Intense expands eMTB past carbon fibre with Tazer MX Alloy Pro

Intense has a long tradition of building high-end aluminum frames that stretches from back in the early ‘90s to the current World Cup downhill and enduro teams. That makes it exciting to see the California brand applying its experience to the Tazer MX Alloy, a mixed-wheel, eMTB version of its Tracer enduro bike. It’s the first alloy eMTB frame to appear from the U.S. brand.

Intense Tazer MX Pro Alloy

Like its 100 per cent human-powered analog, the Tracer, the Tazer MX is designed around Intense’s enduro link suspension design. Add in some burly alloy tubing and a combo of Shimano’s Steps EP801 motor and a removable 630 Wh battery, and you have an eMTB capable of self-shuttling or just big days of trail riding. Intense also drops the rear travel to 155mm and uses a mixed wheel (27.5″ rear, 29″ front) combo to keep the Tazer MX nimble on the trail. The frame comes with downtube protection built in as well as chainstay protection that also aims to minimize any chain slap noise.

Like Intense’s racing program, the Tazer MX leans heavily on parts from TRP. That includes the powerful DH-R EVO brakes, with a 220-mm front rotor and 203-mm rear rotor, that are well suited to the power and momentum of this alloy eMTB. It also includes TRP’s new EVO 12-speed drivetrain, though Intense does mix in Shimano’s proven Deore 12-speed (10-51 tooth) cassette to try maximize performance.

Suspension is handled by the Swedish high-end brand, Öhlins. That includes a 170-mm RXF38 M2 fork and the iconic yellow of the brand’s TTX22M coil shock out back. A Renthall Fatbar adds another high-end element that will be familiar to both mountain bikers and riders with a moto background. All of this rolls on e*thirteen e-spec wheels with beefy Pirelli Scorpion e-mtb S tires (27.5×2.8″ rear, 29×2.6″ front).

Alloy frame advantages (and challenges)

Just looking at the burly welds on the Tazer MX is enough to tell you this is no lightweight eMTB. Trying to lift this electric beast out of a tailgate or off a bike rack quickly confirms that suspicion. But, through a combination of smart parts selection and clever suspension design, the Tazer MX Alloy proves that performance is more complicated than absolute weight.

Shimano EP 801

Shimano’s EP 801 does its job handily, propelling the Intense MX uphill at whatever pace you like for as long as the 630Wh battery lasts. The suspension is just active enough that the tires can hold traction up technical trails, especially in combination with the added grip of a 2.8″ tire and the weight of the alloy frame. The 27.5″ rear tire aids in quick acceleration that makes the Tazer adept at getting up awkward features and kept this big eeb fun and fast for a week spent cruising more mellow cross country trails.

The frame itself strikes a solid balance between stiffness and ride quality. It holds a line solidly without feeling so rigid and stiff that it is uncomfortable to ride. The alloy construction does come with some quirks, though. There is some interesting cable routing to get around the motor and battery and into the rear triangle. In months of riding the Tazer I have yet to actually catch the cables on anything, though, so this is clearly something Intense tested before sending it out into the world.

Speed metal: riding the Tazer MX Alloy

Point down the slightest grade and the Enduro Link suspension design does its best to minimize the Tazer MX Alloy’s weight. Like the Tracer, it rides a fine line between grip, control and the ability to pop off roots and flow through jumps. The bike’s 58.2 lb. (26.36-kg) weight definitely puts it on the heavier side of eMTBs, which requires you to sometimes commit to a line and ride it out instead of trying to pick and choose your way down features. But it is still lively in corners, thanks to the 27.5″ rear wheel, and active enough that the trail doesn’t just disappear under the weight of the bike.

The aluminum Tazer’s weight does add considerably to the bike’s traction on trail lending an advantage to riders that like to push hard in corners over those who like to adjust lines as they pick their way slowly down technical trails. It was an especially dry summer on Vancouver Island and the extra grip helped hold on through drifty dusty corners more than a few times.

MX magic

But the Tazer is more than just glued to the ground. Some sort of design magic also makes it really easy to work with, and to work the trail, once it’s picked up any speed at all. It might be the enduro-link pivot suspension design, which is borrowed from the non-electric Tracer. Or it could be the way the 27.5” rear wheel lets the bike cut around corners like a machine half its weight. But the Tazer easily overcame any initial reservations I might have had as I hefted it off of the rack and onto the dirt. The stability of the heavy frame works with the 155 mm of rear suspension to stay on line and smooth out the roughest trails.

Looking at the solid gussets, welds and thick tubes, Intense definitely errs on the side of overbuilding the Tazer MX Alloy. With a bike that is so capable on burly trails, and was frequently pulled into service self-shuttling local downhill zones, it’s nice to see the California brand prioritize long-term durability over any shop-floor-appeal based on a slightly lighter weight.

Review: Tazer MX Alloy Pro

Intense clearly knows its audience for the Tazer. In this country, it is distributed through Parts Canada, a traditionally moto-focused group. The bike has design cues from the world of gas-powered machines. Mixed-wheel bikes started in moto. A combo of 2.8”-wide rear and 2.6”-wide front tire will look more familiar to the crossover crowd than riders coming from a mountain bike background, as will Öhlins suspension and Renthal bars. The part choices benefit any rider, though, with top grip on the trails and highly-tunable suspension. TRP adds DH-R EVO brakes and its 12-speed drivetrain with Shimano Deore cassette that all worked excellently to manage this beast throughout the entire test period.

All that to say, the Tazer MX isn’t afraid to show off its alloy frame and doesn’t try to hide its raw metal welds. But its design and parts are clearly well thought out. Whether this beast is trail royalty in disguise depends on whether you’re the right rider to tame or harness its wildness. If not, it’ll be a rough go. But if you can get along with it, the Shimano Steps EP801 and Öhlins suspension hold the key to good times.

The Intense Tazer MX Alloy Pro is available at dealers across Canada for $9,600.00.

This article is supported by Parts Unlimited Canada