Jordan Williams set the fastest time of the day at BikePark Wales’ annual Not A Race test event. He was riding a pre-production Specialized Demo downhill bike with a hidden chainring, pre-production Öhlins shock, SRAM AXS DH drivetrain and Brembo brakes.
We caught up with Williams to get the full lowdown on the bike he will be using during the 2026 World Cup season.
- Read more: Spotted! New Specialized Demo breaks cover at Les Gets World Cup with electric Öhlins suspension
Öhlins pre-production coil shock
This is the first time we’ve seen what looks like a new coil shock from Öhlins. Williams was tight-lipped on the adjustment available, but it looks to have both rebound and compression adjustment (as you would expect) and also an intriguing lever. This could be controlling a damping threshold to reduce low-frequency suspension movement and improve power transfer when pedalling.
The Eagle-eyed among you may have spotted the graphic above the shock reservoir, which could be a new 'O' Öhlins logo.
Williams was running what looked to be an Öhlins DH 38 M.2 fork, which looks similar to the production version but with polished aluminium crowns instead of the standard black ones.
SRAM AXS DH 7-speed drivetrain
Williams’ Demo sports SRAM's latest downhill-specific 7-speed electronic drivetrain. The derailleur uses the same Type 4 roller bearing clutch that you'll find on the 12-speed Eagle AXS derailleurs. However, thanks to the shorter cage, it requires more force to get it moving, helping to reduce chain slap and create an impressively quiet ride – as Rob reported when he tested it in New Zealand.
And, because the new derailleur forgoes a hanger, mounting directly to the frame, it's tucked in closer than a traditional unit, which should improve clearance.
Williams said he was impressed by the speed of the shifts and noted how well the gears shift under maximum power, which is where a downhiller’s gears are typically used.
According to SRAM, this new drivetrain can save racers 0.05 seconds over the first 15 metres of the track, which could make a big difference to their end result.
The cranks appear to be SRAM XX DH T-Type and the chainring on the idler shaft Blackbox (SRAM’s 'skunkworks') branded with SRAM styling. This is interesting and suggests they could feature on the production bike.
Hidden drivetrain
One of the most intriguing things about the new Demo, which Williams said would be making it onto the production version of the bike, is the hidden chainring and idler shaft.
The bike's chainring sits in a slim composite cover and looks to convert drive internally to an idler shaft, which exits the cover above and in front of the cranks.
The chain runs on what appears to be an idler cog, which runs on the crank axle.
The reason Specialized has implemented this system is still unconfirmed officially. However, as well as giving extra clearance where there would usually be a full-size chainring, it could also enable engineers to tune the anti-squat characteristics of the bike independently of the main suspension pivot placement.
One clear benefit from a system such as this is placing a chunk of weight low down, close to the bottom bracket area. While many other racers will need to add weight (usually lead or similar) to alter the sprung-to-unsprung-mass ratio, something that improves stability and suspension performance, it's unlikely the Specialized riders will need to.
Mixed wheel size
The prototype Demo uses a mixed-wheel-size setup, with a 29in wheel up front and 27.5in at the rear. This is the same setup as the current production Demo downhill bike.
Interestingly, the 2020 Demo had 29in wheels front and rear, but since then all Demos have been configured for a mixed-wheel-size setup only.
Geometry
Williams did not elaborate on the bike's angles, but explained that the suspension kinematics were to his liking when it came to the shock-actuation ratio.
His new pre-production Demo looks to have a higher virtual pivot point and therefore a more rearward axle path than the previous Demo, but Williams was reluctant to commit to specifics, stating: “When I got the bike it was after a long time off with my knee, so it was a long time since I had ridden the previous version.”
Brembo brakes
Williams praised the bright red Brembo brakes, saying: “I love how much adjustment they have; you can make them feel totally different.”
The four-piston calipers use mineral oil and the rotors are 2.3mm thick.
Other details
Elsewhere on the bike, there were HT pedals, which Williams runs tightly sprung, DT Swiss wheels, Specialized-branded tyres and ODI grips.
Jordan Williams fastest at Not A Race
Battling Jackson Goldstone over the 2023 downhill season and becoming Junior World Champion, Jordan Williams promptly won his first Elite World Cup and cemented his place in downhill history.
After battling a serious knee injury a couple of years ago and a fractured collarbone in the last off-season, Williams is looking to return to form in 2026.
He set the fastest time of the day at BikePark Wales, against stiff competition from top riders including Scott’s Ethan Craik, Nukeproof's Joe Breeden, Norco’s Danny Hart, and Pivot’s Bernard Kerr.
