Explained: The Science Behind Cycle Brakes
There are 22 teams competing in the 2023 Tour de France Femmes. Many are homologues of the men’s teams, so they have almost the same bikes and equipment, even if the sponsor names are slightly different.
All the teams are on their brands’ top-tier groupset, with the exception of Team Coop-Hitec Products, who appear to be riding Shimano Ultegra. As we pointed out in our Shimano Ultegra review, it’s not much of a sacrifice because the internals are the same, Ultegra just weighs a little more.
The Tazer employs the brand’s signature JS Tuned suspension system, which uses two short, counter-rotating links.
Maria Victory
The new bike is Intense’s first aluminium bike in six years. The American brand says it harks back to its roots, with the hydroformed 6061 T6 alloy frameset bringing the durability and aesthetics of its original bikes to the Tazer Alloy.
Intense Tazer Alloy Expert
- Fork: DVO Diamond E3, 160mm
- Shock: DVO Topaz E3 Air
- Motor: Shimano EP600
- Battery: Shimano Steps 504Wh
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore
- Brakes: TRP HD-M843 Trail EVO
- Wheels: WTB ST I30 TCS 29in (front), WTB ST I35 TCS 27.5in (rear)
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.6in (front), Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.8in (rear)
- Price: £4,499/$6,499/€4,999
Safety features include a GPS tracker, available through the Ultima app, and the Neutral gear setting that locks the cranks when the bike is stationary.
Intense says the new Tazer Alloy shares a similar geometry to the carbon-fibre framed bike, with head angles remaining similar around the 64-degree mark.
There are subtle geometry differences between the models, with the Tazer Alloy Pro featuring a 64.6-degree head angle and the Expert a 64.8-degree head angle for a large-sized frame.
Reach measurements appear up-to-date, with the Pro 465mm and the Expert slightly longer at 467mm. Chainstay lengths remain the same across the models and sizes at 450mm.
