[DHteamrider28]

Hey, I was wondering if all the hype about the Intense M3 is true?....i mean i've heard soo much about how the M3 is 1 of the best race bikes...but is it necessarily better or worse than lets say an IH sunday? or a Turner DHR? or any top of the line bikes? I know 1 thing, though: whenever someone puts them up for sale, they go like hot cakes...and was wondering if a used 1 is really worth upwards of $3000? Asking around for a friend...he's like obsessed with the thing...and i want to stop him from making a mistake (if he is making a mistake at all). Also, if it has any particular problems, please let me know. He mainly races DH, just like me, no hucking or freeride stuff. Just the other day i saw a thread that was comparing the M3 to another bike...i forgot the name of the thread....if anyknows what thread that was, it would help too. Thanks a lot for the help guys.

 

[Transcend]

It's a bike. It won't make you any faster. Get what you can afford and ride it.

 

[DHteamrider28]

It's a bike. It won't make you any faster. Get what you can afford and ride it.

my point exactly...i told my friend that...but he wont listen and will probably like sell 1 of his kidneys for the bike......he's pretty good, but i'm better than him and i used to ride a crappy Azonic Recoil...

 

[dump]

It's a bike. It won't make you any faster. Get what you can afford and ride it.

well put.

 

[DHteamrider28]

i just want to know if blowing $3K on it is a serious mistake or not....i mean saying that i'm better is not a really good point because he usually is right on my tail....and yea he actually can afford it..but i dont want him to waste his money....thanks for the help...keep the feedback comming

 

[zedro]

i....and yea he actually can afford it..but i dont want him to waste his money....

well if the kids stay fed then who cares, if he's in love then theres not much you should do.

Like Frasier said, but if it makes him think he'll be faster, then it just might make him faster... :teacher:

 

[DHteamrider28]

thinking faster will make you go faster i agree with that but i dont care if its love....some guys think a girl loves him when all she does is cheat on him, take his money, and runs

 

[zedro]

....some guys think a girl loves him when all she does is cheat on him, take his money, and runs

yeah, and those are the same guys you can never make see the light; they are doomed and they must secretly enjoy it

 

[DHteamrider28]

yeah, and those are the same guys you can never make see the light; they are doomed and secretly enjoy it

i agree....i actually bet my friend, chris, really is like that....but i still want some feedback on the bike...maybe i can finally make him see the light by beating the crap out of him and feeding him the real facts

 

[zedro]

...maybe i can finally make him see the light by beating the crap out of him....

do it anyways, it'll probably be good for the both of you. I'll film.

 

[DHteamrider28]

You can bet ur ass i'll do it anyway!....but i kinda need a legit reason to do it...and facts about the bike are a really good reasons :evil:

 

[DHteamrider28]

but seriously though....anyone that has an M3 or knows about M3s get back to me with good reasons not to get them....or just state your opinion on whether or not the M3 is worth $3000...thanks a lot

 

[stiksandstones]

M3 is one of the, if not the best DH bike ever made. The sticker price is not just for that, it is the fact the bike is entirely made by hand, in the USA in Temecula Ca.
Some 3rd world country is not putting it together, it is made by people who care about their product, not just meeting deadlines to pump out another 15,000 frames in a week.
You are buying craftsmanship, not a 'unit'.

It is also a placebo effect, if you think its the best thing ever made, you WILL go faster. Another argument is resale, those bikes have tremendous resale in comparison to other mass produced 'units' and finally, 'you get what you pay for'.

 

[DHteamrider28]

yea i guess you're right....thanks man....any1 know about any specific problems or defects that occur on the M3?...keep the feedback comming guys...thanks a lot

 

[COmtbiker12]

Buying my M3 was the absolute greatest bike purchase I've ever made. I'm not some pro calibre dh racer but I think that it's the best bike I've ever ridden and will definitely help me go a lot faster and progress. Would I recommend it for others? Without a doubt.

 

[vitox]

yea i guess you're right....thanks man....any1 know about any specific problems or defects that occur on the M3?...keep the feedback comming guys...thanks a lot

yes they break quicker than what the price tag should warrant, intense probably is good about replacing them if youre in the states though.
the swingarm is longevity challenged in the top yoke. other than that its a sweet bike, very well put together, aesthetically appealing, neither light nor heavy, pretty stiff, and with a geometry thats very raceworthy

 

[DHteamrider28]

thanks man....i've heard customer service is top notch....but i dont know...never dealt with them...tell me how any of your experiences with customer service was...and anyone else have feedback on the M3? thanks a lot guys

 

[dhkid]

do the intense vpp bikes go through bearings fast too?

 

[kidwoo]

do the intense vpp bikes go through bearings fast too?

Yes....

But the m3 is still the best riding dh bike I've had the priviledge to play on.

 

[sanjuro]

Not everybody has $3000, or fortunate enough to live in a NJ suburb. You might want to ride what you can afford, and be grateful you have it.

 

[sayndesyn]

If he can afford it and thats what melts his butter then why not let him get it. Lets face it, this is a hobby and if you weren't doing it to make yourself happy then what's the point.

 

[DHteamrider28]

i guess you all have a point.....i guess i'll stick to beating him in races (and just plainly beating the crap out of him, like i do everyday....we are both 16 and in the same age group and class for racing, so its cool with him...some brotherly feuds never hurt anyone) and making fun of him for blowing $3K on a top of the line bike with which he still wont be able to beat me. Oh and i forgot to mention that he isnt exactly the brightest of the bunch and that doesnt help things..but i'm sure things will be fine. Thanks for all the help and advice from everyone...

 

[Tetreault]

i dont think the price tag is worth what u get in the m3, the turner DHR, canfield f1, or morewood, or either of the pdc's are nicer better overall bikes then the m3 IMO and they are all cheaper with a better warrenty i belive, well maybe not pdc

 

[stubby]

dont give him crap because he has a nice bike, if u had that kind of cash im sure you would get a kick ass bike too!

 

[karpi]

i guess you all have a point.....i guess i'll stick to beating him in races (and just plainly beating the crap out of him, like i do everyday....we are both 16 and in the same age group and class for racing, so its cool with him...some brotherly feuds never hurt anyone) and making fun of him for blowing $3K on a top of the line bike with which he still wont be able to beat me. Oh and i forgot to mention that he isnt exactly the brightest of the bunch and that doesnt help things..but i'm sure things will be fine. Thanks for all the help and advice from everyone...

wow, did something go wrong over the weekend? did he by any chance take out that one girl you wanted? haha, look, as for personal experience, everytime I've had mayor upgrades (forks, frames, handle bars (it made a hell of a difference believe it or not)), I've actually improved, and lot's, why? cause the knowledge that you have something better under your feet makes you push it, stick up to it. Everyone will tell you that it's the guy on the bike that does the majik and not the bike... not entirely true, you can't get were you want to on a bike bought on k-mart than on a bike but in your favorite bike factory... If he has the cash, well let him spend it, it's his money, he could make a mistake, so what? he can sell the dambn thing anyways, he'll have to learn from his mistakes, plus your only 16, it's not like the last bike you'll ever have.

going back to the matter at hand, the m3 is a pure race breed, in eager need of fast circuits. The only problem I've observed down here in Chile is like Vitox said, they don't have good customer service, unless your in the states, and what I've also seen is that they brake in the swingarm. Also one of our local pro's had to do this thing on his shocks to make the bike feel incredible, once he did it, it felt a whole lot better, super plush and damn it was a freak'n nice ride...

 

[luelling]

M3 is one of the, if not the best DH bike ever made. The sticker price is not just for that, it is the fact the bike is entirely made by hand, in the USA in Temecula Ca.
Some 3rd world country is not putting it together, it is made by people who care about their product, not just meeting deadlines to pump out another 15,000 frames in a week.
You are buying craftsmanship, not a 'unit'.

It is also a placebo effect, if you think its the best thing ever made, you WILL go faster. Another argument is resale, those bikes have tremendous resale in comparison to other mass produced 'units' and finally, 'you get what you pay for'.

I currently own and am trying to sell my M3 frame I don't agree. Its a good frame, but I think awesome marketing and strategic position on Santa Cruz's position has made the VPP a sought after commodity. I also don’t think it holds some magic value because its built in the US, saying that we have some one up on someone like Taiwan when it comes to manufacturing is just ignorant. What bike you buy should depend on a combination of budget and riding style. I'm a peddler, light rider and not a plow rider. I felt like my M3 was basically a plow bike and pedaled descent (not some miraculous pedaling machine like some people will have you believe).

 

[A.P]

That alone is bad enough to never let me buy an intense, but prior to reading this you wouldnt catch me on one. Worked at an intense dealer for several years and you wouldnt believe the complete **** we got sent to us. Crooked frames, stripped bolts, plates welded wrong. Intense is shady.
http://forums.farkin.net/showthread.php?t=50517&page=2

 

[Udi]

M3 is one of the, if not the best DH bike ever made. The sticker price is not just for that, it is the fact the bike is entirely made by hand, in the USA in Temecula Ca.
Some 3rd world country is not putting it together, it is made by people who care about their product, not just meeting deadlines to pump out another 15,000 frames in a week.

Yep, intense cycles - handmade american quality. Ever since the original M1's came out, you will get genuine features added to your frame (by proud, hard working americans). Misaligned swingarms, misaligned mainframes, missing gussets, miswelding, or welds missing all together - these are some of the few surprise extras that are thrown in with intense frames. After all, for $3000 they just need to have that little extra - over those cheap, accurately robot welded frames from taiwan!

Did I mention they were hand made? In the USA?

 

[sayndesyn]

hahahha. Hey, sometimes a worker needs to drink a 12 pack of PBR at lunch just to take the edge off.

Yep, intense cycles - handmade american quality. Ever since the original M1's came out, you will get genuine features added to your frame (by proud, hard working americans). Misaligned swingarms, misaligned mainframes, missing gussets, miswelding, or welds missing all together - these are some of the few surprise extras that are thrown in with intense frames. After all, for $3000 they just need to have that little extra - over those cheap, accurately robot welded frames from taiwan!

Did I mention they were hand made? In the USA?

 

[SuspectDevice]

I thought Intense's were built in America by hardworking Mexicans Like S+M?

If you want a the only highend race-bred American built Aluminum bike that is built by the guy who designs them, any lasts many seasons, I have an idea where you can look...

 

[Cant Climb]

From first had accounts the M3 is very durable, rides incredible,
and very low maintenance which is surprising....

The M3 isn't part of the RM gob-knob fest but its an outstanding bike
from everything i have seen and experienced...

.....if you got the resources to buy it then go for it, you won't be disappointed. After you first day of riding it you'll understand how dialed the bike is.....

 

[Brian HCM#1]

It's a bike. It won't make you any faster. Get what you can afford and ride it.

Thats not true, a better feeling bike CAN make you faster and ride better.

 

[DIRTWRKS]

yes they break quicker than what the price tag should warrant, intense probably is good about replacing them if youre in the states though.
the swingarm is longevity challenged in the top yoke. other than that its a sweet bike, very well put together, aesthetically appealing, neither light nor heavy, pretty stiff, and with a geometry thats very raceworthy

What are youi talking about, there were some issues with relaibilty on the M1 .....specifically with the rear end but I know a dozen or more racers on M3's ... going on two years now and not a single one has had a failure or shown any weakness in the main frame or rear etc.,

 

[Cant Climb]

What are youi talking about, there were some issues with relaibilty on the M1 .....specifically with the rear end but I know a dozen or more racers on M3's ... going on two years now and not a single one has had a failure or shown any weakness in the main frame or rear etc.,

So true.....surprisingly durable bike. The down tube looks like it would dent easy but if you knock with your knuckles its like armor plating.....

Very low stress ride.....

 

[sharkdh]

M3 is the only frame I ever owned that lasted more than 1 season
'and I ride Whistler every weekend.'


every weekend you nobgobs

 

[peachy]

i know i'm lusting for one. i have a VPX and i love it. Intense CS have been very good to me. Intense for life.

 

[punkassean]

my buddies M3 is on ebay and it's closing in 18 minutes. It's only at $2,400 complete and it's a NICE bike. Not spamming just letting M3 whores know of a really good deal.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/INTENSE-M3-RACE-BIKE-SHIMANO-SAINT-MAVIC-DEE-MAX_W0QQitemZ7240748520QQcategoryZ98083QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

 

[sayndesyn]

Damn... If I didn't already have a sweet Sunday I would snag that bike up..

 

[Frorider1]

I have seen 12 year old kids riding m3's becuase their parents bought them. I can't help but feel that people riding m3's or bikes like that are either extremely good or beginers/horrible. I dont know why that is but it holds true in my experiences biking for the past 10 years.

If you got the money and you got the skill, buy it!!!