Mountain Biking - WANTED: 2006 ROCKHOPPER Reviews/Impressions

I've decided from both first-hand (friends, acqaintances(sp?)) as well as second hand (forums :D) that I'm going to get a 2006 Rockhopper Comp Disc (well, I could be swayed to the other trim levels).

So, I'd like to hear from everyone who currently owns a 2005 or 2006 Rockhopper - please share your problems, quirks, etc. about the Rockhopper, anything to watch out for? Any common problems, etc.

flak, chone, anyone with an 06 comp disc, how is it? can you guys maybe post some recent impressions on your bikes?

Bikes (like anything else) are pretty subjective. You'll hear a lot of people around here telling you to go ride some different bikes and see what you like the best, and that's just plain good advice. Don't buy it for how it looks, or how big the name of the manufacturer is, buy it if it feels right. Out of your price range? Keep saving. Under? Spend the rest of your money on beer and poontang.

That said, I have an '06 Hopper comp, but it's not disc. (bought it in Feb) It's pretty light and responsive - I'd say I'm happy with it. I rode a lot of bikes in my range and was happy with this one. So far, I haven't upgraded anything on it, nor has anything broke. No problems with anything - everything is acting as it should. Planning on new peddles and some new tires first. Maybe one of those fancy Fox Vanillas my grandma keeps telling me about once I can round up the jack. I can't say you'll be happy with it, but I can say I am if that makes any sense.

Problems so far? Crap pedals, so so stock tires, my crankset came loose (apparently the factory torque settings are a little on the loose side), soft lockout, and recently developed a creak in my bb (just needs some grease i hope, ill let you know after i have it looked at).

what's wrong with the tires? not enough traction or too much traction? I currently have an 05 fusion and it's got soft-compound maxxis highrollers, 1.95 inches across. not even a year later and it's pretty much worn to almost to the point of replacing them... and I get the feeling I have no traction on the trails - the treads are feel really empty. Now my friend's hardrock's enduros however, are big fat bulky tires that will stick to anything but totally suck your pedalling efforts and is absolute overkill for commuting.

The tires lose traction on climbs, wash out very easily and overall they are very weak tires with very high rolling resistance, maybe they are a great tire as far as construction goes but the tread pattern sucks (and therefore its performance) so that means the tire is good for nothing...

I agree with the crap pedals, got Azonic Fusions to solve that issue, the lockout is nice for everything BUT trials and creaks in bb area were all fixed by tighten the cranks.

Still, what I love best about my bike is the fork, the brakes, the wheelset and the frame which are definitely the most important parts in a bike, the bike handles beautifully, it drives well and its very plush and resistant, I mean it, the rims on this thing are surprisingly strong, not one flat and it is true even after hitting it HARD against stairs and drop after drop and harsh riding, yet all it has ever need is tighten a few spokes and thats that.

I could go on and on about what I like about my bike but what I can tell you is that the important stuff on bikes are good on this bike and its overall a great bike for a do it all since it can excel at anything you throw at it, so yeah.

It ended up being my #2 choice when I finaly came down to buying my bike. Pretty good components, but I really liked the frame and feel of the bike.

If you have not take it for a test spin, thats what you need to do, along with every other bike in your price range.

Just a heads up the bike I got was the Piranha and it fixes all the above issue they didnt like with the Rockhopper, it has good stock pedals, comes with disk brakes (a big plus for me), the stock tires are great, and so far no problems with the drive train. Oh and the fork can completly lock out, or be set to where you want to to lock out via mulitple settings.

my 06 rockhopper comp is the first bike ive had since i was about 10 yrs old. without having much to compare it to, i like it a lot. i took it on its first trail ride the other day and noticed the same things the others are saying... the stock tires and pedals suck and the bb might be a little bit creaky but those can all be remedied easily. as was said above, the important parts (fork, frame) seem quite nice. its true the lockout isnt absolute so that may be something to consider. im quite happy with my purchase.

One of the guys at my shop couldnt get it to creak (hes a lightweight), but tightend everything for good measure. It didnt solve the problem for me, but im 195lbs.

I think im going to invest in some tools and a manual to try and fix it myself.

what pedals do you guys recommend instead of the stock ones?

dont get the comp all componets on it are ****ty, i build thease bikes for a living

dont get the comp all componets on it are ****ty, i build thease bikes for a living
We can all tell you are a fountain of knowledge. Thanks, for the wisdom.

what pedals do you guys recommend instead of the stock ones?

I went with some Jim Cielencki pedals by odyssey. A little heavy (they're bmx pedals) but very grippy and i like them, pretty low profile too. I got blue, goes with the bike.

http://www.odysseybmx.com/catalog/Pedals/JCpedals.jpg

I like mine. i went w/ eggbeaters.

I would go hardrock pro like I did, i tried botha nd the hardrock had more rugged stuff, like bashguard etc. also, the rockhopper felt a little more xc to me than aggressive.

I've had a stock rockhopper since March and use it for on-road and off-road riding.

1st complaint: Bottom bracket rust after 1 week. I didn't ride it through any water, simply the salty air by the coast did the damage.

2nd complaint: The rear wheel. I've heard very good things about Sun CR18 rims, but I've had about 7 incidents of broken spokes. The LBS finally sent it to Specialized and they sent it back with DT spokes. The LBS rebuilt it which is fine and dandy, but nobody bothered to check if it was true or not. Needless to say I'm not happy about that.

Other than that I'm very happy with the bike.

I would go hardrock pro like I did
lol... of course you would go with the hardrock pro like you did. XD


dont get the comp all componets on it are ****ty, i build thease bikes for a living
so, you build these for a living? i thought rockhoppers are made in china/taiwan...
plus, one of the reasons i'm choosing the rockhopper is that the general mix of components matches my needs. tora fork, deore/lx drivetrain, bb5 discs, those are really good for the price range the comp disc is in.


what pedals do you guys recommend instead of the stock ones?
well, i'd just get some good wellgo platforms, and i'm done. not ones with extra long studs like on my fusion (wellgo 'big flats', not listed on site, studs stick out more than any other platform i've seen, even other wellgos... rip the hell outta my shins whenever i slip on them, i got little gashes everywhere at the front of my shins).

yeah i'm kinda in between xc and agressive, but i'm more xc. lol. i love the hardrock pro's look, with the beefy black and silver frame, the purposely 'messy' logo, font and paint splash, even the "single track" decals and 2.2 enduros add up to one of the nicest bikes i've seen so far, period. but i think it's a little flashy for me, and plus i want a frame that can be even more maxed out xc-wise. I've seen rockhoppers go to about 20 pounds, but with the hardrock you have too heavy of a frame to start with.

the fact that the exact same frame from the pro comes on the sport kinda turns me off... since i see a ton of hardrocks everywhere simply because it's specialized's entry level. i've ridden my friend's sport disc 05 and i don't enjoy it as much as the rockhopper, it just rides different. and plus it's a little on the heavy side for me, and overkill in terms of toughness. well it might only be because he has a 19 inch frame and i ride 17...

still i'm going to test ride it and give it a second chance :) who knows i might even get it... i like that it has sram.

I really liked the improvements made from the 05 base rockhopper which I own to the 06 base model which my roomate purchased this year. The SRAM components are much better IMO at that price point, as is the front fork and wheelset. The geometry is the same (awesome for me) but the upgraded components really make the bike feel better in most riding conditions.

I'm not familiar with the component spec. on the comp models so I can't really help you there.

Love my new RH, base model in red, but love the slate black too. Had a very nice Marin Hawk Hill and gave it to nephew to ride. LOVE the RH frame and geometry, stout wheelset, SRAM's shift nice and solid, with a great fork (especially at it's price point) and decent seat. I had shop recheck BB and all bolts. This is a bike worthy of any upgrades when I wear these componets out. Got mine on sale at $467., great deal.

another vote for the rockhopper comp disc. i've had my 2005 for about 8 months and its been perfect for what i ride and my level of riding. its not the lightest bike in the world, but i'm 210lbs, so i'm not looking for that. the tires that came with mine are decent, some traction issues but no flats. the pedals are junk, get some with pins. the fork that came with it was a manitou splice comp which is entry level at best, but better than full rigid. the rims have held up well and the saddle has been fine. if i had to do it over again i would not hesitate to buy it again.:D

06 Rockhopper ~ stock / black
I bought it as my first "real" bike like many folks here and really enjoy it. $469 is a sweet deal for what you get. Spend the most you can while still buying a bike that leaves the most room for upgrades (understand?) thats my $.02

anyone have some free eggbeaters they want to send me? (no chicken jokes):eek:

I will add one thing, if you do get the Comp Disc with Sun DS2 XC rims then get tire levers ASAP!!!, yesterday I got a flat and had to use a screwdriver, my skewer and a little plastic thing from my friend's pump, it was a very unpleasant and tedious experience, I almost killed my friend when he realized his Topeak tool had tire levers... I never thought they were really neccesary until now lol.

06 Rockhopper ~ stock / black
I bought it as my first "real" bike like many folks here and really enjoy it. $469 is a sweet deal for what you get. Spend the most you can while still buying a bike that leaves the most room for upgrades (understand?) thats my $.02

One of the reasons I went with the Rockhopper is that it has a good frame (same frame they use for higher priced bikes if I'm not mistaken) so upgrades are a worthwhile investment.

Is it practical (and probable, without spending 1500 more on it) to build a rockhopper frame like this to a bike that weighs in around 25 pounds? right now i think it's 29/30, and my 05 rocky mountain fusion weighs 31 (but it actually has a less beefy frame).

do the tire levers that come on multitools work well enough to change the tires on those rims? i really hope i don't scratch the black off the rim when i'm changing tires... that happened to my current bike. stands out too much.. -_-

if only the rockhopper looked just like this year's stumpjumpers in terms of paint... o well they're gonna phase out this 'punk' style so it'll be uh.. "exclusive"? :D

to answer the above question, tax in ontario is 15 percent, and the bike is currently being sold there for 1050 + tax. so it would make the bike 1265 normally without haggling.

- i'm thinking of haggling the price to a flat $1000 cash (canadian funds) for the bike (since it's the end of the bike season),
- ask to change the tires to roll-x pros...(or whatever cheapest roll-x tire u can get with the white "specialized" across the side, i love that)
- as well as put these stock adrenaline tires on my older bike (not bought from this store),
- and even maybe ask to swap out those pedals for platforms...

is that WAAAY too much to ask for? (discount + change out tires + new tires + new pedals)

please post your haggling experiences here.. about how much you can get away with without pissing them off lol...

Is it practical (and probable, without spending 1500 more on it) to build a rockhopper frame like this to a bike that weighs in around 25 pounds? right now i think it's 29/30, and my 05 rocky mountain fusion weighs 31 (but it actually has a less beefy frame).

do the tire levers that come on multitools work well enough to change the tires on those rims? i really hope i don't scratch the black off the rim when i'm changing tires... that happened to my current bike. stands out too much.. -_-

if only the rockhopper looked just like this year's stumpjumpers in terms of paint... o well they're gonna phase out this 'punk' style so it'll be uh.. "exclusive"? :D

i'm probably going to haggle to a flat $1000 cash (canadian funds) for the bike (since it's the end of the bike season), and ask to change the tires to roll-x pros... as well as put these adrenalines on my older bike and even maybe ask to swap out those pedals... is that WAAAY too much to ask for? (discount + change out tires + new tires + new pedals)

to answer the above question, tax in ontario is 15 percent, and the bike is currently being sold there for 1050 + tax. so it would make the bike 1265 normally without haggling.

They (my LBS) wanted me to pay 1200$ something for my RH lol, I walked out of the store with my Rockhopper and an Azonic T-55 (goes for 150$ at my store) for the amount on 1150$ :) haggling is great, just make sure you come back for the inevitable upgradres. By the way, its not too much to ask for IF you let them keep the old components so they can sell them or use them however they can, asking for free components and haggling is pushing it.

I already chipped off little pieces of paint off my DS2+XC because getting tires out of it is a royal pain in the ass but whatever, it doesn't stand out much though, just make sure you are gentle about it, tire levers should be great, even if they came with the multitool.

OK, RE-EDITED ENTRY... PLZ REPLY SOOOOOOOON
I'm getting my bike real soon, this week or next week, so i kinda need this advice ASAP.

- i'm thinking of haggling the price to a flat $1000-1100 cash (canadian funds, down from 1265 after tax normally) for the bike (since it's the end of the bike season),
- switch the tires to roll-x pro d2's...
- swap out those pedals for platforms...
- let them have the shimano shifters and derailleurs, switch to x7 shifters, xgen fd and x7 or x9 rd (x9 looks a little bit better and is lighter b/c of more magnesium)

-either that or i'm thinking of paying full price
- but asking for juicy 5's while they keep the bb5's, it sounds like a really reasonable deal to me unless juicy 5's cost more than i think they do (around 300, but obviously cost less to the bike shop)
- plus the aforementioned upgrades.

i need a bike pump with a tire lever and glueless patches too... my dad's car rolled over my old pump.

One more thing. Chone, you said that your rockhopper cost you 1150 (before or after tax???), you live in Canada, right? Please clarify everything.

I think you're asking for WAY too much, and frankly, i think if you ask for all that they'll tell you to take a running jump.

You want to upgrade tires, pedals, and swap out the entire drivetrain....all while asking them to knock $265 off? Or you want juicy 5's, upgrade all of the above, plus throwing in a pump and tire levers, for the MSRP of the bike. Again, i think they'll tell you to go jump off a bridge.

Dont forget to ask for a cage and water bottle while you're at it :p

After considering the Hardrock Pro Disc versus the Rockhopper Comp Disc, I ended up going with the RH (eventually). They both seem pretty much like a decent bike for the outlay. I chose the RH for the frame and weight... the HR seemed heavier, but not really any stiffer. I am a 6'4"/210 draft horse, btw.

I've had the bike for maybe 6 weeks now, but have been a hardcore roadie for my whole life. So it's early, but here are my newbie impressions of this bike.

-The frame seems very good for the price point.

-The wheels are pretty rugged, even with my bulk on deck.

-The fork is okay... I like the motion control knob, but I wish the fork was pneumatic so I could better tweak the preload. There is an adjustment, but it's not as flexible as I'd expected. But it's a good fork for the money spent.

-The bb/cranks are a bit flexy... I'm somewhat surprised. Not bad, just not as stiff as they look. Of course my road bike has custom bullseye cranks on it.

-The group is nice... it shifts very smoothly and accurately, even when things are getting interesting.

-The pedals are a joke. I replaced mine with some drilliums.

-Tires are pretty good for stock tires, I'm in no rush to make any change there.

-Brakes are very good.

-Saddle is kind of wanky... it makes odd clicking noises once in a while, presumably from the plastic finger-spring leaf things underneath. Oh well, not a big deal.

As for having the shop "swap out" your crankset, or pedals... I don't see that happenning, unless you are their star client or something. The cheapest replacements they offer are quite possibly nicer than what you get from the factory on a bike of this level, and they thus have not much market for your take-offs.

I love my new bike, and do not regret the purchase in the least. I believe that the frame will suit me for some time to come, and the components are nice enough that (pedals aside) there is no rush to overhaul.

Been lurking for some time here, but felt compelled to register just so I could reply to your post! ;) Good luck to you on your new bike. I think you would be pretty happy with either model, they are both pretty respectable rides, IMO.

I think you're asking for WAY too much, and frankly, i think if you ask for all that they'll tell you to take a running jump.

You want to upgrade tires, pedals, and swap out the entire drivetrain....all while asking them to knock $265 off? Or you want juicy 5's, upgrade all of the above, plus throwing in a pump and tire levers, for the MSRP of the bike. Again, i think they'll tell you to go jump off a bridge.

Dont forget to ask for a cage and water bottle while you're at it :p


well their price is more than the us msrp in the first place and they're shipping the bike in - they already said they have absolutely no problem with swapping parts out as long as the overall price of the components stay the same. ex. i can switch those tires out for roll-x pro d2's because they cost 50 bucks ea. and so do the adrenalines that come with the bike. so i'm not worried about that.

the tires and drivetrain aren't exactly upgrades... i'm just switching them for components i like better...
and it won't cost them any more labour because the bike is being shipped in from the distributor in quebec.
for them, because of the demographic and the type of riding most of their customers do in their town, it's just easier for them to sell shimano parts (that i'm switching out) rather than sram (that they have in stock)...

also i bought my own pump just yesterday so i don't need one from them.

now basically... for this forum's sake... these are the upgrades i want...

full price or a little bit more, not more than 100... same thing,
slightly better pedals (platform, doesn't have to be expensive at all),
hydros (deores or juicy 5's or bb7's, whichever they prefer, all are better than bb5's to me),
sub in shifters (last time i checked x7 shifters cost less to them than deore sl shifters).
and rear der (x7 or x9, x9 obviously preferred).

extras i'll pay for as well...
-dry lube (i wanna keep the cogs reeeeallllly shiny)
-multitool
-extra tube.

not changing my front der... deore in the front is fine... i only learned today that front derailleur doesn't matter even if i'm going 1:1 shifters. yes i'm noob.

After considering the Hardrock Pro Disc versus the Rockhopper Comp Disc, I ended up going with the RH (eventually). They both seem pretty much like a decent bike for the outlay. I chose the RH for the frame and weight... the HR seemed heavier, but not really any stiffer. I am a 6'4"/210 draft horse, btw.

I've had the bike for maybe 6 weeks now, but have been a hardcore roadie for my whole life. So it's early, but here are my newbie impressions of this bike.

-The frame seems very good for the price point.

-The wheels are pretty rugged, even with my bulk on deck.

-The fork is okay... I like the motion control knob, but I wish the fork was pneumatic so I could better tweak the preload. There is an adjustment, but it's not as flexible as I'd expected. But it's a good fork for the money spent.

-The bb/cranks are a bit flexy... I'm somewhat surprised. Not bad, just not as stiff as they look. Of course my road bike has custom bullseye cranks on it.

-The group is nice... it shifts very smoothly and accurately, even when things are getting interesting.

-The pedals are a joke. I replaced mine with some drilliums.

-Tires are pretty good for stock tires, I'm in no rush to make any change there.

-Brakes are very good.

-Saddle is kind of wanky... it makes odd clicking noises once in a while, presumably from the plastic finger-spring leaf things underneath. Oh well, not a big deal.

As for having the shop "swap out" your crankset, or pedals... I don't see that happenning, unless you are their star client or something. The cheapest replacements they offer are quite possibly nicer than what you get from the factory on a bike of this level, and they thus have not much market for your take-offs.

I love my new bike, and do not regret the purchase in the least. I believe that the frame will suit me for some time to come, and the components are nice enough that (pedals aside) there is no rush to overhaul.

Been lurking for some time here, but felt compelled to register just so I could reply to your post! ;) Good luck to you on your new bike. I think you would be pretty happy with either model, they are both pretty respectable rides, IMO.

thanks for registering to reply :D i appreciate it. the thing is with most components on that bike... i'm not going to upgrade it at all... so i want to do my 'upgrading' now and relax later and not worry about saving up for bike part upgrades when i'm going to save up for a nintendo wii, a ds lite and their respective games as well as my next ipod (mine is currently incapacitated). I don't usually break my parts but i'll have a little emergency fund for that.

I was going to ask something but I forgot, now I have another question...
how much was your rockhopper comp disc? and btw congrats on making a fine bike choice :)
which colour and plz post some pics!

I REALLY wanted the beautiful flat black finish, but apparently those sold out a long time ago. So I have the clear anodized finish. It looks nice, but the black was nicer to me. It was $820.

Sorry for the pic, I don't have a closer view ATM. The one on specialized's site is pretty much representative. Mine is a 21.
http://www.metrocast.net/~mnorman/images/Saab/aero.jpg

I REALLY wanted the beautiful flat black finish, but apparently those sold out a long time ago. So I have the clear anodized finish. It looks nice, but the black was nicer to me. It was $820.

Sorry for the pic, I don't have a closer view ATM. The one on specialized's site is pretty much representative. Mine is a 21.
http://www.metrocast.net/~mnorman/images/Saab/aero.jpg

hmm... i actually prefer this to the black... the black design was available last year (but clearcoated on top), and this is more uh... "bling". plus this one won't show sratches as easily, will look nicer in 5 years because the finish won't wear down as much as a matte finish. which is one of the reasons why (most, if not all) mass-produced cars don't come in a matte finish either.

love the pic, thanks for taking the time to take it and put it up.

but the thing is, specialized's site's pic doesn't have close ups and different people get different parts, for example my area's comp discs don't have four-bolt stems at all and have three red and white stickers on each rim's side :S and they're huge...
so when you can, could you please post more pics? :D i'm collecting them before i get mine :D

are those bar ends I see? and also, how did you get your ds2-xc rims to not come with the ugly triple-red-and-white stickers like chone's, flak's and the ones at my lbs????

ANYONE WITH THE SAME BIKE POST PICS HERE!!! I WANNA SEE YOUR BIKES!!! EVERYONE SHOW OFF YOUR 06 ROCKHOPPERS XD

now basically... for this forum's sake... these are the upgrades i want...

full price or a little bit more, not more than 100... same thing,
slightly better pedals (platform, doesn't have to be expensive at all),
hydros (deores or juicy 5's or bb7's, whichever they prefer, all are better than bb5's to me),
sub in shifters (last time i checked x7 shifters cost less to them than deore sl shifters).
and rear der (x7 or x9, x9 obviously preferred).



I think you are asking for a lot...especially considering you're not expecting to pay much more over the price of the bike...they'll do the pedals for sure but I'd be very surprised if they did the brakes, shifters, and rear derailleur for only $100 more. Are you figuring out the price differences online or are you actually asking the bike shop you're planning on buying the bike from? Have you ever bought anything from this bike shop before?

Interesting... I just checked out Flak's bike. I will try to grab a couple pics tonight. My wheels definitely don't have the same labeling. The tires look diff also, but it may just be the pic. I suppose they use the spec'd wheel, or one very similar to it, depending what their inventory at the time of assembly is.

http://www.metrocast.net/~mnorman/images/misc/bike/rh_comp_disc.jpg

http://www.metrocast.net/~mnorman/images/misc/bike/ds2-xc.jpg
They are different labels, but the same model. Mine is an '06, fwiw.
Maybe they got a lot of complaints about the huge stickering.

your rotor is different too... you have the roundagon rotor like some people's hardrock pros i've seen around... and btw the huge red and white stickers are found on ludovico's kona kula as well... a 2000 dollar bike :)

lol from that angle, the frame looks like it's been 'shopped... and your tires are fine. it's just that flak changed them for kenda's... read the first post of his thread "bike day".

so basically your differences from the rockhoppers i've seen is the nicer labelling of the rim (btw the stickers you have is the same as on the specialized website, if you look closely enough at the enlarged picture), and that your rotor is the roundagon one rather than the wavey one found on most comp disc's.

where and when did you get this bike? maybe this will help solve this great rockhoper mystery.

Interesting, to say the least.
Bought the bike in the thriving metropolis of downtown Concord, NH; about 6 weeks ago perhaps.

I'm pretty happy overall. It's more bike than I expected for the outlay.

I've seen those stickers for the DS2 before on other bikes. I like them. Ive considered peeling mine off, but thats as far as that thought has gone, im lazy :p

Nice review voodoochile, I was thinking of asking. Anyone think its worth it to go rh pro instead of comp if I have the money?

I mean, at the bike shop where I am
The comp: 750.00
The pro: 999.00

I've been eyeing the pro. When I get my second pay check tomorow, I can afford the pro. The question is, is the better fork and crankset worth it? I mean, whatever bike I buy I'm going to put an xt crankset on it anyways. So basically- the extra 150 for the fork worth it? of course I could sell the old crank If I wanted.

I looked at both and thought about it. I dont think so. But others might disagree.

me neither. you got better cranks and stem though... but you lose the tough 32-spoke xc rims (which apparently according to chone are extremely tough) that are light and trade them for tougher single track rims, but they're really heavy and have 36 spokes.

also I'd take avid bb5's over hayes sole... almost any day.

drivetrain on the pro totally owns the comp discs... but i'm upgrading to sram on mine anyway :)
better seat post, and tires are back to 2.3 enduros, slightly wider versions of the tires found on the hardrock.

heavier, tougher machine... just depends on your needs.

oops. i realized that you're talking about the u.s. only pro, not the allmountain pro. things are different up here in canada. we only have an allmountain pro that's satin green.

anyway, people i updated my sig so you guys can see what i currently ride. it's going to my dad tho it's his kind of bike, not mine. it definitely needs a tune up and truing...plus new tires.

I looked at both and thought about it. I dont think so. But others might disagree.
Same here. It's a nice ride, but I think you could do better with your own upgrades at that price point.

At the price of the Pro, I'd be looking more into a lower model Stumpy. As it is, I blew my budget way out of whack. But I felt compelled to, as the price/performance ratio seems pretty darn enticing on the RH comp disc.

Initially I was just going to buy a lower model within the Hardrock line and be done with it. But looking at the brakes, the RST fork, etc... I just didn't want to go there. Nice bike, but I think I'd have gone with a lower feature set bike built with nicer gear if my budget was $380 to $450. Or something like that. I'm just rambling now, trying to justify my lack of dicipline.

Same here. It's a nice ride, but I think you could do better with your own upgrades at that price point.

At the price of the Pro, I'd be looking more into a lower model Stumpy. As it is, I blew my budget way out of whack. But I felt compelled to, as the price/performance ratio seems pretty darn enticing on the RH comp disc.

Initially I was just going to buy a lower model within the Hardrock line and be done with it. But looking at the brakes, the RST fork, etc... I just didn't want to go there. Nice bike, but I think I'd have gone with a lower feature set bike built with nicer gear if my budget was $380 to $450. Or something like that. I'm just rambling now, trying to justify my lack of dicipline.

Hahaha that's how I feel now EXACTLY. I had a nice budget in mind that I knew I wouldn't go over... since some nice year-old models were at the budget price... then along comes this new 06 RH Comp Disc and takes all my money! Ends up being more than 50% extra of what I budgeted! Oh well :D

Hahaha that's how I feel now EXACTLY. I had a nice budget in mind that I knew I wouldn't go over... since some nice year-old models were at the budget price... then along comes this new 06 RH Comp Disc and takes all my money! Ends up being more than 50% extra of what I budgeted! Oh well :D

:D welcome to the 06 rockhopper comp disc club consisting of flak, chone, voodoochile, you and uh.. me in a couple of weeks!!!

btw i believe chone the only one with the black one!!! lol

post PICTURES plz! (yes you ottawamtb) :)

Hahaha that's how I feel now EXACTLY. I had a nice budget in mind that I knew I wouldn't go over... since some nice year-old models were at the budget price... then along comes this new 06 RH Comp Disc and takes all my money! Ends up being more than 50% extra of what I budgeted! Oh well :D

Happened the same thing to me :D I started looking at 600$ less than my RH cost, eventually the Hardrock Pros made me look a bit closer... and then the salesman showed me the Rockhopper Comp Disc and that was that lol, I ended up spending two times more than I originally expected but I do not regret not a single penny, it was money well spent in my opinion :)

And there is some weird deal with Rockhopper Comp, for example I saw a friend of my friend ride a Dream Blue Comp Disc with 2005 BB5s, 2005 LX derailleur, roundagon rotors and a solo air Tora fork and I wonder what else was different on that bike (now that you mention it, it might have had the DS2s without big stickers... I think those are 2005 DS2s... Rockhopper Comps came before many of the 2006 components were released...so its likely Specialized stuck some 2005 in the meantime and some of those leftover comps are still floating around bikeshops.

I don't know. Honestly, not to be vain about my bike. I hate the comp colors and love the pro red. I want the recon fork instead of the tora. Plus- xt rd. I mean the extra 150 I'd be paying for the pro gives me better rd, fork, and crankset. Plus, when I replace the crank with an xt I'll sell the old one for some dough.

Also keep in mind where I am
comp-750
pro-999

I tried my best to feel the difference between the recon and the tora, and couldnt. Reading the manual i noticed the Tora and Recon are built the same so that explains the similar feel. I just couldnt justify the extra $300 for the pro, figured thats money i could spend better on upgfrades by myself.

I did like the red though. Looked sexy. In hindsight i wish i got it just because all of you guys have the comp too now :p

I tried my best to feel the difference between the recon and the tora, and couldnt. Reading the manual i noticed the Tora and Recon are built the same so that explains the similar feel. I just couldnt justify the extra $300 for the pro, figured thats money i could spend better on upgfrades by myself.

I did like the red though. Looked sexy. In hindsight i wish i got it just because all of you guys have the comp too now :p
The thing is, that at my lbs its only 150 more for the pro. 300 more, and it wouldn't be worth it. But 150? that sounds not so bad.

The thing is, that at my lbs its only 150 more for the pro. 300 more, and it wouldn't be worth it. But 150? that sounds not so bad.

well you get a low-friction anodized coating on your stanchion tubes... it's coloured gold :) all high-end forks have that finish, and for rockshoxs' product line the recon's the cheapest fork with that coating :D

only 150 more for the pro... if you like the paintjob as well, then GO FOR IT!!!

AND POST SOME DARN 06 RH PICS XD

If the pro was only $150 more than the comp, I'd do it. It was more like $280 more at my LBS, and I was already way outside my budget.:rolleyes:

I'm going to pound on mine 'till it won't go anymore, then maybe go to a stumpy and start all over. I'll take care of it, but I mean that I'm not going to baby it. I baby my road bike. This is for something else. It's akin to owning a reliable beater car. You can relax and enjoy it a little more, not being overly concerned about it's well-being.

I used to ride criterion and some triathlon, but my Waterford has never been raced. I mainly ride centuries, and otherwise enjoy (WTF would you call it...) "spirited riding" maybe? I average typically about 18 mph on it, spin fast, and love hills. But it's fair weather, and no racing or crashing. I had a few minor crashes and some real close calls in crits. Riding right over other people's downed wheels, and have been ridden over before, too. You and your bike both take a big beating. I can't afford a new frame every year, and am too old to be involved in a tangle of tubing, spokes, asses and elbows. Wiping out is one thing. Wiping out, and having some dude ride into you because he's boxed in really isn't a good time.:p

Still such a tough choice for me! I put a bit down to hold the 06 Rockhopper Comp Disc... but am wondering (for the type of riding I'll be doing)... if I should just get the cheaper 05 Hardrock Pro Disc. Has the same Avid BB-5's... Deore front and rear (except the RH CD has the LX rear)... shocks on the RH CD are much better of course but I'm not planning on going any huge drops anytime soon. Hardrock would save me $400 after tax too.
DAMN THESE BIKE CHOICES! :P