That time a year again! My annual 6 mile trek to drop off yard clippings at Rocky Top Recyclers.

This was the first year with the 1997 Specialized RockHopper Which replaces my 1997 Nishiki Blazer (of blessed memory).

I believe I had 80 pounds of branches and leaves this year...five more than last year. But the RockHopper is 5 pounds lighter than the Blazer so I guess it all evens out. When I first got the RockHopper it was much lighter than the Blazer... but after adding fenders backrack folding baskets lights and big tires it's just 5 pounds. Well it feels a lot lighter, probably because the drive train has been refurbished. Also the brakes were noticeably stronger than the old bike.

The trailer is 30 pounds. The bike is 43 pounds. In my bike clothes with my helmet I am a 192 pounds. Add 80lbs of clippings and I think the total rolling weight was about 350lbs. Of course it was almost 80 pounds later on the way home.

While the Rockhopper is practically identical to the bike it replaces. The distance from the seat to the handlebars is an inch or 2 longer which is perfect... so I was very comfortable. Also the rock hopper has an even lower gear range So pedaling all that weight up some of the hills here in Colorado Springs was even easier than years past.