These intensive group reviews would not be possible without some amazing partners. Their support ensures our entire crew can ride all these bikes on a variety of terrain to establish real-world data for our audience.

Fox Racing kept the team warm during the odd storm, comfortable on hot days, and ensured we were always looking cool while staying protected.

Schwalbe Tires provided control tires with amazing and predictable performance, and 2 weeks of testing across the 15 test eMTBs with zero flat tires.

We’d also like to thank our destination hosts. We stayed at Glorieta Adventure Camps just outside Santa Fe, New Mexico and we were supported by Sante Fe City and Santa Fe County and their Tourism Dept. Thanks for the hospitality, and you should definitely get down there for yourself!

INTENSE TAZER SPECS OVERVIEW

The new Intense Tazer uses a carbon fiber only frame to house the Bosch CX Gen 5 drive unit. With a choice of a mixed wheel or dual-29” wheel setup, and a new Dual Co-Rotating (DCR) link suspension platform producing 150mm rear travel, this all-rounder eMTB had our interests piqued.

The new DCR suspension system gives the Tazer a visibly low center of gravity, yet still affords room inside the front triangle for a large water bottle or the Bosch PowerMore Range Extender, and has a tool mount on the underside of the top tube.

BOSCH CX EBIKE SYSTEM SPECS

The Intense Tazer is one of four bikes in our 2026 eMTB Shootout that uses the Bosch CX Gen 5 drive unit. With the recent firmware update on the Bosch system, the peak torque increased to 120Nm, with 750W Peak Power and up to 600% support from this 2.8 kg (6.2 lbs) drive unit.

Intense designed the Tazer frame to accept either the 600Wh or 800Wh battery, fixed inside the downtube. Riders looking for the most dynamic ride can purchase a 600Wh battery, or the maximum range can be achieved with the combination of 800Wh battery and the 250Wh Bosch PowerMore Range Extender.

The Bosch eBike Flow app can connect to the Bosch Smart System to update the system over the air, access security features, and tune the assistance modes. The Kiox 400C display is nestled in the top tube, showing the key information during the ride. On the left side of the bar, the Bosch wireless Mini Remote is fitted to select power mode and use the walk function.

The Intense Tazer’s Bosch system comes with a 4A charger, taking the 800Wh battery from empty to full in around 6 hours. Bosch announced a 12A fast charger should be ready by the end of 2026, giving 50% charge replenishment in just an hour.

INTENSE TAZER GEOMETRY

Intense selected a well-rounded geometry set for their new trail eMTB, with no numbers that depart from typical in its class. Riders must select the rear wheel size at the point of purchase, with the 27.5” and 29” wheel setups featuring different rear ends, and the 29er receiving a 5mm longer chainstay. The fixed rear end length may not suit all riders, but the 445mm chainstay length struck a good balance on our size large mixed-wheel test machine for our 5’10” to 6’2” (178cm to 189cm) crew.

INTENSE TAZER BUILD OPTIONS

Intense offers the Tazer in a choice of two standard builds: the Foundation at $6,999 or the Pro (tested) at $8,999. There is also a $5,999 frameset offering, with the Bosch CX system and 800Wh battery with choice of Fox or RockShox rear shocks.

Intense also offers the 3D bike configurator, allowing the customer to customize their Tazer build to their preferences, with a range of components for each area of the bike.

Our Pro build was spec’d with a high-end build kit built around the carbon fiber frame. The Ultimate-level RockShox ZEB 160mm fork and Super Deluxe air shock offered high levels of tuning potential and stellar performance. Also provided by SRAM were the GX T-Type drivetrain and Maven Silver brakes.

A Renthal alloy cockpit was great to see, and the OneUp V3 dropper in 210mm length on the size large gave ample clearance for comfort on the descents.

Rounding out the specs of this trail eMTB were the DT Swiss EX 1700 wheelset, wrapped in a Continental Kryptotal Enduro tire pairing as standard. As with all of the bikes in our 2026 eMTB Shootout, these were replaced with a Schwalbe Tacky Chan Gravity Pro and Magic Mary Gravity Pro tire combination.

The Intense Tazer Pro in size large weighed 52.3bs (23.7kg) with our Schwalbe control tires.

BOSCH CX DRIVE UNIT PERFORMANCE

• Pure Power: The tuning selected by the rider can greatly change the feel of the Bosch CX unit. It can give a more natural feel with less artificial assistance, or it can speed you up the hill with an effortless soft pedal. At 750W, there’s no denying that it doesn’t match the power of some other units, which may matter to power hounds, but we never failed to make a climb due to a lack of power.
• Control: Bosch’s Flow app gives riders a lot of control over the amount and delivery of power, as well as the feedback and responsiveness. Bosch do a good job of providing a capable motor, however, we did notice that on the most extreme of technical climbs in the Turbo power mode, the traction and power aren’t quite on par with Avinox. Similarly, the reactiveness of the system doesn’t quite seem as quick. We believe this is due to the wheel speed magnet still being mounted at the valve stem, with a slower response than the rotor-mounted systems.
• Perceived Efficiency: Our crew believed that the Bosch system was one of, if not the most efficient when power was set to our default efficiency test mode. We set the units to 750W of power and 100 Nm for this test, and the Bosch was a top contender. However, the numbers were close enough that human effort, the suspension platform, and even line choice, could have made the difference. Either way, it’s a solid performing system if you tune it right.
• Noise Up and down: Acoustics vary based on each frame because of material, tube shapes, and other efforts to control noise. That said, the Bosch is quiet on the way down, however it does have a more electronic humming pitch to it than the Avinox and Specialized 3.1 drive unit when climbing. It’s not at nuisance level, but at certain power modes and loads, it is certainly noticeable.
• Ecosystem: The Bosch ecosystem is very good, and if Avinox didn’t exist it’d be great…The reality is that Avinox does exist though, and the lack of a touchscreen on Bosch’s premium Kiox 400C solidify that Bosch-equipped bikes aren’t the “techies” wet dream. Does that affect how well the bike rides or would it prevent us from buying or recommending it? Not in any way, we’re big believers of “buy the best MTB first, e-tech second”. It would still be nice to see Bosch catch up, however.

INTENSE TAZER CLIMBING PERFORMANCE

Our crew enjoyed climbing the Intense Tazer. During our testing period we climbed a wide variety of trails. Some rides found us shuttling service roads in full Turbo, others were more flowy and fun, and still others were near vertical with incredibly technical ascents. We put the Tazer up rugged backcountry singletrack that required hopping over logs or scrambling up loose rocks to more trials-inspired ledges, all with an inspired feel.  

The traction delivered from the Ultra Soft Tacky Chans and Bosch CX drive unit was solid. The suspension platform isn't the most compliant, however it delivered a nice blend of efficiency without being abusive. Riders regularly opted to pick the Tazer for our sunset epic rides after the day's testing was "finished."  

Whether it was really technical sections, more flowy uphill trails or blasting a fire road, the Tazer was capable and stood among the best on the way up.  

INTENSE TAZER DESCENDING PERFORMANCE

As much as we love a good technical climb, there's no denying that the downhill is what we like best here at The Loam Wolf. As such, we favor bikes that punch above their travel class when things get rowdy, fast and steep.  

When it comes to getting back down the mountain, the 2026 Intense Tazer is high on our list. It couldn't be more different to the last experience we had aboard an Intense Tazer several years ago. The new Tazer has dialed geometry, a solid planted feel and a suspension platform that's more suited to downhilling.  

In terms of handling and cornering, the Tazer is one of the most fun bikes on test. We often praise Santa Cruz for their cornering magic and "In the bike feel." In the Tazer, Intense have found the recipe as the bike offers such a balanced feel between the wheels and encourages aggressive dipping of the bike in corners. Riders felt balanced, strong and confident above the Tazer no matter the terrain.  

While the geometry and body position helped instill confidence, the DCR rear suspension did a good job in keeping up with the hits, although it would occasionally feel a bit overwhelmed when things got a bit more dynamic. Sections with hard braking or that included some sharper repeated impacts resulted in a little bit of arm fatigue.

Our bike did not come with the DT Swiss Degrees of Freedom hubs but we hear they'll be soon available, and we're confident that would unlock another level of compliance. We did swap a wheelset onto the Tazer for a short test ride and two testers confirmed the bike got just a little more composed and smooth in those scenarios.  

The Wolf's Last Word

Overall, the Intense Tazer is a very impressive bike. It's a great improvement in the looks and performance department over the last generation and our crew all though it was a very worthy consideration to be their personal bike of choice for the Trail category.   

The Tazer has a lot of good things to offer: reliable Bosch drive unit and ecosystem with a range extender, a frame option, ability to select a battery/weight that works for you, the ability to select a wheelsize specific rear end, and a pretty solid value for the spec all matched with an incredibly versatile ride capability across a wide range of terrain.  

WHO SHOULD BUY THE INTENSE TAZER?

Anyone who isn't blinded by Avinox and wants a kick ass 150/160mm Trail eBike!  

Price: $8,999
Weight: 52.3 lbs (As Tested)
Website: Intensecycles.com

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