"They have got to be reliable and easy to maintain" Yes Jeff. They do.

@bigdrop44, panzer103. I'll be civil and constructive. There is a link right on this page that says it takes you to a page with links that explains the competition right. If you follow that you will find out. Basically the idea is this. There are a bunch of engineers out there in Wide Web Wonderland; hobby, armchair and pros who may have revolutionary ideas with application in the MTB field but that for any number of reasons, their ideas never leave their head or personal sketch pad/CAD software. If you are such an engineer with an idea, you can submit it into the competition; maybe get it recognized, maybe picked up by the industry and maybe make a name for yourself and get into the world of MTB product design. Sound like you? Then quick, you have less than two days to get it sorted! Now, I'll have a rant. LAWKS A LORDY MY BOTTOM IS ON FIRE, WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE NET THAT MAKES PEOPLE MYOPIC? Thanks, I feel better for that.

Cheers Nico!! Excellent information..... I am running a DHX air on a Bottle Rocket with a U-Turn Domain up front and I have been having trouble getting the feel of the bike just right. My hardtail BFe with a Pike on it just flows over and around everything yet I can't seem to get the Brocket to feel as.... as..... responsive. That has left me thinking "Is it the Geo" or "Is it the suspension platform". I was blowing through the rear end travel on the DHX yet the Domain wasn't using any more than half its 160mm... so I put a super soft spring rate on it yet that hasn't seemed to make much difference and I can see a full overhaul to check out the oil levels coming on in the Spring holiday. As for the DHX playing with the PSI (I am just under 70kg) tends to make it either overly plush with a harsh bottom out or just plain harsh even in the top stroke. I hate throwing money at problems and would always rather try and sort things out myself, yet I am tempted by a Lyrik to go with the DHX... Then again, you rave about the Duralux..... given the price diff (Lyriks are crazy prices right!!!), Mmmm.... a holiday tinkering maybe... Ride on! And Jack Knife turns..... no brake fiddling then, just pick it up and throw it around...??!!

Excellent stuff Nico; your morning looks similar to mine there. Two questions.... What do you two cherry owners make of the RP23 and the Roco? Any significant changes in characteristics? At 1:04, what are your fingers doing on the brakes...anything or nothing? Cheers D

@Marifox87 First, may I join you in saying this thread is a pleasure to read and take part in for the reasons you mentioned. Secondly I have to say I agree with your synopsis of the current state of the industry; there is of course a desire to buy what the Japanese here call "kokusan" or to you and me produced at home goods. This has manifested itself more as a "we refuse to buy foreign goods" approach in many areas and the result is shelves full of Japanese made products over non. Would it therefore take consumers refusal to buy non-local brands to maintain local production?

By that I mean the pivot and linkages.. Please sort it out Intense before someone who isn't as meticulous has a serious incident.

Exactly, more attention than is required than on any other frame I have known.

@bmxerch Absolutely, I am the same as you by the looks of it since I do all my own work (except fork bushing and wheel rebuilds but I am working on the skills!!) . I and my riding buddy here are pretty meticulous when it comes to maintaining our rides and I strongly believe people should empower themselves to learn the skills needed; it helps you to become a better rider I think. I got hold of mine through CRC and they covered replacement bolts through their warranty so all is well and good from the perspective of companies meeting the claims made against warranties; that is what warranties are there for, to cover the retailer/manufacturer when a bad batch comes through. However what I have an issue with is being faced with the feeling that you cannot be 100% sure that your bike will not suddenly have lost a bolt, or sheared a linkage due to slight complications/oversights/errors (which can affect any company, but doesn't seem to as often with others) in the design or manufacturing process. And for the first time in my time riding bikes, I have that feeling with my Uzzi. Not good, period. Must do better Intense. Not being able to go on an day long ride without the feeling of "even though I have removed, cleaned, degreased, dried, prepped, loctited and correctly torqued all my pivot and linkage bolts, will I come home again with one less that I went out with" sucks. Since Jeff wants to keep his finger on the pulse, and be the face of the company, I hope that means riders can contact him and let him know.

@Bmxerch I understand the concept that everything breaks when exposed to forces beyond those to which is was designed to operate; all of us here do, or should do, given our penchant for throwing ourselves down mountains as fast as we dare/can....and that is a point I believe you may be missing unless you are someone who has owned an Intense frame that exhibits some of the less fortunate tendencies that seem to apply to the brand more so than others What do I mean?. There is a distinct difference in my mindset when I throw myself down the least demanding bike park trails here in Japan depending upon which bike I am on; in my case a Transition Bliindside or an Intense Uzzi VP. That mindset shifts from "as fast as I can" when on the Blindside to "as fast as I dare" on the Uzzi for fear of when the next shoulder bolt may pop itself out; rear flex, chain suck and unceremonious dumping out the front door anyone? Bicycle, MX or 4WD off roader, the ride/driver needs complete, I will say that again, complete confidence in the product into whose hands to a certain extent they are laying their life into. It appears that there are a significant number of people, and of whom I am one, who find that they cannot be as confident as they would like in their bike when they own an Intense... and that is something that it is Jeff's responsibility to sort out. If you, as the CEO, choose to design, prototype and make everything in house then you have the responisbility to do it well, and to fix any issues. By that I do not mean a great returns and warranty policy; I mean solve the ISSUE. There is enough evidence to show that pivot bolts work loose on intense frames more than is desirable; fix it Jeff.