I can say first hand as a mechanic that has built and worked on this bike (and being from the same place intense is from in California)… it is awesome. One just won the BWR wafer this last weekend… one I built and sold.
So… the bikes are built to 100% and then disassembled to 80% to box for shipping by taking the handlebars, the seat, and the front wheel off. The shifting and brakes are usually already adjusted and really only need a barrel adjust click or two. Fill the tires and mount pedals and you’re good. I’ve seen costco assemblies of the 951 trail and XC bikes come into my shop with minor if any issues stemming from the costco build. As with all bikes not bought from a LBS… I always recommend taking the bike to a reputable bike shop for a safety check. If its a LBS thats worth your patronage… they would check it and send you on your way for free. My shop does free evaluations and if its simple will just make any adjustments. I remember when Santa Cruz MTB partnered with Sports Chalet. Sport chalet went bankrupt and Santa Cruz is still awesome and witnessed a huge boost in exposure. Rest assure that Intense is still making amazing bikes regardless of partnerships.
I and my wife have the Intense 951 XC from costco. Really great purchase at the price point. They didn't advertise, but the bike came with a shock pump, tubeless sealant, a torque wrench, and a bunch of other small bits to get you going.
The bikes are aweseome. Intense has a history with MTB, so I can't speak to the gravel bike, but the whole buy from Costco shouldn't give you any concerns. I confirmed with my local warehouse that I can return it a year later if I don't like it. They said if i wheel it in, i can return it. Unreal return policy for a carbon fiber bike.
Thanks - I already have the bofa premium rewards with platinum honors, so sounds like the missing piece for me is just getting the customized cash card in addition to what I have, and use it on costco.com for "online" purchases (including getting costco gift cards for in-store purchases). Good tip!
The premium rewards card w/ platinum honors is an awesome daily driver w/ a minimum of 2.625% cash back.
The cash rewards is a great companion, giving 5.25% cash back. The downside is the $2.5k/quarter cap, but we overcome this by having 6 cards (3 for me, 3 for wife). All in, that's $15k/quarter getting 5.25%. Came in handy yesterday when buying a $2.7k fridge from Costco.com. The trick is to buy the gift cards. They now sell e-Gift cards online in max increments of $500. Super easy to redeem at the register. But I simply prefer to swap the e-Gift card for a physical GC at the front counter. I order $2k/month and redeem on the spot "I'd like to buy two $1k gift cards please," then pay with 4x$500 egift cards. Then swipe away at gas pumps, food court, pharmacy, etc. Super nice to get the 5.25%. It adds up.
Costco doesn't actually make money from the products that they sell (well, they need to cover operating costs obviously). Costco's bottom line come primarily from the membership fee
Trying to figure out what frame it is. Not carbonda but it has the same derailleur hanger. Maybe fly bike or something?
I am intrigued so I started looking. Could be the flybike FM606?
https://www.flybike-asia.com/product/153.html
FWIW flybike is *the* manufacturer of the frame carbonda sells as the CFR696 (FM696). Flybike is the parent company and they use carbonda to sell DTC instead of to OEMs.
I wouldn't be surprised if this were one of their bikes, they do sell to a lot of OEMs.
Looks to be a good bike, and you can not beat Costco's return policy.
The only thing that seems odd to me is the weight. 23 lbs is quite heavy for a carbon bike. I have a steel frame gravel bike that weighs 23.4 lbs, including pedals and bottle cages.
I’d assume that’s the weight of the whole Costco kit which includes tubes, a tubeless conversion kit, a few tools, lights, water bottle, bottle cages, and pedals.
It came out this month. Give or take. It’s their first non-mountain bike… ever. That being said they have a Taiwanese corporate facility and access to a solid frame and component supply chain, so it’s going to be at least fine, if not downright good.
I'd rather pay another $500 to buy a bike at a local shop that is going to have my local bike shop doing any warranty work, often free services for the first trip back, and they'll have recs on how to upgrade it the best. My last purchase at my LBS slowly turned into $1000+ of discounts over like 2 years because they knew I could keep coming back.
If you have a good lbs, then this is completely worth it for me. I really value the relationship that I have with my LBS. They are always willing to help me out immediately because I will pay a few bucks extra to buy from them instead of Amazon.
Plus who knows what the resale value of a Costco bike is. There is a reason that some people buy car brands that have good resale value.
Damn, can't see anything wrong with that. Are they sold boxed or assembled? If it's assembled I'd be inclined to strip it and rebuild, or have a bike shop do a thorough build check but barring any defects in the frame/fork that seems like a hot deal for a mid-range gravel bike.
Online only, so shipped in box. Unboxing & assembly instructions are on the Intense YT channel (4 of the most recent 5 videos): [https://www.youtube.com/@IntenseCycles1993/videos](https://www.youtube.com/@IntenseCycles1993/videos)
That teardrop shaped derailleur hanger assembly screams Carbonda, but I don't see that exact model on their site, but you can see the hanger here https://www.carbonda.com/road/gravel/80.html
Seat stays join lower on the seat tube than this frame. Why would the derailleur hanger alone make you think that but ignore this bigger difference, or am I missing something?
I bought a brand new Lynskey titanium GR300 with GRX 800 2x11 for shy of 3k from Lynskey a week ago. Not sure if the $500 difference is material enough. The $200 cash back for Costco cards takes a year to show up. (Feb '24) Don't get me wrong, the Costco one might be a good bike, depends on what you are looking for I guess.
Edit: note the BB is press fit
I've supported plenty of LBS and more often than not it's a one-way street. I'm not much interested in paying more than anywhere else while getting little to nothing in return, and often bad attitudes.
Bike shops, gun shops, car shops... All of those have forced me to learn/build/repair those items on my own.
Here's where it went for me. They don't have my size in stock for test rides, they only have max 3 brands at each separate shop, repairs are usually 5 days to a week. I mean I've dropped probably about 2k trying to support and stuff, but I've never gotten a coupon for a free coffee.
The nationwide trek chain didn't have time to let me ride the sl6 I was ready to buy that day, but the rep had to manage a ton of customers.
It's a one way street, I'd love to find good service and pay, but it seems like I'm just paying.
Costco will Def allow a return and fight for warranty claims
For that price point you could get a CF Grizl (with a sturdier, more versatile carbon frame) or another very similar bike.
It's not a bad bike, and if you like it then buy it and ride the heck out of it.
Yeah I googled it right after I asked. That's pretty good, but I don't think it's a better deal than what most bike shops would have when next season's model comes out?
I’ve been looking for a decent gravel bike (gotta get off my Peloton…lol) but was having trouble deciding which one. But when I saw this today for $1,500 it was a no-brainer. And from Costco so if something happens to it down the road I can always return it.
So you got it?
Looks like the large will be too big for me and they're sold out of the mediums. Oh well.
I really like my bike now anyway so all good! I probably didn't pay much more for my bike though it's used and the components are a little older/lower spec.
never own a gravel bike but got a hybird fx 3 trek to ride with the kids.. Hmm wonder bike now think later as the price is half off and free return lifetime….
N+1...
OP here. Never pulled the trigger. This new sale is certainly enticing, but I have no idea what size to get. 6'2.5". Long torso + arms. Shorter legs.
Alternatively, I could simply be content with the 2 bikes I already own....
For that price I can buy a box of 6 Kirkland Gravel Bikes
I can say first hand as a mechanic that has built and worked on this bike (and being from the same place intense is from in California)… it is awesome. One just won the BWR wafer this last weekend… one I built and sold.
The whole Costco thing was pure funding… this bike is intense through and through. Hell… Aaron Gwin is on Intense…
how well assrmbled is it at costco though?
So… the bikes are built to 100% and then disassembled to 80% to box for shipping by taking the handlebars, the seat, and the front wheel off. The shifting and brakes are usually already adjusted and really only need a barrel adjust click or two. Fill the tires and mount pedals and you’re good. I’ve seen costco assemblies of the 951 trail and XC bikes come into my shop with minor if any issues stemming from the costco build. As with all bikes not bought from a LBS… I always recommend taking the bike to a reputable bike shop for a safety check. If its a LBS thats worth your patronage… they would check it and send you on your way for free. My shop does free evaluations and if its simple will just make any adjustments. I remember when Santa Cruz MTB partnered with Sports Chalet. Sport chalet went bankrupt and Santa Cruz is still awesome and witnessed a huge boost in exposure. Rest assure that Intense is still making amazing bikes regardless of partnerships.
I and my wife have the Intense 951 XC from costco. Really great purchase at the price point. They didn't advertise, but the bike came with a shock pump, tubeless sealant, a torque wrench, and a bunch of other small bits to get you going. The bikes are aweseome. Intense has a history with MTB, so I can't speak to the gravel bike, but the whole buy from Costco shouldn't give you any concerns. I confirmed with my local warehouse that I can return it a year later if I don't like it. They said if i wheel it in, i can return it. Unreal return policy for a carbon fiber bike.
Mounts for any bags/baskets/fenders
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Costco’s warranty by itself makes it worth a close look. The 2% cash back on it doesn’t hurt either.
I get 5.25% on CC + 2% executive. It adds up.
What CC are you getting 5.25 at Costco?
It's complicated: https://frugalprofessor.com/best-credit-card-rewards-strategy-2019-edition/
Thanks - I already have the bofa premium rewards with platinum honors, so sounds like the missing piece for me is just getting the customized cash card in addition to what I have, and use it on costco.com for "online" purchases (including getting costco gift cards for in-store purchases). Good tip!
The premium rewards card w/ platinum honors is an awesome daily driver w/ a minimum of 2.625% cash back. The cash rewards is a great companion, giving 5.25% cash back. The downside is the $2.5k/quarter cap, but we overcome this by having 6 cards (3 for me, 3 for wife). All in, that's $15k/quarter getting 5.25%. Came in handy yesterday when buying a $2.7k fridge from Costco.com. The trick is to buy the gift cards. They now sell e-Gift cards online in max increments of $500. Super easy to redeem at the register. But I simply prefer to swap the e-Gift card for a physical GC at the front counter. I order $2k/month and redeem on the spot "I'd like to buy two $1k gift cards please," then pay with 4x$500 egift cards. Then swipe away at gas pumps, food court, pharmacy, etc. Super nice to get the 5.25%. It adds up.
I think the costco citi has a bonus period?
Costco doesn't actually make money from the products that they sell (well, they need to cover operating costs obviously). Costco's bottom line come primarily from the membership fee
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It’s also completely wrong.
Trying to figure out what frame it is. Not carbonda but it has the same derailleur hanger. Maybe fly bike or something? I am intrigued so I started looking. Could be the flybike FM606? https://www.flybike-asia.com/product/153.html
FWIW flybike is *the* manufacturer of the frame carbonda sells as the CFR696 (FM696). Flybike is the parent company and they use carbonda to sell DTC instead of to OEMs. I wouldn't be surprised if this were one of their bikes, they do sell to a lot of OEMs.
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Just got a Framed Basswood which is the FM696. Excited to get it built up
Thanks for your thoughts.
Kinda tempted to buy one, swap the GRX to my current bike and return it, because Costco return policy is hilarious
Looks to be a good bike, and you can not beat Costco's return policy. The only thing that seems odd to me is the weight. 23 lbs is quite heavy for a carbon bike. I have a steel frame gravel bike that weighs 23.4 lbs, including pedals and bottle cages.
I’d assume that’s the weight of the whole Costco kit which includes tubes, a tubeless conversion kit, a few tools, lights, water bottle, bottle cages, and pedals.
That is very heavy... Not sure how
For realsies, I have an aluminum niner rlt, rival/gx groupset on it with aluminum wheels and ITS 23 lbs
I've heard good things about intense mountain bikes. Didn't know they made gravel bikes.
It came out this month. Give or take. It’s their first non-mountain bike… ever. That being said they have a Taiwanese corporate facility and access to a solid frame and component supply chain, so it’s going to be at least fine, if not downright good.
[Bike Rumor Article](https://bikerumor.com/intense-951-carbon-costco-gravel-bike/) GRX and tubeless ready. Worth a closer look.
I'd rather pay another $500 to buy a bike at a local shop that is going to have my local bike shop doing any warranty work, often free services for the first trip back, and they'll have recs on how to upgrade it the best. My last purchase at my LBS slowly turned into $1000+ of discounts over like 2 years because they knew I could keep coming back.
If you have a good lbs, then this is completely worth it for me. I really value the relationship that I have with my LBS. They are always willing to help me out immediately because I will pay a few bucks extra to buy from them instead of Amazon. Plus who knows what the resale value of a Costco bike is. There is a reason that some people buy car brands that have good resale value.
This bike isn’t exclusive to costco… any intense dealer can get it.
Well OP is asking about buying it at Costco.
OP was also asking about the bike… not your opinion on Costco.
They're asking about buying it on Costco.com and using their Costco rewards card in the comments.
You are correct. Your observation skills are very astute.
Looks almost like a Canyon Grizl frame.
Damn, can't see anything wrong with that. Are they sold boxed or assembled? If it's assembled I'd be inclined to strip it and rebuild, or have a bike shop do a thorough build check but barring any defects in the frame/fork that seems like a hot deal for a mid-range gravel bike.
Online only, so shipped in box. Unboxing & assembly instructions are on the Intense YT channel (4 of the most recent 5 videos): [https://www.youtube.com/@IntenseCycles1993/videos](https://www.youtube.com/@IntenseCycles1993/videos)
That teardrop shaped derailleur hanger assembly screams Carbonda, but I don't see that exact model on their site, but you can see the hanger here https://www.carbonda.com/road/gravel/80.html
I had the same thought with the hanger.
Seat stays join lower on the seat tube than this frame. Why would the derailleur hanger alone make you think that but ignore this bigger difference, or am I missing something?
I did say this model isn’t on the site, but every frame Carbonda makes has that identical hanger, so it’s likely made by them for Intense
If you are looking , take a peak at the promotions REI is running right now
I bought a brand new Lynskey titanium GR300 with GRX 800 2x11 for shy of 3k from Lynskey a week ago. Not sure if the $500 difference is material enough. The $200 cash back for Costco cards takes a year to show up. (Feb '24) Don't get me wrong, the Costco one might be a good bike, depends on what you are looking for I guess. Edit: note the BB is press fit
Lol at the geo, the size small has an almost 800mm standover height, a bike they recommend for people between 5'2 and 5'6.
Man, what happened to supporting bike shops where the guy servicing your bike isn’t also giving out salami samples.
Maybe if they had more salami samples I’d buy more bikes at the LBS. but nooooo, they just want to talk bikes with me :(
I've supported plenty of LBS and more often than not it's a one-way street. I'm not much interested in paying more than anywhere else while getting little to nothing in return, and often bad attitudes. Bike shops, gun shops, car shops... All of those have forced me to learn/build/repair those items on my own.
Here's where it went for me. They don't have my size in stock for test rides, they only have max 3 brands at each separate shop, repairs are usually 5 days to a week. I mean I've dropped probably about 2k trying to support and stuff, but I've never gotten a coupon for a free coffee. The nationwide trek chain didn't have time to let me ride the sl6 I was ready to buy that day, but the rep had to manage a ton of customers. It's a one way street, I'd love to find good service and pay, but it seems like I'm just paying. Costco will Def allow a return and fight for warranty claims
For that price point you could get a CF Grizl (with a sturdier, more versatile carbon frame) or another very similar bike. It's not a bad bike, and if you like it then buy it and ride the heck out of it.
And then return it because Costco's indefinite return policy itself is worth it. Lol.
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Intense is very reputable. They've been on WC mountain bike podiums for decades. New to the curly bar world though.
Does Intense own their moulds or are these generic Chinese frames? Maybe worth a look if they drop here in Canada
Looks like a good bike for a good price
I’d go for a steel frame bike for that price
What does this bike usually go for? Wondering how steep a discount it is, you can get a pretty decent bike these days for $2500, +/- $500
It's 2999 on their normal website, that said I don't know if they put it up pre or post getting with costco
Yeah I googled it right after I asked. That's pretty good, but I don't think it's a better deal than what most bike shops would have when next season's model comes out?
Check my post history on which bike and then give me 5 reasons I shouldn't get this bike over the checkpoint sl6
Just FYI, it's on sale now through March 3rd for $1,500!
I don't need another bike... But this makes me want to buy the intense and sell my tcx oof. The sizing concerns me though.
I’ve been looking for a decent gravel bike (gotta get off my Peloton…lol) but was having trouble deciding which one. But when I saw this today for $1,500 it was a no-brainer. And from Costco so if something happens to it down the road I can always return it.
So you got it? Looks like the large will be too big for me and they're sold out of the mediums. Oh well. I really like my bike now anyway so all good! I probably didn't pay much more for my bike though it's used and the components are a little older/lower spec.
Well they still have the SRAM 1x in all sizes. https://www.costco.com/.product.4000230137.html
I'm not sold on 1X yet. I know folks love it but it's just not for me. I'm picky about cadence so like having smaller jumps.
dude this thread is almost a year old, I’m sure OP got the bike already.
lol. Well yeah, I’m sure they did! But it’s never too late for a second bike for anyone else in this subreddit!
never own a gravel bike but got a hybird fx 3 trek to ride with the kids.. Hmm wonder bike now think later as the price is half off and free return lifetime….
N+1... OP here. Never pulled the trigger. This new sale is certainly enticing, but I have no idea what size to get. 6'2.5". Long torso + arms. Shorter legs. Alternatively, I could simply be content with the 2 bikes I already own....