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WANTED: 2006 ROCKHOPPER Reviews/Impressions

Old 06-13-06, 08:08 PM
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WANTED: 2006 ROCKHOPPER Reviews/Impressions

I've decided from both first-hand (friends, acqaintances(sp?)) as well as second hand (forums ) 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?
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Old 06-13-06, 08:24 PM
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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.
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Old 06-13-06, 08:28 PM
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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).
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Old 06-13-06, 09:31 PM
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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.
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Old 06-13-06, 09:55 PM
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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.
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Old 06-14-06, 12:02 AM
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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.
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Old 06-14-06, 07:25 AM
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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.
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Old 06-14-06, 10:16 AM
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what pedals do you guys recommend instead of the stock ones?
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Old 06-14-06, 11:25 AM
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dont get the comp all componets on it are ****ty, i build thease bikes for a living
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Old 06-14-06, 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by campayne
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.
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Old 06-14-06, 12:37 PM
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Originally Posted by g3ck0
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.

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Old 06-14-06, 03:15 PM
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I like mine. i went w/ eggbeaters.
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Old 06-14-06, 03:28 PM
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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.
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Old 06-14-06, 04:23 PM
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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.
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Old 06-14-06, 09:27 PM
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Originally Posted by cmktech
I would go hardrock pro like I did
lol... of course you would go with the hardrock pro like you did. XD

Originally Posted by campayne
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.

Originally Posted by g3ck0
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.

Last edited by cream.soda; 06-14-06 at 09:36 PM.
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Old 06-15-06, 11:33 AM
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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.
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Old 06-15-06, 11:42 AM
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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.
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Old 06-15-06, 12:51 PM
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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.
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Old 06-15-06, 06:58 PM
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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)
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Old 06-15-06, 08:08 PM
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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.
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Old 06-15-06, 08:32 PM
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Originally Posted by IShowerNude
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.
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Old 06-19-06, 04:45 PM
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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"?

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...

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Old 06-19-06, 04:53 PM
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Originally Posted by cream.soda
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"?

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.
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Old 06-25-06, 02:54 PM
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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.

Last edited by cream.soda; 06-25-06 at 03:00 PM.
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Old 06-25-06, 06:26 PM
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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
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