While this frame had multiple identities during its evolution -- S.O.S. (Sea Otter Special), 6.66, and Suzzi (6 Point 6/ Uzzi) -- it had anything but an identity crisis. Intense was getting consistent feedback from the likes of Chris Kovarik and the Intense Factory Team that the M3 and Uzzi frames were overkill for many of the sweeping, wide open UCI courses, and they wanted something faster and lighter (don't we all?) to better suit the conditions. Intense immediately went to work, unveiling the first working prototype for the 2006 Sea Otter.

At Sea Otter, Intense had the team on what they stated was a 6 Point 6 front triangle with a modified Uzzi rear. That said, we couldn't help but notice the lack of the Uzzi machined replaceable dropouts and striking similarity to the 6 Point 6 -- only it had a Manitou Revox Ti. Regardless, the end result is similar to what they originally claimed, effectively mating a beefed-up 6 Point 6 front triangle to a modified and lightened Uzzi rear, including the machined replaceable dropouts. As the final product tips the scales at just 9.5 pounds (we weighed a Medium works with Fox DHX 5.0 Coil), the Socom FRO is significantly lighter than the M3 or Uzzi, but doesn't sacrifice any toughness.

The Socom FRO features 8" of travel with a stock Fox DHX 5.0 Coil, or for an upcharge of $350 (steel coil) or $575 (titanium coil), you have the option to upgrade to a Cane Creek Double Barrel. It gets a 1.5" steerer to accommodate oversize bearings and stabilize the front of the bike for high speeds and long travel. And, geometry is extremely similar to the race-proven M3, one of the most legendary downhill bikes ever. Add Intense's Virtual Pivot Point (VPP) suspension to the mix , and you've got a recipe for success. VPP uses dual pivot coupling at its main pivot point. This coupling allows two adjoining pivots to rotate opposite each other as the suspension compresses (top pivots rotate counter-clockwise, while bottom pivots rotate clockwise), which causes the rear axle to follow a backwards S-path distinctly dissimilar to the vertical path taken by a traditional 4-bar linkage. This helps give a VPP bike the same level of "activeness" as a 4-bar, but it does so while causing pedaling forces to drive the rear wheel downward rather than up. The resulting traction makes the Socom corner like it's on rails and smooth through the chatter.

The Intense Socom FRO is optimized for a 180mm-200 mm travel fork. It's available in Intense Red, Stealth Black, Pearl White, Works (raw aluminum) or Midnight Blue. Or for a $125 upcharge and 3-4 week wait, you can customize your M3 in any of the following colors: Java, Platinum, Works Red, Works Blue, Black Chrome, Hot Rod Orange, Baby Blue or Iron Grey. It uses a 31.6mm seatpost and is 8” rotor compatible. It features a 73mm bottom bracket shell, 12mm rear axle (not included) and options for 135mm or 150mm rear hub spacing. It is specifically engineered to accept only a single chainring crank, and will not accept a front derailleur. Please note that while the Socom FRO receives the same great warranty as other Intense frames, they stress that the frame is designed for what it is named -- For Race Only.

2008 Intense Socom FRO Pricing
	Frame	Shimano FR/DH	SRAM FR/DH
Socom FRO	$2629	4983	5164

2008 Intense Socom FRO Geometry

Size	Seat Tube	Effective Top Tube	Stand Over	BB Height	Head Tube Angle	Seat Tube Angle	Head Tube	Chainstay Length
S	15.75	22	28	14.125	66.5	n/a	4.625	17.25
M	16.75	23	29	14.125	66.5	n/a	4.625	17.25
L	18.25	24	30	14.125	66.5	n/a	5.25	17.25
All lengths are measured in inches.