Intense has always been able to tinker with thier bikes quickly and they’ve maganged to prototype a new 27.5 Tracer with the 650b wheelset that seemed to be quite the buzz at Sea Otter.  Details and a video inside.

Tracer 27.5 Prototype using 650b wheelsize (click to enlarge)

Jeff Steber is guy who loves to try new things.  From the onset they’ve been able to try things quite quickly due in part to their in house manufacturing capabilities for aluminum bikes and parts. Watch the video below to learn more about the Tracer 27.5 prototype they’ve created.

I got a chance to take the Tracer 27.5 for a quick spin as I was curious about this new wheelsize.  I’ve ridden numerous 26 and 29 inch wheeled bikes but never a 650b wheelset until now.  A lot of people are curious about this wheelsize and although i’ve only had a small amount of time on this one the wheelsize felt a bit more 26 inch in terms of turning, snappyness, and playfulness in comparison to a 29″ wheel.  I could see this being a fun wheelsize for those guys looking for to take advantage of some of the 29er efficiencies while retaining more of the playfulness of the 26 inch wheeled bikes.

Tracer 27.5 prototype has 17" chainstays

This prototype Tracer 27.5 features a little less travel at 5.5 or 6″, a 67degree head angle, 17″ chainstays, and a 13.3″ bottom bracket. For a trail bike these numbers are pretty nice numbers when you consider the attractiveness of the bike as a whole.

Adjustable 5.5" or 6" travel on the prototype Tracer 27.5

Reverb Stealth capability for internal seatpost dropper routing

If you’ve got an Intense Carbine, you can check out 650b wheels with a revised dropout Intense is planning to offer to convert your carbine to a Carbine 27.5.

Convert your current Carbine with replacement G1 dropouts to a Carbine 27.5

Replace the G1 dropouts on your 26" Carbine and you can try out 27.5"

Contact Fanatik Bike if you’re looking for an Intense Dealer to get setup with some G1 dropouts to convert your Carbine 26 to a Carbine 27.5, or find out more information as things progress.

If you’re looking to purchase an Intense for yourself we suggest checking out a reputable dealer like Fanatik Bike in Bellingham, WA. They are an experienced dealer with a thorough background in Intense bikes.