Intense has just announced its 2022 model line-up in the XC and Trail segments, releasing details of specs, colours and prices, but the real news is that there’s stock available now, and crucially for UK customers, the price you see is the price you pay. That means no additional freight, customs, VAT duty or other incidental fees.

At the heart of the Temecula, California based brand’s range is the Primer trail bike. Launched back in 2019 (for MY20) the current platform uses a carbon frame in two different lay-ups, the virtual pivot JS suspension linkage delivering 140mm travel and three wheel size options – 29in, 27.5in and mixed wheel mullet. For MY22, Intense has kept the same frame but ditched the mullet option, so you can choose from specific 29in or 27.5in models with dedicated frames for each wheel size. Click here to read our full review of the 2020 Intense Primer 29 Pro.

Intense Primer

As well as frame-only options, Intense offers fully built up models. For the Primer 29 and Primer 275, there’s the entry-level Expert spec with Fox 36 Performance fork and Performance Float X shock, eThirteen LG1 Enduro wheels and a SRAM NX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain.UK price (all inclusive) is £3,999 (same price for both wheel sizes).

Intense Primer

Additionally, the Primer 29 is offered in a ‘S’ spec with Ohlins RXF 36 M.2 fork and TTX22M coil shock. This also comes with eThirteen LG1 Enduro wheels but the drivetrain is Shimano XT and brakes are Magura MT7 Pro. UK pricing is £5,699.

The other bike that Intense has so far released info on (we’re expecting to see a new enduro bike with a lower link driven shock at some point in the future) is the MY22 Sniper. This short travel XC bike comes in two flavours – the thoroughbred Sniper XC with 100mm travel and the down-country Sniper T (for trail) with 120mm travel. Both are pure 29ers and come either as a frame-only or fully built up.

Intense Sniper XC FRO

Starting with the Sniper XC, this is only available with a single build kit. Given its racy premise, the FRO (For Racing Only – wonder how Yeti feels about that?) runs a top end spec with RockShox SID Ultimate SL fork and SIDLuxe shock. Shifting is from SRAM’s wireless XX1 Eagle AXS drivetrain and there are further weight saving measures such as Kind Shock’s Lev-CI carbon dropper post. It also gets a lighter back end and a magnesium lower link to complement the carbon upper link. Claimed weight is 10.18kg in size medium. UK price is £7,999.

On the trail size, the Sniper T gets three build kits. The Expert bike comes with a SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain, Fox 34 Performance fork and eThirteen XCX XC wheels for £3,899.

The Sniper T Pro runs an upgraded Performance Elite fork, DT Swiss XM1700 wheels and a SRAM GX/X01 Eagle drivetrain for £5,499.

At the top of the tree sits the Sniper T Elite with a Fox 34 Factory fork, SRAM X01 Eagle drivetrain, DT Swiss XRC 1501 carbon wheels and that carbon KS dropper post. The T models use a stiffer, twin upright back end and alloy lower link, which add some weight over the Sniper XC. Claimed weight for the Sniper T Elite in size medium is 11.65kg and the price is £6,299.