2013 Demo 8 - 135mm vs 150mm?

[vikingboy]

I held off on buying a Demo8 recently because of the rumours of the carbon model being round the corner which is now confirmed. I'd be interested in any thoughts between the advantages and disadvantages of the 135 vs 150mm rear ends.

Advantage of 150 rear end is I could use a standard 9/10speed cassette which would make riding to and from the trails easier for me.
Disadvantage of 135mm rear is that I think I'd be stuck into using the proprietary specialized hub or possibly wheel.
Disadvantage of the 135mm rear is that I'd have to buy the full team replica bike and then sell off the bits I wouldnt use (probably just front forks, cranks, brakes) which makes it less cost effective than just the sworks frameset.
Advantage of 135 rear end is I can use a smaller front cog which would improve ground clearance especially in the lower setting

would be interested to hear any other thoughts which I may not have considered, thanks in adv

[Wa-Aw]

If you shell out $10k for a literal world cup race bike and still feel the need to make further modifications, you're gonna have a bad time.

Unsure about the rear wheel interface, but if it's 12x135 if you can get hubs for those easy. If the cassette space is smaller for their smaller range cassette (kinda doubt it), you can probably compensate with spacers. But I don't see the point since you're probably going to die from running 135 on a DH bike anyway, it's suicide!

Edit: I don't see why you're averse to the whole 135mm-7 speed-32t chainring idea though. I'm glad they pulled it off and set it on the market. It's absolutely brilliant. The small chainring thing would probably not work as well with other suspension systems out there but you're saving a load of clearance with that. A 32t chainring paired with a 25t on the rear is likely (don't quote me on this) to be equivalent to a 36t on the front and a 32t in the rear. That's about as standard as it gets. I'd be more worried about getting replacement 9t cogs.

[Optimax150]

The article on pinkbike stated the team replica version is 135mm. The standard one , is your regular 150mm.

[vikingboy]

From Pinkbikes article, I understand it as follows:- (http://www.pinkbike.com/news/special...irst-look.html)

Team replica: FACT 11m carbon, Magnesium link, 12*135 rear,
S-works frameset: is FACT 11m carbon, Magnesium link?, 12x150 rear
Demo 8 I: FACT 10m carbon, Aluminum link, 12x150 rear

The only way to get the 12x135 is the buy the team replica.
The rear axle is machined down to facilitate the 7 speed, 9-26 tooth rear cassette and supporting 32 front ring.

[ianjenn]

Why don't U buy the non team frame pull apart a 9SPD rear cassette and space it out ala "7SPD" and buy a 32 tooth up front and still use a 150 rear hub?

[LOPAN]

i think the frame spacing is 150mm on both frames but the 9t drive takes up the
15mm difference in the spacing on the s-works complete bike

[vikingboy]

Its a different back end on the team replica.

"It [Team replica] is assembled around the very same carbon frame that is ridden by Hill and Brosnan, incorporating the identical shock eyelet cam that allows the rider access to the same geometry used by the team, as well as the slimmer 12 x 135mm rear end spacing that they requested due to its ability to not get hung up on tight sections of the track."

[4130biker]

Last I heard it was an actual capreo freehub body mated to a custom dt Swiss hub. Capreo (9t) cassettes are easy enough to get. The only thing proprietary you're linked to is the hub, but in a pinch a regular 135 hub w a bigger front ring should (but you may want to ask spec) work. Also Canfield already makes 9t ready hubs in 135. My biggest concern is the freehub going bad because so far, those aren't available without buying a capreo hub ($85). May change now with a couple dh hubs on the market.

[4130biker]

Why don't U buy the non team frame pull apart a 9SPD rear cassette and space it out ala "7SPD" and buy a 32 tooth up front and still use a 150 rear hub?

This would work, as long as you don't need taller gears...

[Sandwich]

wouldn't 135 rr with 83mm BB give you a crappy chainline? I wouldn't mind seeing a shift back to 68/73 for a smaller Q factor, but that's just me.

[jonKranked]

wouldn't 135 rr with 83mm BB give you a crappy chainline? I wouldn't mind seeing a shift back to 68/73 for a smaller Q factor, but that's just me.

i think they were able to pull it off b/c the hub is spaced for 7spd, not 9.

[Udi]

wouldn't 135 rr with 83mm BB give you a crappy chainline? I wouldn't mind seeing a shift back to 68/73 for a smaller Q factor, but that's just me.

Nah, it actually works correctly because they use an asymmetrical rearend which moves the entire hub towards the driveside of the frame. So you actually got that crappy chainline on the older frames that had the offset 135 rearend with a normal 73mm BB shell (I know because I'd always wear out chain rings really fast on both bighits and demo 8's of old)... however with an 83mm BB this issue is corrected so you get the benefit of a zero-dish rear wheel (like you would with regular 150x12 spacing) and also the correct chainline.

[Sandwich]

Neat!

[vikingboy]

great info guys, thank you. Will be interesting to see how the pricing falls on the frameset vs team-rep for sure.

[Huck Banzai]

How does the wider rear get 'hung up on tight sections of track'? Sure, its ~1/2" wider - are these guys getting their derailleurs, discs, or such caught on something? I dont get it, your feet sit much wider and mostly on the same place as the axles - I dont see how this can really be an issue.

So enlighten me please! (or proceed to attack it if its silly.)