The ACV has no front mech’ fixing so it’s single ring only, but with the improvements in gearing a 11 speed set up is no problem. There has been some real thought put into keeping the bike smooth and quiet with the integrated seatstay and chainstay protectors covering every part of the frame that’s harm’s way.

The guys at Intense have also spent some time thinking about the best way to run the cabling on the all new ACV. At every point possible the cables are hidden and out of the way, best of which being where the brake hose crossed through the chainstay to keep a clean and flowing look with no need for cable ties.

First ride impressions

After smashing down some of the local trails that I know well it helped me see exactly what’s was going on with this bike. First off there is an incredible amount of hold and grip from the big volume Maxxis Ikon tyres, and if you look at the lack of tread it’s amazing that’s there is any traction at all.

That the front fork is packing more travel than the rear by 20mm really does not seem to matter because with the tyres being so compliant the imbalance is not particularly present on the A.C.V.

One of the points that were looked upon in the presentation for the A.C.V. is its ability to seamlessly change terrain while riding and this was totally apparent when descending on rocky and rooty sections of the tracks. We have always found the plus size tyre to be confidence inspiring the shape of the bike helped too.

There is a definite stiffness to the chassis, the twin sided rear stays help out and the new bolt configuration giving an all-round stiffer package to compensate for the 2.8 inch tyres that can feel a bit soft and can ‘give’ a little when hitting a hard turn.

The bike that was supplied was a size large and it did come in on the smaller scale whereas an extra large could have been a far better fit but due to availability this was not possible to swing my leg over one, it will be on the list of things to try in the future though. All in all this is a great fun fast bike that’s name tells you all you need to know, Air Cushioned Vehicle. If you are a beginner or a pro you could find applications that this bike will shine in.

EDIT: For 2018 Intense Cycles go ‘direct to consumer’ with a new website (see below) and lower prices. The 2018 Intense ACV range starts with the Foundation build bike at £2999.

uk.intensecycles.com

New to trail bikes? Check out our buyer’s guide HERE