For 2021 Intense has given the popular Primer a refresh. The bike gets new colourways and the brand has sharpened the price points of all models, including the frame only options. 

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Aimed to be the most versatile bike in the Intense range, it comes with 140mm of rear travel paired with 150mm at the front. As before it's available in 29" or 650b wheelsizes but the Primer S has cut off the mullet, getting 29" wheels at both ends.

Rather than donning a 29" hoop at the front with a 650b at the back as the previous iteration did, Intense is offering the Primer S as the brands blingy top of the range offering.

Adding to the bling factor is suspension from Ohlins in the form of the RXF36 M.2 fork and the TTX22M coil shock. The bike also gets fancy stoppers from Magura and the MT7 brakes.

Shimano provides the shifting with the XT 12-speed groupset and there's E*Thirteen's Infinite dropper post with size-specific travel.

In a size M, the Primer S is set to weigh 14.7kg.

As for the 29 and 275 versions of the bike, they get Fox 36s and a Fox DPX2 at the rear on all models.

Expert and Pro models come with the same E*Thirteen dropper and XT shifting matched with XT brakes.

The frames come built with some extra fancy bits to make life on it that much easier. Frames come with rattle-free internal cable routing and a carbon integrated top link.

The suspension platform is built around the JS Tuned design. It uses two counter-rotating links that connect the front and rear ends. The heart of the design is at the JS Tuned Trail Link which promises great pedaling efficiency at the start of the stroke with a supportive midstroke and a plush, progressive ride through the rest of the stroke.

There's also a Flak Guard, to keep the downtube safe from flying rocks and a threaded BB for easy maintenance. 

While the spec doesn't differ from the 275 and 29 model, there are a couple of differences in geometry.

The 29 comes with (on a large) a 475mm reach, a 65.9° head angle with 440mm chainstays, and a 75° seat angle. All of that is flip-chippable to also offer a slacker 65.3° head angle and it'll drop the BB by 8mm.

The changes are subtle on the 275. It has the same reach but gets a 65° head angle, 432mm chainstays, and 74.9° seat angle. Again it's flip-chippable to slack the bike to a 64.6° head angle with the same drop in BB height.

All models of the Primer come in four sizes, Small up to Extra Large.

The prices for the Primer line up has also had a bit of an update. Frame only options start at £2,400 for the 275 and 29 frames whereas the Primer S frame will set you back £2550 for the Ohlins goodness.

Full builds start at £3,500 for the base Expert model and top out at £5,600 for the Primer S.

• intensecycles.com

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