At the UCI World Cup Series – downhill mountain bike racing's most elite level – speed is the name of the game. New equipment is tested regularly, in hopes that mechanical advantage will gain time on the racetrack. The terrain of the seven race championship is diverse – from the season-opening lung-buster sprint through the South African jungle forest to the most recent round held on the treacherously steep Austrian Alps of Leogang. Next up, the series heads to Canada for the legendary Mont Sainte Anne racecourse.
This weekend at MSA, two-time UCI World Cup Series champion Aaron Gwin will compete on an all-new, 200 millimetre-travel bike: The 2015 Specialized S-Works Demo.
“I've been on the bike for about a month now," says Gwin, about the completely redesigned World Cup bike he and team-mate Troy Brosnan will be debuting at Mont Sainte Anne this weekend. "We got on it right after the National Champs because we wanted to get on it right away for comparison to the old bike on the same track."
Gwin and Brosnan first got a chance to throw a leg over the new 27.5"-wheeled bike immediately following the 2014 USA Cycling Gravity MTB National Championships in Angel Fire, New Mexico, and found it to be a familiar, but faster Demo.
It's a really playful bike, but it's a race bike through and through
"The thing I noticed right away was just how fast it was," says Aaron Gwin, "It’s a really playful bike, but it’s a race bike through and through." Gwin believes this bike "reacts quicker than any bike he's ridden before."
Utilising a radically-new asymmetrical design – producing the visually-absent seat tube on the non-drive-side – the radically-new approach to carbon frame construction is intended to lower the centre of gravity and keep the frame as stiff as it has always been. You can plant it and change directions really quick because of how your feet sit on the bike. "It accelerates fast because of the [lack of] weight and the stiffness." Gwin says, "You can plant it and change directions really quick because of how your feet sit on the bike... there are not a lot of pivots so when you put force into the bike it reacts straight away."
One of the interesting points Gwin makes about the new Demo is how the single-sided seat tube allows for easy in-and-out access to the rear shock. "The switch was really easy and setting up suspension was easy," says Gwin, "It's something non-racers might not have to deal with very often. But anyone who races seriously knows how often you need to service, set up and remove your shocks. The access on the Demo makes it so easy, plus I just think it looks rad."
A floating seatstay keeps the pedalling and braking forces separate, while the standard size 12 x 135 millimetre axle has been engineered to stiffen the rear end with a square-design. However, Gwin says any stiffness gained in the rear end has not added weight. "It's really light in the rear end, which allows the bike to stay agile," he says, "I really like a stiff bike so it's great to not have to sacrifice any rigidity for the added agility."
what im interested in is the frame weight... Specialized sacrificed the old frame and threw all of it away, new front-rear and suspension design... yet Trek sticked to their session basically 6 years old design now and the frame is 2.24kg. The s-works Demo 8 frame from 14 was around 3.6kg. Really interested in the weight of this... also will it be available in a sensible alu version, but as the seatstay is "righty" design i pressume not good job overall Specialized, really fresh and loving the details... more pictures and details!!!
@ribo88 I think and someone please correct me if I am wrong, that they had to change the design because their patent for the rear end was up. I heard it floating around on another forum. So makes sense to just revamp the entire bike.
I love this bike, and having it open on one side means super easy access to tune and change springs and shocks. no more fiddling around. I also like how clean the lines are, it not only looks super aero (may or may not be functional) but it makes it easy to clean and keep clean.
that might be the case but i am still very interested in the overall weight and the price of the frameset and is there going to be an alu version, i really dont mind them to do a whole new frame, as they have basically redesigned the original demo totally and improved all of it, but the Demo was and is the first frame that comes to mind when i hear the word : reliability. its a benchmark for every downhiller for a decade in my opinion, always loved them from day one
Roval Carbon DH Wheelset=$2,245.95 XX1 DH Groupset= $1,395.75 Rock Shox Boxxer Solo Air World Cup= $1,934.54 FACT Rear Shock= $1,256.75 Seatpost, Stem, Saddle, Tires=$573.28 Carbon Front Triangle With Floating Seat Tube=$1,248.52 Carbon Rear End With Mounting Hardwear and Square 135x12mm Axle=$987.43 Red Paint using UV resistant overcoat=$322.55 Specialized Decals Under UV resistant overcoat= $4,399.50 Total=$14,364.27
I'm surprised the world hasn't gone ape shit yet with this news. Maybe everyone still sleeping.
In 3....2.....1.... 1 Million old Demo 8's on sale on Pinkbike!
You also have to take into account that they aren't paying retail for their parts. So it might cost that average person 14k to build a bike like that but specialized will be paying a fraction of that. Big companies want to have their product on what is potentially the fastest bike in the world right now.
specialized decals for 4,399.50 sound about right, you forgot the couple thousand more for the some sort of swat technology they will without a doubt install in there somewhere and call it a revolution of the mountain bike industry.
good for them for finally getting rid of that third useless link, it only took them 11 years.
Wow, a Horst-link FSR bike?! How cutting edge! Looks pretty much like a 1999 Intense M1...Pfffft, you can only polish a turd so many times before it's time to come up with a better turd.
@scottrallye: Agree. Nothing "special". Giving up 50% stiffness by deleting a structural element - is stupid. The old bike was a bit of a pig, more parkbike than dh. This one looks enduro park DJ. Not a plow bike. I expect this bike not being accessible to average riders - they will be slow.
@scott & wakaba- sure it might have been around for a while, but it still has numerous benefits over a simple single pivot and many linkage driven/assisted single pivots. One of the things that Specialized does very well is carbon, especially from their McLaren takeaways. If this design actually reduced the strength or stability of the frame they would not have done it.
I'm not knocking the frame materials, shock, or any other of the new technologies they are employing in this... it's all cutting edge, and I'm sure, awesome. I just don't understand sticking with a very old suspension design that I'm not a big fan of. I'm not a fan, because I've owned numerous Specialized bikes (including a 2010 Demo) and just don't like the ride compared to any VPP or DW-Link bike.
I just dont get one thing, the chainstay pivot is around the BB right? But then they put a Horst Link on it which takes all the advantages of having the pivot there away, but still having the negatives?!
Finally, they ditched that stupid swingarm inside a swingarm technology.. Now hate on this comment, considering the majority of pinkibikers own a demo, TLD d3, and Avid Code brakes.
@gnralized, you do know that Giant licensed that design from Specialized and for at least a couple of years had to say "by Specialized" on the chainstay?
The old Demo failed to impress always. This one is underwhelming. Definitely not a dh-bike more of a flickable parkbike with an unnecessary flabby and crashy feeling rear end. Carbon is still no go. fits the spec prduct world but not mine.
Im with u wabaka, i never loved the look, and it wasn't impressive riding wise, now this one comes our and looks like a devinci wilson and santa cruz v10 had an ugly baby with half of a demo linkage
wakaba, your ridiculous non-experience based comments never cease do they? Calling a bike you have never ridden, which has been developed with the input of some of the best DH racers on the planet, "not a dh bike.. with an unnecessary flabby & crashy rear end". You do win the award for "Best Competitive Cyclist on the Internet" though.
oh yeah because we have all tried it. guys no one knows what kind of bike it is, but i think that the largest company in biking knows how to build a bike.
i agree with the price being way out of hand, but what did you expect with a carbon bike from a big company, if you think they lost the unique look is lost... might want to get your eyes checked.
@ka-brap: The last one was exactly that....not a dh bike. What the best dh-bikers do has exactly what to do with what you and I do? The largest bike company? So you love your phone company too? Riiight...
i do love my phone company, they provide a valuable service that i desire and they do it well. and your kidding yourself if you think its not a dh bike.
A non-DH bike that wins World Cups and World Championships...? I wouldn't call any brand's proven World Cup DH bike "not a DH bike" but I guess you have a different idea of what a DH bike is than I do. As for my phone, I'm not sure what that has to do here but then again, your argumentation is about as flawed as it can get.
We shouldn't be bagging on a bike that we have never ridden, it might be a lot better than the last demo but who knows. Everyone is saying it's garbage when they haven't even tried it.
First off...the only people who actually pay full-retail for these things have more money than they know what to do with. You'll be able to pick one up at your Spec dealer for much less if you don't act like a douche to the shop. Secondly, it's an S-Works bike, do you expect it to be cheap? Don't click on the link if you are going to cry about the price.
These models are used to push the technology (and sexiness) envelope for the brand. Similar to car racing the R&D that goes into these Ferrari's trickle down to our more reasonably priced (but still awesome) WRX Sti's.
Every time a new carbon dh bike comes out I say thats stupid no one is going to buy that its way to expensive but sure enough there all over the place when they come out . I dont understand how people can afford these bikes
@kabrap: Absolutely. Most, not all, wc tracks are enduro tracks. They used to be way gnarlier. Your analysis is flawed and the spec is not a plow because its intended use is not dh. Look at a turner, m9, 951 etc. Entirely different beasts.
So wakaba youre saying that most, if not all, "dh" bikes developed in the last +\-5 years are not true dh bikes? Even though they go downhill fast, which is what a downhill bike is supposed to do?
@wakaba The 951 is a play bike.. The m9 sure is made for rock gardens but the 951 is on the more playful side. Stop acting like you know everything there is to downhill bikss
slidways....they had a patent only on the HORST link (the link below the rear axle). this bike still has the HORST link....this is just an overdue redesign.
The FSR patent is up. (horst link) That does not mean Spesh can't build fsr bikes. It just means everyone else can without paying a royalty. The fact that it has a horst link means nothing on how the bikes rides. You can engineer any leverage ratio or whatever anti-squat you want just the same as a DW. The thing that interested me was the complicated bottom bracket area with the concentric pivot. I think it is good in theory but when you get your factory in Taiwan to produce these it will be a recipe for frame miss-alignment or failure.
RLEnglish^, I'm not disagreeing here, but I am curious as to why it would cause potential alignment problems as opposed to using a seperate junction from the bb? There's definitely benefits to this design choice, it lowers the CG further, keeps clear of the chain without a heavy drop down yoke, while providing a very stiff pivot point without needing to build an extra junction.
I thought the same thing regarding the BB. It's a pressfit 30 so think how that works? It must have a sleeve for the BB shell that sits on bearings in the frame with the chainstays using a pinch bolt to tighten onto the shell. I don't really get how lateral preload will be adjusted. Maybe it won't be required but RLEnglish said, tolerances will be tight.
It wasn't that long ago that Evil had a cargo container full of misaligned bikes from a offshore manufacturer. I think the design is good and can be made properly but I question the fact that the Taiwan manufacturers will be able to pull it off. The bikes I've seen like this have been aluminum which can be machined to tolerance or even adjusted during the heat treatment process. With carbon it has to be bang on the first time.
Yes, wakaba...because if there were bikes that were leagues better than the "parkbike" demo that's been WC proven (and a f*ckton of racers and joeys) then people would run taped up frames like the days of intense. Oh wait, that hasn't been happening.
And 50% stiffness gone? More like the single sided bar on the front triangle *probably* has a much thicker carbon layup, and is just as stiff as having two thinner structures. Ya know, cause that's what the "no go" carbon frames do nowadays...
@slidways Specialized has many patents. The original patent has run out but they have patents on stuff like the axle distance from the 2nd pivot location that will keep them going for a long time in the US.
About the rear end if you want to compare it to another design this new linkage is probably closer to a the lawwill than anything else. of course its still a four-bar but for comparison sakes its going to be the closest comparison. And ill +1 to whoever said just because two design use the same type of linkage does not mean they cant be drastically different.
@Spark, why is a young racer looking to buy a World Cup level S-Works bike to begin with? On that note, there will be aluminum versions of the current frame design in 650b.
@spark24 If a young rider is fast enough to the point where they actually need this bike to go faster they would already be a wc rider or have a sponsorship so they will get this rig cheap. Put troy on the production alloy demo and he will probably still finish within a few seconds of his time. Anyone who can take advantage of this bike is more than likely going to be sponsored by them.
All the others can get plenty fast with the standard frame. I cant believe we still put so much emphasis on the top kit, when most people are not even riding as fast as wc riders were back in 2007 with those out dated bikes.
I will put in another way.... The guys who will buy the $10 000+ models wont be able to make the most of it like a more energetic younger racer would... Which kinda sucks... So why market such expensive toys when only a handful of people can actually afford it... Why was the alu version not shown here with lower end spec?... The top comment here is an immediately an indication that most people see this as something completely out of their league... When it should really be something they want to look at as their next bike.... but hey Ferrari sells cars and makes money to sponsor an F1 team so what do I know.
I think once you put "S-Works" in front of any bike model, the aforementioned top comment becomes relevant But as I mentioned before (which has since been deleted) this bike is still $7,000 cheaper than their top end road bike. People will buy it and (like all S-Works models) they will sell out of them because there are buyers for them, just as you said Ferrari sells enough cars to fund an F1 team.
Short answer - this bike is aimed at sponsored riders winning WC and local races, and more importantly, selling cheaper models to punters who can afford the Sworks but may be able to buy the ali version which may or may not ride as well as the CF superbike... Flagships are marketing tools.
I'm sick of the "those who can afford it aren't fast enough to ride it" and "only some fat accountant could afford that and hes just buying it for vanity" bullcrap. Since when is it a sin to study hard in college, work hard at your career, and be responsible? Since when does putting in a hard days work at the office mean you are slow on the trail? Lets say this ends up costing $10k US. Even if you are young, in college or just starting out your career, it really isn't that hard to afford. Most of us just spend our money elsewhere, which is probably more prudent anyways. Also, I know guys in their 30s and 40s who can out shred most of us anyday, and their carbon Mojos/Enduros are not wasted on them.
I like it when guys in the UK and US moan about prices. you should come to the third world where we are at nearly SAR 11 to the $. The Sworks bikes come in at well over R100k these days. An SC Nomad frame is around R35K - a complete bike also around R100k depending on build. This is why I ride a Giant.
@headshot boet I love it when they say a $2000 bike is a budget bike.... what North Americans and Europeans earn vs what we, earn R 20 000 is a lot of money... The cost of luxury goods vs salaries over here is much more expensive. but i do agree on the whole tentpole effect of the high bikes filtering their influence down to lower end models
@spark24 well lucky you don't live in spain... if i want this demo i must spend 2 years working and saving all the money, no joke.. and thinking that the people have to pay the bills and a lot of more things, = at you never will have this bike,
but the worst it's if you have work, you are really lucky,,,
Spark & Taz: only the spoiled rich kids would think that a US$2,000 bike is a budget bike!!! I used to live in Turkey and consistently got crushed by kids on $300 bikes! It's not the bike, despite what these rich kids think, only 0.01% of riders would be faster on this bike than a $5,000 Dh bike!
I feel for the guys in Spain, most beautiful country in the world and a super fukced up economy. I hope you are still able to play outside with your time off!
thats true, but its not about the bike making you a fast rider (thats up to the rider) its about enjoying something that has been immaculately designed and looks gorgeous.
^^ Correct - look the big S will market this in places that will have the the $$ to buy it and the biggest market share - its simple economics (it doesnt make it right but it makes financial business sense), probably the US, Europe and probably / maybe China. The amount of R&D that will of gone into this bike will of cost a lot of money and they will therefore want to charge a lot back - plus if its Gwinning on the WC circuit then they will probably sell more to the people who can afford it or that will take out the finance to buy one etc. There is however an alternative to this if you want a superbike for less money then buy a YT, but some people will want to stay with the big S (whatever their reason) and will no doubt hand over the $$ for this
Taiwan is the leading producer of quality bicycles, but not all plants produce the best, you get what you pay for in TW
Evil had problems because of their poor design (some serious flaws) and use of a sub standard fabrication plant with poor QC - the plant itself warned Evil about the issues before going to production.
The carbon fibre plant Specialised uses should have few issues with the news Demo, and Specialised always pay for good QC on their mid to high end bikes; its their entry level bikes that have been very poor recently especially the hybrids and kids bikes
exactly the same except the parts that are completely different.
So you take Spaghetti Bolognese take away the noodles, don't mix the the tomato with the meat but put it on top, put all that inside a bun and you have a Hamburger... hence Hamburger and Spaghetti are exactly the same thing.
FSR is a multi-pivot linkage where the chainstay pivot is mounted below and in front of the rear axle. This supposedly provides numerous rider benefits such as isolating braking forces and pedalling forces from the suspension.
And it was originally called Horst Link, and only reffers to the pivot on the chainstays beeing before the rear wheel dropouts. Specialized bought the pattent and now call it FSR...
it is I agree, but they do have a close-up. I think it's very cool to be able to remove the shock so easily. I do have to admit though, I think the old Demo is sexier.
lol, I can buy a new 2015 yz250f for the price this is going to be in New Zealand. However this bike is aimed the high end competitor not they weekend rider like myself so I don't see that much wrong the price. Plus the technology on this will be on cheaper bike in a few years time.
"We've been dedicated to downhill racing for almost two decades.." Well, except for that one decade we were all into freeride and completely abandoned racing, but whatev...
That's exactly what I thought. "Yeah, except from 2000 until we signed Sam Hill in '09, so like ten seasons when the only poor bastards racing our heavy, tall, steep freeride bike were our friends that we hooked up like Curtis and Kyle Straight, but other than that we've been dedicated to downhill racing for two decades."
The secret to marketing is to say everything twice so people remember it.
The writer makes sure to say everything and put every quote twice, that way we can remember it.
But they didn't really say anything memorable so I've forgotten it all already. Where are my keys dammit!
when the hell did specialized start using Red Bull to put out their press releases?
the best part for me was the huge quotes "It's a really playful bike, but it's a race bike through and through" and then the very next line is "The thing I noticed right away was just how fast it was," says Aaron Gwin, "It’s a really playful bike, but it’s a race bike through and through."
im stoked on the 135. keeps it stiff and narrow in the rear end. you hit your chainstays less. puts your derailluer in a little bit to make it harder rip it off.
Specialized claimed, in a sam hill special edition demo 8 press release about 2 years ago IIRC, that they go with 135mmx12mm because it was about just as stiff as 142mm but the narrower frame is much less prone to strike rocks when it came to navigating tight rocky sections. I guess 142mm makes more sense for stiffness on the thin tubed trailbike frames... or its was just the usual marketing smoke and mirrors.
Just be happy you're not stuck with a 2010 demo running a virtually non-existing 135x10 axle like I am.
@jumpman I don't know, I shopped around briefly and it seemed most go to hub manufacturers weren't offering the hubs anymore, let alone finding a compatible DH wheelset. So far my hubs are still good but glad to hear I can probably find some more of those hubs if they break.
@cougar797 No point in selling if its now worthless right? Seriously though, I like it a lot and the frame will most ride it to its death.
It's a really playful bike, but it's a race bike through and through"The thing I noticed right away was just how fast it was," says Aaron Gwin, "It’s a really playful bike, but it’s a race bike through and through." Gwin believes this bike "reacts quicker than any bike he's ridden before."
What's up with all the repetitive sentences? Ill proof read for swag and discounts!
I emember seeing that picture and i actually thought that there was not a big difference between the old bike and the prototype they were testing....new bike looks sick!!!
Wouldn't it make more sense to put the seattube on the non-drive-side? It shouldn't matter for the pedalling forces, as you are standing up anyway, but the bike is already heavier on the right side, because of the drive train. Not sure if any of what I said matters or makes sense, I'ld just like to know why they put it on that side.
Nope, that would mean you would have to put the shock closer to the drivetrain. You could easily run out of space. If the stiffness is a problem, you just lengthen the support and add stiffness that way. This isn't the only asymmetrical bike out there, quite a few have shock moved more towards the non-dirve-side, the Devinci Wilson is one of them for example.
I think this is quite an ingenious design from the manufacturing point of view. If oyu have a shock traveling 'through' one of the tubes, you need a tunnel. And i imagine making a tunnel out of carbon must be a pain in the ass (you need to make a tube, then put an insert into the mold, make the other tube and then close the mold off). This way you don't have a tunnel
Pretty sure the seat tube will be smack in the middle. But I guess you mean the bit of carbon only on one side? I can only imagine with the weight being all so central on a bike anyway this wouldn't make much of a difference at all??
@Gweggy Also just to add to Primoz's point there, the drive side area of the BB undergoes more torsional strain than the non-drive side so it's the smart choice placing it on the drive side, as if you put the column on the non drive side you would have to increase it's size/design/etc. in incorporate greater stiffness to resist the bending around the drive area of the BB
But then the standard side photo from the drive side would look better if you could see the open frame and the whole shock. Marketing trumps engineering for MTBs...
That's expected though. What differentiates most of the bike on the market is 90% marketing BS and about 10% actual performance. Truth is all these high end bikes are very good and it just comes down to ride preference. Gwin is not going to be good because of this new bike. He's going to be good because he is awesome, just like he was on trek, and just like he was on a Yeti before that. Gee is awesome on his new GT Fury, but he was also awesome on the old outdated Fury, just as he was on the Commencal. Same Hill is awesome one every bike he rides. Point being that its the riders not the bikes. There is nothing revolutionary that any one company is doing over the others.
If everyone thought that way... I wonder if elite level racing would exist? Maybe DH racing would turn into a TDF style event where sponsorship isn't just bike related and large multi national companies plug heaps of money into the sport to advertise themselves.
It "IS" the rider, but it's also the bike. The bike "allows" the rider to do what he/she wants. A bad bike with quirky handling means the rider has to be more aware of it and how to ride around it's shortcomings.
Gee is a good example. Gee has always been a fast rider, but I don't think he won once on the old GT Fury. Was that Gee or the bike holding Gee back? Or was that when Aaron Gwin came on song in '11?
Whatever the case, riders are always looking for an advantage via design as well as other areas.
Marc won on the old Fury in Val di Sole - on of the hardest tracks on the world cup. There a good and better bikes, but at the end it comes down to rider preferences. I like the bike, but I dont like the shitty marketing blabla in every release - a faster bike - the rider is fast, not the bike. The bike can fit or not, but its not fast.
Where did I say that it was only the rider? That's why I wrote 90% the rider, and 10% the bike because the bike does matter some. And yes Gee never "won" anything in terms of WC's on the old Fury but I believe he finished on the podium every race that year, including 2nd at World Champs. The bike didn't seem to be holding him back. His not winning a race was probably just some randomness and the fact that Gwin was an unstoppable beast that year.
I think it's fair to say that at elite level it all the bikes are going to be awesome. They all have high end components and frames with suspension set up how they like it. No one bike is better than the other at that level. Team support and the riders are different though.
It would be another case all together if a rider was on a 2010 bike and components and another on a 2015 bike.
With the exception of different suspension performance and geometry, I don't understand how there are so many bike frame and component manufacturers... The companies somehow convince consumers that the differences mean they don't have to compete on a price level...
Well sorry to all if my tone seemed harsh or confrontational. It's hard to be "matter-of-fact" on the net sometimes.
@sino428: I didn't mean to say you said 100%. That's why I said, "It 'IS' the rider, but it's also the bike". As a matter of fact, my first paragraph really pushes how important the rider is. There are lots of riders, drivers, and even fighter pilots that talk about having to perform in a certain manner based on the design and performance of the equipment. History is full of examples that prove this.
@sino428, highsider, ZeGermans: I believe completely that it's the rider that overcomes "all" conditions in the end. Some of those conditions have nothing to do with the course or the weather, but instead equipment. Besides, it's clear riders are always looking for things that help and making changes, just as it's clear that the frame makers are always looking for advantages as well. Better design simply allows the rider to do his job better. That's it! But good bike + shit rider will never equal victory.
Lastly, if people (riders and manufacturers together) weren't consistently working on new ideas and designs, we would all still be on DH machines with 70 degree head angles and cable operated brakes.
@BKDR - I get what you are saying. Of course all this R&D and innovation pushes the sport along. My only point was that the innovations happen in small doses, not the leaps and bounds that the marketing people would have you believe each time a company releases a new bike. Each one of these press releases or videos is designed to make the consumer believe that, this bike, and only this bike will let them ride up to their full potential. That everything other than this new bike is an inferior product. I'm just saying that most of it is complete BS. There may be some new technology or some design improvements that might be nice, but my only point is that there isn't anything revolutionary here. Its just a nice shiny new version of what was already out there with half a seat tube.
So am I to understand that the phrase "producing the visually-absent seat tube on the non-drive side" mean it's there, but I can't see it? Red Bull (or whoever wrote this), please stop inserting words where they aren't necessary.
I liked the old one much more. 26 wheels and an aluminium version sounds a lot better to me. Also with these looks I would much rather have the looks of a session. Just my opinion though
Looks like a big red praying mantis about to make a meal out of a trek or santa cruz.... the red and black boxxers would look WAY hotter on MY bike though
That was more a "first look at racers on the new Specialized Demo". I wonder why almost every review has a video these days? Is it really necessary? I'm interested in the product, not what people are doing with it. More pictures and specs please, less videos.
Yep,first thought is fark that is one ugly mother hucker!
I do like the one sided shock seat stay setup, as a racer and mechanic, I appreciate any little detail that makes race wrenching easier faster without sacrificing bike performance, so I take my hat off to big S for that, and it does look rad, that one peace, rest bit of a mix bag for me, rear looks old Ellsworth like especially in the HL
drop.
Gwin and Bros should use the Ohlins shock, it does look fast. ill give it that, lets see what it can do at MSA.
Id still not change it for my Mondraker Summun though, the baddest, meanest bike on the planet, lighter, faster and looks meaner, and the feet are in the right place to make changes really quick its lighting fast and playful, but still a racers racer.
Dunno About the whole frame but we do like the Seat tube. Thats sexy. Almost a shame they chainged the Seat stay's. But had to go probably. Still looks good. If only god would give us that DAMN ohlins fork. PLEAZEEEE. been waiting for 3 years.....
Pinkbike should of put a left side picture up first or at least a full picture instead of a closeup. Show that side because you know that's where all the discussion is going to be about.
The bike is beautiful don't get me wrong!! I just see everybody flock to this company (which is a great company) when I seem to go for Knolly, YT and Devinci. But to each his own....... However, the bike is down right amazing, I can only imagine where DH is headed in the next 10 years with having that one side of the frame open now.
The linkage on this bike has more in common with the very unFSR-like Lawwill link than the Horst-link that Specialized was able to patent (now expired) in the USA. Flex can be an issue with Lawwill links - the Horst-link was a definite improvement in this regard, replacing the separate drive and non-drive side pieces of the floating link to which the rear axle is anchored with a single seatstay component. Actually, I expect all of the significant improvements that have been achieved with this new bike (better pedaling and lighter rear end) could have also been achieved via a redesign more in keeping with the existing Demo, and that would not have lead to any structural compromises.
Every bike is a work of art. It's a masterpiece to some and a disaster to others. It's a matter of perspective, but specialized has been in this game for a long time now so I think almost all of us can agree that they know what they are doing and if you don't like it, don't buy it. It's that simple.
3 Tags then I am out: Will it blend? Can Specialized bring a limited Red Bull/TLD designed frame onnthe market? and last but not least do I always qualify first with that one because of that enormous price?
Absoshagginglutely beatiful. I just hope they won't release a new Enduro29 with similar design any soon, because I would need to buy it. The only poinr I could make about engineering here, is that if I was to buy that bike, I'd buy at least 3 sets of bearings straight away. Those are going to work really hard, but well design is an art of compromise and only people who believe politicians can believe that there are solutions ticking all the boxes.
Hey Waki - guessing your bearing comment has to do with the fact that there is no bracing between the seatstays. In your opinion do you think flex will be in control given the whole rear end is carbon and the swing link extends deep into the wheel radius? Also, hear lots of people going off on the concentric bb. Curious to hear your take on the ups/downs of this?
Hey mrpark - no deeper thought, pure specualtion. I'd say it has to do with lack of brace, I can only assume that if the link is made of carbon there will be no issues as it should be very stiff. At the same time all elements look super beefy, and axles may be so think that the problem is minimized. But as I said, there is no way to tick all the boxes, when there is a win, there is always a trade off in regard to the way the object should be used You just want to make sure that you make as much win where you want it to be at least this is how we do it when designing buildings and this is how my dads friends do when they design sport aeroplanes and sailplanes. Art of compromise. Concentric BB? I have no opinion at all. I have no idea about suspension kinematics and as far as mechanical solution goes, as long as it is well sealed, there should be no probs aye? Thank you for tickling my vanity gland.
Yes jclnv - we all heard that short rear centres are stupid and slow Gwin down. Just like short stems are better. Oh, the Highroller is a great tyre if you can lean it. What else... bigger wheels roll faster?
I think WAKI's response to mrpark is fine - there are always design/engineering compromises, try to take the ones that get you to where you want to be. Still, I think there was an acknowledgement of a particular compromise, a certain "lack of brace" with the new design. What perplexes me is why the compromise was made in this case at all. I can't see anything in the new design, including that lighter rear end, that couldn't have been achieved by way of a careful redesign that preserved the structural advantages of the existing design. And, I don't feel encouraged by the knowledge that very expensive carbon will probably be the only material stiff enough to implement this new design without flex.
There is no singular seatstay component (or floating link) that any longer loops from one axle dropout and one side of the wheel around to the other side of the wheel and the other dropout. That classic unified two-sided seatstay component in the new design gets decomposed into two completely separate parts sitting on either side of the wheel. That singular looped structure makes a lot of sense in itself and the bracing part that joins both arms of the seatstay (commonly but not always quite close to the tyre) also provides a strong point to locate or support a pivot to a rocker link that benefits from the strength of the brace. The stiffness of the rear end comes courtesy of good design but all that structure is missing from the new design. In particular, the point at which the rear pivot of the large rocker link joins the drive and non drive side floating links is unbraced. As a consequence the stiffness of the rear end will now depend a lot more on the materials used for the linkage parts and the quality and tight tolerances of the pivot hardware.
The lower the seatstay angle and shorter the rear centre the more clearance problems arise with the seatstay brace and seat tube.
I'm sure the lack of seatstay brace will have little effect. Especially when you consider the shock linkage connects to such a shortened seatstay.
Yes you can eliminate the seatstay brace. And this can be done without structural compromise - the Pivot Mach 6 and Phoenix Carbon are exemplary in this regard. Still, it seems Troy Bronsnan has been racing a 'current generation' 27.5in Demo with a short rear-centre that hasn't suffered the clearance problems that you refer to. So, if the challenge is to come up with a light DH bike with 27.5in geometry and (somewhat) improved pedaling I would want to ask what was wrong with the existing Demo that made it unsuitable as raw material for the new design? And the answer seems to be, "nothing really, Specialized just thought it was time for a change." That's alright of course as are compromises to achieve design objectives. But, I am suggesting that the lack of brace in the new Demo is not a sensible compromise to achieve design objectives but rather poor design that follows from a desire to get something new to market quickly. Will one of Specialized competitors see a marketing opportunity here? Personally, I would much rather an improved current generation Demo without the structural compromises than the one soon to be available from Specialized.
yeah, but on a 150 rear end, you feet are farther apart... and im not sure about you, but i feel much more stable with that little xtra width haulin down a hill.
i think all this jumping around has to do with the hub and dish or something. read it a few times around the new
I can definitely see a 135 being stiffer than a 150. I have the 3 different hub (135, 142, 150) sizes on different bikes, but thankfully that's the only part that's not interchangeable between them. On a completely different note, it makes it harder for bike thieves to match up parts on bikes (not that they don't try!)
150mm is a little stiffer. But if you have an already inherently stiff frame (which you should, relying on the hub for stiffness isnt great designing) its not an issue. 135mm just provides more foot room and makes it easier to squeeze between rocks. Everyone has worked on a rockgarden at a race before and wished their bike could "squeeze through that crack / hole right there".
I only like the right profile of the bike. In fact it is only half of a frame. So they are giving you less for more money. Genius. Lets here more about how much faster it is. You just don't need to be so strong to ride it at all. Train less, spend more and go faster. No bike goes at all without a rider. So do we want to listen to pros' opinions about how much faster the bike is, or they became? On the other hand, in fact the very right hand side, the bike looks amazing. Props for the designer. Pitty they didn't want to make the rest of it on the other side. So this is poster for me only. Right profile only.
Im a big fan of demo8 but this ugly thing is no demo8. There is absolutely no flow to this bike anymore and they messed with that classic rear suspension, It looks like shit for sure, Im very disappointed Specialized...
man i was looking the whole comment's for the ugly comment. Cut that bike ain't good looking probably is very fast and all but ain't good looking imagine if this was the old demo and the old demo would come up now. That would be better muuch better.
But the Ducati has a higher shock position than most other bikes just so they can squeeze the exhaust below the swing arm. Aesthetics.
Al least the Specialized is functional.
Glad they moved away from that older botched linkage that just didn't look right. I'm not exactly a fan of asymmetrical bikes, or things for that matter. Plus they don't make it an XL. Thanks again specialized for limiting your market.
This may be one of the best looking bikes I've ever seen...Never owned a spec and I'm not the biggest fan of the company, but I cant deny the fact they make great bikes.
I will be drooling all over this bike at Windham! Can't wait to see it up close! Going to be so sick! Anyone know if Gwin will run the Ohlins rear shock or stay on Fox rear shock.
Hey Specialized...until you start making your Demo 8 in an XL, you are still CRAP. Every other bike company makes an XL...WTF is your major malfunction?? Get your shit together!
And people should actually look at the reach numbers not the M, L or XL letters. The current L Demo 8 is pretty much exactly as long as my XL V10c and the new version gets another 9mm to boot
It is good to know they will be making an XL, and that Pinkbike failed to mention that.
@johan, I do look at the numbers moron. I am 6'6" tall... A whole hell of a lot taller than you, boy. I know the numbers. I have read them many times, as well as test rode models. The CURRENT Demo is TOO SMALL. It is NOT comparable to any other XL on the market. Now go ride your bike for small people.
Sure you are taller, couldnt care less and wouldnt not trade my height for yours ever. I do feel for you being that tall since I am 6' and feel my XL V10 is on the small side. So if you know your numbers you should know that the current L Demo 8 is about the largest current production frame out there, it is pretty dead on as my XL V10 and bigger by almost 30mm to a XL Undead, 20mm more than a XL DHR, 15mm more than a Myst and pretty dead on as a XL Trek 9.9. And for this S-works they have added 9mm to which a works headset can add 7mm more. Although most companies seem to be stepping up their reach on next years offerings.
Want a big bike look at the XL Nicolai Ion 20, it sports a 474 reach.
The question is will they make the new demo in ALU also or are they going for carbon all the way and keep making the old demo for those who are not millioners?
Cant wait to see how it rides and what the price tag is!
nice, some more quality stuff to flaunt at buyers while the shops get the worst possible parts for us to buy. keep the good stuff for the champs, we have no right to enjoy the sports, we are "the mob".
i like it. it's unique appearing and all the shock adjustments should be easily reached/adjusted because of the one-sided seat-tube strut. i wonder about the pricing. and, they should include a derailleur guard/bumpstop with that horst pivot location like what Lapierre does with their Spicy/Zesty bikes.
Ive seen brosnan and gwin riding these up at ss and daaaaaaayum they look fine, its cool to see these guys shredding at silverstar rather than whis on a new bike.
anyone who says that this bike is ugly i'm generally worried about because next time they go out to bike they might get in a crash due to lack of eye sight.
Words can not simplify how much I want this bike but it doesn't say anything about the frame having adjustment wheel options as I'm a 26er fan and not a 650b fan
Anybody else notice at 2:53 the red rear shock? Overall i really like the bike. I think it is really cool how easy it would be to work on/ change the shock.
The first thing I thought when I saw this was, hmm, pretty close to a Lawill rear end like on the old Yeti's and Shwins... That Horst link is almost a Lawill link lol.
wow...regardless of how this thing performs - it is beautiful (that asymmetrical seat tube element is craze-amaze!). And this is coming from a proponent of steel skinny tubes.
This is an insult to the Intense M1! The Intense M1 still looks great today. In 14 years this thing will be seen as an abomination, and will be laughed at in all the "Ugliest Bike" forum threads.
Really cool looking bike. But the suspension design is not as cutting edge as you think. It's still FSR the suspension design they have been using since the late 90's. And I will never buy any specialized brand product, they are an evil company. Don't sue small companies for naming a bike somewhat similar to yours, or sue for using the same angle on the seat stay. Grow up specialized.
For the money that Specialized & Trek charge for their bikes you could easily and for less money own a more grass roots / passion driven bike from the guys at Intense. ( Ok, so they have german engineered carbon bikes made in asia now ) But they still care hugely about the fun side of the sport, their bikes are beautiful and you can see the craftsmanship in every frame, especially the aluminum bikes. Plus they are just as full of new technology as the big boys. Seriously, go take a look at an Intense bike.
Looking into buying a new stumpjumper, but they don't make a 26 inch version anymore. And now this is 27.5. Any suggestions for a trail bike like the stumpy, but with 26 inch wheels?
I don't care to much about the weight of the bike , i just care more about the weight of my wallet. ill stick to my old specialized demo 8 still gets the job done just fine.
I don't change bikes to be good rider or better then anyone.. Honastly i suck But I do change bikes every year cuz I always like to have a recent model and try the new one and because I can change bikes when I want to.. If you don't like it go and sit over there in a corner and cry or go work for it
Being that you are Canadian I'm guessing you can afford this bike because your line of work involves destroying some part of Canada's environment. . .at least you countries economy is growing.
Comme on it was a joke. Im not going to buy a new bike next year. Im a student. It's just a little annoying that i just bought a bike and in more or less six months there is this new Demo. Does "estica" really have a big influence on his country ? I don't think so.. So don't say something about people, just because they are black, white, asian, Canadian... We are all humans like you (By the way sorry for my bad english)
^those are albertans you're refering to, our texans. Oh and they're letting the chinese come in with cheap labour and rights to our resources, so they wont prosper off this for long. f*cking Idiots.
you can just see who is one off the top polluting countries ahahah and the vehicles that Americans mostly use you can see that they are very eco friendly,then some of them buy a prius just to say they care ahahah estica, if rode of those cars on my(and your) country you would have to live under the bridge
that's right tiago but in here it takes 1 euro for 4.5l of gas,much cheaper then in Portugal,so they don't care about Eco cars.. bring the dam V8's and all that gas drinkers up hahaha you don't see diesel cars as much in Europe, only pick ups and even that they are 60% gas not diesel
yes, gwin always flies when riding his home trails on a demo or uci on a session . Lets not forget how bad it performed when switched from trek to spec. Gwin is a great rider and it deserves the kind of money that spec is trowing at him but that's all. The demo is a bike that's first intended for comercial purposes and then for winning world cups.
people from specialized are so dumb.. how bike can be fastest? xD I have the same speed on demo and on 2009 glory, hill is faster on nukeproof than on demo wheres the sense xD
yes and he has the worst results on demo too the point is that bike doesnt matters. Your speed depends on ur riding abilities and fitness;p bike can suit u better or less but how can it be faster? It depends on u, how fast it will be
I very much agree with you that the rider counts for the vast majority of the success, but we'd be mistaken to assume the bike doesn't matter at all. Easiest way to show that a bike does matter is simply pick the wrong bike, like a trail bike, and compare lap times. That's what these guys do- compare and time different set ups of the same bike and then they race the fastest set up that was tested and timed. Same thing happens in ski racing.
Where is this 13K number coming from???? I'm not calling BS, I just don't see it posted anywhere in any website the press releases or in their comments from a credible source, ie: someone who works in a shop and has a 2015 msrp price.
$3K over the 13 and 14 team replicas is a little hard to believe, even for Spesh. I can't see them pushing this much more than a G over their old price... Unless they are gonna hang carbon wheels on it.
Well. if you scroll throw the comments, they are some people that is saying that price.. i Cant find any info about it besides here on Pinkbike. But anyway. the sworks is allready expensive..
Not arguing that they aren't pricy, especially when they come with Alu wheels vs. a fully loaded V10 with Enve's, but before everyone freaks out on the price, let's confirm it first.
Awesome bike, terrible company. Glad it doesn't have a big Specialized logo on the side. It saves time for the owners as they don't have to repaint it anymore.
Dangerously average? You must mean Hill's World Champion title in 2010, Brosnan's Junior World Champion titles in 2010 and 2011 and the fact that Troy and Aaron are #1 and #2 in the WC standings right now, all on the 'old bike'? Yeah, I can see how that's average...
It has only won 2 international races in 4 years in the Men's Elite (the only category where the difference between a good and a great bike actually matters). Sure, it's better than most, but with the amount of marketing they do, you'd expect more. Like Trek, who also do all that bullshit "this is the new revolution" marketing, but actually have the results that go with it
In 2011 Troy Brosnan, who was still a junior, was podiuming at WC's and gained the second fastest time overall at Worlds. Does that not count? Does him winning back to back Junior World championships not get any consideration? Especially as the first one was as a first year junior. What about Sam Hills overall in 2009, that should be taken into account seeing as it was pretty similar in terms of geometry to the 2014 bike. Do only the wins count?
also he has a very good point.... every first series new demo had faults, the 2004 had the inner seatstay crack issue where the shock meets the frame, the 2007 demo 8 had the welded link wich broke, and the 2011 series had cracked in 2 points in the inside seat-chainstay, so on this logic this one will have a fault aswell, but every one of the old mistakes was fixed the following year.
I think and someone please correct me if I am wrong, that they had to change the design because their patent for the rear end was up. I heard it floating around on another forum. So makes sense to just revamp the entire bike.
I love this bike, and having it open on one side means super easy access to tune and change springs and shocks. no more fiddling around. I also like how clean the lines are, it not only looks super aero (may or may not be functional) but it makes it easy to clean and keep clean.
that might be the case but i am still very interested in the overall weight and the price of the frameset and is there going to be an alu version, i really dont mind them to do a whole new frame, as they have basically redesigned the original demo totally and improved all of it, but the Demo was and is the first frame that comes to mind when i hear the word : reliability. its a benchmark for every downhiller for a decade in my opinion, always loved them from day one
Roval Carbon DH Wheelset=$2,245.95
XX1 DH Groupset= $1,395.75
Rock Shox Boxxer Solo Air World Cup= $1,934.54
FACT Rear Shock= $1,256.75
Seatpost, Stem, Saddle, Tires=$573.28
Carbon Front Triangle With Floating Seat Tube=$1,248.52
Carbon Rear End With Mounting Hardwear and Square 135x12mm Axle=$987.43
Red Paint using UV resistant overcoat=$322.55
Specialized Decals Under UV resistant overcoat= $4,399.50
Total=$14,364.27
whats a FACT rear shock?
silly people and their crazy price breakdowns
Sleeker, newer, carbon, bigger wheels. Same suspension design.
I bet the leverage rate is great. Low anti-squat and good small bump with the low Horst/main pivot position.
Prefect for those who like supple bikes rather than harsh small linked bikes.
And I already found a spyshot of the 2017 enduro frame (disclaimer : this is sarcastic)...
www.bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2012-Skyde-Titanium-full-susp-mtb-engine-lab.jpg
How do you think the leverage rate could be improved to fix that "crashy" rear end.
You guys base everything on looks and haven't the slightest clue about kinematics etc.
Again, I bet this bike works very well. Not that I give two shits about DH bikes these days.
Secondly, it's an S-Works bike, do you expect it to be cheap? Don't click on the link if you are going to cry about the price.
These models are used to push the technology (and sexiness) envelope for the brand. Similar to car racing the R&D that goes into these Ferrari's trickle down to our more reasonably priced (but still awesome) WRX Sti's.
www.ridemonkey.com/forums/f19/2015-specialized-demo-enduro-evo-268995
This is the 2015 Demo range, this one is the S-Works only
The thing that interested me was the complicated bottom bracket area with the concentric pivot. I think it is good in theory but when you get your factory in Taiwan to
produce these it will be a recipe for frame miss-alignment or failure.
There's definitely benefits to this design choice, it lowers the CG further, keeps clear of the chain without a heavy drop down yoke, while providing a very stiff pivot point without needing to build an extra junction.
And 50% stiffness gone? More like the single sided bar on the front triangle *probably* has a much thicker carbon layup, and is just as stiff as having two thinner structures. Ya know, cause that's what the "no go" carbon frames do nowadays...
Specialized has many patents. The original patent has run out but they have patents on stuff like the axle distance from the 2nd pivot location that will keep them going for a long time in the US.
About the rear end if you want to compare it to another design this new linkage is probably closer to a the lawwill than anything else. of course its still a four-bar but for comparison sakes its going to be the closest comparison.
And ill +1 to whoever said just because two design use the same type of linkage does not mean they cant be drastically different.
If a young rider is fast enough to the point where they actually need this bike to go faster they would already be a wc rider or have a sponsorship so they will get this rig cheap. Put troy on the production alloy demo and he will probably still finish within a few seconds of his time. Anyone who can take advantage of this bike is more than likely going to be sponsored by them.
All the others can get plenty fast with the standard frame. I cant believe we still put so much emphasis on the top kit, when most people are not even riding as fast as wc riders were back in 2007 with those out dated bikes.
but the worst it's if you have work, you are really lucky,,,
I feel for the guys in Spain, most beautiful country in the world and a super fukced up economy. I hope you are still able to play outside with your time off!
Taiwan is the leading producer of quality bicycles, but not all plants produce the best, you get what you pay for in TW
Evil had problems because of their poor design (some serious flaws) and use of a sub standard fabrication plant with poor QC - the plant itself warned Evil about the issues before going to production.
The carbon fibre plant Specialised uses should have few issues with the news Demo, and Specialised always pay for good QC on their mid to high end bikes; its their entry level bikes that have been very poor recently especially the hybrids and kids bikes
the best part for me was the huge quotes "It's a really playful bike, but it's a race bike through and through" and then the very next line is "The thing I noticed right away was just how fast it was," says Aaron Gwin, "It’s a really playful bike, but it’s a race bike through and through."
what the f*ck?
@cougar797 No point in selling if its now worthless right? Seriously though, I like it a lot and the frame will most ride it to its death.
What's up with all the repetitive sentences? Ill proof read for swag and discounts!
www.pinkbike.com/news/Specialized-DH-Bike-prototype-spy-shot.html
(sooner)
It shouldn't matter for the pedalling forces, as you are standing up anyway, but the bike is already heavier on the right side, because of the drive train.
Not sure if any of what I said matters or makes sense, I'ld just like to know why they put it on that side.
I think this is quite an ingenious design from the manufacturing point of view. If oyu have a shock traveling 'through' one of the tubes, you need a tunnel. And i imagine making a tunnel out of carbon must be a pain in the ass (you need to make a tube, then put an insert into the mold, make the other tube and then close the mold off). This way you don't have a tunnel
I might be wrong though.
Also just to add to Primoz's point there, the drive side area of the BB undergoes more torsional strain than the non-drive side so it's the smart choice placing it on the drive side, as if you put the column on the non drive side you would have to increase it's size/design/etc. in incorporate greater stiffness to resist the bending around the drive area of the BB
Gee is a good example. Gee has always been a fast rider, but I don't think he won once on the old GT Fury. Was that Gee or the bike holding Gee back? Or was that when Aaron Gwin came on song in '11?
Whatever the case, riders are always looking for an advantage via design as well as other areas.
@sino428: I didn't mean to say you said 100%. That's why I said, "It 'IS' the rider, but it's also the bike". As a matter of fact, my first paragraph really pushes how important the rider is. There are lots of riders, drivers, and even fighter pilots that talk about having to perform in a certain manner based on the design and performance of the equipment. History is full of examples that prove this.
@sino428, highsider, ZeGermans: I believe completely that it's the rider that overcomes "all" conditions in the end. Some of those conditions have nothing to do with the course or the weather, but instead equipment. Besides, it's clear riders are always looking for things that help and making changes, just as it's clear that the frame makers are always looking for advantages as well. Better design simply allows the rider to do his job better. That's it! But good bike + shit rider will never equal victory.
Lastly, if people (riders and manufacturers together) weren't consistently working on new ideas and designs, we would all still be on DH machines with 70 degree head angles and cable operated brakes.
@ZeGermans: Your English is pretty good. :-)
Will it blend?
Can Specialized bring a limited Red Bull/TLD designed frame onnthe market?
and last but not least do I always qualify first with that one because of that enormous price?
(I own a '11 Demo)
And to the point: I recall seeing 135mm axle used because it adds more room to your feet. Not much, but still it was the stated reason.
i.imgur.com/Gk92VTW.png
@johan, I do look at the numbers moron. I am 6'6" tall... A whole hell of a lot taller than you, boy. I know the numbers. I have read them many times, as well as test rode models. The CURRENT Demo is TOO SMALL. It is NOT comparable to any other XL on the market. Now go ride your bike for small people.
Cant wait to see how it rides and what the price tag is!
1, Looks
2, Winning races on it
You might as well skip the marketing bullshit.
The Intense M1 still looks great today.
In 14 years this thing will be seen as an abomination, and will be laughed at in all the "Ugliest Bike" forum threads.
www.dt-sport.com/e-shop/img_produkty/velke/sendic-fx2-frame_1201522279_1207573447.jpg
But I do change bikes every year cuz I always like to have a recent model and try the new one and because I can change bikes when I want to.. If you don't like it go and sit over there in a corner and cry or go work for it
Being that you are Canadian I'm guessing you can afford this bike because your line of work involves destroying some part of Canada's environment. . .at least you countries economy is growing.
and the vehicles that Americans mostly use you can see that they are very eco friendly,then some of them buy a prius just to say they care ahahah
estica, if rode of those cars on my(and your) country you would have to live under the bridge
factoryjackson.com/2010/12/23/bike-check-sam-hills-2011-demo-8/#.U9gTwqOVHSg
He didn't say; " it's beautiful " ...
Blackbox Boxxer lefty is next?
Where is all this "choice" I have been hearing about?
$3K over the 13 and 14 team replicas is a little hard to believe, even for Spesh. I can't see them pushing this much more than a G over their old price... Unless they are gonna hang carbon wheels on it.
jeah.... maybe a inverted öhlins fork
If I had the money I'd take up downhilling again just so I could buy one of these, absolutely gorgeous!
- me too
www.google.ca/search?q=lapierre+prototype+dh+bike&espv=2&tbm=isch&imgil=Qww6DULtgt24MM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcSoIbswLvMFHLhsugHXksTFVaBk101rOjYR852W1ZtZCVftBbZ8aA%253B780%253B446%253BUD6-m3iWiMkf-M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.vitalmtb.com%25252Fproduct%25252Ffeature%25252FFirst-Look-2015-Lapierre-DH%25252C260&source=iu&usg=__bFQqfllAHVwDxOdRHEhHFSi1SzM%3D&sa=X&ei=2rjXU8DoB8a6iwKL84C4Cg&ved=0CCQQ9QEwAw&biw=1366&bih=643#imgdii=_
Sure, it's better than most, but with the amount of marketing they do, you'd expect more. Like Trek, who also do all that bullshit "this is the new revolution" marketing, but actually have the results that go with it