I've been eyeing this beauty for months now at my LBS, and well I finally made a deal in my price range This is my new commuter to work / university / grocery's. I will be taking it to Fredricksburg Texas 3 times a year for the Enchanted Rock Trails that I love to ride, as well as local riding in my home town of Corpus Christi.

What does the community think?

2006 Specialized RockHopper Comp Blue 17" *New-Mint*
Cannondale 25KG Cap. Rack
AveNir Small Panniers
Specialized Helmet Air Force 3 White
Specialized RibCage Pro MTB Blue
Bulldog miniDT Lock system


I'm thinking later on that I would want to snag a pair of slicks for the bike to increase speed a bit, and possibly swap it to disc brakes since this year also had a disc brake option... but am not sure if I will need it.

Note: I've been riding around 6 miles+ a day, and have lost around 30lbs so far approx. 2 months.. I hope to do much better with this new bike.

Me likey! Very similar to my set-up. Awesome color, too. A bit.... flamboyant, but I love it. I'm sporting basic black. Definitely spring for the slicks. I got 1.5" slicks and love them for the commute. Congrats on the weight reduction!

Thx, much appreciated, I finally got the price I liked out of the owner and just had to buy it.

link for recommended slicks??

thx in advance

Nice. I'd definitely move forward with the tires. Don't worry about the brakes anytime soon.

Search the forum for slicks. It's been hashed over quite a few times. Main considerations are price, width, and how much puncture resistance you want (whether you're willing to sacrifice some speed for a bomb-proof tire).

Very cool man! Looks like you got quite a set up there, hope you enjoy!

Deffinetly go for some slicks, they make a huge difference! As for the brakes, ride the V's you have now, try them out in some wet weather, then make your decision if you fell they are necessary.

That is one sweet looking bike! Congrats on losing the pounds riding. I can attest to the effectiveness of riding to lose weight too. I started six months ago and it has helped me get fit too.

I ride daily to work on a 2006 Specialized Hardrock Comp in Army Green/Black, with upgrades to everything but the frame, headset and handlebar. Slicks really do make a lot of difference. I use 1.25 Panaracer Tserv Messengers and they rock.

Love your Cannondale 25KG Cap. Rack! I have been looking for something I can use to mount panniers on my Hardrock. Backpacks are a pain to carry for long commutes.

The bike looks good, but you get the better part of the bargain. The longer you have the bike the more likely it may get scuffed or scratched, but you'll just keep getting better looking as the pounds melt away.

Congratulations on dropping 30!

https://www.maxxis.com/ Go to products then scroll down to bikes, I like the HookWorms ONLY because Philly has really bad streets but they have much nicer "cruiser" type tires for nicely paved streets too the "detonator" looks like a really nice tire

Nice bike & that sunshine looks pretty good as I look out the window & see snow flurries. Your weight should keep dropping until the muscle mass you are building starts to add up. I found that even when my weight stabilized, the body kept on changing as muscle replaced the soft stuff. Don

Congrats on the bike and weight loss. I'm probably the only one here that thinks it would get better looking once you do get it out to the Enchanted Rock Trails

Nice bike!
Keep up the great work!

Nice bike! Boy I miss Corpus! Good flat roads, though the drivers are a bit crazy. Ocean drive is a lovely bike ride though!

Hello CCcyclist! Nice ride you got there!
Its also nice to see another poster from my area.
Here's mine:

Taken at Ocean Drive, by TAMU last summer.

See ya on the road!

Thanks for all the excellent replies, and nice to meet you "DVC45" (Very nice bike, I almost went with a Spec. Road) I'm out in Kingsville for college TAMUK (Civil Engineering) currently, transfered from TAMUCC after basics thus the need for the rockhopper over a road bike (Very bad Roads).

I am currently looking for fenders that will not look horrible, clips? only for rainy days since it floods with 1.5"+ easily where the university is, and I hate to walk it.

I am looking at this set of tires:

Specialized - Nimbus Armadillo 26" Tire
Color: Black w/ Maroon sidewall,
Size: 26x1.5, Approx.
Weight:: 625g

• Casing: 60 TPI
• Compound: 70a
• Bead: Wire
• PSI: 35-80
• https://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqP...jsp?spid=35705

I'm trying to get my bike broken in and parts I want for it before the 8th when I made an appointment for a tune up since I just got the bike, and have already put almost 9 miles in 2 days.

CCCyclist I have those same tires on my Specialized expedition they made all the difference in the world in the ride from the stock tires. I have heard others say they ride harsh but not for me I really like them and they have been really good for me in the rain. We know rain here in the Seattle area

thanks for the reply stringbreaker, I'm pretty sure I will be swapping out the stocks with these. The stocks drag pretty good, and I'll keep the stocks for Enchanted Rock lol, can't wait only 5 months away

Anyone else have any experience with these?

Havnt had any experience with the Specialized but have with the Maxxis Hookworms (no I dont work for Maxxis! ) they are bigger at 26 x 2.50 but they are a fantastic, long lasting tire! Ive had mine for some years now and they still look new! no bull****! Here are a few pics of my commuter mountain bike with the Maxxis tires on it, although I havnt riden it in a few months (explains the dust) it has seen many miles of road riding and the tires still looks great

That's an awesome looking bike!
What kind of wheels are they?

Thanks They're SPIN carbon composite wheels (popular back in the 90s) with ceramic brake walls and MAXXIS HookWorm tires.

CCcylist, you have a terrific smile to go along with that bike! I like the blue, even though it's not quite regulation stealth colouring.

Keep up the good work!

East Hill

Nice bike. I like the color too.

That house looks one down the street from my aunt's on Barracuda, about a block off Alameda.

Well Done, nice looking bike. Enjoy.

Looking good CCcylist. Those Armadillos would be a fine choice to add a little more speed and smooth out the ride for your commute.

That is a nice bike! How much dose it weigh, and how much did you pay for it?

Nice looking ride!, Good to hear that you are enjoying the ride time and losing weight at the same time, congratulations!

Chief