ATB - All Terrain Bike
The bike for whoever you are, the Hardrock delivers utility and durability without ever missing a beat. Whether rollling across campus to class, heading home from work or out for a night on the town, you gotta be you, right? To do that you need a bike that's tough enough to take what you're dishing out, but quick enough to keep up with your many moods. From the not-somean streets to the back alleys and the toughest trails in your 'hood, every Hardrock delivers utility and durability without ever missing a beat. It's the perfect bike for you...whoever you are.
Awesome all around bike!!! Slap some marz dj4s and ditch witch rims on and go dirt jumping, rs Tora 318 and some vuelta comp rims and do AM and xc, fox float and some rhyno lites and do freeride!!! Everything else is just right. Really comfortable to ride, easy to get used to. The stock shock blew, the rs Judy tt specials crown came loose on the steerer, so now I'm on some bombers. The frame rocks, the welds are strong and the square tubing is way awesome, rigid, and sweet to look at. Real easy on the eyes. I huck and raise hell all day on this thing. Stock avid v brakes are good for v brakes. Will be getting some avid juicy or bb5s on there though. Overall it's very versatile and nice to ride.
Bike Setup: Truvativ hussefelt handlebar, crankset and stem. hayes disc, mavic 321s and sram x7.
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Submitted by
marzocchi66bomber
a Downhiller
from Theplaceuwishedulivedin
Date Reviewed: December 25, 2010
Strengths: Strong frame, good value, great climbing ability, quick & light, brakes
Weaknesses: fork, descending abilities, tends to feel a little unstable at times
Bottom Line:
This bike is a good XC hardtail and a decent dirt jumper. I have ridden it as a XC bike, a freeride bike, a DJ bike and a downhill bike. Of course I do not recommend this bike if you are thinking of getting into freeride and DH, two categories which I have primarily used this bike for. On the upside, this bike's climbing abilities are astounding and it is light and easy to maneuver. On the downside, it's fork is very troublesome and it has some iffy parts. I recommend this bike if you are doing some lighter XC and dirt jumping.
Similar Products Used: Brodie Hellion, Norco Rival, Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc
Bike Setup: stock
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Submitted by
Rider 101
a Weekend Warrior
from San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: October 16, 2010
Strengths: Good value for money, nice frame, easily-maintained components
Weaknesses: Lower end components; parts replaced/broken so far (~ 4 yrs continued riding down stairs, rocks, and regular single track)
- broken rear tire (mostly due to neglect)
- cracked crank arms
- broken bottom bracket? (cranks no longer at 180 degrees)
- broken derailleur hanger
- broken chain
- broken bolt that holds seat clamps
- fork started squicking about 3 months after purchase but still works
- replaced grips
- replaced pedals
- replaced/ripped seat
- tires and multiple tubes
Bottom Line:
Good entry level hardtail, great initial value for money. Two things I like the most about the bike is the frame and brakes, although I wouldn't mind upgrading to larger disks the stock ones have provided decent stopping power except for technical downhills where I had them overheat and loose most of the braking. The right components will make a huge difference in how this bike behaves and if you're buying it used there is a good chance several parts have already been changed out. The derailleur hanger is my least favorite part about the bike, including the way bolts attach to the frame (I've already stripped the aluminum thread for one of these). Anyway I'm keeping my bike for as long as I can.
Bike Setup: Mavic 721 wheels w/shimano hubs, Deore real derailleur, THE Connex saddle, diamondback platform pedals
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Submitted by
matthewj8489
a Cross Country Rider
from St. Louis, MO, USA
Date Reviewed: July 26, 2010
Strengths: Excellent Frame, especially 2010 model.
Weaknesses: FORK. BRAKES. pedals, wheels, etc.
Bottom Line:
Amazing bike frame, durable, good geometry, looks awesome. Great bike to start out with, but will need to upgrade parts as time goes on.
Ive found that the crappy stock parts work well for a little while, then over time each part breaks/wears out...another one bites the dust. This isn't that big of a problem for me, as I had parts in mind that I wanted to upgrade but never found the motivation to purchase...until the stock broke.
Be careful with the tektro disc brake calipers that come with it, after a while the inner caliper will easily move away from the disc while you ride to the point where you have no braking power (happened to me multiple times before i got fed up with trying to fix them. losing braking power in both brakes at the same time is a scary thing...)
Also, the suntour fork might as well have been a rigid fork, replace with any decent fork and you will notice an insane difference.
Just now my rear wheel is starting to crap out, spokes breaking after light xc riding, might be time for another upgrade.
Overall though, great bike! the components may be crappy, but they will last long enough that you can slowly replace them with good parts. 4 chilis for value, because the only good thing on the bike is the frame. 5 overall because it is a great starter bike, and is easily upgradeable.
Bike Setup: All Stock, exept 26x2.0 huchison spyder rear tire, specialized hardrock'r front26x 1.95
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Submitted by
specialized1994
a Cross Country Rider
from Edmonton Alberta Canada
Date Reviewed: April 29, 2010
Strengths: Very Fast and light for a mountain bike. I can climb any hill with this bike. Fantastic bike for the money. Really good looking bike
Weaknesses: Brakes need a lot of re-adjusting. In my first year, I popped 8 tires.
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This is a very solid bike. It has had its problems (Brake pads wore fast same with tires; creak in the BB) but then again, I have put 2500 Km on it since new. This is the best bike I have ever owned by far. I get out on the trails as often as I can. It does very well on the trails as well as street riding. This is a bike that you could ride all day and not get tired. This is a bike for all ages and experience levels. Just make sure you keep up with your maintenance.Very good and reliable bike.
Submitted by
Conman007
a Cross Country Rider
from Lake mary, FL
Date Reviewed: March 18, 2010
Strengths: Price, solid frame, good tires.
Weaknesses: Most of the parts are entry level, the pedals are garbage.
Bottom Line:
I would say this is a good entry level bike, I need a tune up to get everything to shift smooth and work properly but over all it has been loyal. The pedals need to be replaced ASAP, I just got some cheap bmx pedals off an old mongoose and sprayed trunk bed liner on them and wal-la.
If its a good deal take it, wouldnt pay more than $400 for a stock 2007 model.
Bike Setup: 2007 model with Easton Handle bars, flat pedals, and nothing else.
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Submitted by
joshc123
a Downhiller
from Honolulu, Hawaii
Date Reviewed: March 7, 2010
Strengths: Super reliable, great for all around riding, just plain fun, good frame.
Weaknesses: Fork is junk, rear derailleur is junk, pedals are junk, rims are junk, most of the stock spec's are junk but they work.
Bottom Line:
This bike is great to own. Its a bike that you can use for almost any applications. I've commuted on it, ridden uphills, and downhills. The stock parts are pretty crappy, but they work. I'd recommend replacing the wheels though, they are pretty darn weak. I've dropped 6ft on this bike, and jumped 10+ft gaps (no exaggeration) and it has still held up. This is a perfect bike for a beginner, or just an extra bike to take out when your not going for an extreme ride. Good loaner bike for friends too.
Submitted by
shoei4460
a Weekend Warrior
from vic, australia
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2009
Strengths: the versitility. it can handle a fair bit of beating for such a base model bike.
Weaknesses: rear derailler- may as well be running a piece of string. it flaps around like a hooker running down the street. even up a driveway the chain hits the frame.
Bottom Line:
this bike is great if your looking for a base model but be prepared to fork out additional money in the near future.
Bike Setup: stock except a lizerd skin to ave the chainstay
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Submitted by
jmwilli25
a Weekend Warrior
from Kent, Ohio, US
Date Reviewed: May 7, 2009
Strengths: Quick shifting, stock grips are comfy, frame is tough
Weaknesses: front derailleur, heavy, front shocks (should have upgraded to rock shox)
Bottom Line:
Of course there are always going to be things that some people aren't going to like and there are immediate upgrades needed if you are going to take this bike through rough trails, but for those whom are looking for pretty much a great all around bike, that is decent on the road and pretty nice off-road then this is definitely a great bike. I have logged about 500 miles on this bike and I am still just as satisfied with it as the day I bought it.
If you are just getting into trail riding this is the bike to get. It has the quality you need to last a long time.
Strengths: Good strong frame, fork (only because its lasted so much longer than I expected it to.) Decent wheelset for the price.
Weaknesses: Pretty much all of the components, derailer's, grips, rims (can't handle the rough stuff), crank broke off.
Bottom Line:
It was a very good bike for starting off, and I'm very happy with the way the frame feels, other bikes just dont feel right now. Just have to upgrade parts as you progress and as the bike falls apart. The brakes howl and squeek like nothing Ive heard before, but they still get the job done, just have to adjust them quite a bit. The wheelset is good for casual riding around town and XC, but their just not meant to take agressive DH, and they dont.
Favorite Trail: One's that go in a downward direction
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At: Wheel Sport
Similar Products Used: DiamondBack Outlook, Specialized RockHopper, Huffy
Bike Setup: Pretty much stock for now, Ive got a new cassette(original one got pretty bent and messed up)and seat, getting a new wheelset as soon as I get the money.
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Submitted by
AndrwSwitch
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA
Date Reviewed: January 18, 2009
Strengths: I could afford it, stock components are adequate, sturdy, guides for cables and hydraulic lines
Weaknesses: Stock handlebars and fork are super-heavy, stock fork is sprung way too hard for me (I way 145 lb) and has a poor service life, stock saddle was a little soft for me, stock stem is too short. Downtube cable routing
Bottom Line:
The stock bike is very versatile - the shortish top tube and sturdy components mean it can be very upright and comfortable for short rides and messing around in mountain bike skills parks or on dirt jumps, but a more xc-oriented rider like me can stick a flat bar and longer stem on it and turn it into a good climber. This bike was a little bit of a revelation for me since my previous mountain bike was such a long time ago and everything has improved - the disc brakes are a big improvement over V-brakes and even the stock fork, before I got the R7, was better than what I was used to. I switched out the stock flat pedals for my old Times as soon as I could and the the fork, handlebar and tire changes were pretty rapid too. It took me longer to decide the saddle was too soft, and I didn't switch it until I could "borrow" a better one.
My full-suspension friends are sometimes faster than me on rolling trails, but I can drop them on a climb. I've even gone cyclocross racing on it, although lifting it feels like dying a little bit every time.
It's not the lightest bike in the world, though, and the front derailleur's not great. The original fork lost its travel over just a few months of riding.
Buy it if you're just getting into or getting back into mountain biking and it's what you can afford. If you're not in a hurry (I was) hold out for something with a better suspension fork.
Similar Products Used: '00 Schwinn Mesa, even older Novara hybrid
Bike Setup: It's the '07 model, with Shimano Acera/Altus shifters and drivetrain, Specialized HRD wheels, Avid BB5 disc brakes, upgraded with Manitou R7 fork, Specialized XC flat bar, longer stem from Nashbar, Panaracer Smoke/Dart tires, different saddle, bar ends, Time ATACs
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Submitted by
nc_tom
a Weekend Warrior
from Raleigh
Date Reviewed: December 31, 2008
Strengths: Beefy frame, comfy seat, i actually dont mind the gooey shock with the beefy stanchions.
Weaknesses: pedals are awful, derailer is okay at best
Bottom Line:
caught the bike on sale end of year 2008, good bike for the price, slap something on it to stop the chain from hitting the frame, rode it yesterday flowed fine nice tight handling, pedals like a big hit bike i think, back tire will need to be upgraded eventually, good platform to upgrade parts as you go, i am happy with my purchase
Bike Setup: all stock for now will be upgrading pedals very soon, looking forward to throwing a sram drivetrain on it, and new cranks. looking forward to keeping this bike for a while