Mountain Biking - hard rock review/complains

well i want to critically review my 2005 hard rock pro ,and update this thread whenever something new comes along .this thread is focused on bad stuff on the HR .i would like to keep this thread simple and informative ,so if you post about your HR please keep it that way .you should also include information ,like your riding style ,your weight ,seize ,which HR you have and which upgrades you have on it.pics of material exhaustion or brakage would be nice too .well here i go :

i am 23 ,185 pounds, 5.7"and live in the flatlands right now ,so i exclusivly do urban riding and commuting,but i will take this bike to europe in the summer for dj and allmountain in the alpes .i am new to urban so i don't do all that crazy stuff yet .biggest thing i guess are 4 foot drops from standard loading ramps to concrete flat.my 2005 pro ist stock ,but with a 2003 marzocchi dj 3 ,130 mm travel.

here the first bad thing about the pro ,the seat ,not only is it very uncomfortable ,it also shows first signs of exhaustion where the metal parts connect to the plastic parts of the seat ,and i have only been riding a couple of times!!!
also ,which i not nessesary a bad thing ,but the HR is almost too light for me(feels like a toy) .well light is good ,right ,but it seems like it makes it harder to jump etc. for a beginner like me because it makes the bike harder to control.but also i have been riding steal frames all my life so it is probably just a matter of getting used to it .
here are pics of me and the bike and also of the seat .http://img253.echo.cx/img253/3361/img03436xy.jpg (http://http://img253.echo.cx/img253/3361/img03436xy.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img260.echo.cx/img260/6489/img03443tw.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img260.echo.cx/img260/5786/mountainbike2en.jpg (http://http://img260.echo.cx/img260/5786/mountainbike2en.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

Im only 115 and managed to bend the rails on that saddle. Its designed to be a value priced all around bike, so you cant expect it to have the best of components.

I got a 04 hardrock SS, and so far so good with the saddle I had to put on it. The seat meant for that bike got F'd up in shipping.

Have you tried MTBR for reviews on the bike?

i just think this thread could answer alot of questions for people that want to buy a bike.i have used mtbr when buying this bike and alot of those reviews are ether like "woohoooo sweeeeet ride ,dude", or "bike is a piece of crap,the fork cannot withstand 6 foot drops" ,doh.i just want to keep up with what i think of the bike and everyone is welcome to post .sure its a budget bike and iam not actually valuating specialized ,this thread is just to show to what the bike can hold up to and what not.

Cools. Kinda like how the chain tensioner and cog ring that came stock on my HRSS sucked.

I did DJs and drops with my HR Pro before it was stolen. It had a marzocchi Z1FR TA, Ringle 20mm hub (laced by me), Kenda kinetics tires, and hayes mags brakes. It held up to the abuse, but the chainslap was terrible. It doesnt have ISCG tabs, so chainguides arent as secure on it. The stock for was crap. I swear to god that thing gave me whiplash. There isnt any damping so it would spring back just as soon as you land and it hurts.

Next time at your LBS have someone look at your seat. If it falls apart have them warranty it and you can pay the X-tra for an upgrade. The Telluride comp saddle is quite comfortable.

I rode my friends bike and agree completely with monkey69 about the seat, it is extremely uncomfortable. It also does feel cheap to me compared to my Bruiser 2. I'm 15 years old 5'7" and 175 pounds(i'm not fat or anything, basically built like monkey69, except my arms are smaller)

Might just be that particular model of saddle. I'm a LOT bigger than monkey and bruiser and BOTH of my Specialized saddles are fine. The youngest of the 2 is a 2003 model.

Ive changed several things on my 03 HR but only because I wanted to, not because they broke.

I laughed my ass off when I looked under my stock stem (replaced) and saw a sticker that said "Not intended for off-road use."

Up to date the only stock parts on my HR are: chain, rims+hubs, fork.

Ive been doing a complete makeoever. I thought of getting a new bike but they one I want is $2300. All the upgrades Im currently doing are $300. Besides, Im happy with the frame no need to change it yet.