Here are a selection of photos and some first impressions on the new S-Works Carbon Demo. Enjoy...
---
Words and Photos by David Peacock
The new Specialized Demo is a bit of a game changer for many riders. Having spent a morning riding it in the bike park, I have some initial thoughts, but this is by no means a full test. The bike is born to ride a variety of DH terrain, from jumps and berms to roots and rocks. Obviously, the big innovation is the new carbon frameset. It translates into a lighter, stronger bike, and less vibration transferring from the trail to the rider.
I rode the bike in the low bb setting, and it cornered like no other. Specialized changed very little from the aluminum version, the only geo change is a 5mm drop in the bb height (sitting at 338mm, with the option to run it at 343 or 348) . The bike wants to corner, so coming in to berms and flat corners you can stay centered on the bike, look ahead and let it do the work. This can be attributed to the short back end and low center of gravity. My only qualm with the low bb was that it did clip a few rocks, but the guard that Specialized has on the downtube showed no signs of wear and protected the frame from harm. Apparently Specialized developed the down tube guard to sit away from the frame, with a layer of foam between the frame and the guard, dampening any impacts. The bike accelerates out of corners and transitions, eating up terrain in its path. Basically, if you've ridden a 2012 Demo you're in for a very similar experience, but you'll be popping around the trail, enjoying the benefit of a lighter, stronger frame that doesn't sacrifice stiffness for weight.
The spec on the bike is all SRAM, RockShox Boxxer World Cup up front with custom "Black Gold" stanchions, Avid Code XO brakes, carbon XO DH cranks and XO rear derailleur. What are your thoughts on the new bike?
[fblike]http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252546&p=3817990#post3817990[/fblike]