Desire for nostalgia INTENSEifies...

Plankosaurus

Spongeplank Dalepantski
Given how many misses we're getting now in the search for nostalgic joy in the world of tv and movies (okay, new ghostbusters was pretty joyously nostalgic, I'll pay that one), I figured I'd see how an olden day intense stands the test of time.

It's 20 years old now, it's been around the block a time or 500, and it's sat around gathering dust for years. Time to play again

Frame - old 2001 intense tracer, fresh rad paint
Rear shock - early fox ctd (not period correct, sue me)
Front shock/fork - old rs pike dual air
Seatpost - rubbish old ks thing
Front brake - xt 4 pot with LX/straightline levers (yeah stopping power!)
Rear brake - xt 2 pot
Cranks - race face dues xc (too new, need to find some earlier ones)
Chainguide - look at that 3d printed guard!
Driveline - xt 9 speed, 11-32
Wheelset - Loaded AmXc on pro 2
Total weight - really bloody light, what the hell?!

The old beast back in 2008 was cobbled together with eBay buys and parts from other bikes. It was my first foray into riding a "real" bike and helped me through many miserable adventures in the early days of attempting point to point marathon races. I rode the crap out of this thing, I learnt how to mechanic on this thing, and I eventually got sucked in to wagon wheels and fancy buzzwords and sold this thing. Luckily I sold it to a certain sibling that years later offered the frame back to me and I yoinked it with gusto knowing I'd want to play with it again some time.



It's been over 10 years since I've ridden this beastie, and I'm super keen to see how well it's aged in that time.

It's got bits on it that I drooled over in my earlier years of riding, all the berries that are more or less antiques now - such a hoot chasing it all up I still wouldn't mind digging up an old wtb pure saddle like what saw me through all those early long distance rides, and it really does need a longer stem but I currently can't run one because there isn't enough steerer there for anything I have

Anyways, the olde watermelon coloured beastie in all its glory, just begging for the trails to stop being creeks so I can see just how badly it rides compared to all my fancy "new" gear











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Plankosaurus

Spongeplank Dalepantski
Is that a dropper post? If not, whats the cable for?
It is a dropper. I can't ride without one anymore

...I might get rid of it though and just run the seat at a mid height like the olden days. Not like I'll be racing it, or even really riding it that much. Also it's a pretty shit dropper

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Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Nice work @Plankosaurus You have done the classic justice.

Having the dropper is Ok on the ye olde, but promise never to push that button. The 2001 trail gods will get annoyed and start leaving 135mm quill stems around your house with 1.9 gumwall tyres that need tubes. They work in mysterious ways. You might wake up and a front derailleur has strangely clamped itself to the seatpost, spontaneously threaded its bolt and bathed it in red Loctite.

I do like how the rims are a fairly close match the federation lightpoles too.

I remember lusting after the Uzzi BITD. I gather the Tracer was a bit more XCish compared to the Uzzi although they sure look very similar to me from that era?

Hope you get to enjoy it. I do still like riding my old SC and I'm not sure why - maybe it is the familiarity or I don't need more bike for tamer trails. It just keeps keeping on. The feel of a shorter stem and wider bars do work well on the ye olde MTB's IMHO. I oddly feel even more nancy taking a more capable bike on a trail that I know doesn't need its new school awesomeness.

Good one!
 

Plankosaurus

Spongeplank Dalepantski
That's awesome, what do you think the head angle is? 85?
It is definitely a lot closer to 90 than I'd usually ride. I don't subscribe to the 45 that so many bikes are edging towards but this is still a bit steep for my tastes these days

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