savings.

The VPP platform itself employs two aluminum counter-rotating links to balance smooth travel with a consistently solid pedaling platform. The upper link provides most of the rotation as the bike compresses into the sag point, yielding a vertical wheel path that you'll notice in the form of a firm feel during acceleration. As the bike compresses deeper into the suspension, the lower link activates, moving the axle path rearward. The rearward axle path lets the rear wheel yield gracefully to impacts, so the ride is smooth, not jarring, and pedaling efficiency isn't compromised by the frame's travel, and the Cane Creek Inline shock's Climb Switch adjusts low-speed compression and rebound in order to keep your tires glued to the trail for maximum traction while climbing.

The new Tracer 275 C's head tube loses a full degree, dropping from 67.5 to 66.5. This adds a bit to the wheelbase, too, making for pure, slacked-out aggression that stays pinned to terrain and holds lines like a cat on carpet. The upper linkage also affords two mounting positions, so the Tracer can cycle between 5.5 and 6in of travel, depending on where you attach the shock. The frame's Shimano drivetrain and brakes are routed internally, and it also accommodates stealth dropper routing. The shock is an X-Fusion 02 RL Air, and though the rest of the Foundation build lacks the bling of the Tracer's Pro and Expert build kits, the fork is an uncompromising RockShox Pike RC.