INTENSE SNIPER XC EXPERT
£3,794 (inc. shipping) By far the cheapest bike on test, and with descending DNA, how does it fare uphill?
With Intense having forged their reputation in downhill racing, this 100mm-travel XC bike has particular pedigree on the descents, but it’s no slouch on the climbs, either.
THE FRAME
The full-carbon Sniper boasts modern geometry, including a long reach (468mm, large) and a slackfor-XC 67.5-degree head angle. While standover room is good, the seat tube is tall (488mm), so we had to run the 150mm dropper post slammed in the frame. Intense’s JS Link suspension is a virtual pivot point set-up, giving more control over the rear wheel’s arc and reaction to pedal, brake and bump inputs. Cables are routed internally, but we had to ziptie the rear brake hose to the frame to prevent it rubbing the spokes. There are two bottles mounts in the front triangle.
THE KIT
At nearly £700 and £900 cheaper than the other bikes, it’s no surprise the kit here isn’t as flash, but we didn’t feel left short. Shimano’s SLX drivetrain performs almost identically to XT, and you get triple-compound Maxxis Rekon tyres, although the e*thirteen XCX rims they’re fitted to are a bit narrow (24mm, internal). The Fox 32 StepCast fork and Float DPS shock are more basic Performance-level units, the former with simpler GRIP damper. It’s the only bike here with a dropper, but lacks a remote suspension lockout.
THE RIDE
While it doesn’t have the super-direct drive feel of the KTM, the Sniper’s twinlink suspension works well uphill. With the shock damping left open, it’s not super-firm, but certainly doesn’t feel wallowy or soft. On smooth ascents, we rarely felt the need to switch the lever on the shock body to ‘medium’ or ‘firm’ – just as well, as it’s tricky to reach. The bike did well on our root-infested test climbs, too, its suspension keeping it driving forward, boosting grip and helping us maintain a rhythm up steps.
The only time we caught the Intense out uphill was on tightly-packed ‘camel humps’, where the back end dropped deep into its travel as the rear wheel rolled through the dip in the middle, before lurching over the next bump. We attributed this, in part, to the slack 74-degree seat tube angle putting too much weight over the wheel. When sprinting, there was more pedal bob than on the KTM, but less than on the
Scott – both of which benefit from a remote lockout.
Its prowess on fast, loose descents – assuming you get on with the rounded profile of the narrow Rekon tyres – is no surprise, given Intense’s heritage and the stability provided by its slack head angle and generous reach. JS Link suspension hasn’t always gained fans in longer-travel applications, but in this 100mm guise there’s decent support and ample progression. While it will use all of its travel, it doesn’t feel like you crash off the base of the shock too regularly. We also found it the easiest suspension here to set up just right.
The Sniper sits between the KTM and Scott in terms of smoothness down rocky or rooty tracks. It doesn’t ping around, but it’s not quite a magic carpet ride, so demands attention on bumpier terrain. This isn’t helped by the tyres, which, at 2.25in wide and on narrow rims, don’t have much volume, further reducing composure over bumpy surfaces. Chassis stiffness is well-balanced, though, enabling you to confidently keep the bike on-line. It’s not so stiff that it ricochets from rock to rock, but avoids feeling soggy when you load it up into a berm. A stiffer fork would only boost the bike’s capabilities, as the 32 SC can flutter when pushed.
Where the Sniper shines is on tight, twisting descents that aren’t overly rough. It’s eager to chop and change direction, and we always felt in control when we locked the rear brake to flick it round a bend. The relatively wide 760mm bar and shortish 50mm stem help here, while the inclusion of a dropper rather than a remote lockout will be a bonus for all but the most dyed-in-the-wool XC racers. It makes a world of difference when your tyres are scrabbling for grip and your fork’s travel is used up, allowing you to slam the saddle out of the way, drop your heels and let the bike rip.