2026 MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation - Longer and Slacker

Is it just me or does this front wheel actually look awfully big on this Dorado? 32’ wheel on a modified Dorado? 

Aren't these cranks actually ISIS cranks? As in ebike cranks? The spindle is separate and the interface looks very much like ISIS interface does. 

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/s-works-demo-11-frameset/p/4293957?color=5467326-4293957

Most expensive production frame?

That Dorado's travel was limited to 110mm, IIRC.

full Demo 11 bike is now listed

S-Works Demo 11

My god you're right, ISIS with extra steps it's 2005 again

9000$ canadian pesos for a frameset, that's mental !!!

Geo is half decent half bleh on those new demos 

Looking at the diagram on another post, how l9ng before someone offers a kit to make the primary drive a single chain to save some weight? 

Specialized is going to have something to say about this this week or so. Can they hold their own beer? 

To be honest, the new Demo looks like a fine deal next to the 10.8k Turbo Levo R Expert which has a GX drivetrain and performance elite fox suspension. Regardless of whether people can afford it, they're getting ripped off by Spec's pricing at the moment. 

Eur 7500 for the frameset in Europe, damn.......

All the Demo 11 details are finally live, and @Ryan_Burney put together some thoughts on the bike - https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/first-look-specialized-demo-11-proto-production 

Highlights

• 200mm of travel front and rear
• Mixed wheels only
• FACT 11 carbon frame
• OBB (over bottom bracket) linkage design
• HighGear drivetrain system 
• 62.5° head tube angle
• Adjustable front center (+/- 6mm) and bottom bracket height 
• Size-specific rear centers (435, 445, 455m)
• Sizes: S3, S4, S5 
• Weight: S-Works - 19.03 kg (41 lb, 15.3 oz) | S-Works Frameset: 5.79 kg (12 lb, 12.2 oz)
• MSRP: Demo 11 S-Works - $11,000 | Demo 11 S-Works Frameset - $6,500

Wheel path and LR charts for the Demo

Why the double sprockets and chains in the clam shell?

I didn't realize I was buying the value option when I spent $4k USD on my v10 

They probably want to compete with the Mavens, which are used on ebikes, enduro bikes, and DH bikes. Maybe the Saint branding was too close to being DH specific and they wanted their branding to be broader for them? Seems like those brakes would see wider adoption across disciplines than other aspects of the Saint lineup except maybe pedals. 

All that assuming there is a DH XTR variant of the XTRs, not the standard XTRs

I'm not sure if anybody posted it before 

Wow

While I’ll never own one, I have to give credit to specialized for creating this.  It’s giving me nostalgia vibes from the late 90’s/early 00’s when there was a lot of weird and wacky experimentation in DH.  The fact that after 3+ years of development, this is an actual production frame (regardless of cost) is pretty cool. 

Don't know if the new enduro its just a pipe dream at this point, but if they repeat what they did with the last one and borrowed the tech/suspension design from the demo and distilled it down to a pedal bike, that would be sweet. 

Imagine being Specialized and finally releasing a bike that has been a prototype mule for multiple years, with many victories before its released, only for people to see it and say "nah f*ck that." Rough.

I had the same thoughts. 

I think this is as close to a „for racing purposes only“ bike we’ll get from specialized. Who is the realistic target group for this? A few age groupers, the occasional dentist and maybe some kids sponsored by their rich parents. The ones who want it will buy it anyways, other than that I see it as an engineering exercise and podium representation at the World Cup for spesh. 

Low production numbers, complex molds and layup, high structural requirements and engineering costs, it was never gonna be price competitive and i don’t think specialized will care about the hardtail dad bods in the pb comment section moaning. 

You can theoretically buy the Pinarello F HR 3D that was used for the hour record for like 28k € because of UCI rules, which for me falls in a similar category. 

Plenty of cheaper well working alternatives if you just want a park bike. 

Wonder if you would actually need much of anything to do that. Probably could take one chain off with no modifications? 

Do I understand correctly? We’re getting an obviously pretty hefty frame with normal geo, an only-13/14mm-rearward-travel design, with a fine price tag of 7500€ in Europe? April fools was 3 weeks ago, for Batman’s sake! Would have been better if they left it as an unreleased proto, they wouldn’t have received the big hate wave that’s coming! 🤣

I still don't grok why it has three chains 

In typical fashion, the target market is whoever wants one bad enough. The Demo is a legacy product just like a V10, Supreme, Glory etc. There will always be brand loyal fans eagerly awaiting the new-new. The fact it has exclusive cutting-edge technology will only add to the demand. Specialized knows the people will pay, and their pricing has always reflected this for new releases.

For racing, a couple of my closest friends are on a race team that has been in line to get frames for months. I’m excited to see them when they arrive!

It would be really cool if they kept selling the current aluminum demo with a poverty spec for people that don’t want to refinance their house. For what it’s worth that bike seemed universally liked.

And add a proper xl size