Specialized Launches Mullet Demo for 2021

Fast—it’s what wins the day, plain and simple. Making the fastest downhill bike even faster? Not so simple. The Demo we introduced last year, with its new chassis, new geometry, and radically new suspension kinematics completely changed the downhill world—racking up wins upon wins. In fact, the Demo became the winningest bike on the 2019 World Cup circuit and helped secure another set of rainbow stripes for Mr. Bruni. But as you may have noticed, this course-crushing Demo featured a mixed wheel setup throughout the year and we’re now bringing this custom 29 front/27.5 rear setup to all riders. Full-gas. Full-fast.

Shaped by the Fastest Riders on Earth

When the UCI rules changed in 2019 to allow for bikes with mixed wheel sizes, the Specialized Gravity Team immediately jumped on the opportunity to add this setup to the mix. It wasn’t long before this new setup was winning races across the World Cup circuit and collecting live data during races. With the data taken from the World Cup Circuit, we continued rapid prototyping in the off-season to end with a new 29/27.5 geometry setup that gives you the best of 29- and 27.5- inch wheels. When the fastest racers on earth are your R&D team, you listen.

Today Specialized answer that with the official release of the latest iteration of the Demo platform, allowing not only a mixed wheel size setup but adjustability in the geometry to open the Demo up to even more riding styles and preferences.

The layout remains the same as the Demo 29 that was released back last year with its six-link suspension layout bringing a drastic change in suspension characteristics for the brand. The Demo uses a four-bar system to define the acceleration and braking responses of the bikes, with an additional two links then driving the shock which is mounted low and central in the frame. This layout change, compared to the previous Demo generation, upped the amount of anti-squat and anti-rise considerably. Leverage ratio progression was upped too and all curves are now much straighter lines, promoting predictability in the bike.

Dialed Geometry

We specifically designed the Demo geometry to create a ride that’s both fast and playful. A new Horst pivot adjustment allows for three different geo configurations that adjust chainstay length and BB height—short, mid, and long. From the astounding results of the Specialized Gravity Team in 2019, the Demo now comes with a 29 front, 27.5 rear wheel setup, but these adjustments let you choose the wheel size that’s best for your ride.

• SHORT - A dedicated 27.5” rear wheel setting allows for the most maneuverability making the bike more playful that’s ready to tackle tight, technical tracks.
• MIDDLE - Compatible with both 27.5- and 29- inch wheels the medium configuration offers a more stable wheelbase with a 27.5 wheel by lengthening the chainstay over the short setting, or a more nimble setup with a 29” wheel by shortening the chainstay over the long setting.
• LONG - A dedicated 29” rear wheel setting delivers the much-needed stability for wide open, high-speed downhill tracks.

Geometry

Incredibly Smooth on Square-Edged Hits

Our first goal was to improve suspension performance on square-edged hits. Why? Because, scientifically speaking, square-edged impacts suck. Square-edged bumps cause your rear wheel to hang-up momentarily on impact. The impact your suspension should be absorbing is, instead, transferred to both you and your frame. That means more fatigue and less speed.

By giving the Demo a more rearward axle path in key stages of its travel, we’ve minimized that rear wheel hang-up on square-edged hits. Impact energy is now transferred into the suspension, instead of into you. End result—more speed over the most technical tracks.

Greater Control While Braking

Brake jack. Rise. A whole lot of names have been slapped on the phenomenon, but they all amount to the same thing: You grab a handful of brake, the bike decelerates quickly, and your weight pitches forward. When that happens, the bike’s rear suspension extends, or “rises,” and causes the rear wheel to lose traction at the exact moment when you need to be low, centered, and in charge.

We’ve built in just the right amount of anti-rise on the Demo. When you come into a section of trail a bit hot and grab your rear brake lever, you stay planted and stable on the bike, the rear suspension remains smooth and predictable, and your rear tire keeps tracking over the terrain. Add it up, and it means that you ride faster and with more control.

Even Faster on Pedaling Sections

The Demo converts every bit of your pedaling power into speed. The bike’s kinematics allow for just the right amount of anti-squat. Or to put a finer point on it, you crank on the pedals and the Demo rips forward instead of bobbing around uncontrollably and slowing you down.

Planted and Confident

Low is fast. That is, a low a center of gravity makes you more stable at high speeds. The Demo’s linkage places shock mass as low and forward as possible on the frame, and this gives it both an ideal axle path and an incredibly planted, confident feel.

Maximum Rear Suspension Durability

The Demo’s shock linkage not only places weight low on the frame, it also enabled us to remove the shock from the upper link. This isolates the shock from side-loads and reduces wear and tear on the shock. What’s more, the Demo’s trunnion-mount shock features extra bushing overlap, which also boosts longevity.

Learn more at specialized.com.