Hey all! Is a 'large' Demo too big for me?

[Neviss]

Hey guys. So I'm brand new to biking and am really keen to get in to Downhilling as I've spent the last 4 years snowboarding in Canada and now that I'm back in Adelaide, I'm bored shitless! So hey to you all! I've been trolling the forum for weeks now...just checking everything out and all that and yeah, seems like an awesome crowd.

So was wondering if you could help me out. I'm currently kicking around on my Specialized Hardrock and just destroying it..so have been looking at a downhill bike. A buddy of mine has offered me a 2010 Demo, in pretty excellent condition (from what I can tell, and what he tells me) for $1000. Only thing is, I'm roughly 5'9 and the frame size is a large. All my local bike store guys have said that it's going to be way too large, but yeah. My mate is only 6 foot and he says it's perfect for him and all that..and from what I have seen...$1000 bucks is really cheap for a quality Demo. Also...coming from no experience and riding my Hardrock...I feel that anything..too large or too small will feel awesome So, what do you guys think? Pull the trigger and I'll love it? Or pull the trigger and regret it?

Cheers guys, really appreciate it.

 

[Rue]

Hey guys. So I'm brand new to biking and am really keen to get in to Downhilling as I've spent the last 4 years snowboarding in Canada and now that I'm back in Adelaide, I'm bored shitless! So hey to you all! I've been trolling the forum for weeks now...just checking everything out and all that and yeah, seems like an awesome crowd.

So was wondering if you could help me out. I'm currently kicking around on my Specialized Hardrock and just destroying it..so have been looking at a downhill bike. A buddy of mine has offered me a 2010 Demo, in pretty excellent condition (from what I can tell, and what he tells me) for $1000. Only thing is, I'm roughly 5'9 and the frame size is a large. All my local bike store guys have said that it's going to be way too large, but yeah. My mate is only 6 foot and he says it's perfect for him and all that..and from what I have seen...$1000 bucks is really cheap for a quality Demo. Also...coming from no experience and riding my Hardrock...I feel that anything..too large or too small will feel awesome So, what do you guys think? Pull the trigger and I'll love it? Or pull the trigger and regret it?

Cheers guys, really appreciate it.

Hey mate and welcome to Rotorburn!
I'm glad you're keen into getting into this sport. That bike does sound like a bargain but I think you'll find that the LBS is right and that is way too large.
I'm 5"10 and I run a Giant DH1 in a Medium. I find that size just a tad too small but large would be overkill.
You'll find that riding a bike which is a tad smaller will be easier to use than a large bike which will feel like your wrestling it down the hill.
Honestly, ask you mate to have a go on his demo and see how its goes and decide from there.
You'll find that alot of bikes on Rotor in the downhill section are going pretty damn cheap so check them out.

 

[xBruceyy]

Hey,

I'm running a Large Frame on my Demo 9 DH

I'm only 60KG's in weight and like 5"8""

At first when i got to know it, was difficult but after a week or two i've really adapted to it and it's really easy and good, i prefer a large frame, but thats just me.

Hope this helps.

 

[Neviss]

Thanks for the replies guys! My main issue is that, I'm in Adelaide, and my mate is in NSW. I'm driving over there tomorrow to ride with him for a couple of days and pick the bike up. I've decided to just bite the bullet and do it. It's only costing me $500 for the bike, and $500 to get there. So I figure it will be worth it. Besides, I need a break from work anyway Thanks though, hopefully it will all be sweet

 

[Dozer]

You'll be right. It is easier to make a large bike suit a smaller person that putting a large person on a smaller bike. You can change seat position, bar height and reach, crank length etc and it should work out okay.
For what its worth, I went from a large Giant Glory to large Demo 8 frame and the Demo is smaller so you may get a nice fit after all.

 

[SilverSP]

Take it for a ride and get a feel for it. I'm 5"11 and have 2008 Teocali in large. Took me a few rides to get used to it but I prefer it to the last bike I had that was a medium.

 

[Neviss]

Cheers Dozer, that makes me feel a lot better about it. Seriously can't wait to get my hands on it and take it for a ride, will let you all know how it goes in a few days

 

[asdfben]

Not sure bout 2010 but i know the large 2011 onward demo's are apparently massive
brendan fairclough ran a 'medium' and hes pretty darn tall

 

[zacapp]

Im 5'11" and run a medium 2010 demo frame. I dont no how much bigger the large is but the medium feels perfect for me.

 

[cluster]

Well i'm 6'2" and riding a medium frame 08 demo with short stem, have no trouble at all. I know it's not the same but it's all personal preference at the end of the day. If it feels good then who cares?

 

[r0ss_2489]

mate i came back from whist last yr i was riding the 2008demo 8II and wanted an upgrade i got the 2012 demo 8 this year but thought a large might be best, cos i was growing at the time.
I'm only 78kg and 6ft
hated it at first, then i changed my headset height, bought lower and wider bars cut the seat post and put on a softer spring...

rides like a dream!!

 

[Dymalla]

I'd have to say that a large is probably too big as well. I'm about the same height, maybe a bit taller and I ride a 2011 Demo in Medium. The cockpit on Demo's is really quite big so even on the Medium I've got plenty of room to move around. My friend has a Large one and I'd ridden it a couple times before I got the Medium and the Large is a lot bigger. My mate is about 6 foot 5 and he pretty much purely got the Large Demo because they have one of the longest wheelbases out of a lot of downhill bikes. I'm not saying you couldn't ride the Large frame but I definitely think you'd be better off on a Medium. Riding the Large frame would just be way less agile unless you were just really aggressive.

 

[driftking]

As mentioned fairclough was on a 2011 medium and he is over 6ft. at your height I would expect most bikes to fit you would be a medium, the demos at least 2011 are fairly long and you would probably be a small.
Sam hill is 5"9ish and runs a small.

Just had a glance at the geometry charts, the 2010 demo in a medium is bigger than the 2012 large in terms of VTT and ATT the wheel base is smaller than the 2012 large but still bigger than a medium 2012.
........2010 ....... 2012
ATT 532mm .... 517mm
VTT 607mm .... 580mm
WB 1195mm .... 1191mm
Both frames above are mediums
In terms of TT lengths the small 2010 is a better fit but the wheel base of the medium is better, I would say with a 2010 at your height stick with a medium. The large will be too big.

I would recommend a medium in a 2010 easily. though that's IMO.