2010 Demo 8

Why in the world did specialized build this bike with 73mm wide bottom bracket and a 135mm hub? It gives it a HUGE disadvantage over almost every other downhill bike available right now.

83mm is pretty much the standard now anyway, and 135mm x 12mm hubs are just silly unless you have a old Giant Dh Team.

gooder chainline and to keep the crankset narrower?

It gives it a HUGE disadvantage over almost every other downhill bike available right now.

what are the disadvantages?

Man i've learned not to be a septic until i ride it

Man i've learned not to be a septic …

:clap:

That made my morning.

Why in the world did specialized build this bike with 73mm wide bottom bracket and a 135mm hub? It gives it a HUGE disadvantage over almost every other downhill bike available right now.

83mm is pretty much the standard now anyway, and 135mm x 12mm hubs are just silly unless you have a old Giant Dh Team.

A bit of a weird setup for sure. The Demo needs a 55mm chainline cranket, like a 73mm Howitzer BB with the wider bearing spacers to get a perfect chainline. May as well have an 83mm BB and crankset because the Q factor will be the same.

The rear configuration (only looking at the wheel) is as strong and stiff as a 150mm built wheel. The lack of a 10 or 12mm bolted axle is a bit weird.

Man i've learned not to be a septic until i ride it

You should see a doctor.

Why is that a bad set up? Potentially lighter, less chance of getting hung up on trail garbage…. I'd rather that set up.

With the extra material in the back end of a demo, it doesn't need the 150x12 to be stiff enough. What other disadvantages are there?

Well of course one disadvantage is lack of hype. ;)

Kind of like 7/8" bars, which I like better because they have more flex. Too bad the hype machine has pretty much stopped making them and stems to accomodate smaller diameter bars.

This is not the demo 8 of the past. They have two very good world cup level racers repping the bike as a "world cup race bike" and it's just not. Wider cranks are more stable, give you a better platform and just plain feel better. Riding with your hips more in line with your ankles just makes sense anyway. Its more natural and more comfortable.

The only real reason I would like to see 150mm hub is because with wider cranks, it would keep the chainline in better check.

Well of course one disadvantage is lack of hype. ;)

Kind of like 7/8" bars, which I like better because they have more flex. Too bad the hype machine has pretty much stopped making them and stems to accomodate smaller diameter bars.

My 31.8 bars have plenty of flex, probably over 1" worth at the end of the bars.

My 31.8 bars have plenty of flex, probably over 1" worth at the end of the bars.

that's cause you're pretty big for a 15 year old

This is not the demo 8 of the past. They have two very good world cup level racers repping the bike as a "world cup race bike" and it's just not. Wider cranks are more stable, give you a better platform and just plain feel better. Riding with your hips more in line with your ankles just makes sense anyway. Its more natural and more comfortable.

The only real reason I would like to see 150mm hub is because with wider cranks, it would keep the chainline in better check.

So with it being such a huge claimed difference, are you saying that you could hop on any bike and immediately say whether is was a 68, 73 or 83mm bb shell? I think you've been drinking the marketting kool-aid.

I think you've been drinking the marketting kool-aid.

This.