Price: 1.599 Euro (incl. VAT)
The Intend Essentials suspension fork is the entry level fork for anyone who wants to save some bucks for the rest of their next dream build. That doesn’t mean you’re missing out on performance though because we made sure to integrate as much technology as possible. The essential fork comes with a cerakoted BCT crown, and our trusted enduro proven steerer tube and upper legs. The fork has a travel range of 140-170mm. It utilizes a simple yet flawless air spring and an open bath damping cartridge which give you that supple and high quality feeling you might or might not (yet) be used to from Intend products and they’re also very user-friendly to service.
By reducing variety and assembly / production expenses by making a single batch of 85 pcs in one production, we are able to offer the essentials fork at a more attractive price point.
Will you save money over a top line Intend fork? Yes.
Will you feel a decrease in performance? Maybe yes, but maybe not
What are the differences to the Top-Line Originals and Blackline forks?
The Air spring does not have the Travelizer adjustment. That means you need to disassemble the fork for changing the travel.
It also does not work with the token-less technology by changing the bottom caps for progression. It works with a volumespacer in the bottom cap to adjust this. This volume spacer has 3 positions:
– without, less progression
– mid position, mid progression (installed in the fork already)
– max position, max progression
The Essential shared the same damping parts as the Originals and Blackline forks, but it’s a semi open bath system instead of the closed bladder version.
This fork is for you IF you do not need the latest internal tech and features, but you want to have the benefits and experience of an Intend fork.
Disclaimer: The first batch of forks will not be compatible with the Linearizer (our retrofit dual positive air chamber) as also with the current airunit TravelRanger.
Technical data
Description
To prevent creaking in the chassis, we use high-strength Loctite to create a solid bond between the crown and tubes. This not only eliminates creaking, it also makes the chassis stiffer, because all movements between the parts are blocked. Can we promise that creaking never happens? No — but statistically, 99.98% of our forks are creak-free. That’s a result we’re proud of.
All of our bushings are pressed in by experienced hands — by mountain bikers themselves. Every employee knows: Build each fork as if it’s your own. Yes, manufacturing has tolerances — that’s nature — but by calibrating the bushings to each tube, we can eliminate mismatch and ensure each fork runs smoothly. You won’t find jamming or sticky movement in our forks.
Fork alignment has become a hot topic in recent years, with more suspension shops publicly inspecting major brands and exposing quality deviations – the nature of mass production. At Intend, we take a different approach. We treat every fork as an individual — and make sure it’s perfectly aligned. Parallel tubes. A fork bushing system should simply work like it’s intended: Flawlessly.
In the final step, we fill each fork with a special mix of Motorex Supergliss 32k and 68k oils. Not 12ml. Not 18ml. Exactly 15ml — every time. Proper lubrication ensures smooth performance from the first ride. No guesswork. No shortcuts.
