yeah i think that's the more likely case..Do you think it might pave the way for the M6 Evo?
if anyone knows the value of selling to the public what they make for their racers, it's Intense. that's been their brand from the very beginning.Well, the WC guys can get whatever frame they want whenever... So I mean don't necessarily need to offer those to public.
I was gonna say, I thought that was part of their business model.if anyone knows the value of selling to the public what they make for their racers, it's Intense. that's been their brand from the very beginning.
I was told something else.......Directly from the horses mouth on teh M6 evo..... " The Evo was never intended to be sold or ridden very long, its purpose is testing, very few will ever get the opportunity to ride them, we used its adjustability to come up with the 951's geo, Its cool we have a bike we can go through, add a ton of options. The go out, ride it till we find what we like and build a bike to match it. You might find some of the adjustments coming available on other bike, but the evo just isnt going to be sold as a production bike.""
I was at a Demo, and asked very specifically about the M6 evo, that was the drawn out answer.
As long as they keep to make their bikes inhouse I think they should still be able to produce/sell spares for older bikes.As much as I do like some of the Intense frames, I'd be concerned about being a long term owner of one. Things like this make me wonder - since 2007, they have had...4 or 5 different DH frames? M3, M6, 951, Socom, M6 Evo (maybe, maybe not). These production runs have got to be pretty damn small, and getting spares for these more than 1 or 2 years after purchase cannot be the easiest thing in the world.
I know quite a few guys still rocking their M1's, and that is the #1 thing they worry about with the frame. They all know something about it will break eventually, but being SOL on parts has them looking at other options.
It kind of reminds me how Honda makes significant chassis changes to their dirt bikes EVERY YEAR.
Not the case as far as I know. A mate of mine cracked the swing link on his M3 in the last few months, and had an absoloute ball ache of a time getting the part for it. In fact I think for a while he had to run an M6 link giving him 7 inches of travel. Intense told him they didn't have any parts for him. In the end I think he got one from a WC mechanic in Morzine, sold it and bought a Sunday.As long as they keep to make their bikes inhouse I think they should still be able to produce/sell spares for older bikes.
Well means there is one less reason to buy from inhouse companies. Well at least some of them. What is the real point of making your frames like that when the support is below par of some of the ones made in Asia? A sticker?Not the case as far as I know. A mate of mine cracked the swing link on his M3 in the last few months, and had an absoloute ball ache of a time getting the part for it. In fact I think for a while he had to run an M6 link giving him 7 inches of travel. Intense told him they didn't have any parts for him. In the end I think he got one from a WC mechanic in Morzine, sold it and bought a Sunday.
Exactly why I like "in house" companies! Plus I'm all about supporting the "Made in America" logo when I can.Well i don't know about the whole lack of support. I ripped my dropout off of my M3 like 3 weeks ago. Called up intense they milled me a brand new one from scratch on the factory floor, i had it in my hands like 2 days later.
The fast development proces is nice but looking at how much delays my friend had when waiting for his uzzi (supposedly delayed due to the whole 951 thing) it doesn't always work like it should.Intense will fab stuff for you if you know who to talk to and don't act like a tool(big bike biz no no).
I like the fact that intense makes many different bikes. They are on top of thier game. The public can see a WC rider on a bike and if there is aenough demand Intense can have the bike on bike shop floors in a couple weeks. That is the beauty of doing everything in house except for painting/powder coating.
It was much more due to 951 development if I remember right. They pushed the dates because they were not bound by orders in the factories so it can swing both ways. Though I may be not fully informed. Still I don't really care where my bike is done as long as it's done and does what it should.To be successful you have to keep production where the volume is. You are going to run into these issues no matter how large of a operation you have.
It is better than waiting 2 weeks for the bike to float accross the Pacific just to find out there was a mess up during fabrication in Taiwan and the frames need to be sent back, scrapped and rebuilt.
I don't know if they are that much different from other manufacturers in terms of model turnover. Every model is made 3-4 years then replaced with a newer model. M6 production was short though, like 2 years.As much as I do like some of the Intense frames, I'd be concerned about being a long term owner of one. Things like this make me wonder - since 2007, they have had...4 or 5 different DH frames? M3, M6, 951, Socom, M6 Evo (maybe, maybe not). These production runs have got to be pretty damn small, and getting spares for these more than 1 or 2 years after purchase cannot be the easiest thing in the world.
With M1 parts is a hit or miss. Some parts they still have, others they don't. But show me any other manufacturer's DH bike from 2003 (last year they made it) that you still can get on hold of spare parts! Once in a while cheap NOS spares and used frames show up on ebay, so to keep the old bikes rolling this might be the way to go.I know quite a few guys still rocking their M1's, and that is the #1 thing they worry about with the frame. They all know something about it will break eventually, but being SOL on parts has them looking at other options.
I don't know, maybe I have different expectations from a bike company, but if I have paid two and half thousand pounds for a frame, I don't expect to have to be 'in' with guys in the company just to get spare parts for it. Likewise, of course I wouldn't be a tool on the phone to anyone, but I don't want to have to kiss ring to get decent service. The M1 I can understand a lack of parts for, not the M3 or later. Sometimes I think the bike industry gets away with a lot of nonsense and basically forgetting that we are paying customers by playing on the 'community' bro-love thing.Intense will fab stuff for you if you know who to talk to and don't act like a tool(big bike biz no no).
As long as the WC tracks will look like Schladming, Val di sole or Maribor I'm quite sure that big stable bikes will still be usefullThis looks like a trend now. First Yeti dropping the 303dh. (Or at least it is not on there web site). Now Intense axing the M6. Both are replaced with more active designs. There appears to be a trend to lighter more agile bikes going on here.
Are the days of point and plow over???
I am pretty sure that the V10 remains the only bike in their line up to be made on these shores, there may be one other though I can't remember.Exactly why I like "in house" companies! Plus I'm all about supporting the "Made in America" logo when I can.
Are all the Santa Cruz bike still made in the US? I thought I heard that a couple were actually being made overseas. I was thinking that Rob was better then that.
I thought the V10 was outsourced last year? Doesnt it just say designed in USA on the frame now?I am pretty sure that the V10 remains the only bike in their line up to be made on these shores, there may be one other though I can't remember.
I'm 99.9% positive that you are correct about the V10 being made here in the States.I am pretty sure that the V10 remains the only bike in their line up to be made on these shores, there may be one other though I can't remember.
Not for a while now. I remember 2 or so years ago some buddies were waiting for ages for the 08 v-10's because they had huge supplier/mfg issues over in taiwan and the frames took forever to get across the pond.I don't think any of them are made in the US anymore... even the V10