SHAPE AND FIT

Most of the bike testers at Dirt HQ are 6 feet tall or above so with the very low stand over on the Primer we opted for an XL frame size. We’ve become accustomed to the longer reach and wheelbase of modern enduro bikes (of both wheel sizes) so the measurements of the 2018 Primer are certainly not pushing any limits.

The seat tube on our XL bike measured 508mm (20″) and with the stock 150mm Fox dropper post felt fine for me at 6’2″. Shorter riders who liked the length of the XL would need to use a dropper that is shorter in stroke though.

The reach measurement of this XL is 477mm (with 453mm on a L and 431mm on a M) and this is matched up with a 50mm stem length. The head tubes are relatively short at 119mm for the XL test bike which we felt worked well with the longer 140mm travel fork that’s spec’d on the 2018 Primers. The stock 760mm Renthal Fatbar felt narrow on a bike of this size and was one of the few components I swapped out to get a better fit. Bar width is personal preference but a 780mm or wider bar on the L and XL would be a welcome spec change in our opinion and give the option to trim to suit.

Angles – we’re in trail bike territory here and the head is a not-so-slack 67.5° with a steepish seat angle of 75° assisting seated climbing.

The bottom bracket sits at 337mm across all sizes as do the short chainstays at 438mm. The wheelbase of the largest XL bike measures 1207mm (47.5″), which on this lively 140/130mm travel 29er feels bang on.

There’s no larger (XXL) frame size available on the Primer and although at 6’2″ I was comfortable, I’m sure there will be taller riders looking for a frame with more length.

specification

The silence (in even the wettest and grittiest conditions) and reliability of the 1×12 SRAM GX Eagle transmission was impressive and the gear ratios were never lacking. The ample power of the two-pot Shimano XT brakes (with no inconsistency…) were spot on with a maybe a switch to a 180mm rear rotor is needed for some riders. A Fox Transfer dropper post was good to see – no budget or ‘own brand’ model here.

DT’s M1900 wheels aren’t the lightest at around 2Kg for the pair but the 30mm (internal width) rims give an option for higher volume rubber. These wheels felt like they’d go the distance and they set up tubeless with no issues.

FEELING

As with the 2017 Intense Primer there is an immediate feel of urgency from the first pedal stoke. This bike feels like it wants to press on and not hang about. The Expert model carries more weight (bike weight is around 13kg depending on personal spec changes) than the Factory model that made that lasting impression on us, but when you’ve jumped to this from a sluggish 27.5″ wheeled enduro bike it still feels very light on its feet.

If ‘singletrack with a dash of tech’ makes up a big part of your riding then you should check out this bike.

The switch to a wider bar made a difference, opening up the cockpit but not changing the character of the bike. It let us push on harder into technical terrain more confidently and get more out of the bike. Climbs were dispatched quickly too, whether short and technical or long and smooth. The Primer has poise and accuracy to let you chase down riders on longer travel bikes without the feeling that you’re pushing the bike beyond its comfort zone. There’s no discomfort from an overly stiff frame or carbon rims either – it’s far less tiring than some of the bikes we’ve recently tested in our Dirty Dozen bike test.

Longer trail rides are where this bike truly shines though. Sure, it’s great for an hour of messin’ in the woods but there are plenty of bikes that do that well. When you’re three hours into a full-on trail ride the Primer just seems to be on your side, not dragging you down or making you feel like heading home. It wants you to keep turning those pedals – up, down and along; whatever the trail brings this Intense can handle it… and all at a rapid pace.