Specialized‘s new S-Works Carbon Demo 8 Team Replica is a stunning-looking machine that’s proven at the highest level of racing, weighs a feathery (for a DH bike) sub-36lb and has a pricetag that nudges five figures.
But it wasn’t always that way – the original Demo 9 was a 48lb beast designed for freeride hucks that could take 24in and 26in wheels and came in at half the price. Here’s how the bike has evolved – scroll down to compare the specs.
2005 Specialized Demo 9 – the original Demo was designed to soak up freeride drops. It was tough but weighed a tonne
2007 Specialized Demo 7 – the Demo 9 shed some weight, lost some travel and evolved into the 7in-travel Demo 7 and 8in-travel Demo 9. Thankfully this paintjob didn’t last long
2010 Specialized Demo 8 – by the turn of the decade Spesh were sticking to the same basic design but the graphics were looking a lot tidier!
2012 Specialized Demo 8 – this year’s bike looks like the carbon team machines ridden by Sam Hill and Troy Brosnan but the welds are a dead giveaway
2013 Specialized S-Works Carbon Demo 8 Team Replica – this carbon fibre dream machine is 25% lighter than the original bike, slacker angled and lower to the ground
| 2004 Demo 9 DH | 2013 S-Works Carbon Demo 8 | ||
| Frame | TIG welded aluminium, 1-1/8in head tube, 12x150mm rear end |
FACT 11M carbon fibre front triangle, M5 alloy rear end, magnesium link, 1-1/2in head tube, 12x135mm rear |
|
| Rear travel | 9.5in / 240mm | 8in / 200mm | |
| Rear shock | Manitou Swinger w/ steel spring | RockShox Vivid w/ titanium spring | |
| Fork | Marzocchi 888R, 200mm | RockShox Boxxer World Cup, 200mm | |
| Brakes | Hayes HFX Magnesium | Custom Avid Code X0 World Cup | |
| Crankset | MRP Bones Chromoly | SRAM X0 DH | |
| Chain guide | Specialized Fatty System 2 | e*thirteen | |
| Transmission | Shimano Deore LX/XT mix | SRAM X0 DH | |
| Finishing kit | Specialized BigHit | Renthal | |
| Rims | Mavic EX 729D, 36h | Custom DT Swiss FR 600, 32h | |
| Hubs | Specialized Stout Disc front, Sun Ringle rear | DT Swiss 240s | |
| Spokes | DT stainless steel, brass nipples | DT Swiss Competition, stainless | |
| Tyres | Specialized S-Works Evil Twin Roller | Specialized Butcher DH | |
| Price | US$5,200.00 | $10,000 (TBC) | |
| Bike weight | Approx. 48lb | 35.8lb / 16.2kg (claimed) | |
| Frame weight | N/A | 10.2lb / 4.6kg (with shock) | |
| Head angle | 66.0° or 67.5° | 64° | |
| Seat angle | 63° or 64.5° | 61° | |
| BB height | 371 or 390mm (with 26in rear wheel) | 338 to 353mm | |
| Top tube length | 560 to 605mm (depending on frame size) | 560 to 597mm | |
| Chainstay length | 428mm | 421mm | |
| Wheelbase | 1,158 to 1,203mm | 1,171 to 1,208mm |
Not got your Specialized Demo fix quite yet? Here are some more images of the 2013 bike, plus a video from Pinkbike featuring Sam Hill & co putting it through its paces.
2013 Specialized S-Works Carbon Demo 8 Team Replica. Picture by Rob Weaver
The carbon Demo 8 uses the same four-bar FSR suspension setup as the original Demo 9. Picture by Rob Weaver
The Team Replica gets a seven-speed cassette and 135mm rear end (the standard carbon bike has a 150mm rear end). Picture by Rob Weaver
Up front is a RockShox Boxxer World Cup fork with super-slippery BlackBox Black Gold stanchions. Picture by Rob Weaver
Source: Sam Hill, Troy Brosnan, Curtis Keene and Brad Benedict film with Pinkbike on their carbon Demos on Pinkbike
The new Specialized Dissident helmet is here - and it's a beauty!
Video: North Shore riding on a Specialized Carbon Demo 8
Race Bike: Adam Brayton's Hope Factory Racing Specialized S-Works Carbon Demo 8