INTENSE 5.5 FRO 07.
Long-travel Trailbike
R. Cunningham
Initially, Intense attributed the FRO (For Racing Only), designation to only its cross-country and downhill racing designs. Intense later expanded its production to offer lighter-weight models to customers. The FRO designation was first offered to non-competition vehicles with the 5.5 FRO. It is a beautiful, lightweight, powerful, and expensive trail-riding machine.
The FRO version uses the taper-butted tube set from the cross-country racing Spider, with an enhanced rear triangle, different linkages, and extra gussets. The head tube area was treated with extra care as a longer fork can cause more stress. The head tube’s midsection is reduced and flared to accommodate internal headset bearings. This treatment increases the strength and length of the junctions between head tubes without increasing the height of a already long-legged chassis. FROs Easton pipes can also be flared, ovalized and triangulated to get the best strength and rigidity without adding any aluminum to the frame. The 5.5 FRO is well-finished and carefully engineered right down to the sealed ball bearing linkage pivots. The frame and shock weigh 261 kg. Our test model, 12 kg, is ready to rock.
TIME TO HIT The DIRT
It’s refined and ready to go: Domed caps for the ball-bearing suspension pivots add elegance to a chassis capable of withstanding a lot. It is a powerful machine that produces most of its frame hardware in house.
It takes only two or three pedal strokes to see that the lightweight version 5.5 is a superior ride. With the ease and efficiency of an Olympic rowing boat, the Intense propels forward smoothly with every turn of the crankset. The 5.5 disappears under its rider and the two become one within a mile. It is amazing how effortless the first singletrack event aboard Intense is. One begins to wonder if all of the 5.5s can perform like this or if we were lucky enough to get one.
Trail riding: The wide-track Intense System-4 tires are a little slow on paved roads. However, when asphalt becomes dusty and gravel the 6 cm knobbies glide along. The 5.5’s grip is sufficient to make every turn like if it were on rails. The bikes have a lively and controllable feel at their handlebars which encourages you to ride from singletrack speeds to long, open dirt roads. You will have plenty of traction for acceleration and brakes if you stay above the middle of the bike.
Cross-country racers who like to wave their handlebars while riding will find it difficult to follow the Intense around the trail. It will point it exactly where you want it to, and it will get you there in less than a quarter of an inch. This will allow you to relax in any situation, even one that is difficult on singletrack forest trails.
You can climb and pedal without any problems thanks to the 14 cms of easy handling and generous suspension. You can pedal uninterruptedly over a wide variety of surfaces. Pick a gear when the gradient becomes steep and you can get on with your business. You can count on the 5.5 to provide traction in areas where there is no soil. Let the suspension’s soft suspension take over where rocks and ruts are present.
Only a few cross-country long-travel models are capable of being repeatedly driven uphill in the middle chainring. The 1134-tooth, low-geared cassette from Intense was the best choice. It helps to get the 5.5 uphill quickly without any tears. We used the middle ring to climb far more than the granny, even though we weren’t aware of it. Although the 14 cms pedaling platform isn’t rock-solid, it will not bob when you sit down, even if you put in 100 percent effort. You will be surprised at how fresh a rear suspension with 14 cm travel can feel when you stand up. The Intense VPP suspension is sensitive to slight suspension movement, but the Fox RP23 damper with Manitou SPV fork and the Fox RP23 suspension can channel leg power into smooth, rhythmic acceleration.
Ready-for-anything Trailbike: Intense is one of the few bike designers who predicted the lightweight. long-tavel cross-country bike. It is an amazing bike to ride, the FRO 5.5.
Manitou: Three cheers for suspension performance Their Minute Super, a 14 cm-stroke suspension motor, has found a new home. The Minute Super’s Curnutt-type pneumatic compression cylinder is strong enough to prevent unwanted fork movement. This allows the rider to stretch out across the front of their bike and pedal. However, its damping can still be sensitive enough to reduce the impact of small surface irregularities. The Minute shines when the trail becomes ruthless and speeds exceed the middle link. The lightweight, long-stroke fork is a favorite in this area, as it feels solid and gives the handlebar a sense of control.
The 14 cms twin-link suspension was tuned to mechanically firmen up under high pressure pedaling. This meant that there was no need for more platform than the Fox RP23 shock’s middle ProPedal setting. Although the RP58 cms platform is easily switched off by turning its blue lever, we rarely used it. The Intense, which was second in our list, was a powerful, set-and-forget missile capable of powering over rollers from the saddle, navigating rock gardens with no bounce and landing serious jumps just like a big cat.
TECHNICAL RESPORT
During our 5.5 FRO testing, there were some issues. One concern was the cable routing that passes the upper swing link, where the rear brake hose and shift-cable housings pass. We felt the housings rub our legs until we tied them to a frame. Another issue was the insufficient tire clearance at the frame’s lower swingarm. Although smaller tires would solve most of our concerns, unexpected rain could make an epic ride into an unstoppable disaster if mud is a factor.
The 5.5 FRO: This is what the trailbike with the best performance cross-country chassis can offer. Add an inch and half of suspension to the frame geometry and it will seduce its pilot into riding harder, longer.
The plus side is that anyone can ride Shimano’s new XTR tubeless tires should. These wheels are light enough that they add an extra level of life to the 14 cms acceleration or climbing performance. Although we would prefer Shimano to improve the engagement point for its XTR brake levers (which are still quite loose), we were impressed by the stopping power, modulation, and control of the new brake system when paired up with a 7-inch front rotor or a 6-inch rear rotor.
ENVELOPE. PLEASE
You already know that the 5.5 FRO was a great bike. This mountain bike answers the question, « Would you give up your cross-country short-travel ride to have a longer-travel trailbike that was just as good? » With a resounding « YES! » Cross-country trailbike performance is redefined by the 5.5 FRO. The 5.5 FRO is the ultimate cross-country trailbike. You won’t be disappointed if you spend a day out in the woods on the 5.5.
07 INTENSE 5.5 FRO SPECS
USA is the country of origin
Weight: 12 kg
Hotline: 296-9596
Frame tested: 48cm (medium).
Bottom bracket height: 34 cm
Length of the chainstay: 43 cm
Maximum length of the top tube: 58 cm
Head angle: 70
Angle of the seat tube: 72
Standover height: 76 cm
Wheelbase: 108 cm
Suspension travel (front),: 14 cm
Rear Suspension Travel: 14 cm
Aluminium frame material
Fork: Manitou Minute Super 140
Shock: Fox RP23
Rim: Shmano XTR
Tire: Intense Systems-4 (6 cm).
Hub: Shimano XTR
Brake: Shimano XTR
Brake lever: Shimano XTR (Dual Control)
Crankset: Shimano XTR
Shifter: XTR – Dual Control
Front derailleur: Shimano XTR
Rear derailleur: Shimano XTR
Chainring: Shimano XTR (44/32/22)
Cassette: Shimano XTR 9-speed (11-34)
Pedal: None (tested using Shimano PD-9599)
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