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Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc

MSRP $ 440.00
# of Reviews 110
Average Rating 4.11/5
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Submitted by FujiRich a Weekend Warrior from Birmingham, WM, UK
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2009
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $594.00
Purchased At:Evans Cycles, UK
Strengths:-Price: At £360 ($594) this bike is well worth the cash.
-Pedigree: Specialized have been making bikes since the stone age.
-Tyres: Respectable grip in all conditions.
-Frame: Solid!
Weaknesses:-Forks (Suntour SF8-XCT-V2): 80mm travel, questionable pre-load dial.
-Pedals: Small footprint, lacking in grip.
-Ground clearance: Contact with obstacles on the large chainring.
Similar Products Used:2007 Hardrock Comp Disc
Bike Setup:Stock 09 Hardrock Sport Disc
Tora 318, DMR V8, Avid Speed Dial 7s on the way...
Bottom Line:Returning to off-road riding after a few years and starting with a technically easy cross-country ride of 35 miles covering road/pavement, heathland, woodland and wetland and expecting the usual hardtail experience I was pleasantly surprised.

Tyres roll fast and smooth on tarmac and if you don't warn pedestrians you're coming they'll get a shock as this bike is stealth! Off-road they held pretty well in all conditions I encountered, slipping only in deep mud and on the loose stuff and wet roots. Brakes felt a bit weak but after a 30 second tweak were biting hard and felt much better. No problems with the drivetrain/gears. Frame felt bombproof and like it could handle anything. Forks didn't feel too smooth under bigger compressions and the pre-load dial clicks away but I can't feel any difference, lock-out function works fine though. Pedals are quite small and I got some slipping feet and the ground clearance could have been better; a bashed chainring the result but no lost teeth for either of us!
Saddle could have been easier on the backside but wasn't anywhere near as bad as I was fearing.

Recommend for beginners or people who want a solid bike to knock around on but I suspect more demanding riders will be upgrading parts fast or aiming higher up the price range.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Stupidjeep a Weekend Warrior from Charlottesville VA
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2009
Favorite Trail:Buttermilk Loop
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:Conte's
Strengths:Price. The wheels are still straight! Tough frame, decent components, good tires and controls...
Weaknesses:Fork. Disk brakes were starting to get weak(rightfully so) and there isnt much support for these brakes.
Bike Setup:RS Recon, Avid BB7s, Weirworfs, oury grips, SRAM chain, Lizard skin chain stay protector
Bottom Line:This is an awesome bike for the money. I demo'ed a bunch of different bikes before purchase, this one just fit me, my riding style and my price range perfectly. It may be little heavy for riding XC, but I use it for more than XC and everything holds up really well. Even the specialized wheelset is nearly straight after jumps and crashes. The RST fork is absolute garbage. It was tolorated for 2 yrs and I finally upgraded to a Rock Shox Recon. BB7's are great. I love this bike.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Mudbum3188 a Cross Country Rider from Ga
Date Reviewed: April 12, 2009
Favorite Trail:Raccoon Mtn.
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Price Paid: $525.00
Purchased At:Trailhead Bicycles
Strengths:Light, Durable, done several small jumps and small drops on this bad boy and no problems.
Weaknesses:As every one else says the fork absolutly sucks. Brakes were ok. Hadn't had any trouble with the cranks or bb though, I try to keep it clean and lubed, shouldn't have any problems. I also had problems on the pedals, bearings gave out and rode with a crooked pedal for a month or so.
Similar Products Used:03' Fuji HT
Bike Setup:09' Rock Shox Tora SL, Avid Juicy Fives Brakes 203mm Rotor in Front 185 in rear maxxis crossmark tires, V12 pedals, everthing else is pretty much standard on the comp disc
Bottom Line:Great intro bike for xc riders on hardtails. Definetly worth the money. Expect to upgrade the fork within a year, tired of adjusting the brakes a whole bunch, so replaced it with hydraulic brakes. But if you set it up right, it makes a mean light weight fast xc bike. Might be best just to buy a frame from a dealer and custom build it there.
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Crazz a Weekend Warrior from Tampa, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: January 1, 2009
Favorite Trail:Boyette Scrub
Duration Product Used:Tested or demo'ed only
Bottom Line:I am a beginner looking for a solid entry level bike. I don't want to spend much on a bike right now until I get more accustomed to the sport. Currently I am comparing the Trek 4300 disc/Specialized Hardrock disc/ and a Forge Sawback 5xx, which received great reviews on this site. Any recommendations?
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:3

Submitted by zmusselman a Weekend Warrior from Charlotte, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2008
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Price Paid: $430.00
Purchased At:Sunflower Outdoor, L
Strengths:Thick strudy frame, low cost, virtually indestructible.
Weaknesses:Bad fork, heavy.
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:-Bontrager (Easton EA70 Aluminum) Bar
-Specialized Bar Ends
-Crankbrothers Smarty Pedals
-Mavic Crossride UB Disc Wheels
-Specialized Enduro 26x2.20 Tires
-Tektro IO Disc Brakes
-Avid 160mm Rotors
-Shimano Acera Fr. De.
-Shimano Deore Rr. De.
Bottom Line:This is a great bike for anyone that doesn't want to pour a bunch of money right away into a bike. I have owned this bike over 4 years and haven't had any major problems. I have crashed many times, (even ran into a few trees), and never had to worry about the bike. The thick and beefy frame will carry you wherever you need to go. I have recently money into upgrading components, but for almost 3 years, I rode it stock! Would recommend this bike to anyone!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Hardrock Hucker a Downhiller from Wellington, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2008
Favorite Trail:Kapati, JACKSPLAT!
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:Pack and Pedal
Strengths:Strong Frame, beefy stem.... Quite heavy so you can point it down a hill and go and throw it around over some jumps, drops.
Weaknesses:Stupid RST fork. My seals Blew strait away, now it is in the bin. Shimano Brakes, were ok for a year and a half but now Hayes HFX 9. Cranks, square taper went circle and have been replaced with Truvativ Hussefelt's and the BB with a Truvativ Howitzer DH Team. Deraileur and shifters/brake levers were crap so they have been replaced also.
Similar Products Used:Kona Stuff....
Bike Setup:Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 3 Forks, Truvativ Cranks and BB, SRAM chain and Cassette, shimano deore shifters and Rear Deraileur, Truvativ shift guide, GT jump saddle. Hayes HFX 9 Brakes with 8" Rotors.
Bottom Line:Nice bike. But before much riding the Fork and saddle needs to be replaced and the brake cable needs a full housing. If you are going to buy one, buy it cheap and prepare to upgrade.
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:3

Submitted by specialized_rider a Cross Country Rider from manhattan ks united states
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2008
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:the pathfinder
Strengths:FRAME
All together good bike.
Weaknesses:Rattles on landings. (not problem)
Similar Products Used:...schwinn...
Bike Setup:stock
Bottom Line:This bike is worth far more than i paid for it. good bike for anyone looking into moutain biking
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by bedbugg2 a Cross Country Rider from elliot-nunes@hotmail.co.uk
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2008
Favorite Trail:bissoe
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $510.00
Purchased At:ebay
Strengths:this is a great bike...i have ridden it to hell and back and it hasnt complained apart from a few minor issues (rear derailleur, front hub wear etc) i would recommend this bike to anyone who is just about to invest in a sound all round bike but doesnt want to shed out £1000's
Weaknesses:all i can say that is wrong with the hardrock is that the bb has phases where is clicks which can get annoying.
Similar Products Used:scott voltage.
Bike Setup:sram X.9 rear derailleur, mz jr-t front forks, sram X.5 shifters, kore stem, venzo grips, holzfeller bars and the rest is standard.
Bottom Line:this bike is a fantastic bike that is great value for money, can handle most riding and as i said i would reccomend this bike to anyone that wants to get into the wonderful world of specialized bikes. ( 3 of my friends also own hardrocks)
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by WindWithMe a Cross Country Rider from Lincoln,Nebraska USA
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2008
Favorite Trail:Wilderness
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $200.00
Purchased At:Craigslist
Strengths:Solid frame. Fast once you get it going. Brute strength bike.
Weaknesses:Heavy (32 1/2 pounds)Rear Derailleur,Cranks,Saddle. Stripped the cranks after a couple weeks. Saddle is fine until you get to the 25 mile mark,then its painful. Derailleur is the cheapest on the market,but hey;thats a cheap upgrade.
Similar Products Used:Trek 6000,Spec rockhopper,giant yukon.
Bike Setup:Ergon GR2 Magnesium Grips,Selle Italia Ytaak Gel Flow saddle,Sette F/X 25.4mm Carbon handlebar,Sette Edge stem,Kenda Klimax Lite Kevlar Tires,Maxxis Ultra Light Tube,Thomson Aluminum Elite Seatpost 30.9mm,Crank Brothers Eggbeater SL Pedals,Marzocchi XC 600 '08,Truvativ Blaze cranks...Next will be Wheelset,brakes,shifters.
Bottom Line:This is a great bike for a week-end warrior,or someone that doesn't have a ton of cash to spend right off the bat,or someone that doesn't know if he/she will even like the sport and doesn't want to dish out a grand to find out. I fell into the 2 category. I found it brand new on Craigslist for 200.00$ and ran with it. I have since put around 800.00$ into it,and I'm very happy.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by phil a Downhiller from kingston, washington, usa
Date Reviewed: August 8, 2008
Favorite Trail:my backyard
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:sound bikes
Strengths:frame rocks!
good for jumping
if you get the right components its an awesome bike
Weaknesses:THE FORK SUCKS!!
I cracked the crown a little bit ago
RST is the WORST
components aren't great
pretty heavy for a hardtail
the Rear Derailleur got in the spokes and bent the hanger and I had to buy a new twice!
Similar Products Used:hhhhmmmmm.....
none
Bike Setup:stock
rst in the front, shimano altus components
Bottom Line:this bike has a good frame.
period.
the complete bike just isn't worth $500
this is NOT an XC bike.
if you intend to do light jumping and are ready to replace the some stuff then get the bike, but don't spend more then 400
after I broke the fork I got an Marzocchi mz super comp and now it rides like a DREAM!
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:3

Submitted by beau d a Racer from wichita, kansas, U.S.A
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2008
Favorite Trail:camp horizon
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $575.00
Purchased At:bike shop
Strengths:frame, seat, looks
Weaknesses:RST fork is crap. you need to upgrade. if you dont tighten the cranks they will fall off. its a nice bike. but its a little on the heavy side.
Similar Products Used:trek
Bike Setup:stock. exept stem and handelbars.
Bottom Line:its a great bike you just need to upgrade some components. i would recomend it.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

Submitted by mike84 a Cross Country Rider from Hazlet, NJ, USA
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2008
Favorite Trail:allaire st park
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $300.00
Purchased At:friend
Strengths:soild frame, very upgradeable, takes whatever i throw it. fun to cruise round town with.
Weaknesses:Stock derailleurs are horrible espically on harder trails,RST fork is junk and has almost knocked me backward. cables running down the tube.
Similar Products Used:mainstream junk trailbikes
Bike Setup:shimano xt shadow rear, xt front, fox vanilla RLC fork, salsa chainring guard, shimano clip ins, lizard skin for chain slap
Bottom Line:This bike is a soild bike for anyone to start riding. After hitting more complex trails you will quickly realize the need for better componets. after upgrading a few parts these bikes are unstoppable weather on trails or on the streets. I ride it on the trails twice a week and to the gym three days a week. After upgrades there is really no need for anything else unless you go for a full susp. I'd reccommend this to anyone who is beginning to anyone who has been riding for a while
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Oscar a Weekend Warrior from La Vista (Omaha), NE USA
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:Local Bike Trails
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:Scheels Sporting Goods
Strengths:sturdy frame, good brakes, comfy seat, easy shifting dérailleurs
Weaknesses:OEM knobby tires no good for paved trail/street riding, which is what my bike is used for.
Bike Setup:2006 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc...all stock except for Michelin Country Rock tires
Bottom Line:Good all-around bike with decent hardware (for the novice who just needs a bike).
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Brad Power a Weekend Warrior from Newfoundland, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 22, 2008
Favorite Trail:White Hills
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $700.00
Purchased At:Canary Cycles
Strengths:-Put it this way, "Float like a buttafly, sting like a bee!" The fork is bombproof, but its also light.
-Multiple uses, including XC, AM, DJ, Street, even Trials.
-Looks like "T3H SEX"
-Seat is comfy and good for long rides.
-Brakes STILL stop on a dime after one year of near continuous use.
Weaknesses:-If you buy one at your LBS, tell them right away to bring out a selection of 130mm forks, cause the RST one is basiclly a rigid fork with a 'ever-so-cool' preload dial on it.
-Gear system is screwed. When it says 7, it really means 8. When it says 6, it means 7, etc. Probably just my bike but just letting everyone know.
-Get a Blackspire!!! All I have to say.
Similar Products Used:My Hardrock is the first good mountain bike I ever used :)
Bike Setup:Spec Hardrock Sport Disc, all stock except Fox Vanilla R fork, and Blackspire.
Bottom Line:Are you a begginer-intermediate biker that wants a KICK-ASS ride at a affordable cost? Do you want a BOMBPROOF ride that is also light? Well get up off your ass reading this and go to your LBS and buy one!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Phil Kent a Weekend Warrior from Stirling, Scotland
Date Reviewed: May 22, 2008
Favorite Trail:North Third & Cambusbarron
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $800.00
Purchased At:Stewart Wilson
Strengths:Frame, will handle anything u really chuck at it. brakes were pretty decent.
Weaknesses:the marzocchi MZ-II that came standard were awful. got upgraded as soon as i had enough cash.
cranks fell off but think that was the LBS's fault. got a new set and happy days.
Similar Products Used:Gary Fisher Ged, Gary Fisher HKEK
Bike Setup:07 Hardrock Pro, 426 Revelation Forks, Race Face handlebars and stem. LX hollowtech cranks
Bottom Line:use this bike for pretty much anything. was bought as a bike that i could get into the sport with, and since have been constantly spending money trying to improve it.
new forks are a must, the marzocchi's were truly awful with no real feeling to them. put some lightweight revelations on and now the front end is lighter and more responsive. change the handlebars and the fron end will feel amazing and light.
overall, a decent bike to begin with, but you will end up spending more on it. bought the bike for £500 and have spent at least the same again on it.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Phil Kent a Weekend Warrior from Stirling, Scotland
Date Reviewed: May 22, 2008
Favorite Trail:North Third & Cambusbarron
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $800.00
Purchased At:Stewart Wilson
Strengths:Frame, will handle anything u really chuck at it. brakes were pretty decent.
Weaknesses:the marzocchi MZ-II that came standard were awful. got upgraded as soon as i had enough cash.
cranks fell off but think that was the LBS's fault. got a new set and happy days.
Similar Products Used:Gary Fisher Ged, Gary Fisher HKEK
Bike Setup:07 Hardrock Pro, 426 Revelation Forks, Race Face handlebars and stem. LX hollowtech cranks
Bottom Line:use this bike for pretty much anything. was bought as a bike that i could get into the sport with, and since have been constantly spending money trying to improve it.
new forks are a must, the marzocchi's were truly awful with no real feeling to them. put some lightweight revelations on and now the front end is lighter and more responsive. change the handlebars and the fron end will feel amazing and light.
overall, a decent bike to begin with, but you will end up spending more on it. bought the bike for £500 and have spent at least the same again on it.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by pepper a Weekend Warrior from belfast
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2008
Favorite Trail:mt coot-tha brisbane OZ
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Strengths:Great looking frame
Weaknesses:All stock need upgraded some time
Similar Products Used:Kona stuff, 98 rockhopper muddyfox trail
Bike Setup:upgraded to sram X7 rear&shifters avid juciy 7 F&B Rockshox Recon 07
Bottom Line:Great starting bike I jumped it,Droped it and took on every trail. Good going up and fun going down. I love it.
If you want a great little bike to get into it it's the one
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by ilphay mopeo a Cross Country Rider from seatle, washington, USA
Date Reviewed: May 19, 2008
Favorite Trail:pope & talbot
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:sound bikes and kawaks
Strengths:strong frame, light for its strength, disc brakes,
nice seat, durable frame, good graphics
not to expensive
Weaknesses:weighs like 30+ pounds(13+ kilograms)
RST fork is heavy and a little too stiff, adjustments don't make that much of a difference
chain is always hitting the chain stay and its down to the bare metal now!
frame is made in china
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:stock
Bottom Line:I like this bike. it can handle just about anything
weight is a small price to pay for that, some things could be upgraded
but I think that until something breaks I'm going to keep it as is

if you are thinking about buying this bike, it isn't much of a XC bike, its a good all around jump/trail/street bike,
GO FOR IT!!!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Herb a Cross Country Rider from Squamish BC Canada
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:"Test of Metal "race course
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $650.00
Purchased At:Corsa Cycles
Strengths:Good solid frame and wheel assembly. I am a heavy rider, 230lbs.fully loaded.I have beat on it pretty good,with positive results.Drive train and shifters OK for a starter bike.
Weaknesses:The brakes were the first to go.They squeel unbearably when they get a little wet and didn,t have enough stopping power downhill,probably OK for a lighter rider.The shocks are way to stiff for anything more technical than a speed bump and are non ajustable This bike is more than adequate out of the box for beginner xcountry.But as you do more serious riding you will need to upgrade.This bike just {Screams} to be upgraded.
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:Changed fork to: Rock Shox Revelation (sweet).Brakes to:Shimano XT (stops on a dime).Shimano xt mech and Sram attack shifters.clipless pedals.Cane Creek Thudbuster seatpost and a gator skin for that annoying chain slap.
Bottom Line:I liked this bike from the first ride,and with a few upgrades it is a bike you won't want to part with for a long time.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by fil mop a Cross Country Rider from kingstone washington amarica
Date Reviewed: May 6, 2008
Favorite Trail:pope land
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Purchased At:sound bikes & kiyaks
Strengths:strong frame! discs are nice!
good feel.
like the seat
good bang for the buck!
nice on jumps
Weaknesses:kinda heavy!
not fun going up hill!
components aren't great.
Bottom Line:this is a good beginner bike
you probably won't brake it
but if your racing you probably want something that isn't alloy with aluminum
just get the plain old aluminum

yes I would recommend this to a friend!
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Ben a Weekend Warrior from Bellevue, Washington, USA
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:Towers of Power
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $450.00
Strengths:Tough frame. Overall beefy build.
Weaknesses:Forks are hardly adjustable, too stiff. It's also pretty heavy (but that's compensated by the durability of the frame). Bad cable routing. Noisy brakes.
Similar Products Used:Trek 4300 disc
Bottom Line:I gave a review on this bike when I first got it, but now I have to shed light on some more issues. I still think that it is a capable bike that is worth upgrading, but I want to make these issues known.

- The fork is not adjustable. Though it has two preload knobs at the top, they don't do anything and are just for looks. The forks have a lot of stiction and is not smooth at all. There is also no rebound adjustment so if you take a big hit, the rebound could literally buck you like a bull...

- The brakes. After being broken in, they're actually okay. They work well with little adjustment, yet they are noisy.

- Design flaws. There are elements on this bike that just makes your head boggle. For example, the cables for the two derailleurs are both on the bottom of the downtube. This is an area where dirt gets flung up as you ride. This makes maintaining consistent shifting next to impossible.

Despite these issues, it all comes down to the fact that you get what you pay for. And I still firmly believe that the Hardrock is a better choice than anything else in the price range.

Value Rating:5Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Haven a Weekend Warrior from Florida
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2008
Favorite Trail:Santos
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:LBS
Strengths:Frame is bombproof... Grreat Starter Bike...
Weaknesses:Get rid of the stock brakes and forks... Needs full housing on brake lines!!!! Rims, replace the second they bend...
Bike Setup:Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 3 fork, Avid BB7 160mm, Lizard Skins lock-on grips, Full length Brake cable housing...
Bottom Line:I've had this bike since '05 and it's treated me well. I didn't realize that I'd get so into trail riding when I first bought it at my local LBS, they suggested it because I didn't want to break the bank. I think that anyone starting out to intermediate skill level will have a blast on this hardtail... Shifter's have held up well, I know they're bottom line Shimano but over 3 years old and haven't had to rebuild the drivetrain yet (bear in mind that I'm in FL so that prety much limits me to light XC and singletrack)

Will be upgrading to a Stumpy FSR... But my Hardrock will stay with me too.

4 chili's because I bought it as a beginner bike and It's made me happy even as an intermediate rider...
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Chris Johnson a Cross Country Rider from London
Date Reviewed: January 24, 2008
Favorite Trail:-
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $520.00
Purchased At:Bykers
Strengths:Good solid frame, excellent hayes so1e disc brakes, Best Bike tried RECOMMEND TO ALL!
Weaknesses:Forks could do with more bounce, bad place to put gear cables as the mud clogs them up.
Similar Products Used:Scott Voltage, Kona Scrap, GT Avalanch 3.0
Bike Setup:sport Hyd Disc
Bottom Line:Great bike for the price would recommed to all, the forks may be a replacement option for me as i am doing loads of offroading and jumping
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Marvin a Downhiller from washington
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2007
Favorite Trail:depends
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $800.00
Purchased At:bi cycles
Strengths:looks cool pretty strong frame good beginer bike and could be bult better
Weaknesses:fork i ruined fast the crank set is horrible and strips fast pedals are crap
Similar Products Used:notsure
Bike Setup:stock ecept for marzocchi fork and primo pedals(sux)
Bottom Line:ok but not to good and good price
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:2

Submitted by scott a Weekend Warrior from Olympia, WA U.S.
Date Reviewed: December 13, 2007
Favorite Trail:Greenline #6
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:Joy Ride
Strengths:Frame, Components, brakes are alright. The pedals are a little small, but they serve their purpose.
Weaknesses:Front forks
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:06 large frame(bad ass brown),Race Face cranks and bashgaurd, salsa short stem, shimano hydraulic brakes, kona platform pedals, sette lock on grips.
Bottom Line:This bike has been a great bike. it has done alot better than i had hoped. i have thrown it on some pretty rough terrain, and it takes it like a champ. out of the box it performs very well. with a few upgrades, it is amazing. i would reccomend this bike in a minute.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Justin a Weekend Warrior from GA
Date Reviewed: November 24, 2007
Favorite Trail:A Line
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $350.00
Purchased At:Cycleworks
Strengths:This bike has a great shifter, very smooth. The seat is also designed great for long rides and tough terian. This is also a tough bike, I tend to through it around a little bit, and it does not brake to easy.
Weaknesses:The sespension is not good when you get it stock. It easily gets dirt in it. I needed to by a Fox Racing fork.
Bike Setup:The fork is Fox Racing, thats about it.
Bottom Line:The first time I was introduced to mtb, was when I went with my dad to Whistler, not knowing of the amazing mtb their. So when I got the Hard rock, I was doing DH. It holds up good for what I was doing with it. I highly recommend it to starters.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by oliver moyle a Cross Country Rider from england
Date Reviewed: November 22, 2007
Favorite Trail:my garden
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $20.00
Purchased At:ebay
Strengths:it is handsome, coll and looks nice
Weaknesses:it is to cool for me
Similar Products Used:helicopter
Bike Setup:spanner
Bottom Line:hi
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Matt a Weekend Warrior from Snellville, Ga, USA
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2007
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:Lifetime Bikes in Loganville
Strengths:Very well built frame. Brakes, drivetrain, wheels, all good for XC.
Weaknesses:RST fork was a piece of crap. Replaced it with a RockShox Dart3 with the pop-lock. When the guy asked me if i wanted to keep the RST it came with I told him to take it outside have target practice with it.
Similar Products Used:Giant Rincon
Bike Setup:all stock except fork and got some all alloy pedals.
Bottom Line:Very solid, well built bike with a crappy stock RST fork. Replace the fork with a good one and the bike is awesome.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by bob` boberson a Weekend Warrior from london
Date Reviewed: November 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:london
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:berkshire cycles
Strengths:amazing frame, brakes, rims, gears, hubs, spokes, grips, shifter, saddle, forks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Weaknesses:there are none, but it might be to cool for most people.
Similar Products Used:none, they can't compete with it
Bike Setup:amazingly fantanstic
Bottom Line:perfect for everybody except for people that do not want a amazing bike!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by henry parker a Cross Country Rider from windsor
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2007
Favorite Trail:braknell
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $550.00
Purchased At:stows
Strengths:great all round bike rides really well but can allso be turned into dirt jumper, frame rock solid.
Weaknesses:handel bars,stem.
Bike Setup:stock appart from khe dirt jump saddle and DMR v12 pedals.
Bottom Line:great allround bike for an allround rider thats affordable
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Robbie Linton a Cross Country Rider from Ireland
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2007
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $600.00
Purchased At:The Cycle Inn
Strengths:Frame, Brakes, Drive train, Geomatry, Tires...Everything
Weaknesses:Slightly heavy, but one of the lightest in price range.
Similar Products Used:Loads, but none compare fro value for money.
Bike Setup:08 Hardrock Comp Disk.

Nearly all stock except Crank Bros Eggbeater CL peds.
Bottom Line:This is the nicest frame Ive ever owned, its rigid in feel and light as hell, Ive only had it for a short while and fell in love as soon as i hit the trails...(HARD)!

It steers well and is full of grip, even handles long steep climbs well, but the best part is when you hit the down hills, this thing, grips well and brakes hard when needed.

BUY IT!!! (
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Saylor a Cross Country Rider from carolina beach nc
Date Reviewed: October 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:Dow road/blue clay rd
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $300.00
Purchased At:Two wheeler Dealer -great store
Strengths:very tough frame...you can do anything to this frame and it can take it, the rims are alright and the crankset is sturdy every body says the pedals suck but the grip realy well...they are made from alluminum though so you may want different pedals, tires are awsome
Weaknesses:left crank arm stripts out quit if not continuiously tightend, tred wares out quick. tred is easily penitratable to even sand-spurs so I put thorn resistant tubes in A MUST HAVE, the shocks are alright...there what you pay for...lets put it that way...and if you want percise on time shifting you need nicer derailers but other than that its a pretty good all-a-round bike and the disc brakes...dont get salt water in them the pads will get slippery and stay that way
Similar Products Used:Giant Iguana Great product
Bike Setup:stock
Bottom Line:great bike to get you where your going but be expecting to put a few dollars into it../.
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:5

Submitted by jon brown a Downhiller from edmonton
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2007
Favorite Trail:any thing that is fast and has jumps
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Price Paid: $600.00
Purchased At:united cycle
Strengths:frame, brakes, rear mech, shifters, rims,hubs
Weaknesses:crankfset truvativ xflow blows i hate it if you have it get rid of it!!!, forks handle bars ,stem
Similar Products Used:n/a
Bike Setup:spinner ammo 110mm forks,truvativ hussefelt crank,sram sx5 rear meck hussefelt stem,full on bars,
Bottom Line:if your looking for a bike that can handle anything thats the bike but the forks are sh#$ and i snapped the steer tube but after that its a great bike
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Dan a from State College, PA
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2007
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:Action Outfitters
Strengths:The bike has been bullet proof for me. i put this bike through its paces avery time i ride it. Ive never had a bike that takes this much abuse and keeps going.
Weaknesses:Ive replaced a derailer hanger and the derailer. The SX-4 derailer lasted about 8 months... I bought an X-7 and its still going strong. The forks need to be replaced.
Similar Products Used:trek 4300, 4200, other hardrocks
Bike Setup:06 Hardrock sport disc (brown) small frame, X-7 Derailer, all else stock... soon to get a marzocchi fork.
Bottom Line:If you want a hardtail that you can beat the (insert curse here) out of... and not worry about maintenance very often. A bike that preforms well stock, but with upgrades is a great (indestructable) bike. buy this bike.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by irvin a Downhiller from orange, ca, usa
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2007
Favorite Trail:Monster hill
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:orange cycle
Strengths:frame
Weaknesses:everything especialy the fork snaped first 2 months PIECE OF S_ _ _!!!!!!!!!!! it sucks!!!!!!!!!!!! dont buy it!!!!!
plus snaped crank.....and pedals they suck!!!!!!
Similar Products Used:gt moto,ironhorse maverick,specialized pro disk
Bike Setup:wtb 2.4 mutano raptor, shimano crank.....it sucks
Bottom Line:recomended for a first bike other than that it sucks if there were zero chilis id put zero
Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Rob a Weekend Warrior from Somerset, UK
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2007
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $600.00
Purchased At:Evans
Strengths:An eternal frame, solid and durable feeling, all acceptable componentry for entry-level machine, looks serious enough, easy to do a few upgrades, Specialized name, disc brakes, fabulous value at 369 quid.
Weaknesses:Slightly short cockpit - I'm 5'10" and have 17" frame, rubbishy pedals and saddle. Brakes mechanical not hydraulic, but still pretty effective.
Similar Products Used:Diamond Back Outlook... well, it was a mountain bike!
Bike Setup:SPD-540 pedals, ODI lock-on grips, WTB Speed V saddle, Shimano LX rear derailleur, TA outer chainring.
Bottom Line:Really good value machine. Sure it has limitations: the components look alright but under serious pressure they tend to break. The forks won't win prizes but to be fair they've taken some welly from me for 13 months and still do the biz. This was strongly recommended to me as a stalwart entry-level bike to see whether the MTB bug bit me, and it sure did. I changed the body contact components based this excellent site, and that improved the quality of ride and enjoyment. I would certainly suggest giving this bike a try if you want to see how you go with the sport without shelling out a fortune. Check frame sizing carefully for personal preference and comfort.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Alan a Cross Country Rider from Waterford, Mi
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:pontiac lake
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $550.00
Strengths:Frame is strong and the wheels have held up so far
Weaknesses:Fork, drive train, brakes
Bottom Line:the bike is a great bike if your low on cash and have to ride. It will get you buy for a few months but upgrades are a must if you want to ride second season. First is the drive train, the bottom bracket is odd and narrow so if you need to replace a chain ring dont use a crak puller bacause they dont fit. now that you have gotten the crank off to replace your chain ring you need to replace the crank, chain rings, and bottom bracket because the chain rings are rivetted togther and nothing will fit the bottom bracket. The rear deraillure is decent and shifts fairly well given you havent bent the hanger yet. Stright off the shelf the bike will get you going and is a good starter bike, but after a few weeks upgrades and part replacement is a must. The fork I drove stright into the ground within a few months I didnt relize how sloppy the fork was until i upgraded the head set to a king. Im not a very big guy and I've bottomed out dropping off a curb. If your looking for a decent bike and a strong frame this bike has it but the fork and drivetrain can become a headache. Even though the bike dosn't have the highest quality parts its still fun to upgrade and piece togther a quality ride.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Steph a Weekend Warrior from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2007
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:Oakville Cycle and Sports
Strengths:Solid frame, handlebars, DH wheels, disc brakes, Truvativ X-Flow crankset
Weaknesses:Change factory pedals, even though the fork has an adjustment it doesn't feel any different when you change the adjustment switch
Similar Products Used:N/A
Bottom Line:I have a 2005 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc. Although the fork is an RST Gilla Plus, and not the Marzocchi like on the Hardrock Pro Disc, the fork does the job for the price paid. I love the frame and the DH Enduro wheels, ad the Truvativ crankset isn't bad either.

This bike comes with the steel caged, plastic body pedals. For ease of riding though, I changed the pedals to specialized aluminum platform pedals.

Another great feature of the bike is the Body Geometry seat that comes with the bike. I cut the seatpost down a little bit and pushed the seat forward, so the bike feels like one of the Specialized P series bikes, which are for the trail and road.

Overall, this bike is worth every penny! Not a day goes by that I don't ride it. On the road, downhill, or on a trail, the Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc is an excellent bike!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Hiep Vo a Cross Country Rider from Boston, MA
Date Reviewed: July 26, 2007
Favorite Trail:Pavement
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $390.00
Purchased At:Belmont Wheelworks
Strengths:Awesome looking frame. Great shifters. Manageable weight.
Weaknesses:As most others have mentioned, the forks. Although the fork is adjustable, you really feel no difference when changing it. Bike is a tad bit noisy. Disc brakes are so so.
Bike Setup:Stock Hardrock Sport Disc
Bottom Line:Overall, the bike is very attractive. I got the "black distressed" color. I was originally going to go for the Hardrock Sport, but they only had it in red. The Sport disc was right next to it in black which was the color I wanted. Sticker showed $450 for the Sport Disc, but when rang up, it came to $390, the retail price of of the non disc. I basically got a free upgrade of disc brakes. Can't complain about that!

For now, I'll be hitting the pavement just to get back into the shape. Once I get to my desired weight, I'll hit some trails and the first component to be upgraded is most definitely the fork, then the seat. Maybe the seat just hurts cause I'm such a fat ass at the moment (5'7" 185lbs).
Can't wait to see what this bad boy can do....
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Ben Li a Weekend Warrior from Bellevue, Seattle, USA
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2007
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:Gerk's Alpine Hut
Strengths:Very strong and sturdy frame. It feels rock solid. The components work. I'm a beginner and despite people complaining about the components, they work. Not that heavy either
Weaknesses:Lack of adjustibility in the fork. You can go from the stiffest to the softest setting without noticing much of a difference. The Acera drivetrain sometimes fails to shift, even when tuned correctly. Grinding noises somtimes
Similar Products Used:Trek 4300 Disc
Bike Setup:stock
Bottom Line:With this bike, you're paying for the superior frame. You can get bikes with better components (like Treks with Alivio drivetrains) for the same price but the frame won't be as good. The frame is awesome and has potential for upgrading. This bike suits my needs and I have no plans to upgrade until something breaks.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by mick a Weekend Warrior from Townsville, QLD, Australia
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2007
Favorite Trail:home straight
Duration Product Used:Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:found at dump
Strengths:Found at Vantassle st dump. Talked with fellow dumping bike and he said it was his ex flat mates bike and he didnt need it so he was getting rid of it.
Weaknesses:Some cretin has cut most of the spokes on both wheels. Dam!
Similar Products Used:$185.00 mountain bike about 5 years ago,
Bike Setup:1 x frame, 2 x wheels (almost), gears, hanle bars, speedo(works fine), LED headlight (works fine), brakes, gears, saddle (doesnt look comfortable)
Bottom Line:A friend of mine will do all the nessacary work to make this bike a delight to ride (thank you Tony).
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Kevin a Weekend Warrior from Maine
Date Reviewed: June 28, 2007
Favorite Trail:anywhere there are jumps
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $600.00
Purchased At:Cycle Mania
Strengths:Frame is strong. Bike holds up very nicely
Weaknesses:the RST fork, even there are adjustments, very hard to use.
Pedals wore out fast
tires wore down very fast
Bike Setup:stock
Bottom Line:Great bike. but im lookin to step up to Downhill
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Andrew a Weekend Warrior from Fayetteville, nc, us
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2007
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:The Bike Shop
Strengths:Good Suspension, solid bike, good price, easy to upgrade, good starter bike

Weaknesses:nothing to protect the front chainwheel and cables that go rear are exposed on bottom of bike
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:standard
Bottom Line:great bike to buy, will get you from a to b and more!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Paxo a Weekend Warrior from Bristol, U.K
Date Reviewed: June 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:Cwm Carn
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:Blackboy Hill Cycles
Strengths:Great tough frame, well balanced
Weaknesses:RST forks, pedals
Similar Products Used:Claud Butler Rock, GT Chucker
Bike Setup:Hardrock Sport '07, Rock Shox Reba Race, DMR Pedal+Stem, Race face bits, coming soon Hope mono mini's...
Bottom Line:For the money you get a good solid bike, start upgrading and turn this into a serious bike that won't let you down no matter what you throw at it. Cant wait to go and hit another tree
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Michael a Weekend Warrior from Anchorage, AK, United States
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2007
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:LBS
Strengths:Great frame, nice discs, rapid fire shifters, basically everything but
Weaknesses:the front fork, especially the inability to adjust the stiffness. The saddle leaves a lot to be desired, especially on long rides.
Similar Products Used:Huffys (never again), and a few Novaras
Bike Setup:2007 Hard Rock Sport Disc - Stock
Bottom Line:For the short time I've owned this bike, it's been really great. I thought I'd just be doing some light riding but now riding is getting to be an obsession and I've given it a pretty good beating. I trust it, the pedals I have aren't too bad, contrary to the other reviews. When I upgrade, the saddle and the fork are the first to go. The components aren't the best either, but I would definitely recommend this bike to anyone!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Danny a Weekend Warrior from Israel
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2007
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $550.00
Strengths:ITS THE 2006 MODEL sport disc
Very comfortable bikes - you can have long rides with no problems.
Bikes look cool.
Strong Frame.
Weaknesses:Shifters, Pedals, Speed.
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:None
Bottom Line:My review will be little different since I mostly ride on roads( 30cm was my highest jump so far ;) )

Chain is falling off, and shifters makes problems but I guess I should have check it in the store (I will go there and try to fix it)

Quite heavy and its hard to speed up, if you like going fast on the roads maybe look for lighter bikes and thinner wheels.

Disc brakes are little noisy, hopefully it will not get worst.

replacing the peddals will be a very good advice.

very comfortable ride.
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Alex a from Roanoke VA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 25, 2007
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $525.00
Purchased At:Cardinal Bicycle
Strengths:Frame, bars, fork isnt to bad, could be better.
Weaknesses:Rims were pathetic, bent on the day i bought it, replaced with rhyno lite rims, dt swiss spokes, shimano deore hubs. pedals had nothing good about them, replaced with shimano downhill pedals, siiiick. its awesome for jumping once u put quality parts on it.
Bike Setup:Shimano donwhill pedals, shimano deore hubs, dt swiss spokes, sun ringle rhyno lite xt rims.
Bottom Line:great bike. dont even bother with it unless you ride real easy, or u have another 400 bucks to put into upgrades. but man this bike is the sickest hardtails for the price, wish i had a dj frame, but what i got is awesome! super strong rides smooth! next upgrade will be brakes.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Jeremy a Weekend Warrior from Mount Pearl
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2007
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $600.00
Purchased At:Canary Cycles
Strengths:Frame, cool designs
Weaknesses:Most parts are extremely weak, not for Dirt jumping unless upgraded, tires are extremly thin and wear fast.
Similar Products Used:Hardrock sport, Hardrock comp, Norco wolverine
Bike Setup:S-type rear rim, maxxis tires front and back (minion and High roller), intense dh grips, Axiom DJ seat
Bottom Line:Great bike for cross country, but can easily be upgraded fork is weak but frame is extremly strong with great design.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Emeterio a Weekend Warrior from Monterrey, Nl, Mexico
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2007
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:Zeta Bikes
Strengths:* Low Price for excelent bike
* Strong, really strong frame supports all kind of abuse
* Confortable geometrics for long rides
* Really cool design
Weaknesses:* Forks are really cheap, but work for weakend warriors and most of the trails a begginer can take :)
* Rims are not to hard
* Pedals (not clipless)
Bike Setup:Stock + SPD Pedals
Bottom Line:A really good beginer bike with a strog frame. I choose this bike because it can be easly upgraded and gives really confort on the trails, it support rude abuse of it and is CHEAP

:)
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Jared a Weekend Warrior from Lubbock, TX USA
Date Reviewed: February 21, 2007
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:Paul's Parts
Strengths:Everything is great with this bike. Shifting is smooth, braking is tight, factory rims and tires are pretty beefy and the frame will never give.
Weaknesses:Factory front fork is a little weak, even on its stiffest setting it lacks 1/2 inch or less from bottoming out with 175 lbs. Shifting cables are exposed on the bottom of the frame, all it would take is a good shot to a rock and they are split.
Similar Products Used:all
Bottom Line:The bottom line is that this bike is great for a beginner and if you're just a weekend warrior. If you do a lot of riding the only thing I would upgrade it that front fork
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by chris a from canada
Date Reviewed: January 7, 2007
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:spoke west
Strengths:wieght
Weaknesses:FORK it sucks bum hole i cant even get them of the freame becasue of a rubber spacer. Shifter it doesnt shift all the time especially from gear 4-7 Crank i got a bashguard for christmas and i could even put it on the crank arms so i had to buy new ones.
Bike Setup:rst gila t5 specialized platform pedals
Bottom Line:this bike is a good bike for beginners.
Value Rating:2Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Thomas M a Weekend Warrior from San Francisco, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2006
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $280.00
Purchased At:Valencia Cyclery
Strengths:frame, rims, shifters, seat
Weaknesses:forks(too bouncy), chain falls off... but I fixed with a guard that the chain hits and pops back on if it tries to fall off
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:stock except for inside chain guard..... planning to get rock shox or marzocchi 's
Bottom Line:I have a 2005 model. This bike is great for taking it out every weekend, and it's awesome for the money. I havn't raced, but I'm planning to try after the weather clears up in a couple months. I'm fifteen, so I take some falls and I jump it from 2-3 feet. The forks are a little bouncy, even when you set the preload to the softest level, so I'm going to buy softer ones. Anyone looking for a great value or looking to get into mountain biking should buy this.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by matt jones a Downhiller from lllandudno
Date Reviewed: December 18, 2006
Favorite Trail:red bull
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $430.00
Purchased At:west end cycles
Strengths:it has 1 hell of a strong frame and thats what you pay for this bike is great value for money.
Weaknesses:seat pedels
Similar Products Used:specialized rockhopper is a much lighter bike but you do pay for it
Bike Setup:changed the pedels grips and probably the seat and forks in future
Bottom Line:this is a great vale bike and can handle the toughest trails i am very happy with this bike.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Thomas Massey a Weekend Warrior from Phila. Pa. USA
Date Reviewed: November 9, 2006
Favorite Trail:Forbidden Path
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:Keswick Cycle Cherry Hill, NJ
Strengths:Lightweight,Smooth ride,Great looks,Comfortable ride
Weaknesses:Chain hits bottom rack on every bump and discs constantly squeal at stops.
Similar Products Used:Schwinn Mesa Disc(stolen) Had it for 5 years, also purchased @ Keswick.
Bike Setup:2007 model year Distress Blk. Cannondale Fire Straight bars, traded out the pedals for some real sturdier onesm,Topeak seatpots rack and bar ends
Bottom Line:Its BIGGER, STRONGER and SMOOTHER. Perhaps Im not too critical or perhaps for the 2007 model year there was a change made, for the riding I do Ive never bottomed out the 100mm shock distance and believe me Philly streets suck!! I love this bike And really not a big difference compared to the Rockstumper. Definetly a Great bike. The weaknesses could be taken care of with some ingenuity. If your on a budget and want quality bike...Go for it...or, the red one.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by G . a Downhiller from Johannesburg, South Africa
Date Reviewed: October 19, 2006
Favorite Trail:Northshore @ Logwood
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $550.00
Purchased At:LBS
Strengths:Frame, Stem, Tyres
Weaknesses:FORK!!!
Brakes
Wheels(rims & Hubs)
Similar Products Used:Mongoose Thunderball (Heavy but rock-solid)
Raleigh Response (Cheap but unbreakable)
Bike Setup:Specialized Enduro tyres, Specialized Mobius stem and riser bar, Rockshox Recon fork(AWESOME!!!), Shimano Deore Hydraulic discbrakes, DT-Swiss Freeride rims, XT hubs.
Bottom Line:This bike is worth double what I paid for it. Super strong -I tried to crack the frame as an excuse to get a full susser, but al I got was... ouch.

The RST fork that came with it is terrible. The "100mm" travel is more like 12mm, and the rebound is strong enough to dislocate your shoulders. I replaced the fork with a Rockshox Recon, and it ROCKS!!!

My discbrakes never worked well. I need good braking power, but I suppose it's fine for xc riders. I replaced the brakes with Shimano Deore Hydraulic brakes.

The rims and hubs bent, even though I didn't do anything outrageously extreme on them. Replaced the wheels with a DT-Swiss rims / XT hubs wheelset.

All in all: this bike is one of the best all rounder hardtails on the market and a perfect upgrader. If you ride harder than the average guy or girl, get one of these.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by joshua vergos a from mobile,alabama,united states
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2006
Favorite Trail:soth alabamas
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:pathworks
Strengths:Frame,rims, all of it
Weaknesses:rst sucky gillas
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:05 hardrock, alex dh 20 rims, maxxis hollyrolers, marzochi dj 3's, easton flatboy pedals, cane crek head set.
Bottom Line:If you want a bike that will last you long and you want to beat the shizzel out of it, its this bike, I love it for dj and urban lasts all of my continuious 3 foot drops I think you can do 10 ft drops on this bike, so i've heard
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Chris Wright a Downhiller from Australia
Date Reviewed: October 16, 2006
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $699.00
Purchased At:The full cycle
Strengths:strong frame, good machine header
Weaknesses:derailleurs, saddle
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:normal
Bottom Line:This bike is fine fro everythign i do, i take it down intense trials, and i hav done consecutive 10 foot drops at a friends house, worse thing that has happenned is pedal falling off, although the chain hitting the bar at the back is very annoying but nothing a froggy splint cant fix
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by zac a Downhiller from sydney,australia
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $540.00
Strengths:quality built frame
Weaknesses:the pedals are crap and i dont like the tyres for the type of riding i do ride. (i use it for training around suburbs). but you cant expect too much when you pay $540 aussie dollars.
Similar Products Used:trek 8300
Bike Setup:pretty much stock but i have replaced the brakes with hayes 9 hydraulics and the tyres with maxxis hookworms (i mainly ride on the street for training). will be replacing the pedals shortly with hand me downs from my downhill bike.
Bottom Line:its perfect for what is was looking for and the price is great. the frame quality is awsome and is a great starting point to customise it to your liking.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by BIlly Felt a Weekend Warrior from Riverside, CA USA
Date Reviewed: September 30, 2006
Favorite Trail:Norco horse trails
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:cyclery USA
Strengths:XL frame is great for a guy my size and the disc brakes are new to me so fun. just a solid, fast bike
Weaknesses:sometimes doesn't shift too well, pedals crappy, components pretty low-end overall
Similar Products Used:Tested a marin hybrid and a trek 4300
Bike Setup:stock
Bottom Line:I have only had this bike a short while but it is a good bike for the money, a lot of people complain about the fork but it seems to be working nicely for the riding i do. if you are a beginner or just low on cash i say try it. this is a sweet bike.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Carlos a Weekend Warrior from Tampa, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2006
Favorite Trail:Alafia
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Price Paid: $400.00
Strengths:Strength, price/value
Weaknesses:Weight
Bottom Line:This is my first mountain bike. It has been a great experience and first good investment.

I have a 2005 model which I have abused for almost 2 years, no other way around (financially on part replacements). Except for a upgraded saddle (the only thing that has abused me), the bike still has all the original parts in working order. I ride intermediary trails most of the time, and this bike takes the pounding well.

Yes, now w/ some experience, I begin noticing how I may benefit from riding a lighter bike, but I am a big man, so I have survived the little extra weight well.

If you are a beginner or even an experienced mountain biker who hits the trails once a week for a few hours (no hard-core competitive stuff), you will be very happy w/ this bike. It is also great for riding around town.

For the money, you get much more than what you pay for.

The only complain I have is that the damned bike won't brake so that I have an excuse to buy a new one.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Derek a Cross Country Rider from New York
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2006
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:Shifting Gears
Strengths:Rides very smoothly, and is fairly quick. Nice drivetrain and the brakes are 10x better than v-brakes.
Weaknesses:The fork and the pedals aren't great. The bike sometimes doesnt transition gears smoothly. The tube also blew out a week into owning the bike.
Similar Products Used:Trek 220, 2005 Specialized Rockhopper.
Bike Setup:Stock, planning on replacing the fork and pedals.
Bottom Line:Great bike for the price. Good for less extreme trails or beginner riders. Buuy ittt.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by mike a Racer from Warsaw, IN, USA
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2006
Favorite Trail:Chicago Boys Club
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $569.00
Purchased At:Trailhouse
Strengths:QUIT WHINING ABOUT THIS BIKE!!! Everyone is mad about the pedals, well duh, who rides stock pedals? Switched mine out the day I bought it. If you say the chain falls off, get the derallieur adjusted!!! Nothing a decent mechanic cant fix...
Weaknesses:Weighs a lot, but not for its size.
Similar Products Used:Trek 3700
Bike Setup:Decked out...but still wicked fast as a stock bike!
Bottom Line:Buy it! the other reviews are crap!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Mike a Weekend Warrior from Minnesota
Date Reviewed: July 28, 2006
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $460.00
Purchased At:Scheel's Sports
Strengths:The frame is very strong, and the disc brakes are awesome. Lets you stop on a dime. Alex rims look cool and adjustable shocks seem to work fine. have only taken it off a three foot jump and seems to handle fine. I have the Dream/Silver and it looks cool.
Weaknesses:The chain always hits the cross bar in back, and the seat sucks. After a week of having it the left pedal fell off, got it fixed right away and was really pissed. other than that like the bike.
Similar Products Used:None
Bike Setup:stock
Bottom Line:I like the bike and am happy with the buy. This was my first from "Speciallized" and other than the freakin pedal falling off, i am satisfied. Good bike for any type of rider. this bike can take it all. from the hard single track trails to going across town.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by mick a Weekend Warrior from adelaide/ australia
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2006
Favorite Trail:anything thats dirt
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $630.00
Purchased At:jt cycles salisbury
Strengths:the frame is so strong and the rims are also a strong point,the sram shifters and running gear are smooth and the disc brakes stop me on the spot
Weaknesses:every one in this review said the seat and pedals suck so i put my old ones on before i rode it. the forks are leaking a little bit of oil but not enough to worrie about,so far no weaknesses
Similar Products Used:my car
Bike Setup:except for better seat and pedals its stock as a rock,will put some rock shox on it soon
Bottom Line:this is a awesome bike i payed $630.00 australian dollars for it and with the rock solid frame and the sram components and the alex rims its to good to pass up .I ordered the black and gold colour and got the silver which pissed me of a bit but i got over it...lol and now the silver has grown on me the bike is rock solid.The silver with the black components looks tough every thing is working so smoothly its a pleasure to ride i would recomend this bike to any one
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by alex shv a Downhiller from calgary canada
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2006
Favorite Trail:COP
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Price Paid: $800.00
Purchased At:bow cycle
Strengths:Great bike, i added hayes nines hydraulic brakes and tweaked a few things, its worth it to do that. im only 13 so the forks are good for me even tho most ppl dont like them, i took out a spring lol. o yea gears great and rides really smooth on rocks and trails!!STRONG FRAME!!!!
Weaknesses:seatpost, brakes (tectro mechanicals) GRIPS CHANGE THEM!!!! you may not like the forks RST if your heavy.
Similar Products Used:kona hoss (not as good)
Bike Setup:hayes hfx nine hydraulics, rst forks oary grips mostly stock other than grips, brakes and shifters>>>.
Bottom Line:the bike can always be better it has an incredibly strong frame and wow you dont even know what your riding on its so smooth.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Tippy Canoe a Cross Country Rider from Calgary
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2006
Duration Product Used:3 months
Strengths:The frame is awesome. The disc brakes are also good. Rims are very strong. The SRAM shifters and derailleurs are great.
Weaknesses:The fork!!!!!!!!!
Pedals suck.
The saddle is a bit firm.
Similar Products Used:Rockhopper.
Kona Cowan
Bike Setup:2006 model - stock except for the pedals.
Bottom Line:This is a great bike with two *glaring* exceptions...

Fork - The fork is well made, reasonably light, and it can take a lot of abuse. If you stick to trails with nothing more than tree roots and little rocks, you will be very happy. If you try anything rougher, you will be disappointed. A fork with 100mm of 'plush' travel and no rebound control/adjustment will make you feel like a circus monkey on a pogo stick. If the wheel comes off the ground, you will feel a violent snap as the spring expands to its full length at 100 mph. Harder landings will literally shoot you off at whatever angle you happen to be at when you come down. I can't understand why Specialized chose this Gila fork... I tried a bike with RST Omegas and was actually very impressed.

The Tektro IO disc brakes are easy to adjust and powerful. Don't be put off by the brand name.

The SRAM drivetrain is very quiet, strong and easy to adjust. If the SX4 is SRAM's low end, the high end stuff must be amazing.

Pedals are cheap and easy to replace.

In my opinion, the frame and the rims alone are worth the purchase price on this bike.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Tyler a from CA
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2006
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:Bicycle Warehouse
Strengths:Good frame, great rims, and mechanical discs... S-RAM X-7 shifters are awsome!
Weaknesses:the SX-4 derailurs, the brake levers, likely the worst is the stupid shocks they put on them... Trvative X-flow crankset is heavy...
Similar Products Used:Fuji Thrill Disc, Raligh M-80...
Bike Setup:Now RockShox J2s, otherwise stock...
Bottom Line:Great bike considering the price... otherwise i think you could do alot better for a little more... Frame is definitly tough, i jump it all the time, and it does great...
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Dave a from Cincinnati, OH, USA
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2006
Favorite Trail:East Fork
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $380.00
Purchased At:Montgomery Cyclery
Strengths:Frame is strong / brakes are decent / rims are pretty strong (haven't bent them yet and have really beat on them)
Weaknesses:fork sucks and so do the derailurs / changed the pedals to clipless before I even rode it but I'd imagine they're terrible
Bike Setup:stock
Bottom Line:needs a new fork and probably a better crank - great value for beginners. takes a pounding but keeps going. bike feels strong but like the components are just slapped on. shifting is clunky and the chain hits the frame all the time. the bike makes a lot of noise, but overall gets the job done
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Andrew a Weekend Warrior from Pleasanton, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 11, 2006
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $460.00
Purchased At:Bicycle Garage
Strengths:Stong frame, nice rims, disc brakes, looks cool
Weaknesses:Chain slaps frame, pedals suck, seat feels soft to your hand but is like sitting on concrete.
Similar Products Used:Looked at comparable Trek, Kona, and Haro
Bike Setup:Stock. Will immediately change pedals and seat.
Bottom Line:This bike is great for the price. Most importantly, the frame is an excellent foundation for upgrades. The bike looks awesome (I have the silver/dream bike), and come on, it has discs! Iv'e only taken it off a 3 foot drop, and it handled it surprisingly well, even with the entry level shocks. I recommend the Hardrock Sport Disc to anyone. Mine is the '06 version. Seat and pedals suck! Easy fix.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Ashlee Mooneyhan a Cross Country Rider from Milledgeville
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2006
Favorite Trail:n/a
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $400.00
Purchased At:Oconee Outfitters
Strengths:Great Frame. Not too heavy for the components. Decent climber. Disc brakes are decent. Stock shifters run smooth.
Weaknesses:Pedals suck. Do yourself a favor and change 'em ASAP. Chain slaps frame on the slightest of bumps.
Similar Products Used:Gary Fisher Mullet, Tarpon...Specialized Rockhopper, P.2
Bike Setup:basically stock with a few odds and ends (plan to upgrade the fork)
Bottom Line:I'm glad i bought it. I reccomend it for college students and young adults especially, becuase of the value, and becuase of the versatility--i can ride from class to the trails. I could have bothered to go up a bit on the model and went for a Pro model, or even just for the Rockhopper which seems to be a bit lighter and a bit of a better climber. Overall i am happy with my purchase. It goes around town great, and it handles trails nicely. It should last anybody a few years.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Mark Johnson a Weekend Warrior from Minneapolis, MN
Date Reviewed: May 15, 2006
Favorite Trail:best i've done is near Duluth
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $460.00
Purchased At:Erik's Bike Shop, Dinkytown
Strengths:Frame is rock solid. Alexrims have held up very well, no warp at all yet. Brakes work wonderfully when I keep them adjusted properly. Shifting hardware has yet to disappoint. Good bang for the buck.
Weaknesses:The forks are not strong enough for any aggressive riding. Fine for pavement, but they're downright mushy once you're off the road. Seat hurts like a m0f0, and the pedals have bit my shins a time or three.
Similar Products Used:nothin really
Bike Setup:'06 Hard Rock Sport Disc, fully stock setup.
Bottom Line:If you want a decent bike that you can just buy and ride, this one is a good value. It's not the best out there, but it's going to outlast any 'target bike' or 'walmart bike' that you can throw at it. This is the first really decent bike I've ever had, and overall, it's done very well for the money.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Nick a Downhiller from Albuquerque, NM
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2006
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $425.00
Strengths:The Frame, it is incredibly strong
Weaknesses:Over time, just about everything else tends to fall apart if you really punish the bike. Replace the pedals right away regardless of what kind of riding you plan to do.
Similar Products Used:Kona Cowan (if you can really call it similar)
Bike Setup:Stock bars and frame, everything else has been replaced after breaking.
Bottom Line:If you're looking for a decent XC bike that will last you for a while this thing is a killer deal, just don't start using it as a Dirt Jumper if you don't want to completely rebuild the bike. The frame alone is probably worth the price of the whole bike but the other components WILL BREAK if you push it. I bought it with the intention of using it as an XC bike but started jumping instead. Since then I have replaced everything but the frame and bars. The frame geometry of mine (size small, 15") is almost identical to the Kona DJ frames but if you really want a DJ bike that is ready to go, spring for a Kona Cowan/Stuff or a Cannondale Chase. If you want a great frame and something to ride while building your own killer bike, this bike isn't a bad way to go.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Jon a Weekend Warrior from San Luis Obispo
Date Reviewed: May 2, 2006
Favorite Trail:Ridgeline at MDO
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $400.00
Purchased At:Arts SLO Cyclery
Strengths:Very strong frame, its handled everything I've thrown at it. Decent setup for an entry level bike. 400 for a disc setup can/t be beat.
Weaknesses:The fork and derailers. Thankfully the fork got stolen. It was a pain in the butt, it couldn't handle any of the more technical trails in the area. The derailers tend to hop around when you hit big bumps or jump withthe bike. The seat also killed my butt for the first month before it finally broke in. The pedals, they are the devil.
Similar Products Used:Trek 4300
Bike Setup:Marzocchi DJ3 fork, Diamondback platform pedals, Shimano Mx2 disc brakes, Sun rhynolite rims with shimano hubs, stock drivetrain but my cranks are thrashed and need to be upgraded.
Bottom Line:For the money it is a great entry level bike that can handle whatever you want to do. Unless you want to do a 8 foot drop off this thing should survive. Even then the frame will be fine but your rims might resemble tacos. A great bike definitely worth the money. Good platform for future upgrades. A bike that can grow with you.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by mat a from illinois
Date Reviewed: April 13, 2006
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:local bike shop
Strengths:frame is good
Weaknesses:everything im on my warranty crank im on my 2nd pair of warranty forks everything else is ok basically good begginer bike uprgrade forks crank
Similar Products Used:p2
Bike Setup:stock
Bottom Line:invest your money into something else
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Cindy Pressley a Downhiller from Santa Cruz
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2006
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $550.00
Purchased At:local bike shop
Strengths:very durable. at the time i had little money so i got this. suprisingly i went off a 10 ft. drop and the frame didn't snap
Weaknesses:if you are a dh rider every thing on it sucks, but if you are a trail rider or just need a source of transportation this is a great bike.
Bike Setup:2004 hardrock s.d. old, 03 specialized bighit sport w/ 03 jounior t's and upgraded disc brakes
Bottom Line:good around town bike
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Jesse Smith a Cross Country Rider from Uxbridge
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2006
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $599.00
Purchased At:Boyd's source for sports
Strengths:The Frame is strong, the bars are ok i guess
Weaknesses:I bent the rims within 2 months, bent my disk bracks a wee bit, Front shox seezed up and barly move, brake cables seezed
Bike Setup:stock
Bottom Line:Good bike for beginers. it takes a beating and doesnt stop
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Sammy a Weekend Warrior from Malaga,Spain
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:malaga bikes
Strengths:Can take a good amount of thrashing,had no probs with the forks,light and good value for an entry level MB
Weaknesses:Disc brakes squeek very loudly,cant seem to rectify this,chain derails every time take a big jump or even hit a curb at the wrong angle..very annoying
Bike Setup:standard
Bottom Line:My first Mountain bike,so far so good...will look to upgrade next year ...
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Mike a Cross Country Rider from Sammamish
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2006
Favorite Trail:Black Diamond Coal Cart
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:Pacific Bicycle
Strengths:Great frame, decent wheelset, good ergos
Weaknesses:Front fork is heavy and only allows preload adj (replaced with Reba Team), derailleurs and shifters are entry level stuff
Similar Products Used:None
Bottom Line:Of the bikes that I looked in this price range this one seemed to be the most solid and so far it has proven to be reliable. With a few upgrades I think I've got a hardtail that I'll ride for years.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Hayden a Weekend Warrior from Australia
Date Reviewed: March 15, 2006
Favorite Trail:3rd stage
Duration Product Used:6 months
Strengths:Frame, rims
Weaknesses:fork(leaks oil), cranks,derailers, hard seat, grips flake, cranks
Similar Products Used:06 model, i have an 05 one
Bike Setup:rst gila t5 forks, truvativ cranks, shimano derailers....
Bottom Line:Decent bike for the price, not good for dirt jumping,urban etc, use only for XC if ya gonna buy
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Matt a Weekend Warrior from Not Allowed To Tell
Date Reviewed: March 5, 2006
Favorite Trail:middle fork trail
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $510.00
Purchased At:Pacific Bicycles
Strengths:This bike has an amazingly strong. You get alot for the money and has some good parts including the Sram X.7 ( I think)shifters and the Alexrims, with discs.
Weaknesses:The fork. I took it off a large huck and bottomed it out. Ever since then the fork has not been as strong. When I bought the bike I was an inexperienced rider and know that I have gotten alot better I feel like I need to upgrade the fork in a bad way. All in all the bike is a great value.
Similar Products Used:Specialized P. Series and Rockhopper
Bike Setup:Stock
Bottom Line:The bike is a great value and is an awesome bike for beginner mountain bikres. Although as you get better the bike will need a few upgrades. The biggest one is the fork. An RST fork just cannot hold up to a good mountain bikers thrashing. The frame is awesome. If you like hardtails, very tough hardtails, this is a great FRAME. Overall I like the bike with a few upgrades.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by sam o a Weekend Warrior from canada
Date Reviewed: February 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:bud trail
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $650.00
Purchased At:bungays
Strengths:great frame and disk(hardrock comp) the fork(marzocchi mz comp) is good for beginner like me but soon or later you will ahve to upgrade.the crank is good but when i drop with it it makes sounds
Weaknesses:UY new pedals! they look like a 4-8 year old ones
Bike Setup:same thing exept kona pedals
Bottom Line:good bike for beginners 4.5/5
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

Submitted by luke brown a Downhiller from croydomn
Date Reviewed: January 20, 2006
Favorite Trail:wtf?
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:internet
Strengths:everything
Weaknesses:nothing
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:default
Bottom Line:do u smell what the rock's cookin ... ?
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by callum jarvis a from research Australia
Date Reviewed: November 23, 2005
Favorite Trail:valonia
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $400.00
Purchased At:walkers wheels
Strengths:Strong, great rims, looks good tyres
Weaknesses:forks are to firm broke crank and snapped derailer(my fault)firm seat
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:standard new forks coming soon
Bottom Line:Good value for money good for beginners and experienced ryders Good for jumping it can take knocks and it doesn't break can case jumps hard and the rims stay straight,
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Derek Supple a from Milford
Date Reviewed: November 4, 2005
Favorite Trail:Vietnam
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $410.00
Purchased At:Bicycle Alley
Strengths:Srong components, strong rims, shifts smoothly, RST fork is takes just about anything.
Weaknesses:The pedals (what's up the plastic!?)Seats kinda hard too (nothing you can't fix)
Similar Products Used:Specialized Rockhopper
Bottom Line:Great bike for the money.I would recommend this bike to anyone. Just slap on some better pedals and your good to go!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by matt a Racer from il
Date Reviewed: October 27, 2005
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $400.00
Purchased At:store
Strengths:frame rims head
Weaknesses:broke crank in a month derailer is very weak front forks got replaced theyr cheap
Similar Products Used:kona stinky premo
Bottom Line:its a good beginner bike but i wouldnt recomend it if u want something nice cheack out www.konaworld.com
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Adrian a Cross Country Rider from Los Angeles, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2005
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $249.00
Purchased At:Supergo
Strengths:Price, Looks, Components,
Weaknesses:Fork isn't the best.
Similar Products Used:Giant VT3 (Mine)
Bike Setup:Stock
Bottom Line:I was down at Supergo in Santa Monica and noticed that they put an incorrect price on their last one in stock. I think it was a tag for a base Hardrock, and not a comp disc. Anyway, I had been looking for a bike to get my fiance out on the trails with me and for $250 I definitely found the bike. She is a newbie but loves the bike. I've ridden it around a bit and am very impressed as well. Even at full price this bike would be a deal in my opinion. Miles ahead of a high end hardtail I owned myself only a few years ago. Matte brown paint is awesome looking. Two thumbs up, great for anyone up to advanced skill levels.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by James Sims a Weekend Warrior from Northants, UK
Date Reviewed: October 8, 2005
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $336.00
Purchased At:Evans Cycles
Strengths:I have the Hadrock Sport 05(not the disc).The 1st few weeks the bike feels strong(and it should be,its a specialized)Good alround bike. I found the gears ok,brakes the same. The shoxs r fine,they will change when i want them to.
Weaknesses:Frame just started creeking for no reason. Ive been doin a few wheelies and on 1 particluar 1 the pedals jumped really bad,making funny weird sound, don't know what it is,bit worried.
Similar Products Used:Hardrock 2001. It has been used and abused, its still going strong!
Bike Setup:Normal
Bottom Line:Great bike alround, more than impressed on the 1st few weeks. Didn't expect it to go wrong. I'm 238 pounds but 6 foot 4, it may not be able 2 take the weight(21" frame)...not sure.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

Submitted by robert larose a Downhiller from wetfield,ma,u.s
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2005
Favorite Trail:mount snow vermont
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:gravity warehouse
Strengths:can handle a lot of abuse
Weaknesses:weak ass derailer, front suspension sucks too
Similar Products Used:n/a
Bike Setup:needs new derailer, shocks can be changed if u got the money but they'll do for a poor guy like me
Bottom Line:this bike can kick ass but it needs to be a little stronger and take some hard falls, one fall and everything breaks!
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Luke a Downhiller from Hobart, Tas, Aus
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2005
Favorite Trail:Glenorchy bike park
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $400.00
Purchased At:Ray appleby
Strengths:Frame is nice and strong but really light. Tires have good grip on them and rarely slip. Feels really stable and strong.
Weaknesses:RST fork that comes with the bike is sh*t. Broke within the first couple of weeks. luckly for me, RST sent their Omega somthing over to replace it under warranty, new forks heaps better.
Similar Products Used:Other Hardrocks
Bike Setup:New fork, otherwise the same as shop setup.
Bottom Line:Great hardtail, will do whatever you want it to do, i've stacked it twice and the bike seems fine, bloody forks keep braking though. upgrade the forks, brakes (when needed) and the derailer when it gets older and this bike is great
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by John a Cross Country Rider from memphis, tn USA
Date Reviewed: October 2, 2005
Favorite Trail:Tour de Wolf
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $450.00
Purchased At:LBS
Strengths:the frame is unbreakable. The wheelset is good for the price. I really like them. I also like the cranks.
Weaknesses:original Disc brakes could be a little more reliable, RST fork is the worst thing I have ever ridden. You would be better of with a sold steel tourign fork than this piece of crap. No travel, no adjustments, and weighs a ton!
Similar Products Used:Various treks and haro
Bike Setup:Hardrock with michelin tires and other after market pieces
Bottom Line:This bike is so awesome, it is beyond words. For a really good price you can get a great starter bike, that is so easy to upgrade. With a new fork, wheels and other small pieces, you will have a XC race ready bike
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by 172heavypilot a Weekend Warrior from montgomery texas
Date Reviewed: September 20, 2005
Favorite Trail:Huntsville Texas
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $400.00
Purchased At:Bikeland (woodlands texas)
Strengths:Price, I looked for a good entry level bike and I found it in the Hardrock I am new to Mountian Biking However I will stay with Specialized. Love the Tires!
Weaknesses:Rear dr makes a lot if noise especially under a load. Front rubs sometimes,
Similar Products Used:Only cheap bikes
Bike Setup:Stock O5 Mens Small Hardrock Sport Disk
Bottom Line:Wish I would have spent a little more for the better fork(pro disc). I like the frame geometry I works well for my short @55. It is a great buy for the money. Great entry level bike that will grow with you (budget permitting)
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

Submitted by doug j a Downhiller from london
Date Reviewed: September 19, 2005
Favorite Trail:blue mtn
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:cyclepath
Strengths:it rides smooth
Weaknesses:chain rattles and falls off alot. dont like the shox
Similar Products Used:kona stuff ad kona scrap. devinci ...uhh i forget the name.
Bottom Line:i like this bike it can handle some decent drops, gaps and jumps
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:3

Submitted by jack a Racer from usa
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2005
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Price Paid: $10000.00
Purchased At:big 8
Strengths:none
Weaknesses:jumped it off of a 1ooo.ooo foot drop and and the fork bent
how lame is that
Similar Products Used:a clown bike
Bike Setup:stock
Bottom Line:it is bad for 1ooo.ooo foot drops
Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Cam a Downhiller from Hobart, Tas, Aus
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2005
Favorite Trail:Glenorchy bike park
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $400.00
Purchased At:Ray Applyby
Strengths:Really strong frame but its also light so it is good for everything. brakes are good for the price and the derailer sees fine. good for jumps and drops.
Weaknesses:The paint seems to chip really easily, on the frame and the forks. the forks aren't the best but they alright until you upgrade them.
Similar Products Used:Hardrock Comp
Bike Setup:as per shop but DJ3's. (Aus model)
Bottom Line:Great bike good for everything. good parts for the price. It can take a lot of punishment, i've given it a fair beating, in the bush and on the streets and it hasn't failed me. If you are looking for a good bike thats not to much, then buy this bike.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Jonathan a Racer from Boynton Beach, FL, United States
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2005
Favorite Trail:Quiet Waters
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:bike america
Strengths:frame, handlebars,grips,
Weaknesses:deraillers(front and back), crank, disc brakes, gears
Similar Products Used:Hardrock comp disc
Bottom Line:great bike if you do some changes such as a new crank and deraillers. its good for doing trails and it can handle small to medium jumps but not big ones.
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Landyn Berry a Cross Country Rider from St.Albert, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 12, 2005
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $515.00
Purchased At:Revolution Cycle: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Strengths:Frameset is great, no problems with derailleur at all, love the seat (cause i dont sit down very much), brakes are good for the money.
Weaknesses:shocks are terrible, the preload wont adjust and they are set at like 40mm travel and i cant change it.
Similar Products Used:Specialized Hardrock Comp
Bike Setup:stock, but buying a new seat, grips, and susp
Bottom Line:stellar for what you pay
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by john rock a Weekend Warrior from guildford, england
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2005
Favorite Trail:milford
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $500.00
Purchased At:cycle works
Strengths:(2005) strong but light frame, decent discs for a cheap bike, 24 gears
Weaknesses:front and rear deraler, seat, grips, forks
Similar Products Used:specialized hardrock pro (2005)
Bike Setup:stock except fo seat
Bottom Line:very good alround bike, can handle jumps and small drops,front and rear deraler need upgrading
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Sam Doe a Weekend Warrior from Launceston, tas, aus
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2005
Duration Product Used:6 months
Strengths:everything
Weaknesses:none
Bottom Line:greta bikr4rew
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Luke Müller a Weekend Warrior from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2005
Favorite Trail:S-57
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $400.00
Purchased At:Ray Applyby
Strengths:The frame is as strong as, great for drops and jumps. Also it light so it is good for cross country. brakes are great as well.
Weaknesses:Seat is a little hard but you can get around that. Seatpost doesn't go all the way down either so you have to cut some off.
Similar Products Used:Other hardrocks.
Bike Setup:Rst fork, Shimano 475 mechanical disc brakes.
Bottom Line:Great bike. Good for a little bit of everything. Fork isn't the best but it wont brake on you. If any one says that this is a bad bike, then they should be lined up and shot.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by jake the snake lol jks a Weekend Warrior from canada ontario eh
Date Reviewed: June 21, 2005
Favorite Trail:north shore extreeme!!!!
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $700.00
Purchased At:cyclepath
Strengths:strong frame and the fork is verry strong if u like stiff and weigh 7000 pounds
Weaknesses:cranks, seat,fork, rear derauiller, pedals snapped and rims are bent like twigs
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:hardrock frame manitou minute 1 forks raceface prodigy dh crankset an dichwich rims
Bottom Line:its a tough bike when you add some good upgrades.
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:4

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Which part are you most likely to upgrade first?

  cogset/chainrings
  cranks
  fork
  handlebar/stem
  pedals
  shifters/derailleurs
  wheels
  other

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