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'07 Demo Reviews?

M

MDJ

Monkey
Dec 15, 2005
669
0
San Jose, CA
Okay, where are the reviews? There were big changes from '06 to '07 so let's hear your opinions. What do you think compared to your other bikes?

Since some of the ugly is gone for '08 I've added the Demo to my list of potential new DH bikes.
 
kidwoo

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Aug 25, 2003
42,146
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Squirtin ketchup n' mustard on charred flesh
I'll play.

I've got an 07 demo 8, bought as a frame and built up with my own bits.

Reasons I got the bike: I'd been riding a turner DHR for 3 years and after riding a few 05 and 06 demos, liked the small differences......mostly the shorter chainstays and slightly shorter front end.

I've got a good bit of riding on the thing now and have screwed around with suspension/geo settings enough that I've honed in on a good setup.

One of the biggest hassles I had with this bike, was the head angle. I bought the frame for the low BB setting but with an 8" 888 with go-ride crowns, the HA was 64 degrees. I gave it a shot with different springs in both the fork and on the rear shock. I hated it. It gave the bike an extremely noticeable bias on pressuring only the rear end. I rode the bike in the high setting for a while and it felt fine, but wasn't the low BB I wanted.

So I looked around and found an old 7" 888 for sale. Headangle is around 65.5 and the BB with a maxxis 2.5 rear and 2.7 front is 13.9. Setup like this the thing rails.

Rear shock adjustments (dhx 5.0): I'm using a 450 spring (ran a 400 and a 500 as well), 110 psi in the boost, and about 1 full rotation on the air chamber knob. I don't like a bunch of damper bells and whistles on my dh bike but this seems to be a good setup. It's plush, rides pretty balanced, and seems to have a smooth progression through the travel.

Worth noting is the difference in suspension from the older models. This frame is more linear for sure. Coming from a DHR which ramps up like a beyotch, this was something I noticed immediately. I never felt like the 06 demos had this characteristic. So I dialed in the air chamber on the shock and now it feels fine.......pops out of berms and jumps after a good preload to my liking.

Something else I found odd is how this frame pedals. I've ridden specialized fsr bikes (mostly xc/trail bikes) for years, and it never seemed to really matter where you sagged them, they behaved the same. Spec screwed around with all their horst link positions this year on most of their bikes and from what I can tell, there's a difference. This means there's also a sweet spot you need to hit when setting up the sag. It's nothing like a vpp bike but there's some subtle extension or compression if you're above or below that spot.

Sizing is similar enough to the older demos that I don't think the minute differences are noteworthy.

Overall, I'm really happy with the bike. A friend of mine got the complete and went though the same issues I had. He's now running his in the low setting with his fox 40 set at 7" and seems to like that the best as well.

Any questions?:D

 
L

Lollapalooza

Monkey
Jan 22, 2007
527
0
There's a review of a Demo 7 in the new Mtb Action. It's tagged, "It works as great as it looks!" They actually liked the look of it though.
 
M

MDJ

Monkey
Dec 15, 2005
669
0
San Jose, CA
kidwoo said:
I'll play.
Click to expand...
I was hoping you would bite. I knew you came off a DHR and was surprised you went with a Demo (not sure why I was though). I was looking at the new DHR this year but since VPP guys are making big(?) changes for '08 I thought I'd just wait to see what else is coming.

Good review, thanks. Interesting comment on the pedalling. I noticed the same on newer bikes compared to old but chalked it up to platform/no platform and just the new shocks being more gooderer, or something.

I also heard similar comments about the HA and rear wheel bias. I wonder if Specialized is making any changes here, or will everyone have to drop down to 7" in the fork.
 
kidwoo

kidwoo

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Aug 25, 2003
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MDJ said:
I also heard similar comments about the HA and rear wheel bias. I wonder if Specialized is making any changes here, or will everyone have to drop down to 7" in the fork.
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That's the one thing I'd actually call a 'flaw' with this frame. Last year's setups were spot on in my opinion. I have no idea why they changed them this year.

Now that I've finally got it dialed, I love the bike. But with 8" being the new standard for fork travel and most high end forks having similar A-C dimensions, I have no idea why they thought a 64 deg headangle at the steepest fork setting would be a good idea. It made the bike ride like sh1t.
 
Jeremy R

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,699
1,056
behind you with a snap pop
kidwoo said:
That's the one thing I'd actually call a 'flaw' with this frame. Last year's setups were spot on in my opinion. I have no idea why they changed them this year.

Now that I've finally got it dialed, I love the bike. But with 8" being the new standard for fork travel and most high end forks having similar A-C dimensions, I have no idea why they thought a 64 deg headangle at the steepest fork setting would be a good idea. It made the bike ride like sh1t.
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Kidwoo,
All the long time Demo riders that I know that switched over to the new ones had the same setup issues that you had. The ones I know
both ended up putting it in the steep position to get their head angle right, and both were happy about their BB height as well.
They also mentioned the linear feel compared to the 06, and spent alot of time getting the spring rate just right.
That said once they got them dialed, they really love the bike.
They mentioned the better pedaling and it being smoother through the rough.
The 06 Demo was hop on and hold on.:cheers:
 
RaID

RaID

Turbo Monkey
Oct 27, 2001
1,393
0
Not the real North Shore (Sydney), Aus
they have appeared to fix the cracking issue near the shock mounts in the 07 model that hindered the 05 and 06 versions (well they did here in austrtalia). A few guy developed hairline cracks there, and frames got replaced under warranty
 
StunZeeD

StunZeeD

Monkey
Feb 6, 2007
381
0
PNW
I had a 05 demo and loved it..I just hated the swinger and it was too much bike for where I live. Now I have my bottlerocket built up I want to get another demo..I was considering an 06..I may hold out for the 08's depending on when they come out. But where can I find the differences between the 06 & 07 as far as the + and - of those model years.
 
Inclag

Inclag

Turbo Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
2,756
444
MA
Do a search for my Demo 7 write-up.

Basic summary is that it is without a doubt the best dh race bike I have ridden to date.
 
kidwoo

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Aug 25, 2003
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Squirtin ketchup n' mustard on charred flesh
Jeremy R said:
Kidwoo,
All the long time Demo riders that I know that switched over to the new ones had the same setup issues that you had.

They also mentioned the linear feel compared to the 06, and spent alot of time getting the spring rate just right.
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That's because I'm a genius and they copied my ideas.



If any of your buddies have fox 40s, tell them to reduce it to 7" and run the low bb setting. The bike will truly shine:)


Tell them I said 'you're welcome' in advance.
 
B

Boxxer

Monkey
Jul 18, 2005
856
2
Dirty South
dexter said:
thats when my butt ugly tat edition is getting built up and deveganized
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Almost without exception, everyone who sees my tattoo in person loves it.

Best are random chics that walk in the shop straight up to it and go "now THIS is cool"

Oh and they think my Demo 7 is alright too.:cheers:
 
StunZeeD

StunZeeD

Monkey
Feb 6, 2007
381
0
PNW
So if the 08's geo is the same...should I just save the cash and get an 06? I like the idea of a longer wheelbase but the HA is more attractive on the 06
 
Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
My 05 rides great, not sure if I'd want a slacker HA and sorter CSs, the thing's already way over the back.
 
G

godzilla

Chimp
Dec 19, 2005
78
0
Unlike Kidwoo, I don't have the attention span to play with my suspension setup for any length of time - it sounds like I need to drop my 888 SL ATA down to 7" and see how it feels. I'm riding an '07 D8 and after an initial month of feeling like a fish out of water I'm really liking the bike. Hopefully I'll like it even more after toying with the fork tonight.

I'm currently running a 500# spring (I weigh about 210 w/ gear) and it feels good to me, but based on what I've been reading it sounds like I might do well to try a 550 just to see how it feels.
 
Monkeybidnezz

Monkeybidnezz

Turbo Monkey
Dec 16, 2003
1,212
0
Pac NW
Boxxer said:
Almost without exception, everyone who sees my tattoo in person loves it.

Best are random chics that walk in the shop straight up to it and go "now THIS is cool"

Oh and they think my Demo 7 is alright too.:cheers:
Click to expand...
Uh...no offense to Dex but I think it's FUGLY in person. It's a love hate thing I think. I love the D7 frame, just not big on the graphics.

I wouldn't knock anyone for liking it, it just isn't my flava...
 
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