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2010 Specialized

Natedog

Monkey
Nov 8, 2003
210
0
Ventura, Ca
I don't know about anyone else. But I am going to buy a new bike from the BIg-S because as an extra they give you a protective clear coat !!!! You don't even have to pay extra for it!
 

Natedog

Monkey
Nov 8, 2003
210
0
Ventura, Ca
Confirmed weight for the Demo 8 II yet? Can't believe the spec for the price!
I just looked over the spec. I do have to say it is decent. But for that much money you don't even get a branded wheelset. You get some Taiwan hubs and some really wide Dt/specialized rims. The bike looks great, don't get me wrong. But for that money I would expect at least a decent wheelset...
 
I just looked over the spec. I do have to say it is decent. But for that much money you don't even get a branded wheelset. You get some Taiwan hubs and some really wide Dt/specialized rims. The bike looks great, don't get me wrong. But for that money I would expect at least a decent wheelset...
Very true. Tbh i'de likely just flog the World Cups and wheels, get some Teams and some ZTR flows on ProIIs. Jobs a good un.
 

YoPawn

Chimp
Aug 13, 2009
91
0
I don't know about anyone else. But I am going to buy a new bike from the BIg-S because as an extra they give you a protective clear coat !!!! You don't even have to pay extra for it!
But then they get you on the underside rust protection treatment. If you ride your bike through Minnesota on the streets during the winter, then this pays for itself big time!
 

leprechaun

Turbo Monkey
Apr 17, 2004
1,009
0
SLC,Ut
Can the Monkeys in the hood tell me if the geo changed? It says 64 head/343 BB (13.5)

edit-Based on their testing and input (and we think these guys know a thing or two about performance), we've redesigned the geometry of the Demo 8 to encourage nothing short of DH domination.
 
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BigHitComp04

Monkey
Jun 20, 2005
586
3
Morgantown, WV
I just looked over the spec. I do have to say it is decent. But for that much money you don't even get a branded wheelset. You get some Taiwan hubs and some really wide Dt/specialized rims. The bike looks great, don't get me wrong. But for that money I would expect at least a decent wheelset...
The hubs are Specialized branded DT Swiss hubs. At least they were for the 2008 Demos. I never had an issue with my hubs at all. Although i did end up trashing my DT Swiss 5.1 rims. Dunno how these ones will hold up.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,368
1,606
Warsaw :/
The hubs are Specialized branded DT Swiss hubs. At least they were for the 2008 Demos. I never had an issue with my hubs at all. Although i did end up trashing my DT Swiss 5.1 rims. Dunno how these ones will hold up.
DT swiss supposedly beefed their rims up for the 09 or 010 season. Wonder if that's true. With the hubs even if dt makes them they may not be on par with qulity typical to dt hubs. I've had oem syncros hubs and they had 50% engagement points than the regular ones. They may be good but I doubt it for the price. They have to cut costs somewhere and wheels cost quite a lot so it is a logical choice. Especialy that an average spec customer doesn't know **** about anything besides the fact that it's nice to have a boxxer and that single pivots suck.
 

igz-

Monkey
Nov 30, 2008
265
0
Santa Cruz
Kinda weak they're specing 970 drivetrain stuff on 5.5k Demo... If you're going to blow that much cash I'd be pissed to get 970 crap hahah
 

mattmatt86

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2005
5,347
10
Bleedmore, Murderland
Kinda weak they're specing 970 drivetrain stuff on 5.5k Demo... If you're going to blow that much cash I'd be pissed to get 970 crap hahah
970 Drivetrain stuff? The only thing 970 is the cassette. It's a Sram spec'd bike... what Sram DH gearing cassette would you rather see them put on it?


As for the wheels, I'd say they are pretty much on par with similarly priced "out of the box" DH bikes. I'm sure the Bontrager wheels that come on the Session 88 come from the same factory. I can't really think of any factory built wheelset that would be better, other than Dee Max's but that would add 500 bucks to the MSRP of the bike.
 
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kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
All they did was lower the bottom bracket and slacken the seat angle.

Wheelbases are within millimeters of the old bikes, chainstays are the same.......but top tubes are longer just because the seat sits further back now.

End result: For a bike you spend 90% of your time standing up on.......same bike they've been making, just with a lower BB. Be interesting to see what they really measure out to. My BB on mine was never as high as advertised.

And yes that "2.375" stroke shock is just a 2.5 with a piece of plastic on it. Specialized doesn't do that stupid proprietary shock length crap anymore.
 

LukeD

Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
751
2
Massachusetts
All they did was lower the bottom bracket and slacken the seat angle.

Wheelbases are within millimeters of the old bikes, chainstays are the same.......but top tubes are longer just because the seat sits further back now.

End result: For a bike you spend 90% of your time standing up on.......same bike they've been making, just with a lower BB. Be interesting to see what they really measure out to. My BB on mine was never as high as advertised.

And yes that "2.375" stroke shock is just a 2.5 with a piece of plastic on it. Specialized doesn't do that stupid proprietary shock length crap anymore.
there's a member of the specialized design team on this board... you should call him out. "sam hill geometry" right.. haha
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
there's a member of the specialized design team on this board... you should call him out. "sam hill geometry" right.. haha
Not calling out, just pointing out. I still think the demos are some of the best constructed bikes out there. That rear shock mount system rules.

And to be fair, an inch lower BB is not a small thing.


But really.......that IS the only thing that's changed. All the relevant numbers are pretty much the old bike in the slack shock setting. Turns out it just sounds like the guys racing on them like them pretty much as they were.


Oh yeah.....now it's 8" of travel to match an 8" fork. My 8.4" travel demo just never felt right without an 8.4" fork :rofl:


Doesn't matter. So many of the pajama boyz who called these bikes huck sleds for years now want one. Specialized still wins. Just took the right guys on one to sell them.
 
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WBC

Monkey
Aug 8, 2003
578
1
PNW
If I take the plastic spacer off, does that mean I'm back on a Demo 9?

The biggest jumps I ever sent were on my Demo 9 - I want those days back(even if I usually nose cased em)
 

LukeD

Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
751
2
Massachusetts
Not calling out, just pointing out. I still think the demos are some of the best constructed bikes out there. That rear shock mount system rules.

And to be fair, an inch lower BB is not a small thing.


But really.......that IS the only thing that's changed. All the relevant numbers are pretty much the old bike in the slack shock setting. Turns out it just sounds like the guys racing on them like them pretty much as they were.


Oh yeah.....now it's 8" of travel to match an 8" fork. My 8.4" travel demo just never felt right without an 8.4" fork :rofl:


Doesn't matter. So many of the pajama boyz who called these bikes huck sleds for years now want one. Specialized still wins. Just took the right guys on one to sell them.
ya i agree. 1" lower BB is huge...but I'm not seeing the super slack headtube angle that was mentioned earlier in the year in both Dirt and on here. That kind of disappoints me since it was talked up so much. I've never ridden the demo line, I hear good things but I've never been a fan of the old FSR bikes...demos might be different. I was kinda looking forward to a raked out, low race bike for decent cash as opposed to spending almost $3k on a frame. (i'm trying to save cash next year haha)
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
ya i agree. 1" lower BB is huge...but I'm not seeing the super slack headtube angle that was mentioned earlier in the year in both Dirt and on here. That kind of disappoints me since it was talked up so much. I've never ridden the demo line, I hear good things but I've never been a fan of the old FSR bikes...demos might be different. I was kinda looking forward to a raked out, low race bike for decent cash as opposed to spending almost $3k on a frame. (i'm trying to save cash next year haha)
Pay attention to those wheelbases though. They're pretty long bikes.

You can't just look at a single measurement like head angle without looking at the rest. It's kind of like bottom bracket and chainstay measurements being closely related to how a bike handles. I've pedaled around on a slack as shlt sunday that felt more twitchy than my bike with a steeper headangle but longer front end. Those demos do feel really long and slack. Just get a ride on one before dismissing them because of one geo number. They're every bit of a long, low, slack bike that it sounds like you want.......even lower now. Everybody thinks they want the slackest thing out there but it's only part of the equation. 64 degrees on a long front end is no xc bike.
 

LukeD

Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
751
2
Massachusetts
Pay attention to those wheelbases though. They're pretty long bikes.

You can't just look at a single measurement like head angle without looking at the rest. It's kind of like bottom bracket and chainstay measurements being closely related to how a bike handles. I've pedaled around on a slack as shlt sunday that felt more twitchy than my bike with a steeper headangle but longer front end. Those demos do feel really long and slack. Just get a ride on one before dismissing them because of one geo number. They're every bit of a long, low, slack bike that it sounds like you want.......even lower now. Everybody thinks they want the slackest thing out there but it's only part of the equation. 64 degrees on a long front end is no xc bike.
good point. plus sitting on the bike it slackens out quite a bit more. I'm use to riding a sunday with some custom "slacker" cups installed in the headtube. just a hair under 13.5"BB height and roughly 63.5 head angle...long wheelbase. I have quite a few bikes to try out this winter before I buy.
 

BigHitComp04

Monkey
Jun 20, 2005
586
3
Morgantown, WV
I heard that guys at Specialized were saying its too low and they wish the BB was higher. They seem to think the low BB is more for people like Sam and Brendan.
 

Natedog

Monkey
Nov 8, 2003
210
0
Ventura, Ca
970 Drivetrain stuff? The only thing 970 is the cassette. It's a Sram spec'd bike... what Sram DH gearing cassette would you rather see them put on it?


As for the wheels, I'd say they are pretty much on par with similarly priced "out of the box" DH bikes. I'm sure the Bontrager wheels that come on the Session 88 come from the same factory. I can't really think of any factory built wheelset that would be better, other than Dee Max's but that would add 500 bucks to the MSRP of the bike.

It would be fair to say that both the Trek and the Specialized DH bikes are cutting a few corners on that end of the spectrum. Not to toot my own horn, but both Glory's come with all big name branded wheels on both level bikes, no cutting corners. The Glory 00 for the same price(or lesss) as the Demo 8 II is a full Saint bike, with Saint Hubs and Mavic 721's with DT spokes. No house branded taiwain/chinese hubs to sneak in,j ust top quality parts. For a bike that price it should be spec'd as a race bike (or team issue if you're going to make it look that way)and not just look like one.
 

Orfen

Monkey
Feb 22, 2004
259
0
UP, michigan
It would be fair to say that both the Trek and the Specialized DH bikes are cutting a few corners on that end of the spectrum. Not to toot my own horn, but both Glory's come with all big name branded wheels on both level bikes, no cutting corners. The Glory 00 for the same price(or lesss) as the Demo 8 II is a full Saint bike, with Saint Hubs and Mavic 721's with DT spokes. No house branded taiwain/chinese hubs to sneak in,j ust top quality parts. For a bike that price it should be spec'd as a race bike (or team issue if you're going to make it look that way)and not just look like one.
I'd rather have an underdressed rocket than an overdressed turd.

replacing parts is easier than replacing a frame.
 

BOOMSLANG

Chimp
Apr 6, 2009
95
0
Morgan Hill
there's a member of the specialized design team on this board... you should call him out. "sam hill geometry" right.. haha

The 2010 Demo 8 is the exact geo that Sam Hill and Brendan Fairclough are riding. Many of the dimensions are the same as the last year, like 16.6 in chainstays and 64deg HT, because that is what they tested and liked.

The changes are:

13.5 in BB - 1" lower than last year
slacker ST puts the seat in a slightly different location
Front Center is 5 mm longer on S and M (this is independant of ST angle)
1.5 head tube - lower bar height when running semi integrated headset
More progressive spring curve
Travel reduced to 8.0 (was 8.4), same 2.75 shock with cartridge bearings insted of DU

Boomslang
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
I understand Nate's point. He's not trying to hype his brand, just justifying their reason for specing Saint parts and pointing out the ways different brands either look to save money...or make money...on high end bikes when specing them out. It's not an indictment on the Specialized brand, just two different ways to sell bikes.

I know Brandon doesn't spec bikes with crap because he rides and races too. You'll always find him running what will work on his bikes and apparently he and his crew have confidence in that set of wheels. Is it also a way for them to make a few dollars (or keep from losing a few) on the complete bike? Maybe. Maybe not.

Riders themselves get to hash that one out over the coming year and will make the final call on the spec for next year.

Now...when is someone going to make a $3500.00 race ready complete DH bike like Iron Horse was doing?