# Intense Socom FRO for freeride?



## Ace1 (Jun 14, 2004)

You knew this was coming... 

Firstly, I get the whole FRO = for race only thing and that the Uzzi VPX is Intense's freeride bike with fr geo and thicker tubing.

Thing is, the idea of a lighter, nimbler, more pedalable Uzzi VPX (ie Socom) just sounds perfect!

Finally, I'm not talking about using it as a huck bike. It would see a lot of downhill and some jumps and drops.

Do you think it'd work?


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## Ojai Bicyclist (Nov 4, 2005)

Why would you get the FRO? They make a regular SOCOM I think, it's just not as light.


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## 2004haroX2 (Mar 4, 2005)

umm bad idea. 


oops


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## mtb_biker (Jan 27, 2004)

dumb idea


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## Ojai Bicyclist (Nov 4, 2005)

2004haroX2 said:


> umm bad idea. it's a carbon frame for XC only.


You're an idiot. :thumbsup:


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Ace1 said:


> Firstly, I get the whole FRO = for race only thing


No, you don't.


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## milhouse (Jun 22, 2004)

Ace1 said:


> You knew this was coming...
> 
> Firstly, I get the whole FRO = for race only thing and that the Uzzi VPX is Intense's freeride bike with fr geo and thicker tubing.
> 
> ...


The SOCOM is not a freeride bike. Its for racing and it has the same geometry as the m3, only less metal and lighter. I think it's squarely aimed to compete with the lighter Sunday.


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## 2004haroX2 (Mar 4, 2005)

Ojai Bicyclist said:


> You're an idiot. :thumbsup:


oops i was thinking it was this FRO :madman: :madman: :madman:


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## matt (Feb 2, 2004)

milhouse said:


> The SOCOM is not a freeride bike. Its for racing and it has the same geometry as the m3, only less metal and lighter. I think it's squarely aimed to compete with the lighter Sunday.


I thought it was aimed at easier courses that don't require full on DH bikes (i.e. Sonoma) and other stuff? The Sunday is a pretty full on DH bike...


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

2004haroX2 said:


> oops i was thinking it was this FRO :madman: :madman: :madman:


Uh... The Spider FRO still isn't carbon... It uses a Easton tubeset.


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## Ace1 (Jun 14, 2004)

Ojai Bicyclist said:


> Why would you get the FRO? They make a regular SOCOM I think, it's just not as light.


No I think it's just the Socom.

I made this thread to get some of the responses that I've recieved here but there's still not a real reason why not...

I haven't heard the Socom FRO being called a bike for 'lighter downhill' - I'm pretty sure it's on par with the M3 if not above it.

I did say I wasn't talking about hucks and you find a lot of drops and jumps in downhill courses nowadays so the bike must be built to take that.

I think the whole FRO deal is basically Intense protecting themselves from people who call hucking 'freeride' and the bike would handle most freeride fine.

I'm talking completely hypothetically - I'm not an idiot (well, I don't think so) - I just wanted to raise this controvercial question since Intense have made it so clear that it shouldn't be done :thumbsup:


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## boogenman (Sep 22, 2006)

The Socom would not make a good freeride bike just like the M3 would not make a good free ride bike. Both bikes ared esinged for DH. Sure either one COULD be a freeride bike, but there is another bike in the Intense line up that would work better for the freeride application. 
If you are not racing and primarily ride at lift accessed mountains on DH trails the Uzzi, Socom or M3 would be a great bike for you. If you also do some stunts and flat ground riding the Uzzi would suit you better. Anytime a bike has a shorter wheelbase and steeper head angle it is going to ride much better in slow tech stuff and on ladder bridge type stunts. I also think the uzzi will be able to take the stresses of large slow speed drops and flat drops much better than the socom.


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## jbogner (Jul 3, 2004)

Ace1 said:


> Thing is, the idea of a lighter, nimbler, more pedalable Uzzi VPX (ie Socom) just sounds perfect!


That bike exists, and it's called the Intense 6.6.

As far as "pedalable" and "nimble" go, the SOCOM is not designed with that in mind at all. The geometry is M3-slack for ideal handling at race speed, not trail riding, climbing or stunts. The 6.6 with a long fork is surprisingly close to the Uzzi, geometry-wise, but is lighter and the geometry makes for a much better all-around bike than the SOCOM. Besides, the SOCOM uses much of the 6.6 tubeset.

The SOCOM shaves about a pound and a half off the frame weight of the M3, so the frame itself is only about 3/4 of a pound lighter than an Uzzi frame. The 6.6 shaves about two full pounds off the Uzzi, so it's more of an appreciable weight difference.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

jbogner said:


> That bike exists, and it's called the Intense 6.6.
> 
> As far as "pedalable" and "nimble" go, the SOCOM is not designed with that in mind at all. The geometry is M3-slack for ideal handling at race speed, not trail riding, climbing or stunts. The 6.6 with a long fork is surprisingly close to the Uzzi, geometry-wise, but is lighter and the geometry makes for a much better all-around bike than the SOCOM. Besides, the SOCOM uses much of the 6.6 tubeset.
> 
> The SOCOM shaves about a pound and a half off the frame weight of the M3, so the frame itself is only about 3/4 of a pound lighter than an Uzzi frame. The 6.6 shaves about two full pounds off the Uzzi, so it's more of an appreciable weight difference.


the most educated answer........well done


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## kntr (Jan 25, 2004)

Super T uses the Yeti 303 for FR. Lots of people ride DH bikes for FR.


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## boogenman (Sep 22, 2006)

kanter said:


> Super T uses the Yeti 303 for FR. Lots of people ride DH bikes for FR.


Super T probably has yeti custom make his frame for FR and DH both are 303's and both have different angles and suspension.


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## Ace1 (Jun 14, 2004)

boogenman said:


> Super T probably has yeti custom make his frame for FR and DH both are 303's and both have different angles and suspension.


I doubt it, I just think the pros get on the bike they're given and do their thing!










It looks soooooo nice


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## Lollapalooza (Jul 20, 2006)

No, pros are given bikes designed around their geometry and riding styles.


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## boogenman (Sep 22, 2006)

Lollapalooza said:


> No, pros are given bikes designed around their geometry and riding styles.


Sure they are, it is called R&D along with giving them the best for what they are doing. All the giant team riders ride custom 4X bikes. I know of some local pros that ride Clif Cat and Sinister and both of them have custom bikes. 
Kyle Strait has freeride specific Demo's and DH race specific Demo bikes. 
It doesn't take much for a frame maker to tweak a head angle 1 degree and shorten a top tube a quarter inch for someone who is helping them pay the bills and sell bikes. 
There is a large number of pro riders out there that ride stock frames but many do not. Back when intense had a big team 2001-2004 all the M1's the team rode had thinner tubing than the production bikes, they were about 1.5lbs lighter and were scrapped after a half season. I will try to dig up the article.


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## erkan (Jan 18, 2004)

Good idea if you want to replace your frame every 3 months.


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## boogenman (Sep 22, 2006)

erkan said:


> Good idea if you want to replace your frame every 3 months.


they are racing for a living


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## bobaburg (Sep 25, 2006)

Ace1 said:


> I doubt it, I just think the pros get on the bike they're given and do their thing!


sure they just hop on and ride their custom made frame that has been dialed for hours to get it to ride just right. It's certainly not out of the question for them to ride stock frames, if it works no need for a custom one, but lots of work goes into gettin the suspension dialed.


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## T-Nuts (Jul 15, 2006)

I read somewhere that the Socom was designed to be used for one full season then scrapped.
Not 100% sure on this though.
All that is certain, is that the geo, and design say no to freeriding.


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## SuspectDevice (Apr 12, 2004)

boogenman said:


> Sure they are, it is called R&D along with giving them the best for what they are doing. All the giant team riders ride custom 4X bikes. I know of some local pros that ride Clif Cat and Sinister and both of them have custom bikes.
> Kyle Strait has freeride specific Demo's and DH race specific Demo bikes.
> It doesn't take much for a frame maker to tweak a head angle 1 degree and shorten a top tube a quarter inch for someone who is helping them pay the bills and sell bikes.
> There is a large number of pro riders out there that ride stock frames but many do not. Back when intense had a big team 2001-2004 all the M1's the team rode had thinner tubing than the production bikes, they were about 1.5lbs lighter and were scrapped after a half season. I will try to dig up the article.


Sinister Team riders are ALL on production bikes. Occaisonally we are on pre-production bikes, but one of the main things we pride ourselves on is the fact that the same stuff we huck and buck and race on is exactly the same as what comes out of the customers box...


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## innocentxvictim (Aug 5, 2005)

oops!!!!!


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## innocentxvictim (Aug 5, 2005)

i actually know more than all of you.....my buddies i ride with and my neighbor work at intense in temecula and im soon to be working there......the SoCom is sick...it rides perfect...its downhill / freeride....its not as much for downhill as the m3...i rode one of their demo SoComs today....i actually got to ride a their prototype m5 at mammoth less than a month ago...unbelievable!


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## Ace1 (Jun 14, 2004)

a glimpse of hope at last


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