All New Specialized FSR Design with Concentric Bottom Bracket Introduced at Crankworx Whistler
(Words and Images by Zach White of mountainflyermagazine.com)
27.5-inch wheels are infiltrating the DH scene for 2015, including one of the industry’s last holdouts of the ‘tweener wheel size in general - Specialized. In addition to their recent 27.5-inch Enduro model introduction, next year’s Demo will now be available with 27.5” wheels, too. And while there have been photos and videos going around for the past few weeks of the new Demo Carbon’s asymmetrical frame design, this week at Crankworx Whistler was the first time media were able to hear the details, and throw a leg over one.
Zach puts the new Specialized Demo Carbon through its paces on Whistler’s Dirt Merchant trail. - Self Portrait via helper monkeys
Though the latest FSR rendition appears to be an entirely new design at first glance, in reality, it’s just a lower version - with a few tweaks, of course. All pivot points are said to be in the same reference to one another as previous FSR designs, but 3-inches lower. This drop is the culprit for what appears to be a concentric bottom bracket, but Specialized argues shouldn’t be labeled as such due to the pivots on the chainstays.
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| There will be a slightly less expensive Demo Carbon version available with an aluminum shock link. | Tight tolerances with the carbon frame, concentric pivot point, and frame guard. |
Why drop the tried and true FSR pivot design 3-inches? Specialized wanted to see just how low of a center of gravity they could get away with while they were already at the drawing board for a 27.5-inch-wheeled Demo chassis. They also threw out the constriction of needing to design a frame that could be made in an aluminum version as well, which is how the asymmetrical seat tube came about. An added benefit to the single-sided seat support is that shock access is drastically improved for both tuning and removal. Speaking of shocks and accessibility, Specialized and Ohlin have gone to a more standard eye-to-eye measurement that allows use of other shock brands. And, if you’re wondering, Specialized claims the unique design meets all strength requirements.
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| A look at the bottom bracket without the frame guard. | Specialized is using a standard 10-speed cassette and turning it into a 7-speed on the Demo Carbon’s spec. |
An interesting variation from the 142mm industry rear wheel standard is that the new Demo Carbon has 135mm spacing. Specialized says this is for improved heal/ankle clearance that their racers demanded for non-production race bikes over the last couple seasons, so they opted to make it a production spec for 2015.
The new 2015 Specialized Demo Carbon will be available in January.
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| Specialized says that the chain stay pivot is the reason not to call the latest FSR version a concentric design. | Rear derailleur housing routes through the swing arm. |
There will be two versions of the Demo Carbon available this January, though pricing isn’t available, short of being “really expensive” for the S-WORKS version, and “less expensive” for a version that features an aluminum shock link. Both frames and their swingarms will be full carbon, as Specialized states that downhill race bikes are continuously getting lighter and lighter, allowing riders to handle the bikes out on the trail with more precision and less effort.
General consensus out in the bike park was that the latest Demo Carbon design is one sexy machine.
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| Both brake and rear derailleur housing routes through the main frame via a carbon tube, which should keep mechanic’s headaches to a minimum. | S-WORKS version of the new Demo gets a carbon shock link. |
Sizing on the new Demo is now all about length, as the seat tube measurement for a short and medium are the same, and it only grows 20mm for the long and extra-long sizes. For 2015, the current aluminum Demo will carry over, including its 26-inch wheels.
First Ride Impressions
As an ex-downhiller who rarely hops on big bikes these days, it usually takes a few runs to get used to such different beasts when compared to a trail bike. That said, I felt almost too comfortable on the new Demo Carbon in the very first turn of the very first run out on Whistler’s No Joke. All the lowering of pivots and new geometry sounded interesting in Specialized’s media introduction the day before, but what they should’ve done was had us journalists ride the bikes first as it would’ve saved a lot of boring indoor time by letting the bike speak for itself.
The shock’s location gets pushed over to the non-drive side a bit to make room for the asymmetrical seat tube.
The new Demo Carbon is definitely a race bike, as the slack headtube begs to turn into the steepest chutes available, and the tight, low rear end easily whips through tight switchbacks and rock gardens with ease. One noticeable new characteristic is the added contact patch of a 27.5-inch tire that keeps the rear end from skidding quite as easily as a 26-inch version. This isn’t specific to the new Demo, but works well in balancing it’s potentially otherwise too tight of a rear triangle if it did have a smaller wheel. The end result is a very quick handling, yet predictable and precise chassis.
Easy access to the Demo’s Ohlin shock will make racers happy.
Demo’s snappiness also tips its hat to the racers who gave their input into the design as it almost seemed to pout if I didn’t start pedaling out of each turn or throw in a quick spin before a jump. It’s still a big, 37.7-lb DH bike, but one with a focus on speed.
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| A tapered square rear axle with 135mm spacing keeps the rear wheel on. | With the new frame comes an all new 135mm rear axle. |
Ohlin’s TTX shock gives an impressively bottomless and straight-rate feeling out on the trail, yet ramps up nicely when overshooting drops and jumps to avoid a harsh bottom-out. With only a day to ride the bike, it seemed best to keep it out on the trails with the supplied spring, verses trying to fine tune spring rate in 25lb increments. Otherwise, that tight of a graduation in spring options would be greatly appreciated with the time to tune.
Bicycle Sports
2770 Interstate 10 E
Beaumont, TX 77703
(409) 860-5959
www.bicyclesports.com
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