How is the Specialized Hardrock?
#1
How is the Specialized Hardrock?
so i've been doing some research, and a lot of people here seem to have Specialized's (sp?). so i found the Hardrock and noticed the price was almost in my range. i figure i can get there with a little selling and such, but i was wondering how the bike is? i intend to ride it in town and sometimes trail.
*edit* i forgot to mention i meant the sport model
*edit* i forgot to mention i meant the sport model
#3
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Cheshire (home), Loughborough (uni). [UK]
Bikes: 04 Hardrock Pro Disk
Ive got the 04 hardrock prodisk, i like it.
- Some times i think i shuld leave the speciazed thing and get somthing else, but then im happy with it, so what ever.
I also had the 01 hardrock comp (cromoframe and rst 318's) before that. Also a great bike.
Daniel
- Some times i think i shuld leave the speciazed thing and get somthing else, but then im happy with it, so what ever.
I also had the 01 hardrock comp (cromoframe and rst 318's) before that. Also a great bike.
Daniel
#4
bitten by the bug
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Lakewood, CO
Bikes: Yeti 575
The hardrock sport is a fine bike for what you intend to use it for. It will be a good bike to have if you eventually decide to use it off road more. Just take one for a ride make sure it is comfortable, you might find something on it isnt the best for you when riding around town. Then you can either get something else or swap out parts before you buy it.
#7
Your Local Megalomaniac
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 265
Likes: 0
From: Centennial, CO
Bikes: Gary Fisher GED, ECHO Pure, Norco Moment, Kona Stab
The hardrock is a good all around bike with a good cost for the average weekend rider/ trail rider.
Its a solid frame, and very well desiged. It can handle everything from riding it to the store, around town, to school, its strong enough to handle mild jumping, and some more techinical trail riding. Its great for learning anything, from dirt jumping, XC, some mild trials skills, light urban assult, and so on....
I have a specialized hardrock frame just sitting in the garage waiting to get built up for a friend in need, no cost at all.
Its a solid frame, and very well desiged. It can handle everything from riding it to the store, around town, to school, its strong enough to handle mild jumping, and some more techinical trail riding. Its great for learning anything, from dirt jumping, XC, some mild trials skills, light urban assult, and so on....
I have a specialized hardrock frame just sitting in the garage waiting to get built up for a friend in need, no cost at all.
#8
Shreddin' heaven on his 20"
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,151
Likes: 1
From: markham, ontario, canada aka chinatown north
not to be an ass (doesn't happen very often with me), but if you "did your research" into this model.. ESPECIALLY around this forum...
you would know EXACTLY what we think of it from the 5000+ posts on this topic by using the search function.
that having been said...
for sure it's definetely one of the best all-rounded bikes anywhere. it's strong enough to take some freeriding duties but light enough to ride trails with. not the best around town with the stock tires though, they are SLOOOW. and i'm a litle tipsy right now so i'm gonna go to bed. good night.
you would know EXACTLY what we think of it from the 5000+ posts on this topic by using the search function.
that having been said...
for sure it's definetely one of the best all-rounded bikes anywhere. it's strong enough to take some freeriding duties but light enough to ride trails with. not the best around town with the stock tires though, they are SLOOOW. and i'm a litle tipsy right now so i'm gonna go to bed. good night.
#9
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 594
Likes: 0
From: Long Beach, California
Bikes: 2005 Specialized hardrock pro... pike426, e.13 drs, fsa gap crank, formula k24's, and some more/2006 Scattante R-660 easton circuit wheels.
Originally Posted by revmonkey
not to be an ass (doesn't happen very often with me), but if you "did your research" into this model.. ESPECIALLY around this forum...
you would know EXACTLY what we think of it from the 5000+ posts on this topic by using the search function.
that having been said...
for sure it's definetely one of the best all-rounded bikes anywhere. it's strong enough to take some freeriding duties but light enough to ride trails with. not the best around town with the stock tires though, they are SLOOOW. and i'm a litle tipsy right now so i'm gonna go to bed. good night.
you would know EXACTLY what we think of it from the 5000+ posts on this topic by using the search function.
that having been said...
for sure it's definetely one of the best all-rounded bikes anywhere. it's strong enough to take some freeriding duties but light enough to ride trails with. not the best around town with the stock tires though, they are SLOOOW. and i'm a litle tipsy right now so i'm gonna go to bed. good night.
good luck
#10
i just got the hardrock sport '05 tady and it is heaven! (well, compared to my $150 mongoose)
I got it on sale because it was a year older than all the others for $300 and its totally worth the price.
Although its kinda heavy and the tires are slow off-road, you get what you pay for. Its an awesome bike nvertheless
Its really easy to do wheelies and stuff. I spent a few hours breaking it in on the trails today its just wha ti need right now.
Once i get some serious income (right now i live off of babysitting money) i'll buy a stumjumper. that might be in a few years but i dont need it right now...
Get the hardrock, its awesome
I got it on sale because it was a year older than all the others for $300 and its totally worth the price.
Although its kinda heavy and the tires are slow off-road, you get what you pay for. Its an awesome bike nvertheless
Its really easy to do wheelies and stuff. I spent a few hours breaking it in on the trails today its just wha ti need right now.
Once i get some serious income (right now i live off of babysitting money) i'll buy a stumjumper. that might be in a few years but i dont need it right now...
Get the hardrock, its awesome
#13
Senior but far from AARP
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 776
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
Bikes: 2006 Specialized SWorks Tarmac; 2005 Bianchi Giro; 2005 Bianchi Cross Veloce; 1997 Litespeed Catalyst; 1983 Performance Steel
Looking for my wife.
Is there functionally any difference between the Hardrock Sport and Hardrock Sport Womens?
Is there functionally any difference between the Hardrock Sport and Hardrock Sport Womens?
#14
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 680
Likes: 0
Geometry, the cockpit is shorter on womens bike and the top tube is possibly lower, it would also feel more cramped to you but more comfortable to your wife (in theory, some women like the non women designs better), the only way to know if your wife will like the men or women design better is by letting her ride the bike, I know of quite a few women who like men designs better and its not like they are burly women or anything lol.
Oh and the Hardrocks are awesome, definitely my bike of choice under 400$.
Oh and the Hardrocks are awesome, definitely my bike of choice under 400$.
#15
Senior Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
I have an 06 Hardrock Sport and like it alot. Since I was going to be riding mostly around town I had the tires switched at no extra cost to Specialized Crossroads tires, fairly smooth on the tops but treads on the sides for some trail riding too. Also had thorn resistant tubes plus thorn resistant strips put on for an extra 25. If you're going to be riding just on roads or bikepaths Specialized Fatboy tires would be even faster, or Specialized Nimbus would be in between them and the crossroads I got since they have some tread. For what it's worth I got a black one but I saw some orange ones which look really cool. For the price you could almost get both and have one outfitted for street use with the fatboy tires and the other for offroad. ...I said almost; I wasn't even thinking of that!
#17
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,855
Likes: 0
From: Spain, although I'm Hungarian
Bikes: Check signature
(copied from my review on it on Pinkbike)
I bought this bike back in 2005 to be able to go riding with some of my friends who were already in the sport (a few weeks before that day I'd totally messed up my Walmart bike). I went into my LBS and after a lot of thinking whether to get the 15" size or the 17" I got the 15" thinking that it'll be better suited to my riding style and it'll be flickable. Oh boy was I right! I absolutely loved the bike, especially the frame, from the second I got it. The components are OK to start off on but really you should be looking to save up money and get ready to change what brakes. The frame, with a decent build, is a good all round beginner's bike as it's good for street and just fooling around with it, DJ and even some freeride/downhill for those of us who can't buy a new and better bike.
Since March I've put this bike through hell, I've used it for lots of downhilling and trail riding aswell as the occasional urban ride & freeriding and it's holding up great. The components I had to replace were the pedals (very weak spindle and middle part made of plastic, very prone to failure) and the crankset (slightly weak, bashguard reccomended). Since then I've upgraded the drivetrain, the wheelset and the brakes but those are more for the sake of upgrading rather than swapping it ****ty components.
In June I actually hit up a bikepark with this bike (Vallnord Bikepark, Andorra) and although it wasn't suited for this type of riding it help up very well (careful with the pedals and crankset though).
The bike isn't heavy at all and the wheelset actually stands up to a surprising amount of abuse as long as the rider isn't too heavy. One of my favourite components on it, aside from the frame, are the Specialized Enduro Sport 2.2" tires, they're great for all types of riding, they've got good grip and they're cheap (15 euros each).
Pros
Beefy frame
Fairly good componentry to start off with
Good allrounder
Cons
Non disc-compatible wheelset
Integrated shifter & brake lever, i.e. when you upgrade to discs you must change shifters too
Acera rear derailleur, isn't exactly good quality although it does hold up fine
Frame disc tabs are weak and got bent slightly (needed facing) or came defective, I do not know
Don't be put off by the lengthy list of cons, the pros far outweigh the cons in my opinion.
Overall, I'd have to give this bike a 8.5/10, excellent bike for what you pay and if you wish you may upgrade it into a very nice hardtail (like what I'm doing, I can't afford a fully, hell, not even a new fork ).
Ideally you'll want to upgrade to a better frame sooner or later but I definately think it's worth upgrading the Hardrock frame as it is a great starter bike.
I bought this bike back in 2005 to be able to go riding with some of my friends who were already in the sport (a few weeks before that day I'd totally messed up my Walmart bike). I went into my LBS and after a lot of thinking whether to get the 15" size or the 17" I got the 15" thinking that it'll be better suited to my riding style and it'll be flickable. Oh boy was I right! I absolutely loved the bike, especially the frame, from the second I got it. The components are OK to start off on but really you should be looking to save up money and get ready to change what brakes. The frame, with a decent build, is a good all round beginner's bike as it's good for street and just fooling around with it, DJ and even some freeride/downhill for those of us who can't buy a new and better bike.
Since March I've put this bike through hell, I've used it for lots of downhilling and trail riding aswell as the occasional urban ride & freeriding and it's holding up great. The components I had to replace were the pedals (very weak spindle and middle part made of plastic, very prone to failure) and the crankset (slightly weak, bashguard reccomended). Since then I've upgraded the drivetrain, the wheelset and the brakes but those are more for the sake of upgrading rather than swapping it ****ty components.
In June I actually hit up a bikepark with this bike (Vallnord Bikepark, Andorra) and although it wasn't suited for this type of riding it help up very well (careful with the pedals and crankset though).
The bike isn't heavy at all and the wheelset actually stands up to a surprising amount of abuse as long as the rider isn't too heavy. One of my favourite components on it, aside from the frame, are the Specialized Enduro Sport 2.2" tires, they're great for all types of riding, they've got good grip and they're cheap (15 euros each).
Pros
Beefy frame
Fairly good componentry to start off with
Good allrounder
Cons
Non disc-compatible wheelset
Integrated shifter & brake lever, i.e. when you upgrade to discs you must change shifters too
Acera rear derailleur, isn't exactly good quality although it does hold up fine
Frame disc tabs are weak and got bent slightly (needed facing) or came defective, I do not know
Don't be put off by the lengthy list of cons, the pros far outweigh the cons in my opinion.
Overall, I'd have to give this bike a 8.5/10, excellent bike for what you pay and if you wish you may upgrade it into a very nice hardtail (like what I'm doing, I can't afford a fully, hell, not even a new fork ).
Ideally you'll want to upgrade to a better frame sooner or later but I definately think it's worth upgrading the Hardrock frame as it is a great starter bike.




