When a newbi asks the "what bike should I get" the answer %90 of the time is Rockhopper or Hardrock. Maybe specialized has reconized this and is puting cheaper parts on them. Cheaper parts break more but are cheaper to replace. Newbie's dont know a lot in the begining and can realy mess up there first bike(saying this from experience and is that not what your first bike is? To learn from?). If the first bike a person got, who didnt know anything, had LX on there they would probly trash it just by not knowing how to take care of it properly. I dont know, I think some of the down grades are good. It is a mixed thing.