Submitted by
william
a Weekend Warrior
from westerville
Date Reviewed: February 19, 2005
Strengths: cheap even when new. frame is indestructable, strong cranks, good headset, fork is durable,
Weaknesses: bottom bracket is junk, replace w/ shimano, brake aren't that strong,shifters need constant adjustment, lil on the hevey side
Bottom Line:
Not a bad beginers bike. i beat the everloving crap out of it and still it came back for more. then the derailer got caught in the spokes of the rear rim, that stopped it. but otherwise its been a good bike to me. I rode it hard and put it away wet everytime and everytime it came back for more. oh yea i got rid of those half pipe shifters and out some 3.0 shorties on it. best thing i ever did.
Strengths: strong frame consistant with all models of the hardrock fork is cheap but has taken the biggest beating ever, from 4 foot concrete to concrete drops to racing rock gardens
Weaknesses: shifters seat post pretty much everything
Bottom Line:
Whoever recommends this bike for beginners is insulting any beginner mtbers, i was a beginner when i got it, after one year of riding this bike will do you no good, none of its parts can withstand a feather touch. the seat post stripped to being smooth like a babys bottom way too easily, the shifters disable any bunny hopping(because they take up 3/4 of the grip so an attemp at bunny hopping shifts gears) unless you invest in clipless pedals but as a beginner who would do that,
if you are just starting out, i suggest you con your parents for whatever you can get out of them, and go for a better(more expensive) bike, i suggest stay away from specialised, unless your parents are awesome and they buy you an epic
buy this bike if you are a granny who will use it once a year to pedal across some freshly paved road
dont buy this bike if you see yourself getting at all involved in mountain biking, if you buy it keep off the trails at the risk of breaking something... buying this bike is like being the guy who buys the kia rio with an auto transmission trying to be a racer.. you will embarass yourself when you look cheap and then your car brakes before you get moving..
STAY AWAY FROM THIS BIKE
value rating is 1 because sure its cheap but value and cheat arent the same thing, you getno value for your money here
Strengths: Great frame,Amazing Seat,Very Very good break pads, Very stylein bike
Weaknesses: Has been in the shop more time then i can count, had to replace back tire because the rear shifter rubed against the spokes and toor out over 15, replaces grip shift,this bike really really likes the shop, I have spent more on this bike fixing it the bike origanally costs.
Bottom Line:
This bike is a great buy if you can fix bikes, or if you are not a heavy bike rider. If you want a really good bike buy a rockhopper, (i'm buying a new bike myself)
Strengths: frame,seat,specialized cranks are strong
Weaknesses: basically the entire drivetrain. the shifters broke right when i got the bike.bottom bracket is plastic!
Bottom Line:
i replaced everything on this bike all the way down to the brakes. it has a very strong frame! a bit heavy but very worthy of upgrades.over all it is a great bike for the money. Specialized is the best
Similar Products Used: many demo'ed none purchased. had pacific full suspenion
Bike Setup: all LX and XT drivetrain in cluding cranks.Titec stem seatpost and bar. cane creek headset. 01 Judy Race
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Submitted by
Derek
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, IL
Date Reviewed: November 7, 2001
Strengths: FRAME! light, strong for the price. Has survived several trail crashes and a Range Rover. The frame feels good on & off trail. Good price for what the whole package offers--a beginners bike that is easily upgraded.
Weaknesses: Componentry sucks. You're paying for a great, upgradable hardtail frame. Rims, drivetrain, BOTTOM BRACKET IS MADE OF PLASITC--I'M NOT KIDDING--I had to replace it after 2 months of very light riding. SR Suntour forks sqeak, weigh a ton and don't do much off-road...no matter how much you adjust them.
Bottom Line:
Don't get me wrong-I LOVE my bike. It was a great purchase for what I needed at the time. I am, however, realizing that this thing needs A LOT of upgrading if I am to continue riding it the way I am. It's a great, cheap bike for those who want to get off-road four or five times a year, but they've really skimped on a few things, namely the drive train (7 spd SRAM) and the BOTTOM BRACKET. I don't know how common it is to put bb's THAT crappy on an entry level bike, but for safety's sake I'd replace it BEFORE you go anywhere near a trail, curb, or small bump in the road. But the frame is great, and upgrading is part of the fun for me. Now if I can just break those SR Suntour forks...
Strengths: Name,Price,Performance,Frame. I like SRAM Gripshift, so this is a plus for me. The only forks I ever had were rigid, so I'm not picky with the suspension.
Weaknesses: None to date. Tires would be the closest, but I'll have to change them anyway.
Bottom Line:
Great bike for the price. I have been riding it fairly hard for 3 months now with no problems. Hardpack, sand, mud, rock, gravel, pavement, <=3ft drops, it seems to take it all. As with anything, keep it clean and take care of it and it will do the same for you. As other reviewers have stated, it is very easy to upgrade this frame, should you require it. This makes it great for first time mtb buyer, like me, who won't be driving it into the ground week after week. As skills and desires increase, you can make this one heck of a bike with a few upgrades. For now, this set-up is fine. I was formerly a roadie and thought I would never like a mountain bike. The Hardrock has changed my mind and I now love to tear it up. See you on the trails...
Submitted by
Joel Loureiro
a Weekend Warrior
from Portugal
Date Reviewed: September 19, 2001
Strengths: Frame stiffness, incredible for the price, you can really get hard on it, and it will ask for more !!! The alex rimms are fine, they really surprised me. The tires are ok. The saddle is really good.
Weaknesses: The front and rear derrailleurs are too slow and the suntour fork have no damping at all, just great for small bumps
Bottom Line:
Miracles still happens !!! Mike Sinyard you're a genius !!! Thanks a lot... Now seriously the great deal on this bike is the relation between the price and the quality of the frame. The rest of the componentry can be easily replacable. What I'm trying to say is that you can transform this affordable machine into a serial killer!!! I just love it!!! If this bike is so good, just imagine the S-works series...Some day I'm gonna have one...That's a promise Sinyard !!!
Strengths: The fact that it's a Specialized to start.The frame obviously is the best part of the bike.all you would ever need in a hardtail frame. If you upgrade the shocks and the gears, then you have a pretty hardcore bike.
Weaknesses: No real weaknesses. The gears should be replaced if you ride hard.same with the shocks. For normal use they are perfect.plastic rear derailuer...whats up with that?
Bottom Line:
Best possible bike available for the price!Before you get a trek or gary fischer or some walmart crap, check out the king of the midpriced bikes.
Similar Products Used: Trek 4500, gary fischer mamba,roadmaster mt.storm(just kidding)
Bike Setup: stock except for rock shox and shimano alivios
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Submitted by
Janean
a Weekend Warrior
from The Woodlands
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2001
Strengths: Good Aluminum frame, nice (low end) Suntour suspension fork. Good drivetrain once the bike shop took that SRAM crap off and replaced it with Alivio.
Nice looking black Specialized brand cranks.
Weaknesses: For the $280 price tag not much wrong-once the SRAM drivetrain was replaced.
Bottom Line:
A great starters bike that will last a long time. While the frame is far from the M4 Stumpjumper it provides a solid ride with great geometry and the components can be upgraded to accomodate better riding skills.
Bike Setup: bomber shocks rapid fire shifters everything else is the normal stuffthat was there before
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Submitted by
micah klinger
a Cross Country Rider
from harrisburg pa usa
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2001
Strengths: great frame okay suspension basically everything but all the sram 4.0 crap
Weaknesses: as soon as u get this bike up grade the shifters and derailers they suck. they take ten seconds to shift up or down one gear and its so loud someone could here it a mile away.
Bottom Line:
perfect bike for people on a budget works great accept for shifting wich u can upgrade i suggest that anyone that wants a bike for under $500 bucks get this its awsome
Similar Products Used: i cant even began to say theres been so many demos i went to
Bike Setup: lite weight specialized aluminum frame sun tour m7700 front suspension crappy sram 4.0 shifting and derailers alex rims
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Submitted by
Jerry
a Weekend Warrior
from SE Michigan
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2001
Strengths: Strong/light Aluminum Frame, excellent & comfortable saddle, Stiff front fork absorbs most pounding Black/Blue/Silver finish is great looking!
Weaknesses: Front derailleur needed several adjustments in first month on my bike, son's is A-OK so far
Bottom Line:
After my 10 year old trashed his second el-cheapo bike in a month, we decided to go a real bike shop and not continue wasting money on the Walmart-level junk. My son was drawn to the HardRock in the Blue/Black color scheme and I talked with another customer at the shop while he testdrove the bike, and he was very positive on his experience with an older HardRock CroMo model he had in for a checkup. We bought the bike for the my son, and one for myself after deciding that the Specialized had the best combination of quality and features for the price (all other bikes in this pricerange I saw had steel frames, and the aluminum frame of the A1 felt like it had half the weight). I've since ridden this bike nearly every day after work and started weekend off-road trailing. It took a few days to get used to the saddle, but it is very comfortable now (or maybe my rear is just numb enough not to notice). For a rider who hasn't ridden a bike since college 20 years ago, it's definitely different and a lot better than my old Schwinn Le Tour III 10-speed. My son rides his down dirt and rock hills several hours a day, and says this bike is the best he's ridden (several of his friends have Treks and Schwinns, plus a few ride Huffys, Mongoose or Magna cheapos). I had some problems with my front SRAM shifter not changing sprockets, but several free adjustments by the bike shop later, all is well. Check your shop's service policies : the shop we bought our bikes from has a free lifetime checkups that would have cost me at least $75 at another local shop to fix!
Strengths: Very strong bike with a good frame. Aluminum frame is awesome and used for some of the more expensive models. Great front suspension for bumps and small jumps.
Weaknesses: could add on a little bit more upgrading parts. The fork is basically the only thing u need to upgrade.
Bottom Line:
This bike is great for beginners and those who want a long term bike that will last you for years. IT's one of the better buys, especially when i got a lifetime warranty on the frame.
Similar Products Used: Kona Hahanna, Gary Fisher Mamba,
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Submitted by
Jake
a Cross Country Rider
from Talladega,Alabama
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2001
Strengths: everything!! frame is great real strong and quick great components
Weaknesses: fork!! does ok on drops up to 3 foot.cheap specialized cranks are heavy!!
Bottom Line:
cant beat a specialized!great company and very strong bike i ride very hard and it hasnt gave me any trouble.ive won 4 races w/ this bikebut i only weigh 125 pounds and im 14.very easily upgraded to a 500 dollar bike.
