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My son has a 2015 Medium aluminium Intense Tracer 275a, bought used. Recently the 2nd top of the rear pivot bolts fell out and bearing was at an angle as result so bike shop sorted it. Has happened twice since, the last time I had checked the torque 2-3 days before and had been fine (bike shop had applied loctite the 3rd time). They mentioned after the first episode that the rear triangle was out a few mm on one side which meant it was difficult to line up the pivot joint, outwith normal tolerances, may have been a manufacture error or from some sort of riding incident. Means this is going to keep happening ..currently every 2-3 weeks. Wheel is centred fine.
So obviously not a warranty issue as I bought used. Seller genuine and no issues prior. Intense UK have one rear triangle in the UK but different colour and pricey (red, front is grey) for £600.
Other components are decent (Yari forks recently serviced, Shimano dropper, XT etc)
What would you do? Used rear from eBay if it comes up?
If he went with a new (or used) frame what would be sensible? (He is 13y old, his life savings bought the bike so money is an issue...)
I'm not really a MTB but have built a few road bikes so don't mind swapping some stuff but don't want to get caught out by expensive issues with different standards etc.
He is gutted as only bike and summer here so I'm trying to sort it asap....
intense are legendary for wonky alu frames.
I`m suprised the bearing bolts come undone thou especially if loctited. are the bearings good? or is it binding bushes?
if iots that bad its new frame time really. I buy all my stuff second hand and its one of those things you get with a second hand bike.
I bought a giant once with 'good' bearings. only one (of 8!) was able to be moved by a finger on disassambly.
I do believe Intense have previous on this. Such a shame for your lad. My sympathies.
I think perhaps if I was going to spend a further £600, I'd maybe chase down a used frame from another brand.
I'd still contact intense mind you and see what they have to say about such shonky product.
The bike shop spoke to them initially. They replaced all the bearings after the first episode...I think they said 4 were done and the other 4 would need done in the near future so we just did them all.
I've emailed Intense UK today explaining the situation in the hope there is something they can offer.
I've had a couple of Intense bikes and their QC leaves a lot to be desired. One was fine, but the other was wonky as hell. I don't think I'd spend £600 on a rear triangle. (Do they even make the Alu version? £600 seems a bit over the top for a new old stock item.)
Like Kayak23 said, perhaps keep an eye out for a different frame.
I’m not up on my Intense frames but I think the Tracer is a 140-160mm travel enduro ish kind of bike? I think I’d be looking at a new (to you) replacement frame rather than paying £600 for a new rear triangle. When I looked before there were quite a few Nukeproof Mega frames around secondhand for that sort of price just as an example.
The Sonder Evol might not have enough travel but I think those frames are pretty reasonable for a new one.
I do believe Intense have previous on this.
Is it an Intense warranty issue when the bolts work loose enough to fall out? Even the OP says that it may have been caused by a riding incident. (Or possibly by a teenager riding a bike to death? The fact that a bolt that holds suspension in place was at an angle doesn’t sound as if there was much maintenance done.)
I haven’t heard or read any big problems that the current Intense range are suffering. And I’m interested because I own one.
For clarification the bolts were checked around 6 weeks prior to the first episode. On that occasion the bolt fell out completely whilst riding, but on checking afterwards those specific bearings (not the bolt) were at an angle in the frame, so I just assumed that they had been dislodged as the bolt worked its way out.
He is very lightweight, and absolutely scrupulous about checking cleaning lubricating the bike after each ride as he is learning how to maintain. It has been used on blue and red trails, and our local trail. No crashes or anything out of the norm but of course we cannot exclude something happening on landing a jump etc
All rather odd really.
I'm awaiting Intense UK response to my email to see if there is anything they can offer but as above the cost seems prohibitive currently.
I'll take a look at the Nukeproof and Sonder frames thanks.
Any other frame recommendations welcome...(currently 160mm travel)
Check out BikeActive for frames.
They are quite good to do a deal with.
But yeah I would hold tight on an answer from UK Intense to resolve or partially help situation.
A second hand Spesh Enduro frame would either be 160mm up to 2017 and 170mm 2018 onwards.
Or a Nomad... but might be a bit pricier?
I bet it was like that from the factory.
My old Socom's swingarm was hilariously badly aligned. It used to pull the same trick - if you removed one of the pivot bolts, it popped out of alignment and you needed some serious force on the swingarm to flex it back into alignment to get the bolt back in.
That bike also liked to pull the loosening pivot bolt trick.
I vote you try some stronger loctite, and let it set well before riding. Worked for me. Can't remember exactly which loctite I used as we're talking 10 years ago at least, but I think it was one step down from the 'you're never getting this off again, ever' grade.
I wouldn't buy another intense after that experience...
Was it the left-hand top pivot bolt by chance?
Loctite and tight as poss ignore the torque setting. Go tight.
The few mm twist just ignore it.
OK Intense have said £600 for the rear triangle so that is a no go.
Thanks for all the advice above. Plan is to speak to the bike shop today about a different loctite approach and I guess sensible in the background to look into whole frames as above.
I guess the things to check re compatibility are:
Dropper post diameter
Wheel standard (currently non boost wheels)
Suspension fork- diameter/tapered etc and length of steerer?
BB type
Headset?
Anything else?
Photo of the offending area included. Out by this much, bike shops says pretty much the same even with the other bolts removed.
Just to say a good word for Intense. 9 or so years back when the Tracer VP rears were cracking they replace my second hand for free. It was the UK importer that was adding a massive handling charge.
They must believe this is not a design issue.
Could try new bolts as they are pretty soft. I've also used a small amount of loctite red on frame bolts before, never needed a torch to get them off but it's a risk.
Youch look at those poor welds
OK things got more interesting. Intense looked at the photo and my email (copied and pasted my original post from here basically) and have offered to examine the frame as they think it is a bit odd that the bolt keeps dropping out. They offered to pay for the return postage if I paid to send it to them (I think they are nearby so will hopefully just drop off and collect).
So an impressive response from them for a non warranty frame I bought used (they know this).
I'll update in due course.
Awesomez!
Well done! 🤘rock on!🤘 hopefully
I recently cracked my new(ish) Carbine rear triangle. Different circumstances, I know, but, it was my fault (branch through rear wheel)
Sent them a photo; 10 days later new rear triangle delivered to my LBS.
UPDATE:
Dropped off the bike Wed and picked up Fri .. rear triangle was felt to be within the tolerances of those older frames and so problem was the failing coarse threaded bolts of the old style suspension links. They replaced the links with the newer v3 links which take finer threads, re greased torqued frame bolts etc and replaced any bearings showing wear. They also bled the brakes and gave us the low down on a couple of little jobs we need to address soon ourselves. Massive discount on the parts.
Ross at Saddleback dealt with the bike, and showed my boy around the building etc, had him drooling over the bikes there and generally treated him like a future MTB colleague.
Honestly the service from them has been fantastic, especially as this was a second hand bike so no question of a warranty claim.
Interestingly my boy had a similarly amazing experience taking his suspension forks into TFTuned (also local to us) where he was allowed into the workshop and talked through/shown some work being done on his fork, with advice on how to do lower leg services himself.
I can't commend them highly enough.
Great to hear Dougal, and superb work by Saddleback. Woo and indeed hoo
🙂
Nice one, kid must be chuffe
This is “most excellent” to hear.
They must have seen this thread for you to get a result like that.
Or they were spoken to with respect and patience by a future customer? But yeah, a bit of pressure from social media sometimes helps. Well done Saddleback anyway.
Top job all round then 👍
Like previously mentioned by me let the 🤘ROCK🤘 commence
Yes a great result....he hasn't been off his bike since we collected it.
(I've not mentioned this thread to them, and although I used the info from my OP in my email to them, I reworded it as an email. So not put any social media pressure on them, nor made them aware of this at all.)