[SIZE=4]Hey guys! I'm new to the mountain bike scene and I'm looking at getting a Specialized Rockhopper. I will be riding single tracks and gravel trails. Any comments on this bike or good starter bikes under $900? I'm 6'3" and know I need an XL frame. Thanks Guys

Rockhopper is a little more upscale than the basic entry level mountain bikes. Yes, it's a good bike to start out on. You'll probably get a bunch of other hits here with folks telling you their favorite brand is better, but it's your choice and the Rockhopper is a good one.
Come to think of it, I started out on a Rockhopper.

I still have my first Rockhopper - although the frame is newer. I bought the bike in 1985, frame cracked and it was replaced (by Specialized) in 1987. The bike was passed around to a few folks and is now back in my garage. I updated it alittle and now use it as my commuter bike. I don't think you can go wrong with the bike. Specialized stands behinds its product so if something becomes a problem they will take care of it. The bike itself is just built to last.

Thank you for the replys!!!

My first bike as an adult was a Rockhopper. I hardly ever ride it now but it feels like an old friend so I'd rather keep it for the few times a year I do ride it than sell it. It's done me well for everything from roads to towpaths to bridlepaths to battling through mud (the worst conditions I rode through were an inch or two of water over another 2-3 inches of wet mud).

Check the standover height before you choose a frame. Based on my height my bike shop thought I'd want a 23" frame but when I stood over it I realised that if I had to dismount in a hurry the top tube was going to meet parts of me that weren't designed for meeting top tubes like that, so I went for the 21".

Many people start out on rockhoppers, b/c they have alot of name recognition. That being said they are good bikes to start out on. You can get better spec'd bikes if you look at other brands. Specialized tends to be a little high priced in my opinion.

A Rockhopper is a very good bike, especially to start out on. I would also research other popular brands besides Specialized because some bikes in the price-point offer better componentry than others.

I had my mind set on a Rockhopper but after doing some research I found other bikes that had slightly better componentry. The thing about this is that every bike, regardless of price-point, have their "attractive quality." You could have two bikes at the same price-point and one manufacturer will offer a better fork while another offers a better set of brakes or derailleur, etc. It basically boils down to which component is the most important to you.

If you're not particular on name brands, check out bikesdirect.com or Sette. Some of those bikes offer very good components for the money. The downside is that both of these sources are online retailers so you'd be taking a chance on whether the bike would be a proper fit for you.

I bought a rockhopper a couple of months ago and I'm very happy with it but I'm a newbie for MTB.
im 184cm tall and got the 19" frame and it fits me perfect.

compared to the very cheap other MTB I've had the rockhopper is a revolution

Rockhopper's solid, but I'd also highly recommend you try out as many bikes in your price range as you can. All of them will have slightly different geometry, which means that some will ride a little better or worse depending on your body's proportions and your personal riding style.

Thanks again for all the help guys! I will definitely take all your suggestions into consideration!!