There are times when a frame like the Hard Eddie comes along and here at Excel, we start thinking about a practical, lightweight, high-end build, maybe Shimano XTR, Stan's Crest wheels, etc. This is the fun part of what we do with customers everyday, road or mountain. Our enthusiasm comes from experience and we love to share that with our showroom and online friends. Sometimes we get carried away, but when we came up with this build, we stayed under control then knew we needed to make it an Excel Sports package. So we did.

Intense has always been known for US made, hydroformed aluminum alloy, full-suspension bikes featuring the Virtual Pivot Point design. Once Intense started considering carbon versions of their frames, a hardtail started to make sense to Jeff Steber and company. Intense collaborated with SEED, a Germany based engineering firm with carbon fiber design and development experience, as well as a partner in Thomas Harter, who worked for both Maverick and Scott USA in frame and suspension development. The Hard Eddie carbon hardtail was born, though Intense fans will note that the actual frame manufacture is done in Taiwan, a major departure for the Temecula, CA company. But Steber knew there was no reason to build a carbon fiber production facility when excellent companies already exist. Strict adherence to design and material spec, and rigorous quality control, ensure Intense's carbon bikes meet the highest standards.

The Hard Eddie is laid up from various sheets of high modulus carbon fiber as a complete monocoque. This means unidrectional fiber runs are long, with minimal seams or modification. The frame is molded under extreme pressure and excess epoxy is eliminated. The lay-up is refined to deliver maximum lateral stiffness at the bottom bracket and head tube, while the arcing shape of the frame is designed for strength and compliance. The graceful curves actually serve to mitigate impact and keep chatter to a minimum, while offering comfort and attenuating vibration. The frame itself is exceptionally strong, yet a medium comes in at under 2 .5 pounds. True to the XC nature of the design, the impressive lateral stiffness transfers pedaling power directly from the crank to the rear wheel. Geometry is optimized for XC race and fast trail conditions with a 70.5 degree head tube angle and short 436mm chainstays.

The new Shimano XTR M9000 drivetrain is a perfect match for the frame. With a 1x11 set-up, the XTR Race equipment shifts incredibly smoothly, with the impressive precision XTR is known for. We set this drivetrain up with the 158mm Q-factor Race crank arms and the new XTR 32t single chainring. Matched with the 11-40 cassette, you get excellent range and power. The M9000 trigger shifters have a light action, but a positive shift feel, and the Race hydraulic disc brakeset offers terrific stopping power and easy serviceability at a very light weight. Due to the choice of the Stan's Crest Wheelset, we did have to opt for XT's IceTech 6-bolt, 160mm disc rotors, a proven performer. XTR's performance is the benchmark for all mountain groups and the system keeps getting better and lighter.

For the front fork, we felt the RockShox World Cup SID XX SoloAir was the best option for the build. Lightweight performance with every day capability is crucial. 100mm of travel, with the hydraulic X-Loc remote lock-out, the World Cup features Power Bulge technology to keep the fork legs stiff, Black Box 1-piece carbon crown and steerer tube, and the Motion Control DNA damper, and much more. At 1570 grams the fork is a perfect match for the frame and the fast, confident, control it deserves. A 15mm Maxle Lite system keeps the fork and hub coordinated with minimal deflection.

The wheelset choice for our everyday Hard Eddie was simple. The Stan's NoTubes Crest wheelset is light, supports decent width tires, and with it's DT SuperComp spokes it is resilient, laterally stiff, and forgiving. With the 15mm front axle and 142/12 rear, frame to hub torque is applied directly to the wheels. This tubeless set-up is perfect for Schwalbe's Racing Ralph Snakeskin Easy Tubeless tires, a fast, rounded profile mid-volume tire with versatile traction. The complete wheel set-up will accelerate quickly, climb like squirrel, and hold the edge in the corners.

Cockpits are pretty personal, but we chose one of the most popular set-ups out there. Easton's Haven line is strong, light yet stiff, forgiving and the matte effect works great with Hard Eddie. We opted for a 20mm low rise Haven Carbon bar (740mm, 9 degree sweep), 85mm Haven aluminum 0 degree stem, and the zero offset Haven Carbon seatpost. ESI's Racer's Edge 30mm grips round out the front end, while the Fizik Gobi M3 Kium rail saddle holds up the backside. An FSA Orbit C-40 headset keeps the controls sure and rotating smoothly.

The Excel Sports Hard Eddie XTR build was fun to put together, but we were driven by the desire that you will have much more fun on the trail. This race-ready hardtail can truly be ridden everyday. If you love light, fast 29er hardtails, you owe this build serious consideration. Our mechanic has taken the time to fully route the housing internally, even the rear brake. If you have any questions, our sales staff of experienced cyclists is here to help.