Bike Check: Loic Bruni's 'Not Quite Standard' Specialized Demo
If there is one race bike every other racer would like to throw a leg over, it is likely Loic Bruni's Specialized Demo. Not because the Demo is clearly a superior bike, a debate that could rage on and on, but because of the level of precision it is refined to. You just have to stand beside a race track to appreciate that it's different, you can hear how much quieter it is when he comes by, even the freehub sounds like it has been stripped down and reassembled to go faster. To put the attention to detail into context, a friend at DT Swiss once explained to me that Jack, Loic's career-long mechanic, had data on the differences between straight-pull and J-bend spokes, two- and three-cross lacing, spoke counts and they will change the wheels using that data to suit each course. There are very few other programs out there that put this much time and effort into creating the ultimate race bike.
Details
Height 5'11" / 180cm
Weight 165 lb / 75kg
Hometown Andorra
Frame Size Custom - close to S4
Wheel Size 29 front, 27.5 rear
Suspension Ohlins
Drivetrain & Brakes Magura & SRAM
Cockpit Renthal
Height 5'11" / 180cm
Weight 165 lb / 75kg
Hometown Andorra
Frame Size Custom - close to S4
Wheel Size 29 front, 27.5 rear
Suspension Ohlins
Drivetrain & Brakes Magura & SRAM
Cockpit Renthal
For this year Loic has gone up a frame size slightly. For a while, he felt the bike was a bit small, and looking at photos and videos it looked small under him which confirmed his suspicion. He felt he could go a little longer in terms of reach and he says as soon as he did it felt good, he feels more natural and can move more on the bike. Although the sizing is not standard, he says it is pretty close to the S4 sizing with a 465mm reach. The raw (unlacquered) finish is a pre-season thing - expect this steed to get some fancy new paint during the season, although in the flesh the completely raw metal has a very industrial sex appeal to it.
Talking suspension setup with Loic, he is not about to give away much of what is going on inside his fork and shock, and he agreed there is not much point talking about clicks as they run their own special cartridge. What he would share was that he runs his sag at the back between 20-23%, adjusting it to suit the track. He then sets the fork to balance with the shock - he admits that he rides off the back of the bike a bit, but doesn't go for the full South of France setup where you run the fork stiff and ride behind it, as he says it puts you in the wrong range for the shock and creates a harsh feeling, especially on this bike. He is very sensitive to the overall balance of the bike says that if he begins to get a weird feeling in his feet he stiffens the rear to balance the bike.
The geometry chip on the chainstays is set to the shorter position, but you should not read too much into that as the chainstays are made to measure.
Renthal will supply Loic's cockpit this year - he is running an aluminum Fatbar at 780mm with a 30mm rise.
For his wheels, DT Swiss EX471s remain his rim of choice, laced onto 240 hubs with gold nipples for a touch of flair. CushCore inserts are installed front and rear. A set of Magura MT7's with 203mm rotors and 3D printed levers handle stopping duties - Loic hasn't felt the need to join the 223mm rotor party just yet.
A SRAM X01 DH drivetrain provides his running gear - it is going to be interesting to see how his relationship with SRAM evolves in the coming years as Specialized have moved their XC and Enduro factory teams to RockShox suspension, but you would have to imagine that Loic and Jack would be hesitant to lose Ohlins. While he may have switched the cockpit to Renthal, he has stuck with Lizard Skin Charger Evo grips. Crankbrothers Mallets are his pedal choice. His contact points are finished off with the obligatory grip tape on the shifter paddles.
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Clever marketing play
147lbs = 66.68kg
At 5'11/180cm I'm betting he's 75kg.
At 66.68kg he'd look like a fishing pole.
I wish they had bikes like this when I was a kid. It's amazing how far they've come.
Well neither would ring true as he's clearly running an Integra stem. Nor would it make any sense to run anything other than an integrated stem. Stack can easily be adjusted with stem spacers. I'm curious... Did Loic screw that info up? Or are you making this up as you go?
The entire super-wide rim fad was basically driven by mediocre riders who were experiencing straight-line speed improvements due to shock absorption from higher tire volume, and who never slam turns or need to control drift so they didn't notice their tire profiles were squared off.
Goes to show that you don't necessarily need the fantastic plastic to go fast....downhill anyway.
www.vitalmtb.com/forums/The-Hub,2/2020-MTB-Tech-rumors-and-innovation,10797?exclusive_forum_user=false&page=117#forum_post_56104
Integra stem.
That’s how he used to adjust the fit better for him to get longer chainstays for more balance
But it's hard enough to blackout maxxis logo, i wouldn't dare to try on michelin's blue/yellow pach.
:-D
What?! What is this blasphemy you speak? Ó meu Deus!
Thats why Sam Hill never does well on the Madeira round of EWS
The world of carbon is brutally stiff