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Any reason not to get a Demo 8 II?

5K views 39 replies 18 participants last post by  csermonet 
#1 · (Edited)
Hola.

I'm in the market for a DH bike. This would be my first DH bike; I currently have an Ellsworth Moment and a couple of other beater bikes. The Moment has been great the 10-15 times I've gone DHing with it on some local trails and at Bootleg Canyon and Mammoth. But I'm now looking to get into DH stuff more seriously.

Anywho, I recently saw a 2008 Demo 8 II frame (with a DHX 5.0) on sale for $1250, which seems like a good deal. I can also get an 08 Boxxer WC for about $800. I'd probably strap on some relatively cheap wheels (Outlaws or Deetraks) and I'd scrounge up the rest of the components some how. I think I can get a pretty good bike together for about $3K.

I'm doing this somewhat spontaneously so I wanted to see what you guys thought. Any reason why I shouldn't do this? It seems like the Demo's gotten good reviews all around and the Boxxer is a good fork...a bit "noodley", but I'm skinny.

I don't want to drop a ton of money on a DH bike, but I've also been considering getting a Sunday Team (about $3K) or a Blindside (which I can build up for about $3.5K, which is really more than I'd like to spend).

Also, I'm reading some posts that say that the Demo is not a true DH bike. Why is that?

Let me know what you think. I'd appreciate your input.
 
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#2 ·
Pull the trigger! As a former owner of a 2007 Demo 8 and a current owner of a Demo 7 I can tell u that I'm still trying to find the bikes limitations. Very hard frame to break.

There is no reason to not do this except if it would: A, Ruin your relationship with your GF or life partner, B, Put you into financial hardship (never stopped me), or C). Make you act and feel like Sam Hill (that could be viewed as a perk)
 
#3 ·
The Demo's geometry kind of straddles the current trendy line between DH and FR. As of 2005 it would be squarely into the DH category, which was when it was designed.

If that doesn't freak you out go ahead and buy it, I would at that price. Boxxers are great forks, I wouldn't describe them as noodly at all. If Hill, Peat, and Rennie can shred with them I think you'll do fine.
 
#4 ·
Demodude said:
Very hard frame to break.
try telling that to the local "veteran" first week he had a demo 8 he pulled a massive whip didn't get it all the way back in and all the link bolts on one side simply sheered off. (his bike was a demo 8 2007, i think, fox 40's fox dhx 5.0, ti-springs ect, and in a test colour, some strange green.)

try telling me and him the demo is strong :madman:
and don't flame me for saying this but what i have said is true and firm fact.
 
#6 ·
bxxer rider said:
Demodude said:
Very hard frame to break.
try telling that to the local "veteran" first week he had a demo 8 he pulled a massive whip didn't get it all the way back in and all the link bolts on one side simply sheered off. (his bike was a demo 8 2007, i think, fox 40's fox dhx 5.0, ti-springs ect, and in a test colour, some strange green.)

try telling me and him the demo is strong :madman:
and don't flame me for saying this but what i have said is true and firm fact.
:rolleyes: you cant remember the year,um sounds a bit fishy for sure.
 
#7 ·
I have had every yeah demo 8 since 2005, and I keep buying them.....i did get to ride a trek session, great bike, and pedals better than a demo, but i still love my demo, i have never had any issues with my frames or hardware, I am your average 170lb mid-pack DH rider/racer, that goes through 1-2 sets of rims a season.
 
#8 ·
Clutchman83 said:
The Demo's geometry kind of straddles the current trendy line between DH and FR. As of 2005 it would be squarely into the DH category, which was when it was designed.

If that doesn't freak you out go ahead and buy it, I would at that price. Boxxers are great forks, I wouldn't describe them as noodly at all. If Hill, Peat, and Rennie can shred with them I think you'll do fine.
Gonna disagree with you there. The pre 06 was a very FR bike - and got a reputation as a "huck bike" - the 06 on have been long, low (sub 14 inch BB with 8.4 inches of travel!) and slack (64 degree HT angle?) - The new ones are definitely DH race bikes. The demo 7 is actually quite raceable too, and there is a travel reducer you can remove to give it 8 inches as well.

Its a great choice, and sounds like a great deal, go for it!
 
#9 ·
William42 said:
Gonna disagree with you there. The pre 06 was a very FR bike - and got a reputation as a "huck bike" - the 06 on have been long, low (sub 14 inch BB with 8.4 inches of travel!) and slack (64 degree HT angle?) - The new ones are definitely DH race bikes. The demo 7 is actually quite raceable too, and there is a travel reducer you can remove to give it 8 inches as well.

Its a great choice, and sounds like a great deal, go for it!
Okay, I'll defer to you, I'm not super familiar with the Demos and thats what my local Spesh dealer had told me. The owner's a great bike mechanic but sometimes I wonder where he gets his info, looks like he fed me some bad info here too.
 
#10 ·
wow

bxxer rider said:
Demodude said:
Very hard frame to break.
try telling that to the local "veteran" first week he had a demo 8 he pulled a massive whip didn't get it all the way back in and all the link bolts on one side simply sheered off. (his bike was a demo 8 2007, i think, fox 40's fox dhx 5.0, ti-springs ect, and in a test colour, some strange green.)

try telling me and him the demo is strong :madman:
and don't flame me for saying this but what i have said is true and firm fact.
Sorry, I'm completely wrong, your're right, don't buy a demo, havent you read the endless threads on the weakness of the Demo frames?????

Just kidding, sounds like a definate exception to the rule... I have seen the pics of a few Demo 8's (pre 2007) with cracked "ribcages".
 
#11 ·
bxxer rider said:
Demodude said:
Very hard frame to break.
try telling that to the local "veteran" first week he had a demo 8 he pulled a massive whip didn't get it all the way back in and all the link bolts on one side simply sheered off. (his bike was a demo 8 2007, i think, fox 40's fox dhx 5.0, ti-springs ect, and in a test colour, some strange green.)

try telling me and him the demo is strong :madman:
and don't flame me for saying this but what i have said is true and firm fact.
Thanks for your input. Breaking the frame is one of the lower concerns on my list though.
 
#12 ·
Thanks everyone for your help. I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on the 8II. I thought about getting the 7, but the higher BB, longer WB and slacker angles is what I'm looking for.

Advice from other MTB'ers to fuel my continued obsession (despite minimal protests from my wife) = priceless:thumbsup:
 
#13 ·
bxxer rider said:
try telling that to the local "veteran" first week he had a demo 8 he pulled a massive whip didn't get it all the way back in and all the link bolts on one side simply sheered off. (his bike was a demo 8 2007, i think, fox 40's fox dhx 5.0, ti-springs ect, and in a test colour, some strange green.)

try telling me and him the demo is strong :madman:
and don't flame me for saying this but what i have said is true and firm fact.
You will be hard pressed to find any bike frame in common use that has never, ever broken under any circumstances for anyone. That doesn't mean that the frame is not very strong. There is absolutely no logic to this claim.

Demodude is right. The Demo is a very strong frame and it's hard to find examples of broken Demo frames.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Well, here it is:


Now I just have to build it up. Let me know what you think of this build. I haven't bought anything (except the frame and the stuff I've bolded, which I already had) so I'm open to suggestions, especially for a crankset, chain guide and brakes:

FRAME & SHOCK: Demo 8 II with Fox DHX 5.0 coil 8.75x2.75" (300# spring)
FORK: Boxxer Team
HEADSET: FSA Pig Pro DH
STEM: E13 Direct Mount
HANDLEBARS: FSA Gravity Light
GRIPS: Oury
BRAKES: [Saint]
Code:
REAR DERAILLEUR: X9 short cage
SHIFT LEVERS: X9				
CASSETTE: SRAM PG-970 DH
CHAIN: Connex 900
CHAINGUIDE:  ???
CRANKSET: [Holzfeller] [FSA Gravity] [Saint]
PEDALS:	Crank Bros. Mallet 1
WHEELSET: Azonic Outlaws
FRONT TIRE: [B]Kenda Excavator 2.5"[/B]
REAR TIRE:	[B]Kenda Nevegals 2.35" [/B]
SADDLE:	 [B]WTB Pure V Saddle[[/B]B][/B]					
SEATPOST: [B]Thomson[/B]	
SEAT BINDER: [B]Specialized[/B]
 
#19 · (Edited)
NorcoRider said:
Nice build man, since you got the boxxer I am assuming weight is at least kind of an issue to you, Azonic Outlaws are very heavy and instead of the Pig DH headset if you go for the FSA Oribt Xtreme that will save you 100 plus grams.
Thanks, I'll consider it. I'm trying to balance b/w weight, durability and price. I should go with the Xtreme headset and I'll probably buy a lighter saddle. Any suggestions for lighter wheels (even if a bit more expensive) but still bomber like the Outlaws?
 
#22 ·
I have experience on hayes 9, avid code, avid juicy 7, hope mono mini and now elixir cr and r. So, I can't compare to saints but elixirs feel like enough power and great modulation. You can adjust the things you really need to adjust on crs. R version also seems good. In my opinion two pistons means less chanches for drag. So far I can't comment on reliability, but seems to me that avid has that covered.

Saints are propably good option too.

I have xt cranks on my d7 and I'm happy with those.
 
#24 ·
I too had codes, I felt like they were too much brake. The only spot they really shine is on that 13th run of the day at a resort where your hands just kind of bind up and you're hamfisted with the brakes - you're no longer trying to go fast, you're just trying to make it down.

I'm now running stroker carbons and couldn't be happier, but I hear good things about the elixers and I always loved the avid lever.
 
#25 ·
I have Elixir CR on my Demo 7, the only reason to go for anything with more bite would be for better heat dissipation or as previous poster says to make life easier when you know you are about to do one run too many.

The adjustment on the Elixirs is superb, lever position and pad bite point both independent of each other and calliper position. The bite point adjustment takes place in the piston, not at the pad, so there's no variation in drag for any set-up option.

My only complaint would be that, even at max lever reach, for one finger braking i need to run the levers waaaaay inboard to get a finger position towards the middle rather than inside of the lever so i get the best modulation.

Other than that they are close to perfection.
 
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