Intense’s Spider 29 Comp is a new carbon version of the Spider, which bumps travel up a quarter inch from the alloy model to 4.5-5 inches. They had a few almost-production models available at DealerCamp for us to weigh and photo, and they look good.
The bikes share many of the features of their other mountain bikes, including adjustable rear travel and interchangeable G1 dropouts.
It has internal cable routing for the drivetrain and partially for the Stealth Reverb with nylon tunnels inside the frame to guide the housing through. They ran the Reverb hose outside the downtube to the bottom because they run a solid carbon tube through the BB, so this let’s it route in easily above the BB and through the seat tube. Standard external routing for other dropper posts is hidden under the top tube, too. All in all, it looks to be a pretty versatile big wheeler…
The Spider 29er Comp was developed in conjunction with SEED Engineering, much like their Hard Eddie.
Lower shock mount has two positions to change travel using a single Allen bolt. The suspension continues their use of the VPP design. All pivot points use angular contact/collet bearings with replaceable grease injection points.
Alloy pivot mounts are bonded onto the top of the carbon rear triangle and are left unpainted (better view of this two pics up). Designer Jeff Steber says this is intentional because the materials have different flex characteristics and when they’re smoothed and painted over, the paint can crack and look like a structural defect when in fact it’s just cosmetic.
FLK GRD protective panel on the lower downtube and BB protect the frame from flying rocks.
ISCG05 tabs are built into the frame. Front derailleur is direct mount.
Even with 5″ of travel, chainstay length is just 17.5″. Interchangeable G1 dropouts let you run a standard QR 135 rear axle or 12×142 thru axle.
Head angle is 68° with a 140mm fork set at 5″ of travel. Steber says most people will run it at 5″ out back since you can put up to a 150mm fork. The hump at the headtube gives it more surface area for the top tube while letting them get the top tube slanted lower and still position the shock mounts for the desired shock rate.
Frame should be available in November. Pricing should be very close to their Carbine SL, around $2,800, with a Fox Kashima shock.
Frame is about 5.5 pounds (claimed) for a medium in the matte finish. These two complete bikes were built up with a random sampling of goods. The lighter weight black/red bike has lower profile XC tires, XTR group, standard seatpost and no pedals to come in at 26lb 3oz. The black one has pedals, a Reverb dropper post and much, much fatter knobbiest and came in at 29lb 15oz.
