Submitted by
Carl Sessler
a Cross Country Rider
from Queensbury, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2003
Strengths: Light sturdy frame, Fast and sleek. Ready for anything. Comfortable riding position.
Weaknesses: Some of the standard components tend to wear out quickly and need to be replaced, but I guess that’s the normal wear and tear in the field.
Bottom Line:
Excellent bike. I have put well over 3000 miles on this bike. (Mostly ruff trail riding) It's taken more than it's share of abuse, and it's still looking for more. I'm still amazed at some of the places I can go with this bike. It’s a great frame, and if you hop it up with the right components it’ll be unstoppable. I don’t think I could ever buy any kind of bike other than Specialized, after what I’ve been through with this one. Great Bike never let me down.
Bike Setup: Currently: custom upgraded, added bar ends, front and rear XTR derailleur, Fox Float 100RL shocks, New OCR saddle, Panaracer smoke and dart tires, Avid ball bearing disc brake in the front, with a XT front Hub. Replaced the BB and crank set to shimano XT. I'm also doing a new personalized paint job during the winter.
Strengths: light, strong frame. has perfect geometry for me. its friggin fast, on the off-roads as well as when bashing around in the city as an urban biking terrorist :)
Weaknesses: saddle, replaced it with a BBB Anatomic, ritually burnt the original.... Stem was too long for my liking. fork isnt the best either, killed the preload adjustment on first run
Bottom Line:
Great bike, fast on all surfaces and it can take a LOT of abuse :) Never broke anything on this bike, just replaced parts coz I didnt like the originals... Great bike for beginner or biker on a budget, or anyone else who wants a good lightweight hardtail. In other words, good bike, good price, great fun, too bad it isn't for sale anymore...
Similar Products Used: older rockhopper, some trek, cannondale and scott models...
Bike Setup: everything standard except for riser bar, BBB Litestem, BBB anatomic saddle, platform/spd combo pedals, Magura HS 22 brakes, Carbon fibre bar ends, oh, also added a sigma targa computer
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Submitted by
Alex A
a Cross Country Rider
from Tehk, Ont, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 2, 2001
Strengths: The frame is strong and light, making it great for cross country, and the paint has stayed on quite well. This is the kind of bike that a beginner can buy to get hooked on biking, and then upgrade evberything on it, and have a bike worthy of the more expensive hardtails.. the frame holds up really well.
Weaknesses: none... well the cranks are cheese, but work until you feel like upgrading. They fell off while riding one time because I was listening to my walkman, but thats my fault.. tighten them and theyre fine. Also the seat is hard as a rock.
Bottom Line:
This is an awesome bike to upgrade. Its really fast! Even stock. My friends were amazed at how effortlessly it would cruise over the trails, and it's won me a couple of xc races. I ride with some more extreme guys from around here, and this frame holds up to 6-7 foot drops with no problem, and I use it for dirt jumping also. As good as this bike has been to me, I've decided to upgrade to a stumpjumper FSR XC pro.. but not because theres anything wrong with my bike now.. just because. So does anybody want to buy a sweet used rockhopper?????????????????????????????????????
Bike Setup: XT bb, sun rhyno lite rims, rock shox judy xc, race face turbine lp cranks and rings, lx chain, lizard skinns chainstay protector, riser bar, lx brake levers, platform pedals, some stickers, and a new seat...
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Submitted by
Sean
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, OR
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2001
Strengths: Solid frame with good geometry and good components for the price. Give it a little love and it gives plenty back.
Weaknesses: Derailleurs and chainrings are both pretty weak. I bent the middle ring within a few months and the derailleurs just don't shift accurately even if properly tuned. Seatpost and bars were unusually short also.
Bottom Line:
This bike took me from a decent rider to one that can tackle pretty much anything a trail can throw. I would recommend this bike, and more recent models, to anyone looking to improve their skills who isn't quite ready to break the bank. This bike, with a few mods, has seen much of Colorado's high country, along with St Helens and Mt Hood, and took a ton of beatings with surprisingly few complaints.
Bike Setup: I won't bore you with details. Suffice it to say I added barends and a few randoms, changed the pedals, post, bars, derailleurs and rings.
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Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Cowlitz County, WA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2001
Strengths: Light, responsive, great cockpit
Weaknesses: weak shifter/rear derailer (LX sucks), manitou spyder r
Bottom Line:
sweet bike, havn't had any problems with the cranks, but multiple probs with the shifter and rear derailer, no biggies though. Fork kinda sucks, mines broken right now but still ridable. Though it sounds like i'm bashing the bike hard core, those are really the only things wrong with it. Still love it, arguably the best entry level hardtail thats out there.
Submitted by
Tim
a Weekend Warrior
from Winchester, UK
Date Reviewed: June 30, 2001
Strengths: Quite light, pretty good components responsive ride
Weaknesses: Rear wheel was not built right 4 spokes broken in a short time. Wheel was eventually rebuilt under warranty. Headset prone to corrosion.
Bottom Line:
Used mainly for weekend ride on tracks in South Hampshire UK. Responsive and good handling, comfortable for longish (50+ miles) rides. Sure footed in slippery conditions. Great climbing even on really steep slippery chalk tracks. Front fork not good in very muddy conditions - tyre gets sticky with mud then picks up leaves and other vegetation and jams completely solid. Overall very good for covering real distance off road in southern UK.
Strengths: The frame is a light weight pretty durable frame. Front headset is very stiff and responsive
Weaknesses: Back Derailure is junk. Have to adjust after every ride. Rims need truing a lot after a ride. And tires hold too much mud in them on a ride. Need to tighten cranks a lot because they come loose a lot.
Bottom Line:
This bike is a good bike for beginers riders that are not doing very tecnical stuff.
Bike Setup: Rock Hopper with Manitou sx-r Front suspension.
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Submitted by
Mark Miller
a Weekend Warrior
from BC
Date Reviewed: January 10, 2001
Strengths: Price, Components (for price), durable
Weaknesses: Headset was crap, manitou spyder something to be removed/replaced, Avid brakes
Bottom Line:
I learned to ride on this bike. It was great. After 1.5 years, riding 3-4 times per week, I had to replace the Ritchey rims and specialized hubs. Replaced em with Rhyno Lites and LX, and it is still ridable.
Except I just purchased a 2001 FSR endure Expert. What can I say, I love this sport!!!!
Bike Setup: replaced the avids with Shimano LX, replaced the headset with aheadset. otherwise was stock
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Submitted by
Mike W
a Weekend Warrior
from Fairfax, VA USA
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2000
Strengths: Great Frame Great Price Can Take a beating Good Geometry
Weaknesses: Shifters,deraileurs and brakes
Bottom Line:
For the price it's sweet. I am also liking the Manitou Spyder it came with. Buy it if you want to get an AWESOME entry level bike. I am slowly upgrading it as i get more into this sport and the better components i add the better the bike gets. Light & strong frame for the price.
The only problems I have experienced have been a broken rear deraileur & shifter but it was coverd under warranty. I plan on putting an XTR in the rear.
Bike Setup: Added Shimano M545 Clipless pedals, XT Front Deraileur, Specialized Geometry Sport Saddle
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Submitted by
Gary C
a Weekend Warrior
from London, England
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2000
Strengths: Frame, forks, brakes, gears ... the lot.
Weaknesses: None why does everyone go on about the brakes?
Bottom Line:
I would like to say bang for the buck, but being a Londoner I'll say you'd be quids in. I haven't really tested any other bikes, but if there's a better bike out there for around 600 quid let me know. I ride 100 miles a week on potholed roads and this bike has never let me down.
Bike Setup: Factory but with new saddle, tyres and toeclips.
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Submitted by
Vance Strader
a Downhiller
from New Berlin, WI, USA
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2000
Strengths: Bang for the buck, good looks
Weaknesses: No damping in fork, seat leaves a bit to be desired
Bottom Line:
No problems at all. This bike has taken a fair amount of abuse and held up well. Having read other reviews about weak cranks and poor brakes, I've watched those two things closely. I have no issues with the brakes and have regularly torqued the cranks to eliminate problems with them. I'll soon be replacing the seat and installing clipless pedals. Overall, very satisfied. It would probably not be the ideal bike for the hardcore racer, but for a decent rider that wants a good bike to abuse occasionally, it's hard to beat.
Strengths: big bang for a buck, solid set up, comfortable ride, good lookin bike, good drivetrain, fun to ride.
Weaknesses: saddle sucks, tires weak, and the toe clip.
Bottom Line:
this is my second rockhopper after my chromo was stolen 3 yrs ago. tried gt rebound, backwoods frame had a cracked on the frame on my first ride. still rockhopper is the best. i fell hard twice with rockhopper and still bring me home everytime, tackle the most tehnical trail you ride rockhopper wont complained, ride after ride, wrecked after wrecked rockhopper will be there for you just like my schnauzer dog apollo. bottom line rockhopper is fun to ride.
Bike Setup: sbg pro $69 bucks at bicycle.com. pana fire xc kev. 545 spd, thompson elite, xt hollow tech crankset.
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Submitted by
John Watson
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, NSW, Australia
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2000
Strengths: Good, strong, light frame. goog shocks (answer manitou spyder r 99) changed to syncros cranks, mavic 317.
Weaknesses: weak chainrings, weak rims, could do with better brakes.
Bottom Line:
After i changed a couple of things (rims, spokes, chainrings) it is an awesome bike that i could ride almost anywere. changed to xt brakes. this bike is good for riders who ride most weekends. and a little on weakdays. great bike.
Submitted by
JW Whitmarsh
a Cross Country Rider
from Lancaster, CA
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2000
Strengths: Frame, gearing, tires, brakes (yes, brakes), climbs hills like a frightened rabbit
Weaknesses: Saddle, saddle, saddle.
Bottom Line:
**UPDATE**
Put nearly 300 road and trail miles on the bike in almost a year's time. This thing is FAST, FAST, FAST. Tires have been extremely durable. Brakes still stop the bike on a dime. Haven't had to adjust a single thing since I bought it. Got a slight squeak in the bottom bracket and the rear derailleur still blows about one shift per ride. It deserves a tune-up anyway...
