Yes- this is correct. With our newer pivot system, the pivot axle draws the link over to one side in order to properly preload the bearings. This offset is accounted for in the frame design so everything ends up nice and straight in the end.

8.75”x2.75” (222x70mm)
The mounting hardware is 22mm wide, with an 8mm through hole.

The Driver 8 uses an 83mm bb shell, so make sure you buy a crankset/bb that is compatible. Proper chainline is 56-57.5mm. If you buy 83mm compatible Raceface or Saint cranks, you already have the correct chainline/ bb length spec. If using Truvativ Howitzer system cranks, you must use an 83mm bb with a 56mm chainline. They don’t sell their bb by spindle length, but by chainline. If you are going to use ISIS cranks, use an 83/128mm.

The Driver 8 has a pretty low bb, which gives it great cornering and handling qualities. Because of this and the amount of travel it has, we recommend 165mm or 170mm cranks

We designed the Driver 8 to work well with 180-203mm forks. Typically a 1.5" single crown 180mm fork will have about the same axle-crown height as a 203mm dual crown, so the geometry won't really be affected by your choice.

Tires seem to vary so widely these days that we hate to give concrete numbers. 95% of 2.7” tires will fit in there, and definitely any 2.5” tires.

There are a lot of options here, depending on which fork you choose. The headtube is 1.5", so setting up a 1.5" single crown fork is easy- just buy any 1.5" headset. For a dual crown fork, you will need a reducing headset to make the 1 1/8" fork compatible. There are standard external cup style 1.5" conversion headsets, but this are a bit overkill. On a large size frame, adding a tall stack 1.5 conversion headset may make the total stack too much for modern dual crown fork compatability.

Typically we recommend a low stack version, like the Cane Creek XXc Flush. These headsets use smaller bearings and are much lower profile than a traditional 1.5 headset. This keeps the total stack height lower, weight lower, and won't cause any compatability issues with your chosen fork.

The Driver 8 uses the ISCG05 interface, so pretty much any guide made for this standard should work. Our favorites are the E-thirteen SRS and the Gamut guides.

The ISCG tabs are forged in with the bb shell, so they are pretty sturdy, but we still don't really recommend taco style guides on this bike. A hard hit to the frame mounted bashguard has the potential to damage to the mounting tabs. Go ahead and use one if you wish, but you won't get a warranty frame if you bend or break these tabs. Cranks are a lot cheaper to replace...

The Driver 8 requires a 150/12mm through axle rear hub, which is available from many manufacturers. Our favorites are DT Swiss, Chris King, and Hadley. The frame is supplied with an axle.

The Driver 8 uses a 30.9mm seatpost, which must always be inserted a minimum of 4 inches into the frame.

You can use anything you want, with 203mm being the maximum

34.9mm A quick release collar is supplied with the frame.

There is room on the medium frame to adjust the seatpost up 7" from whatever your chosen downhill position is. To get this much adjustability, the rear fender will need to be modified. We have provided a cut line on the fender to show you where to chop. The seat tube angle is much steeper than on the V-10, so that your effective seat tube angle is not rediculously slack with the saddle up, but the saddle location in the "down" position is similar to the V10.

It wasn't really possible to include any safety stops for the seatpost, so it is possible to ram the seatpost all the way down into the shock. It is up to you to ensure this doesn't happen. The shock does move up a bit during suspension travel, so leave yourself some breathing room down there.

No. Unfortunately the suspension just clutters the front derailleur area too much to really fit anything in there. This suspension configuration allows us to get the best performance possible- we didn't think compromising the suspension to allow for a derailleur was worth it. Just put the seat up and tough it out!

Yes, it is Hammerschmidt compatible. Unfortunately, pedaling performance with the hammerschmidt will be compromised a bit, as the Driver 8 is designed around a 36-40t chainring, but this will bother some people more than others. This may be a good option for riders climbing up smooth fire roads and descending steep downhill trails from there, or some similar situation. In general, if you are sensitive to how a bike behaves under pedaling, you probably won't like it. If you just want to get up a hill, and don't care what it feels like, give it a try.

The rear Maxle allows for tool free rear wheel removal, with all of the stiffness of a bolt on through axle.

A lot of riders should only have to use the greasegun (provided with the frame) once or twice a year. If you live in whistler and spend half of your life slopping your Driver 8 through the muck and powerwashing the thing twice a day- maybe grease it once a month. You can probably figure out where you fall between these two extremes.