I can't speak to the specifics of your Rockhopper's era without a picture to see the decals but I can tell you that my '91 Stumpjumper Comp (matte gray w/red decals) had the "Direct Drive" Prestige tubing. You might be able to nailed it down by looking at the components. I do know with some certainty that anything "Direct Drive" ran through the '90's and then was switched up around the big Y2K rollover. Oh yeah, hideous paint schemes would be indicative of the late '80's and early '90's if that helps. I'd spend the dough powdering a Stumpjumper, the Prestige is worth the expense but like frantik, I'd pass on doing that to a Rockhopper.