Smooth front suspension, better brakes, and nice component touches make the Hardrock Sport Disc even better prepared for mountain trails and urban jungles.
Fully butted A1 Premium Aluminum frame with double ORE down tube for a lighter, more compliant and durable bike
80mm smooth-travel fork with preload adjustment, lockout, and size-specific spring rates for more versatility and tunability over varying terrain
Light and durable double-walled alloy rims are tough enough to handle the rough stuff
Specialized Fast Trak LK Sport 60tpi tires use a reduced knob height for lower rolling resistance, but have plenty of grip for confidence on the trail
SR Suntour crankset uses Shimano's Octalink-splined BB interface for increased power transfer along with cartridge bearings and replaceable rings for longevity
Alloy XC rise handlebar and 3D-forged stem are strong and light for solid control on singletrack
Avid BB5 mechanical disc brakes with 160mm G2 Clean Sweep rotors for controlled stopping power
Submitted by
systalik
a Weekend Warrior
from Olathe
Date Reviewed: February 1, 2012
Strengths: great for casual rider, or someone starting out. strong frame can take abuse, price is good for someone who doesn't want spend too much on a weekend hobby or first mountain bike
Weaknesses: frame is a bit heavy
Bottom Line:
I got this bike used on craigslist for $380 and it has been more than worth every penny. the frame doesn't have and dents despite me spending quite a bit of time falling/flying off, the derailleurs all still work fine after a tune up. the wheels, though not the strongest, will still hold up well against casual/medium trail riding without a problem. my first season with the bike ended early in a high speed collision with another bike while going downhill on a paved trail, I was launched over the handlebars when another bike came up and sideswiped me from behind, I ended up with a broken collar bone and my front wheel was bent beyond repair, but that was it. when my collar bone was healed I threw a spare wheel onto the bike and went on a 60 mile paved trail ride and a 3 mile off road loop with the other biker involved in the crash without incident the the bike was fine except for the front wheel. I expect a year or two before an upgrade. Bottom line if you a looking for a good casual bike or a great first bike for a lower price this is the bike for you
Bike Setup: all stock sport disk except for cheapy replacement front wheel
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Submitted by
Bobbo
a Cross Country Rider
from Clearwater, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: November 20, 2011
Strengths: Good control. Solid feel. Fairly smooth operation.
Weaknesses: Group is crap. Bottom of the line forks, cranks, derailleurs and shifters. 7speed? Really? You constantly shift around because with only 7speeds, there are large gaps and you can't quite find the cadence you need. Heavy as hell. I have a cannondale 26er from 25 years ago that's at least 10 pounds lighter than this. Okay for casual rider, wouldn't recommend for a serious rider.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is...if you're a casual rider looking for a 29er to ride around the paved park on the weekend or around the neighborhood, this is what you're looking for. For the serious, to semi-serious rider, spend a bit more and buy something else. Because when you buy this bike, you're gonna strip it down to the frame and replace everything. My bike is stock, and other than it being a 29er, and having the Specialized brand, I swear I could buy something of equal quality from Walmart. Sad, I expected more from Specialized.
Submitted by
ballpythonman
a Weekend Warrior
from Wichita, Ks
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2011
Strengths: Price, rigid frame,versatile setup
Weaknesses: A little heavy
Bottom Line:
This has been a great purchase. I am over 200# and this bike can take a beating. I frequently go on rough trail and it doesn't skip a beat. Drop offs, small jumps, steep climbs, it does it all. Plenty of room in the cockpit, but not too much. For the price I don't think it could be beat.
Bike Setup: XL Frame, Rock Shox Sid Team fork, Deore Crank, Sram chain and cassette, Mavic Crossland Wheels, Avid Juicy 3 Brakes 160mm, Deore front derailleur, Deore xt rear, Acera Rapidfire shifters, Lock on grips, Hussfelt riser bar, FSA headset
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Submitted by
dardo
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, Washington
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2011
Strengths: great frame
brakes
rims
chainring
cassette
front shock
Weaknesses: crankset
grips
Bottom Line:
This is a terrific bike.
I got it for city, road (pavement) riding mostly. (streets and bike paths, errands, grocery shopping etc) I ride every day, all year. about 80 to 90 miles per week. I have a Gary Fisher 2002 hybrid/comfort bike which is also a fine bike but got tired of having to constantly adjust and, or, replace rim brake pads due to so many rainy rides here in Seattle. Wanted a bike that had mechanical brakes (good in the rain)that you could also take off road. This 2010 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc is a joy to ride..
I am very impressed with the solid feel of the Hardrock. I have the 19 inch as i am 5' 11" and fits me perfectly. The frame gives me the feeling of well constructed, solidness ...of being in control of the bike at all times. Just returned from a 7 day, 336 mile bike tour of the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington State on the Hardrock..(the only mtn bike out of 300 riders)..heavier than those road bikes on the tour of course (lots of heavy breathing on some serious switchback ascents and in granny gear a good portion of time) but no mechanical problems averaging 67 miles per day. Was especially impressed on long fast descents on foothills of the Cascade mountains during the ride how solid the frame felt under me with no vibration problems whatsoever.
I put Michelin City Tires 26 x 1.85 (slicks) on immediately after getting the bike. I have no problem with the stock Specialized Fast Trak LK sport tires and will put them on for trail riding I do. I replaced the standard grips with very comfortable Avenirs and added Profile Design boxxer bar ends which gives me a couple more hand positions. I also replaced the stock saddle with a WTB Speed V Comp.
Had to replace the crankset during LBS tune up after bike purchase.
I really like this bike. A bit heavy ..yeah. But that's a plus for me as it doubles as my gym on wheels. All in all it is a darn good bike, well built, good looking, and a lot of fun to ride. I'd recommend as a good beginning or intermediate mountain bike. And it could certainly serve well as a commuter bike.
Weaknesses: Pedals, Bottom bracket, front brake, tyres, inner tubes, front chainset, handlebar grips
Bottom Line:
I don't think the quality of the components on the 2010 version matched those put on previous years. The front chainset showed excessive wear and got bent by little twigs that my old shimano stuff would never have noticed, the bottom bearing colapsed because its the cheapest possible octa version available - its just not up to the job of even light trails. Pedal bearings lasted <50 miles of easy trails. The avid BB5 front caliper had too much flex and very soft pads - great initial bite but toast on a downhill run. The bar grips are so soft they just disintergate.
And I have never had so many punctures as with the stock tyres and innertubes - you could ride round your living room and you'd have a flat tyre full of thorns - where did they come from!?, changed to Velociraptors and no more problems.
However... This is actually a good bike, it rides nicely, feels balanced, the forks work better than expected (once they settle down) the fork lockout is great for my on/off road riding. Just needed to use a decent crank/BB/chainset instead of the Suntour/BB-ES25 combo really. Apparently they've changed this for the 2011 so maybe not just me.
Bike Setup: original, except that derailleurs r upgraded 4 shimano alivio.
shimano fh-m495 hubs and br495 brakes, deore brake levers
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Submitted by
blackedoutvw
a Weekend Warrior
from colorado springs
Date Reviewed: March 21, 2011
Strengths: evrything about this bike is amazing. i just bought a 2011 hardrock disc sport 29er and i love it!. i have ridin everything from full suspension to no suspension and the hardrock is by far my fav. this bike handeled like a champ in all riding conditions. well except gravel, but that might of had something to do with how fast i was going but non the less this is a great bike for the weekend rider.
Submitted by
GDubT
a Weekend Warrior
from Fort Lauderdale, FL
Date Reviewed: January 13, 2011
Strengths: Very durable frame. Confortable positioning for 2-3 hour rides. Carries good momentum over whoops and doubles, but requires a bit more effort to get up to speed and in climbs.
Weaknesses: Heavy bike with a lot of rotational weight. Fork could use an upgrade.
Bottom Line:
Good entry level bike but it's been a little heavy for XC racing. Bombproof frame that has survived some serious impacts. I would recommend this to any starting to get into MTBing, but should probably upgrade if you want a more "specialized" bike for your needs (i.e. XC, dirt jumping). Great bike for the price.
Bike Setup: XTR pedals, Sette lock-on grips, Avid BB7 Disc Brakes.
Will probably upgrade the fork, crank and BB and eventually the wheels if I don't get a new bike before then.
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Submitted by
blackfeet50
a Downhiller
from Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 16, 2010
Strengths: Strong frame for sure, good for both road and dirt trails, decent travel on the fork, easy to handle, and its very durable.
Weaknesses: the rotors are crap
Bottom Line:
Honestly its a pretty good bike, i enjoy riding it very much on jumps, trails, road, mountains, even easy downhills.
Similar Products Used: i went with the 2010 hard rock becuse my 05 hard rock almost never let me down. it cud do it all, road and trail.
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Submitted by
christo
a Weekend Warrior
from Newcastle, Northumberland
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2010
Strengths: very light frame, smooth to ride, good forks, good brakes, nice headset and to round off it looks amazing!
Weaknesses: the front calipers rub very slightly but I kinda need to bedd them in a bit as ive only had it for about a month.
Bottom Line:
amazing bike at a fantastic price. The bike looks great, performs well on rough terrain and can handle almost anything an XC rider throws at it! Love this bike.
Submitted by
Evenflow11
a Weekend Warrior
from Olyphant, PA
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2010
Strengths: Rides smooth, durable so far, solid construction, handles well on road and off road.
Weaknesses: I hear the components aren't the best, but they are a huge upgrade over my retil store bike. The pedals were small for my size 12 feet so I immediately upgraded upon purchase.
Bottom Line:
With this review, I am hoping to help entry level bikers looking to make their first serious purchase on a bike. I looked at the Cannondale 2.0 F7, Fuji Nevada, and the GT Outpost before deciding on my Specialized Hardrock sport disc 29er. I am 6-1 225 so I was looking for something that would hold and handle my weight well. This bike has been great so far. A pleasure on the roads and a beast on the trails. I am sure there are better bikes out there, but for the price, I feel like this bike really hit the mark for me. Cannondale and Fuji did not even have a 29er model for less than $950.00. Bottom line is, my first "real" bike; I love it, perfect for a mix of road/offroad biking. By the way, at 6-1 with a 32 inch inseam, the 19 frame was the right size for me. Thanks to all those who wrote reviews that lead me to checking this bike out.
Similar Products Used: Diamondback Oulook (2007 I think)
Bike Setup: Stock with a steel pedal upgrade
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Submitted by
airdonut41
a Weekend Warrior
from Ephrata, PA
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2010
Strengths: -Solid overall construction
-Great aesthetics
-Frame geometry
-Completely upgradeable
Weaknesses: -Components are fairly low-end
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike as I'm a beginning mountain biker and didn't want to shell out over $1000 for a full suspension bike to find out a couple months later I didn't like it that much. Overall, great bike. When I was shopping, I rode Giants, GT's, Treks, and a few other big brands (all within the same price range). The Specialized by far felt the best to me. I got a 19" frame (I'm 5'10 for reference), but it feels a bit smaller than that. My friend's 19" Yukon feels huge compared to my HSD. I love this thing because of its smallish feel and quick responses, and it's great for beginning and intermediate riders.
Submitted by
Duck Fan
a Weekend Warrior
from Germany
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2010
Strengths: Frame, Specialized tires, Avid BB discs, black looks awesome!
Weaknesses: SR Suntour fork, stock crankset was defective, Altus front derailleur has issues.
Bottom Line:
This is my first decent mtb. So far I am very happy with it. I love how in control I feel with this bike. It makes riding a pleasure and I want to ride every day!
The stock crankset was defective so the awesome guys at my LBS replaced it with an upgraded Shimano Deore crankset for free. Not to mention that they knocked 50 Euros off the price since it was a prior model year.
Eventually I will upgrade the fork, front derailleur and discs (from mech to hydraulic) but I am happy with the setup for what I could afford. The great thing about this bike is that the frame is worth upgrading the components on.
I did have to upgrade to Ergon GP1 grips because my hands couldn't handle the stock grips. Nothing wrong with the stock grips but the Ergon's are super comfortable without sacrificing any feeling of control (imho).
Did I mention how awesome the matte black looks? ;-)
It's my work from home days today and it's drizzling out there. I figured I would do quick check up on my bike in my free time.
Everything looks good, adjusted brake and then Read More »
looking to get into mountain biking after a long time off the bike. was wondering if the 2012 hardrock sport disc would be a good purchase? read some reviews already but just wan Read More »
Anyone know the max size you can use on this bike without having to worry about messing up the frame/fork? Emailed Specialized and they said they had only done testing with 160s. P Read More »
Hello, I'm obviously new to both the forums and to mountain biking (at least on trails); I'm basically just looking for some guidance with a future upgrade path.
[I]-short story Read More »
I went looking at 29ers and like the Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc 29 and Hardrock 29. I also rode the Hardrock Disc 29. I'm leaning towards the Hardrock Sport. The Rockhopper Read More »
