Intense cycles are synonymous with race wins. They’re a bike-building company that knows what they’re doing. Then they entered the world of e-bikes, took their knowledge of well-built cycles, and teamed up with top-notch companies like Shimano to bring an e-bike that doesn’t disappoint.
If you’re brand new to the world of Class 1 e-bikes, and are used to full power from your motor on an e-moto or dirt bike, let’s just say don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it’. Class 1 e-bike refers to ‘pedal-assist’, they don’t have a throttle. Instead, the motor is activated when you pedal. The motor also cuts out when a predetermined speed is reached. In most cases, this is 20mph to meet legal requirements. Check out this article here to hear my experience with e-bikes, and for an in depth review of the Intense brand.
The Intense Tazer MX Alloy Expert has been designed with dirt bike riders in mind. It has a dirt bike feel, components that come from companies you’d expect in the moto world, and this Intense Tazer MX Expert can only be bought from moto companies.
So what makes this Intense Tazer MX Alloy Expert e-bike so good? Let’s check out the facts…
Intense Tazer MX Alloy Expert Specs
The Intense Tazer MX Alloy Expert e-bike follows suit with all Intense cycles. It is a high-performance machine. And while it isn’t exactly cheap, there are much more expensive hobbies that you could choose. Don’t be fooled by the e-bike part – you’ll still be getting a workout from all the downhill runs you can do, so technically, you’re investing in your health…
Anyway, enough about e-bike logic, let’s look at the components that make up the Intense Tazer MX Alloy, and see what all the fuss is about.
Frame
One thing you might have noticed on many e-bikes is the bulgy frame that houses the battery. It might just be me, but it’s kinda ugly. However, Intense have done a great job of making this frame look sleek. It’s got some clean lines and the 504Wh battery fits nicely into the tube.
Motor
The Shimano EP600 motor assists with power until the cutout speed, allowing this to be a Class 1 e-bike in most locations around the world. It delivers up to 85Nm of torque in a smooth progression, which makes the ride feel very natural. With three power modes, you can select the option best suited to the terrain you’re riding.
Suspension
On the front, you have 160mm of fork travel from the DVO Diamond E3 fork. It has a closed cartridge damper with adjustments for low speed compression, rebound, and a volume spacer adjustment. Check out this article here that explains all the fine details of fork suspension.
On the rear is the DVO Jade X E3 coil shock which gives you a progressive feel. If you’ve wondered why coil and not air, check out this article here that dives into the pros and cons of each. This shock has 155mm of travel, which is what you need when landing jumps down the run. As a pair – the DVO Diamond fork matched with the Jade X shock – you’ll find the Intense Tazer Expert glides over rough sections while also not bottoming out when landing jumps.
Tires
While not technically suspension, the tires also play a huge role in maintaining traction. Something that I’ve always found is it doesn’t matter how your bike is geared, or how good the pedal assist is, if the suspension and tire choice aren’t good, you’ll be slipping the rear tire when climbing the hills. It’s important to have something that works great for both the up and the down hills.
The stock tires that come on the Intense Tazer Expert MX e-bike are Maxxis Minion 29” x 2.60” on the front and 27.5” x 2.80” on the rear. Although we love modding our rides here at GritShift, I have to say, you really don’t need to change these! These are downhill spec, with aggressive tread that helps both in acceleration and staying planted while leaning the bike around flat turns. There’s nothing worse than the rear tire trying to overtake your front when attempting to pull up quickly! The way the center tread is positioned helps dig in while under braking, allowing the tire to ‘grab’ the dirt, which allows for much better stopping capabilities.
Drivetrain
The Intense Tazer Expert MX Pro comes with some top-end Shimano gear paired with e*thirteen, a company known for top-notch cycle parts. The Shimano Deore 11-speed shifter moves through the gears on the e*thirteen cassette. The crazy thing is this cassette goes from a 9-tooth sprocket up to a 46-tooth! That will cover almost every type of terrain you’ll encounter from steep climbs to the flats.
Where do you ride your Intense?
With all those parts placed together on the sturdy Intense Alloy frame, you need some epic locations to ride. Or do you? Downhill runs would have to be my favorite. It’s something about getting out into the fresh air amongst the trees, so naturally, I would have to say put aside some time in your diary to find your local tracks.
However… the bonus with e-bikes is you can ride to your local track and still have the energy to ride numerous uptracks. I also use mine for commuting into the city, just be sure to grab yourself a good quality lock like this BikeMaster lock if you might leave your e-bike somewhere. This one is lightweight, so I always keep it in my backpack as you never know when you need to run in for a coffee!
What about all the other Intense e-bikes?
Did you notice the Intense Tazer MX Expert Alloy we’re talking about has ‘MX’ in its name? This is something special. Intense have created a range that is tailored to the dirtbike/e-moto fan. The componentry and even the feel has been designed for someone from the moto world. Only moto stores can sell these Intense Tazer e-bikes, we’re fortunate to be an official dealer here at GritShift. And yes, we’re out on them all the time. Check out Instagram to see what we put these e-bikes through!
You get the option of two MX categories, Alloy and Carbon frames. Here is the lineup:
Alloy
- Intense Tazer Recon MX Alloy Adventure E-Bike
- Intense Tazer MX Alloy Expert Build E-Bike
Carbon
- Intense Tazer MX Carbon Expert Build E-Bike
- Intense Tazer MX Carbon Pro Build E-Bike
All Tazer e-bikes are similar, but each model has a few key differences, the main one being the carbon frame is slightly lighter. In the Alloy range, the Recon Adventure has 27.5” wheels front and rear compared to the 29” front/ 27.5 rear in the Expert. The Expert has slightly longer shock travel, and slightly different gearing, while the Adventure comes setup with saddle bags for adventuring.
One thing that remains constant is whichever e-bike you choose, get out to the hills and have some fun!
Check out the full range here (USA readers only, for readers outside the USA please contact your local dealers)
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