Opinions on Specialized Rockhopper?
04-07-20, 06:39 PM
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Opinions on Specialized Rockhopper?
So I’m looking for a bike for fishing my local trout streams max distance of about 35mi and I really like the the looks and price of a specialized rockhopper anyone have anything to say about them ? I want something that’s going to last a long time for some what of a budget I don’t plan of beating the thing up and am Very meticulous about maintenance of my gear. It will be primarily rode on road and gravel but the occasional dirt trail may be in order, any and all opinions on a rock hopper would be greatly appreciated, thanks....
04-07-20, 07:38 PM
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if it's older and steel, I'd say great choice. Make sure you get the right size. How tall are you?
04-07-20, 09:26 PM
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You don't mention what model you are considering. The Specialized site has 6 Rockhopper models priced from $400 to $975.
I bought one a very long time ago. It was the 1993 model and I bought it second-hand for around $150, a bike that had an MSRP of $600. It had better components than the base model sold today. I rode it occasionally on MTB trails in Utah and around town here. Eventually I replaced it with a suspended hard-tail MTB that I still own. It certainly was worth what I paid for it. Never had any trouble more than ordinary maintenance.
I bought one a very long time ago. It was the 1993 model and I bought it second-hand for around $150, a bike that had an MSRP of $600. It had better components than the base model sold today. I rode it occasionally on MTB trails in Utah and around town here. Eventually I replaced it with a suspended hard-tail MTB that I still own. It certainly was worth what I paid for it. Never had any trouble more than ordinary maintenance.
04-08-20, 06:22 AM
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You don't mention what model you are considering. The Specialized site has 6 Rockhopper models priced from $400 to $975.
I bought one a very long time ago. It was the 1993 model and I bought it second-hand for around $150, a bike that had an MSRP of $600. It had better components than the base model sold today. I rode it occasionally on MTB trails in Utah and around town here. Eventually I replaced it with a suspended hard-tail MTB that I still own. It certainly was worth what I paid for it. Never had any trouble more than ordinary maintenance.
I bought one a very long time ago. It was the 1993 model and I bought it second-hand for around $150, a bike that had an MSRP of $600. It had better components than the base model sold today. I rode it occasionally on MTB trails in Utah and around town here. Eventually I replaced it with a suspended hard-tail MTB that I still own. It certainly was worth what I paid for it. Never had any trouble more than ordinary maintenance.
04-08-20, 06:37 AM
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04-08-20, 06:46 AM
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im also not against replacing parts in the future cables leavers ect...
04-08-20, 07:50 AM
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Look up some reviews by actual owners
The current Rockhopper models are a far different beast than the one I rode a long time ago. I would suggest you rely on someone who actually owns one today. Look up the reviews on each model avoiding reviews on the manufacturer's website. I would put more stock in the ones that are posted on other sites like this one for the Comp 1X on mtb.com https://forums.mtbr.com/29er-bikes/l...s-1113415.html. You can compare the components on the various models here: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/shop/bikes/c/bikes?q=%3Aprice-desc%3Aarchived%3Afalse%3AproductFamily%3ARockhopper&gclid=CjwKCAjw7LX0BRBiEiwA__gNwyqFGJjaALe6Q2yhv 9QjXXxYHx8diGh5RbTz3lL0gpPmgge3tUQQ5BoCF3MQAvD_BwE&text#/result-list/sort:ss_price:desc/filter
roductfamily:Rockhopper The least expensive model is going to be better than a mass merchandiser bike but expect it to have the lowest end components for each component brand.
My older MTBs have caliper brakes rather than the disc brakes on the current models. The cheaper Rockhoppers have off brand Radius disc brakes. The Comp 1X has Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. I know that good brand disc brakes like Avid or Shimano work well. It looks like the Radius brakes have mixed reviews https://www.bikeforums.net/cyclocros...us-brakes.html. My only experience for hydraulic brakes is a high-end Hope brake set that cost as much as one of the higher end Rockhoppers bikes. I loved the hydraulic disc brakes but they require a bit more care than mechanical disc brakes.
The other thing that I don't like on the Rockhopper models are the Suntour XCM fork. It's used on cheap bikes and does not have a very good reputation. Cheap shocks don't work very well. They add weight without really increasing comfort all that much and take away from spending more on the other components on the bike. You might as well have a bike with no front shocks as have cheap ones. Here's a general review of the fork https://forums.mtbr.com/motobecane/s...ks-712909.html. I know that in the past they have been subjected to a CPSC recall for older models. Trek and Scott had to recall 125,000 bikes in 2014 for defects with the Suntour forks.
roductfamily:Rockhopper The least expensive model is going to be better than a mass merchandiser bike but expect it to have the lowest end components for each component brand.My older MTBs have caliper brakes rather than the disc brakes on the current models. The cheaper Rockhoppers have off brand Radius disc brakes. The Comp 1X has Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. I know that good brand disc brakes like Avid or Shimano work well. It looks like the Radius brakes have mixed reviews https://www.bikeforums.net/cyclocros...us-brakes.html. My only experience for hydraulic brakes is a high-end Hope brake set that cost as much as one of the higher end Rockhoppers bikes. I loved the hydraulic disc brakes but they require a bit more care than mechanical disc brakes.
The other thing that I don't like on the Rockhopper models are the Suntour XCM fork. It's used on cheap bikes and does not have a very good reputation. Cheap shocks don't work very well. They add weight without really increasing comfort all that much and take away from spending more on the other components on the bike. You might as well have a bike with no front shocks as have cheap ones. Here's a general review of the fork https://forums.mtbr.com/motobecane/s...ks-712909.html. I know that in the past they have been subjected to a CPSC recall for older models. Trek and Scott had to recall 125,000 bikes in 2014 for defects with the Suntour forks.
04-08-20, 07:55 AM
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You probably want a large.
Considering that the price of the Expert is the same as the 1x, you should go with the expert. The biggest wart that the 1x has is the low gearing. It’s not as low as the expert and it has a ridiculously low high gear. If you are going to ride long distances on the bike, you want the ability to take advantage of downhills. With the 1x you are going to spin out at around 20 to 25 mph. The 2x on the Expert will at least let you spin up to around 30 to 35 mph. Noodling along for 30 miles in a low gear get frustrating. Here’s a comparison of the gearing. You should also notice that the 2x has a lower low gear which comes in handy for off-road riding.
The Expert has an air fork which is better but neither says that it has a lockout. They might but it would be a good idea to ask the dealer for sure. A lockout is helpful for those long pavement sections.
The Expert has an air fork which is better but neither says that it has a lockout. They might but it would be a good idea to ask the dealer for sure. A lockout is helpful for those long pavement sections.
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
04-08-20, 01:55 PM
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04-08-20, 04:31 PM
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I am going to be a contrarian here, but it sounds somewhat as if what you need is a gravel bike which can easily handle all but the most difficult off road trails yet works at its best on unpaved roads and still is not out of its element on pavement. This all depends on the sort of off road trails you plan to ride
04-08-20, 06:36 PM
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I am going to be a contrarian here, but it sounds somewhat as if what you need is a gravel bike which can easily handle all but the most difficult off road trails yet works at its best on unpaved roads and still is not out of its element on pavement. This all depends on the sort of off road trails you plan to ride
04-09-20, 12:22 PM
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I had two Rockhoppers, the first one was stolen. They were good bikes for the price. The second one was my last DF bike before I went completely bent. Both a bent bike and a bent trike.
