Entry-Level Specialized HT
 

I am looking for an entry level specialized hardtail. I rode so many bikes this past week and I really love the sizing and feel of the specialized bikes. I am very comfortable on the medium I believe, which is 17". The geometry is great for my body type, long legs/short torso. I am 5' 10" 140lbs.

I rode a stumpjumper with fox forks and wow fox forks are SO nice, however I cannot bring myself to pay the $1250 pricetag, even though i Could afford it.

I am looking for an entry level specialized hardtail that will be reliable, and have lockout(definately a must) on the forks. I also would like a reliable drivetrain, and at least decent forks. Which ones would best suit me?

Look at the rockhopper line.

I'm biased because I own one, but I'm very happy with my Rockhopper. Specialized has priced the Rockhopper from $540 to over $1000, so the frame is very upgrade-able. I found the geometry to be very similiar between the Stumpjumper and the Rockhopper, but the Hard Rock was somewhat different from the Stumpjumper. I'm sure one of the Rockhopper variations comes with a lockout fork and it should be available for way less than $1250. That was the choice I made. But before buying, I always insist on a demo ride. Hope this helps cmktech.

Thanks rocco and yes I have demo'd all the specialized and right now I bum around on my uncles bike when he lets me use it, an ooolldd hardrock sport. I did check specialized and no hardrock came with lockout, so I will be looking at the rockhopper.

Hey, the bottom line rockhopper has lockout, but im worried about the quality of the forks.
http://specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel...keTab=techspec

It looks like all 2006 Rockhoppers have lockout forks. I'd step up to the comp or comp disc over the bottom-end Rockhopper.

All the rockhoppers, except for the all mountain one, have lockout. [Edit] Curtis beat me to it.

what's lockout again?

instead of ur fork having its regular action, u switch it to lockout and it stiffens it up a lot, almost like having a rigid fork, for better climbing efficiency. It helps a lot, the guy let me test ride it going up a hill with normal setting, and then the same hill with lockout, and oh boy i made it up faster and with less taken out of me when it was locked out.

Dont count on a very good lockout on the Tora. Although you're light so you might be ok.

hey flak i read ur post on ur rockhopper and i too am sort of inbetween the 17 and 19 but the 17 feels a lot better and i can throw it around. Myq uestion was what is your height/weight and can you review ur bike, thanks!

Im 5' 11", 195lbs, 33" inseam, size 12.5 shoe.

Bike is great. Pedals suck, but those have been upgraded. Glad i went with the 17" now that im used to it. Easy to throw the bike around.

The brakes are solid. People can talk all they want about super sweet hydros or whatever, but the bb5's have been nothing short of great for me. They stop me very quickly and are more than powerful enough to flip me over the bars if i wanted to squeeze them a little harder. Good modulation that allows me to go anywhere from a tiny slight scrubbing of speed to full lock of either wheel in all conditions, low maintenance, basically trouble free so far. Very happy.

Forks i do not have much experience with, so take this however you like. I think its a good fork although the lockout does not lock. Its a compression lockout which stiffens it right up with 20-30mm of travel, but mine has loosened up a significant amount since the fork was broken in. Perhaps thats because im close to 200lbs, perhaps hitting a few jumps here and there loosened it, i dont know. That said, the motion control dampening does allow me easy on the fly adjustment of my fork and i will switch it between stiff and plush several times a ride depending what im doing. SInce its been broken in it feels great. Im not upset about the softer lockout because everything else about the fork improved at the same time and its still decent on the pavement. Overall, im very happy and cannot see myself upgrading this fork unless this one blows up beyond repair.

Drivetrain. Just like any other shimano drivetrain i suppose. Acts and feels like i expected it would. Satisfactory.

Wheelset. Light, strong, ***** to mount tires, so far so good. Like the fork, wont upgrade unless i completely destroy them.

Bike feels great, does what i want when i want it to. I'd recommend it. Chone has the same bike and had a good writeup about his recently that is much better than my post 6 beer effort i just put forth.