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My Demo 8 Review

yetihenry

Monkey
Aug 9, 2009
241
1
Whistler, BC
You say there aren't many unbiased reviews as if this is going to be a different, objective review of the bike, but that is about the most bitter ramble I have ever read.
 

NAYR

Monkey
Jul 13, 2009
109
0
Truckee
I said it was semi-biased man. No one can be entirely objective. Common. We all know that opinions are like assholes and everyone has one. You are more than free to disagree, andI even said that in the review. I just shared my experience with the bike, and I listed quite a few positive attributes about the frame.

I guess some people like reading marketing reviews.
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
You say there aren't many unbiased reviews as if this is going to be a different, objective review of the bike, but that is about the most bitter ramble I have ever read.
wut?

It was pretty straightforward: "here are some strengths, and spots it really shines, and here are some weaknesses, where it really misses the mark."

"I'd have given it 4 stars if i didn't feel like it endangered my life" doesn't say "bitter ramble" to me if the bike ****ing snaps the shock shaft at high speeds.
 

TankerX

Monkey
Aug 20, 2003
729
0
The best place Fo Sho
i enjoyed your write up, very informative. One of my buddy also snapped his CCDB at the same spot and luckily he didnt get hurt.

Good luck searchin on a new frame.
 

SCARY

Not long enough
It wasn't a typical,polished review...and that's a good thing.
I have wondered why so many people ride these things,they just don't feel right to me,either.
I think Sam Hill is so committed to riding in flats,that his design inputs leave you with a bike made for WCs compensating for the lack of grip that flats leave you with while trying not to roll a pedal or lose a foot.Super low bb,riding way out back,super short rear,high bars.just my 3€.
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,882
447
I'm looking at frames, including demos, and I appreciate your input. Sizing is wacky for sure, and at 6', I'm not sure which size I'd be most comfortable on.
Maybe I'll go with the rc4 version after reading this. Not like I'll know what the hell I'm doing with all of those adjustments on a ccdb anyway.
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,740
470
It wasn't a typical,polished review...and that's a good thing.
I have wondered why so many people ride these things,they just don't feel right to me,either.
I think Sam Hill is so committed to riding in flats,that his design inputs leave you with a bike made for WCs compensating for the lack of grip that flats leave you with while trying not to roll a pedal or lose a foot.Super low bb,riding way out back,super short rear,high bars.just my 3€.
The big bikes that Specialized made, including the Demos have always had a trend of that sort of geometry before Sam Hill signed with them.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
I'm looking at frames, including demos, and I appreciate your input. Sizing is wacky for sure, and at 6', I'm not sure which size I'd be most comfortable on.
Maybe I'll go with the rc4 version after reading this. Not like I'll know what the hell I'm doing with all of those adjustments on a ccdb anyway.
having owned a medium sunday and taken a ride on my buddy's large demo, I would buy a large demo for myself @ 5'11". It was really comfortable for me, but I do like a longer bike I guess.
 

Ithnu

Monkey
Jul 16, 2007
961
0
Denver
I ride a Demo 8 and I agreed with some of the good and bad points in the review. For size advice, I'm 6'1" and feel good on a large.

It did get me worried about my shock. I'm 200 lbs and race Angel Fire every year.

*Edit: I just looked at the Demo 8 linkage. Having that rear eyelet mounted perpendicular is a really bad idea. The shock can't pivot to avoid bending loads; pretty obvious why it snapped where it did. Of course if it could spin about the rear eyelet it might rotate out of line and hit either side of the frame. Hmmm...
 
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dhmike

Turbo Monkey
Dec 20, 2006
4,304
43
Boise Idaho
i thought it was a good review of the demo . i was thinking of changing frames to a '13 demo before i read this review and this review helped my decision to change frames . i'm 5'11 and weight about 170 would you demo owners suggest a medium frame of large ?
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,882
447
having owned a medium sunday and taken a ride on my buddy's large demo, I would buy a large demo for myself @ 5'11". It was really comfortable for me, but I do like a longer bike I guess.
Thanks man, I think a test ride or two will be needed! My buddie's got a medium I can try, I'll just need to track down a large one of these days.
 

Ithnu

Monkey
Jul 16, 2007
961
0
Denver
i thought it was a good review of the demo . i was thinking of changing frames to a '13 demo before i read this review and this review helped my decision to change frames . i'm 5'11 and weight about 170 would you demo owners suggest a medium frame of large ?
It would depend on your arm length and personal preference. Definitely go ride one around and get into "attack" position and see where your weight goes to see if you feel too far forward or behind the bars.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
Thanks man, I think a test ride or two will be needed! My buddie's got a medium I can try, I'll just need to track down a large one of these days.
Sure. Keep in mind I'm an amateur so if you're a really aggressive rider that needs to get way behind his bike, I may not be the best example...but I test rode his bike for a couple runs @ mount snow and felt instantly comfortable...so much so that I started playing with the idea of getting a bigger frame.

As far as the linkage go, it still pivots, it just pivots at the bottom of the yoke instead of at the shock eyelet. I think the problem is that you're changing a tight little bushing on the eyelet to a pair of bearings 2 inches down...which just adds more leverage into the mix if things bind up.
 

Ithnu

Monkey
Jul 16, 2007
961
0
Denver
As far as the linkage go, it still pivots, it just pivots at the bottom of the yoke instead of at the shock eyelet. I think the problem is that you're changing a tight little bushing on the eyelet to a pair of bearings 2 inches down...which just adds more leverage into the mix if things bind up.
I do realize the yoke pivots; but you have a very good point. Most shocks would see some type of bending but in this case the yoke might add a bit too much.
 

OBB

Monkey
Sep 25, 2008
157
3
Just so I get this: who cares if the link design snaps shock, what size should I get?
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,882
447
Just so I get this: who cares if the link design snaps shock, what size should I get?
Hey man, I can't be all cramped up in the cockpit when my shock decides to snap in half!
 

NAYR

Monkey
Jul 13, 2009
109
0
Truckee
I wouldn't have said in the review that "if you are 5'11 I would not ride I Demo," if I didn't truly think that. Maybe my body proportions are weird, but having ridden a large and a medium, they both don't fit me very well, and I think this exaggerates some of the bad characteristics of the bike.
 

fred.r

Dwangus Bogans
May 9, 2006
842
0
I wouldn't have said in the review that "if you are 5'11 I would not ride I Demo," if I didn't truly think that. Maybe my body proportions are weird, but having ridden a large and a medium, they both don't fit me very well, and I think this exaggerates some of the bad characteristics of the bike.
My bud who's 6" or maybe just under rides a medium and loves it... he's a tard though. Haha.
 

ustemuf

Monkey
Apr 8, 2010
198
15
Bay Area
My bud who's 6" or maybe just under rides a medium and loves it... he's a tard though. Haha.
anyone under 6" would be a tard :)

i'm the 5'11/6' weird size frame guy... i chose the medium after sitting on the large. the front wheel felt waaaay out there on the large, but just right on the medium.

handlebar sweep/rise/total height/stem length is the way you get a medium feeling right for a 6'0 guy.
 

fred.r

Dwangus Bogans
May 9, 2006
842
0
I can say I personally would go for a M Demo at barely over 6ft. I've ridden my buds M a few times and it feel similar to my L DHR. M Demo's reach for it's M is 16.9in compared to the L DHR being 16.1... Wheelbase wise though the the M Demo is 46.9 vs. the L DHR at 47.3.
 

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
Also you forgot to mention in your review that the demo won't fit on my northshore rack because of that weird ass top tube/headtube setup. Only bike like that that I have encountered.
 

Pegboy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2003
1,139
27
New Hamp-sha
Wait..what? I'm 5'11" and I ride a Demo! I knew there was a reason that I'm not on the WC podium! God damn it, maybe I haven't been having fun after all...
 

Huck Banzai

Turbo Monkey
May 8, 2005
2,523
23
Transitory
Wait..what? I'm 5'11" and I ride a Demo! I knew there was a reason that I'm not on the WC podium! God damn it, maybe I haven't been having fun after all...
Hi, I'm from RideMonkey so can say with authority that you have not been having fun, and your bike is the wrong color.

If you were 5'12", things would be different.
 

NAYR

Monkey
Jul 13, 2009
109
0
Truckee
That's right bro. If you ride a Demo at 5'11 you will die. Like **** will drop out of the sky and kill you.:P

I'm not saying that if you are 5'11 that you can't ride this bike. I just don't recommend it and think one would be better off riding something else that will fits better(ie- Large DHR is perfect for me at 5'11). After all, the more comfortable you are on your bike, the faster and more confident rider you will be(hopefully).
 

Pegboy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2003
1,139
27
New Hamp-sha
I really don't have much issue with the "review" and would say the shock failure is certainly a concern..one that I think would warrant some sort of recall but, to say that a frame is wrong for a specific height is kinda rediculous. It infers that for 5' 10" it would be OK and 6' would be OK but not 5'11".? Further, what determines a proper fit for a DH bike? We all know that there are a lot of different preferences and what is perfect for you may not be perfect for others. Getting a little too serious here, as I am not one to defend something just because I own it...It's a descent bike but I'm not sure that I like it better than my 08' Sunday.

Good to know about the shock issue though..especially if it's happening on multiple bikes and different brands of shocks as well.
 

NAYR

Monkey
Jul 13, 2009
109
0
Truckee
I really don't have much issue with the "review" and would say the shock failure is certainly a concern..one that I think would warrant some sort of recall but, to say that a frame is wrong for a specific height is kinda rediculous. It infers that for 5' 10" it would be OK and 6' would be OK but not 5'11".? Further, what determines a proper fit for a DH bike? We all know that there are a lot of different preferences and what is perfect for you may not be perfect for others. Getting a little too serious here, as I am not one to defend something just because I own it...It's a descent bike but I'm not sure that I like it better than my 08' Sunday.

Good to know about the shock issue though..especially if it's happening on multiple bikes and different brands of shocks as well.
I see what you are saying as far as sizing goes as everyone does have a different opinion on what fits them best. I just listed out my honest opinion on sizing and even went on as to why I felt that way. It's not like I just made a blanket statement.

The purpose of the review was to list the ins and outs of the Demo in order to quench the constant "do I want a Demo?" threads that pop out online. I said a lot of things that no magazine or website would actually publish. I just gave my honest opinion of the bike, and it's really interesting what the response has been. No one wants to hear negative things about a bike they own haha.

I thought it was obvious for anyone with basic reading comprehension skills, but maybe I should have told people to turn their sarcasm meter on before reading the review and the response would be different. That's not directed at anyone on here, however.
 
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yd35

Monkey
Oct 28, 2008
741
61
NY
I enjoyed your review. I have a 2010 Demo which is more or the less the same bike (geometry, suspension characteristics) just a little porkier, and I agree with your observations. My specific complaints about the bike are that it doesn't pedal great, at least compared to my Sunday, and it gets overwhelmed on real choppy, square edged hitty stuff. But then again, the same reason why the Demo doesn't plow is why it's such a fun, playful bike. All in all, I'd say the real strength of the Demo is its long, low and slack geometry, and that FSR doesn't suck at anything. I've ridden poppier and plowier bikes, but nothing can do so many things reasonably well.
 
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