Specialized Demo 9

cam-o

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I had a ride around on one, just a carpark bounce. It felt OK, kinda high but pretty plush. (had been upgraded with 888s) Felt to me like a hucking device as opposed to a race rig. The dude who owned rated it and he was getting down Thredbo at a decent pace.
 

Sparkman

Likes Dirt
I've tested one for about 20 mins. Just in a local park dropping off stairs and small drops. It felt really good, plush as hell, well balanced nice low CoG.... Just the thing was F*ckin heavy. It felt more like a plow thru than finesse bike.

For 4K for the frame, I reckon the money is better spent on a tried and tested and lighter design. I'd go SC V10 or Turner DHR for close to that money. Or if you want to freeride, the new SC VP-free.....
 

Turley

Likes Bikes and Dirt
FSR is a tried and tested design :p
Demo 9's have a bit of a bad name cause they have been deliberately marketed at the freeride market cause that is the largest market atm. The frame is a bit on the heavy side but isn't that far out from your standard DH bike(well within what you shoudl expect from a DH bike) The bike has had alot of RND and if they made them like the bighits they should last for years. If ya look at the geo you can see it is a bit different to what most DH bikes have but it is still gonna own on a DH track.

They also look sweet IRL. Photos on the net realy do nothing for it! The price of 4k is a bit high imho but there are avenuse for a pritty decent price drop. Just ask around.
 

Wattsy

Hornsby Cycles
i had a look at the 1 in chatswood and im hooked, i want 1, and it was like $7500? which is dam good for built up, the 888 are custom to the demo 9's, u cant buy them.
 

smooth

Likes Dirt
Sparkman said:
For 4K for the frame, I reckon the money is better spent on a tried and tested and lighter design. I'd go SC V10 or Turner DHR for close to that money. Or if you want to freeride, the new SC VP-free.....
The first thing i must say is northside cyclery is only in it for the money. fair enough they are a bussinessand need to make a profit and all but the number of times iv gone in there and asked them bout certain things,and then the shit that they spin, WHOA!! quit simply they are doush bags! they down talk every other store and claim that specialized is the best and only bike to own (iv ownd two big hits so im deffinatly not anti spech!)

Secondly one of the guys at narra BS owns the pro and says it takes some getting used to (heavy landings will see a 26inch tyre lodge squarly up your crack), he said it corners a lot better than a big hit even more so in berms.

And one of his mates that ride a V10 is trading in to get the comp up'd with 888r's. Very shmick indeed!
 

Daver

Kung Fu Panda
The one i rode was crap. Awesome spec but crap. High bb, and really heavy. There are so many better bikes out there for the money
 

frank-oi

Likes Dirt
a mate of mine has one .now it was hardly set up for me but i think that there a bit of a joke really. heavy and all fuck. way to slack. my opinion tho. but yeah it's a freeride huckin bike the the max. but i'll tell ya i'd take an orange 223 over it anyday.

note: this is my opinion of the ride that i had on it.
 

and1

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Saw one in my LBS this arvo, the DH guy that works there got it a week ago, havent had a chance to ride it yet, but it looked fucking awesome. Custom 888R's, XT Rear Shifter, Black Spire Chain Device, Race Face Shore Cranks, Swinger 9.5"... *drools*

I picked the thing up and it was pretty damn heavy but damn was it nice...
 

Jordy

RYD4LF
I had a ride around on one whilst down at thredbo and they are a huck bike.... feels like it has real short chain stays and they dont pedal very well (compared to a turner) and heavy as hell !
 

Sparkman

Likes Dirt
Turley said:
FSR is a tried and tested design :p
Demo 9's have a bit of a bad name cause they have been deliberately marketed at the freeride market cause that is the largest market atm. The frame is a bit on the heavy side but isn't that far out from your standard DH bike(well within what you shoudl expect from a DH bike) The bike has had alot of RND and if they made them like the bighits they should last for years. If ya look at the geo you can see it is a bit different to what most DH bikes have but it is still gonna own on a DH track.

They also look sweet IRL. Photos on the net realy do nothing for it! The price of 4k is a bit high imho but there are avenuse for a pritty decent price drop. Just ask around.
All FSR's are not the same. Otherwise they wouldn't have spent years refining bikes like the M1 and IH SGS DH. Not to mention that FSR linkages are also used for XC. The linkage geometry (and hence rear axle path) are radically different from other designs. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. I agree that Spec make pretty solid bikes with excellent build quality. I had to stop myself drooling while looking over the bike. It looks awesome, and the build quality is superb. I was nearly going to buy one, then I realised that it was just too bloody heavy. The frame weight is around 2 kg heavier than many of the best DH frames around. If you don't care about the weight, just think that if you got a lighter frame, you could also carry a 6-pack of beer with you :lol:

I'm sure that the price will drop given the manufacturing capacity of the company.... Maybe next year they will be bargains. Just not this year.

IMO, I don't think thay have a bad name, just that at the price point they aimed at, there are plenty of excellent well-known alternatives. The bike's a jack of all trades and master of none. I'd hate to freeride on it as it's too heavy to get up a hill. It probably is not the best for DH racing because it was not designed exclusively for this. But it probably will be excellent for hucking.
 

Daver

Kung Fu Panda
hmmm i'd question the build quality of specialized... i snapped my fsr not once, not twice, but 4 times... and that was trailriding
 

brettly

Likes Dirt
hmmm i'd question the build quality of specialized... i snapped my fsr not once, not twice, but 4 times... and that was trailriding
Id say you'd be either VERY unlucky or bender has been using ur bike! :) ...ive heard of them snapping... but 4 times :?

Either way it doesnt matter >> 'LIFETIME WARRANTY'
 

Sparkman

Likes Dirt
Daver said:
hmmm i'd question the build quality of specialized... i snapped my fsr not once, not twice, but 4 times... and that was trailriding
With Specialized's lifetime frame warranty, you could have kept on snapping them :wink:

What sort of frame was it? I've run Specialized FSR's for about 6 years and never had any trouble with their build quality. That's XC and freeride/DH type stuff. Then I'm a light bugger and pretty tame compared to some riders out there.
 

Cave Dweller

Eats Squid
Daver said:
hmmm i'd question the build quality of specialized... i snapped my fsr not once, not twice, but 4 times... and that was trailriding
The build quality on the demo nine is f&*king awsome, i don't really care that it is made in tiawan, the welds are perfect, way better than any american bike i've seen (including my super 8].

What specialized were you riding, remember you are a big guy so if it was a light dually then don't go bashing specialized cause you snapped them.

Also specialized have one of the best warrentys going, i bet they replaced the frame everytime.
 
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