DH is all about speed—that’s true whether your aim is to climb the podium or to simply bring home all the bragging rights after a day at the park. If speed is what you’re after, the Demo Race 29 is your sled. Everything about this bike is designed to get you from zero to Mach 10: a new frame design, improved kinematics, better braking, big wheels, and all today's newest fancy bits. It’s time to get rowdy.
We've refined the Demo’s kinematics and suspension design. We had one overriding goal—improve the bike’s ability to carry momentum, no matter how technical the terrain. More momentum equals more speed, after all. We began by altering the Demo’s axle path, making it more rearward in the initial stages of travel where sensitivity is most critical. The revised axle path reduces hang-up on square-edged bumps and that, in turn, transfers more energy to the suspension and less to you. Now, you finish a day of runs with less fatigue and more control.
Bigger wheels maintain momentum better than smaller ones—particularly over technical terrain. The Demo 29 weds 200 millimetres of suspension travel with bigger wheels in a package that’s crazy fast, yet still bike-park playful. While we were at it, we also improved the Demo’s suspension performance under braking and added a bit more anti-squat to improve its pedaling performance. Bottom line, the new Demo rolls faster through chunky terrain than its predecessor. Sweet.
The Demo 29’s new shock linkage places weight low on the frame, giving the bike a lower center of gravity and an even more confident and planted feel at speed. The new linkage is connected to a Trunnion-mount shock, which provides the Demo with the same 200 millimetres of rear suspension in a smaller (225x75mm) shock package. That smaller shock package helped us build a stiffer front down tube. And what’s more, the new Trunnion-mount shock features extra bushing overlap and adds ball bearings at the frame side of the shock, effectively boosting shock durability and making the suspension even smoother.
We’ve fine-tuned the Demo’s geometry, as well. A relatively short (105mm) head tube keeps handlebar height in the right spot with the 29-inch wheels. We also compensated for the increased wheel size at the bottom bracket, keeping it at 350mm, in order to strike a balance between cornering stability and ground clearance. And lastly, the reach was increased by 20mm across the size range, starting at 425mm with the S2.
The devil is in the details, though, and the same rings true for the Demo 29, where we added a bunch of little details that make it easier to live with. A newly designed, ribbed chainstay protector makes chain slap a thing of the past and nearly silences the drivetrain. A molded down tube protector, meanwhile, protects the frame from rocks while a co-molded rear fender protects the shock from mud and debris. Clearance for up to 29x2.6" tyres allows for plenty of traction. And last, but not least, you're going to find 148mm rear-spaced hubs, a threaded 83mm GXP bottom bracket, 200mm available post insertion, and internal and external cable routing options for rear brakes. Add it up and the Demo is as easy to work on as it is to find replacement parts for.
For the Demo 29 Race, we took a no-holds-barred approach to the component spec. The bike features Öhlins TTX front and rear suspension, a SRAM X0 DH 7-speed group, and our Butcher tyres with an all-new BLCK DMND casing that rolls fast and is ready for some abuse. If you’re on the hunt for the ultimate downhill race bike, you just found it.
FRAME: M5 alloy, Style-Specific DH Geometry, BSA threaded BB, full internal cable routing with option for full external brake, 148mm rear spacing, sealed cartridge bearing pivots, replaceable derailleur hanger, 200mm of travel
FORK: Öhlins DH 29, Twin-Tube design, air spring w/ adjustable 3rd chamber, adjustable high- & low-speed compression, adjustable rebound, 20x110mm thru-axle, 58mm offset, 200mm of travel
REAR SHOCK: Öhlins TTX, Twin-Tube design, high- & low-speed compression adjust, external rebound adjust, Trunnion mount, 225x75
FRONT HUB: Specialized disc, alloy flange & disc mount, sealed cartridge bearings, 20x110mm thru-axle, 28h
REAR HUB: DT Swiss 350, SRAM XD freehub, 6-bolt disc, high-low flange, sealed cartridge bearings, 15x148mm spacing, 28h
SPOKES: DT Swiss Competition, stainless steel, 14g
RIMS: Roval 29" Alloy DH, 28mm internal width, 28h
INNER TUBES: Standard, Presta valve
FRONT TYRE: Butcher BLCK DMND, 2Bliss Ready, 29x2.6"
REAR TYRE: Butcher BLCK DMND, 2Bliss Ready, 29x2.3"
CRANKSET: SRAM X01 DH, DUB, carbon, Direct mount ring, 165mm
CHAINRINGS: Steel, 30T
BOTTOM BRACKET: SRAM DUB, 83mm
SHIFT LEVERS: SRAM X01 DH, trigger, 7-speed
REAR DERAILLEUR: SRAM X01 DH, 7-speed, trigger
CASSETTE: SRAM X01 DH, 7-speed, 10-24t
CHAIN: Sram PC1130 w/ Powerlink, 11-speed
FRONT BRAKE: SRAM Code RSC, 4-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, 200mm
REAR BRAKE: SRAM Code RSC, 4-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, 200mm
HANDLEBARS: Specialized DH, FACT carbon, 6-degree upsweep, 8-degree backsweep, 27mm rise, 800mm, 31.8mm
GRIPS: Deity, Knuckleduster, Black
STEM: Specialized Direct Mount DH Stem, two-piece, forged alloy, 45mm
SADDLE: Body Geometry Henge DH, hollow titanium rails, 130mm
SEATPOST: Thomson, alloy, straight, 12-degree clamp
SEAT BINDER: Alloy, 34.9mm
PEDALS: Specialized Dirt
Buy Specialized Demo Race 29 Downhill Bike Black/ Burnt Yellow online