Specialized for 2012 - new bikes, a helmet and some pedals

What's that little thing in the center of the pedal? A lever that pushes the pins out when you step on it? Pins retract when you let your foot off? Doesn't look like it of course but what does it do? Does it prevent the pedal from spinning easily when there is no weight on it, and frees it up to spin when pedaling? Like a clutch of sorts?

I still think rubber pedals and spiked shoes would be the way to go.

We'll have more on the pedals shortly but the little hatch is where you can drop in needle bearings.

I am sure the bikes still ride great… but who cares about that!

I think how it rides is almost second to many people vs how the bike looks and the brand image that goes along with the bike. So many bikes these days ride really really good compared to what we rode 10 years ago. People can split hairs over .3 of a degree or .2mm of chainstay length but in the end they will pick what they think is cool.

The performance difference between all the different brands can be so small that just like snowboarding it all comes down to image.

From Bikerumor:

"The patent pending part is the needle bearing sleeve. Held in place by two pins (one from either side), it serves as both part of the pedal’s platform and the outer body of the bearings. It holds two sets of needle bearings, and the spindle slides into it. This allows them to keep the platform thinner without compromising strength. The center section of the flats is just 10mm thick, ramping to about 15mm at the ends."

Get the 26" if you want to go slower.

slower up or slower down?

agree the 29 will climb easier (and thus likely faster)… but have u guys ridden the stumpy 26 vs 29 back to back and concluded it's faster everywhere for our local conditions?

Jerry is faster downhill on a 29er Epic than he is on a Demo. It's astounding.

slower up or slower down?

agree the 29 will climb easier (and thus likely faster)… but have u guys ridden the stumpy 26 vs 29 back to back and concluded it's faster everywhere for our local conditions?

I can only compare a Tranny 26er with the Giant XTC aluminum hardtail 29er. Faster up and down. But not as identical as one can get. The 29er has a 120 travel fork versus a 100mm and the flat bar -8 70mm stem is still higher than my Tranny with a low rise bar and 90mm no rise stem. Wheel size makes it descend better in my opinion.

ffs can't we have a single thread that doesn't devolve into the relative merits of 29" vs 26" wheels? what is this mtbr circa 2003

wtf troy lee!

i'd actualy rather TLD did like those pics in Boom's post..

least then you can say its a TLD artwork.. what that orange bike is doing is something Specialized could have easily have done with no fanfair at all..

ffs can't we have a single thread that doesn't devolve into the relative merits of 29" vs 26" wheels? what is this mtbr circa 2003

i hear ya but i don't really believe anything i read on mtbr so if JRig says its it's faster, i'm interested…

Cane creek? I was hoping for Fox 40's on the 2012's. Given the specs and the fact the Demo's don't fit with the North Shore Rack…I'm looking elsewhere in 2012

no carbon Demo… the black ones you seen are M5 aluminum.

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Specialized-Carbon-Demo-First-Look.html

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Specialized-Carbon-Demo-First-Look.html

wow… I didn't even know they had one kicking around but I knew they've been working on one for sometime now.

slower up or slower down?

agree the 29 will climb easier (and thus likely faster)… but have u guys ridden the stumpy 26 vs 29 back to back and concluded it's faster everywhere for our local conditions?

bigger wheels roll over obstacles easier and have lower rolling resistance.