Submitted by
Rick Burton
a Weekend Warrior
from London On.
Date Reviewed: March 14, 2007
Strengths: Now that I have really put it to the test the frame is the best part and the fox float shock.The frame is super light.
Weaknesses: wheels crank and bb stock mech gear sucks.The rock shox are a typical low end non responsive fork not good enougth to eat steak with.
Bottom Line:
I upgraded the wheel set to a disk and singletrack rim redid the main pivot bearings upgrades to the cassette rear mech,seatpost and new shimano crank and bb with outer cups now that that is all done it is a much better ride all that is needed now is a good set of fully adjustable fox or Marzoochi forks and it will truely be an a1 unit.Unless you are willing to put the $ into the better upgeades I wouldn't bother but the fsr and a1 frame is a great base to build on.For the beginner or light trail rider the stock bike is fine.If you push it to the limit the upgrades are a must due to the stock parts lacking the durability.
Submitted by
Johnny Rooke
a Cross Country Rider
from Pickering, Ontario
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2004
Strengths: Great entry level full suspension bike
Weaknesses: Front Derailleur Crankset
Bottom Line:
I decided to upgrade to a full suspension bike after getting hooked on mountain biking while riding an old raleigh hardtail. But like most of us, money is an issue. I compared component specs on different entry level FS bikes (Giant NRS, Trek Fuel, Kona Kikapu) the FSRXC gave the most bang for the buck. I also emailed MTB Action and asked Richard Cunningham for his opinion and he also recommended I pick up this bike. I was not interested in racing and just wanted a plush, comfortable bike and weight was not an issue for me. The frame was the previous years Stumpjumper frame so the bike is race worthy. The international version I have has a coil over shock and a Manitou Six Comp fork and are not very tunable except for the preload on the fork and the rebound on the shock. The fork flexes a lot and the rebound on the coil over shock is very harsh and bouncy. The stock bike comes in at about 28lbs. I've replaced the crankset to a 2002 Shimano LX Octalink after I bent the stock crankset and saved a lot of weight, got excellent shifting and better power transfer. The cockpit was perfect for me size and body type and not too streched out. Neither my hands nor butt get numb even after long (5+ hour)rides. The full suspension is a lot easier on my legs and back as well. I find that the bike climbs well as long as you shift your weight forward without loosing rear wheel traction. Maybe a lower stem would help. There is pedal bob when you stand on the climbs but that has a lot to do the the shock. The front wheel is a little twitchy on fast descents. As long as you don't get nervous with the bike and stiffen your arms on fast turns, you won't washout the front. Swithbacks however are easy to negotiate because of the shortish top tube. The rear end is a bit flexy. But I heard that is the compromise of the FSR. The rear end flex is not so noticable while riding but you will see scratches on the chainstay where the large chainring hits it. A few other gripes are the BB mount front derailleur and the stock crankset. As I've mentioned before the Specialized strongarm is HEAVY, not very strong and does not shift well. The front derailleur is a pain in the rear end since it always gets off position. All it takes is a couple of rides after adjusting the front derailleur and your chain is hitting it again. I asked the LBS if I should replace it but told me to save my money because all E-type deraillers are like that and upgrading to a more expensive one will not make a difference. Overall, I'm really happy with the bike. I've raced it a few times and with my level of riding, it's not the equipment that fails but me (I finish mid pack almost all the time). Buy this bike if you are just getting into mountain biking and upgrade as necessary. I'm gonna put a few more years on this bike until I save up enough for better bike. A couple other thing that would be great to upgrade are the fork and shock.
Bike Setup: Stock except for Shimano LX Octalink crankset and Shimano SPD pedals
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Submitted by
Marc
a Weekend Warrior
from Medford nj
Date Reviewed: October 19, 2003
Strengths: very durrable i think. Has served me well. very "upgradeable". Good bike for the money.
Weaknesses: the fork i HATE!!!! this fork.
Bottom Line:
absolutly love this bike. It's kind of my baby. It isn't much compared to some of my friends bikes. but then again i payed for it and for any upgrades not my parents. This bike has held up well under all the abuse i've put it through the rear suspension is very effective, doesn't draf you down but still absorbes every bump c'mon people it's FSR it's amazing the standard components do the job well and have also held up Nothing flashy but they get the job done My advise to anyone thinking of buying this bike, get it then replace that friggin fork it's a rock shox judy special invest in a Marrzochi i've seen a lot of them (i work at a bike shop) and they are just wonderful i'm not really a fan of the rock shox brand ( although the boxers are ok and the psylo's seem to be pretty good) ugh they're such pains in the ..butts but the rest of the bike is just wonderful really great it's a good entry level racer and amazing if u like off roading, but without the 10 ft. drops it's an xc bike it's meant to stay on the ground and fly it doesn't need air it's too good for air dirt suits it better
Bike Setup: Azonic bars, Wtb Velociraptors, Selle Italia, Coda bar ends, Salsa stem, ( and that damn fork), ritchey clippless peds, wipperman 908, Lx xt shtuff
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Submitted by
Eric
a Weekend Warrior
from Redford, MI USA
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2003
Strengths: Great frame, strong components at a moderate price
Weaknesses: None that I know of.........yet
Bottom Line:
I'm just getting back into mountain biking and have done extensive research locally and on the web. This bike was the flat out best bargain out there. I bought it locally as a left over 2002 and anything "new" in my price range came with far inferior components. Highly recommended by riders at other LBS besides the one I bought from. I'm looking forward to putting it through the paces this spring and expect nothing but the best.
Similar Products Used: Haro Impulse (rigid), GT Tequesta (hard tail)
Bike Setup: Stock - Deore, LX, Judy C, Fox Air, etc...
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Submitted by
Rob Shaw
a Weekend Warrior
from Monterey, CA
Date Reviewed: November 10, 2002
Strengths: Great value, Fantastic frame. A lot of bike for not so many duckets. Poor-guy's Stumpjumper. The rear suspension is fantastic, no effect on peddling what so ever. Great bike for the moderate to advanced rider!
Weaknesses: BB, Crankset. Not awful, but if you've had XT all the way around before, you know the difference...
Bottom Line:
I went shopping with the knowledge that I had to buy a hardtail with the budget I had... Not the end of the world, but a full suspension would be nice. I have been drooling over this bike on the specialized website for the past year, and as usual, what you want is always one step above what you can get... but the local bike shop was blowing this one out as it is now a last years model. Thus the great price. I would have been happy with it at MSRP, but this deal was an extra bonus... This is by far the nicest bike I ridden in the price range. The weight is acceptable for the capabilities of the bike. The components are a nice compliment to the frame considering the price. LX on the important stuff... Except the bb and crank, but thats an easy fix. I'm a first time clip-less user and I'm in love, 'nough said. Nice of them to include that stock. So far I'm extremely happy with the bike and I look forward to making it better. All the positive responses I get from other enthusiasts doesn't hurt either. ;)
Bike Setup: All stock for now... I will create reasons for ugrades I sure... :)
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Submitted by
dave
a Cross Country Rider
from michigan
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2002
Strengths: Great frame + rear suspension. Not real light but not too heavy (if that matters). High "Bang for the Buck" factor.
Weaknesses: As expected, the stock components. The first things you'll want to upgrade are the Crank + Bottom bracket combo, and the fork, as the stock ones (BB + Cranks are heavy and flexy. The fork is serviceable but not much more. Bars, stem, seat, brakes are other places to upgrade later. But those are all the usual suspects on lower level bikes. Just upgrade as cash allows.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike from a guy who broke his leg in 2 spots before getting a chance to ride it. The LBS wouldn't take it back so he sold it to me for a remarkable discount. This bike climbs exceptionaly well for a FS ride, and the frame is a tried and proven design (not to mention very rugged). Just upgrade the bike as you go along, and pretty soon you'll have a great ride for alot less cash than many of the weekend warriors spent. I also feel much more confident on this bike, so I'm a bit more aggressive now.
Similar Products Used: Fisher Joshua X1 (don't get me started).
Bike Setup: Stock with the exception of Shimano LX cranks and matching BB, and a Rock Shox Duke C (already out for service after less than 1 ride! Again, don't get me started).
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Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Central Illinois
Date Reviewed: September 12, 2002
Strengths: Great frame, paint and graphics, price
Weaknesses: BB a little low, seat and tires must go
Bottom Line:
I have been out of serious mountain biking for about 8 years, and rode hardtails until now. I like to ride fast, aggressive, and pretty flat singletrack (central Illinois).
This is the best deal on F/S anywhere. You can't find a better bike for under a grand. The frame and shock are probably worth 80% of that alone! Sure, the components are heavy, but what do you expect for this price? The Specialized and Shimano Deore stuff won't break and work great, so you don't have to worry about babying this ride.
I practice jumping logs quite a bit, but no big hits or downhill punishment on this bike. The frame and Fox/Judy shocks are super tough. I makes me feel like tearing up everything on the trail.
The bike is pretty heavy, mine weighs 29 pounds according to the bathroom scale. (yeah, I weighed it, pretty sad, huh?) It handles predictably through the corners, so it is still really fun to ride fast and hard.
Suspension is great in every way. Comfy, no lateral flex in the rear, no noticable power robbing bob. Climbing is really fun on this bike. I ride with about 55lbs. in the rear Fox and the Judy is set pretty stiff for ground feel. That's pretty soft, but the back tire really stays on the ground (I weigh 180lbs.)
The low bottom bracket will force you to adjust your pedal stroke occasionally, but this is a good habit to get into anyway. No problems whatsoever with rims and pivots. Even inexpensive wheels should stay true if they are set up right. My LBS must have done a good job, because I only trued them a bit after my first couple rides. After that, nothing.
5 chilis for value, 4 overall because the seat and tires are so bad (maybe not for you, though)
Want to spend about a grand on F/S? Get this bike.
Similar Products Used: early 90's Trek 970 hardtail
Bike Setup: stock except Fire XC Pro 2.1, Koobie Si saddle (great!), eggbeaters
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Submitted by
Jeremy
a Weekend Warrior
from Plattsburgh, NY
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2002
Strengths: very good frame, strong and responsive. excellent on all types of terrain. great rear shock for the money.
Weaknesses: spokes get loose pretty often, need gloves cuz the grips arent very grippy on a rough downhill, have to upgrade rear der.
Bottom Line:
for my 220 lb a$$ the bike has been a great ride. after a quick tune before and after each ride your all set. a perfect bike for anyone returnin to MYN biking after a brake. looks expensive to those of lesser knowledge;-) with the proprer upgrade this bike can compete with almost anything out there. Disk ready. all in all a great bike and can be used in any level of riding form beginner to advanced.
Favorite Trail: ELMIRA area and blues trails in p-burgh
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$840.00
Purchased At: wholesaler
Similar Products Used: Raleigh M-60
Bike Setup: XT rear der
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Submitted by
Matt M
a Cross Country Rider
from Washington
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2002
Strengths: Great Frame-Good price
Weaknesses: Crankset-tires don't grip-had a little trouble with the deore rear derailer
Bottom Line:
Overall I think this is a really nice bike. The frame handles well and is very comfortable. The bike climbs well and desends well. There is no bobbing in the pedaling. Suspension works very well, I hardly notice the suspension working until I jump on my wifes hardtail and feel the difference. I am unhappy with the cranksets Specialized uses, I wish they would just use Shimano. The tires really don't work well if you get into much mud, otherwise they roll pretty nice. Overall this is a pretty slick bike and I have enjoyed it.
Submitted by
Stenchy
a Cross Country Rider
from Boca Raton, Fl.
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2002
Strengths: This is a great bike. I originally had the 2000 ockhopper with the older style frame but I broke the seat tube about 5 months ago. Specialized was great and sent me the new 2002 Rockhopper frame and rear suspension for free. This is the old Stumpjumper frame. This frame is extremely strong and goodlooking. I have upgraded all my components when I had the original 2000 frame so now I basically have a Stumpjumper, minus the actual title on the frame. The bottom bracket height is higher than the original 200 frame so my pedal are loving life.
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
A great bike for not alot of money. If you spend alittle extra on upgrades you can turn the thing into a mean machine. All in all I spent 1400 bucks and my bike is in the same league as the 2100 dollar Stumpjumper.
Bike Setup: Mavic 517 rims, Hutchinson Python tires, RaceFace cranks- rings- and stem, Weyless riser bar, Manitou SX-R fork, Shimano 545 pedals, Thomson elite seatpost, Bontrager FS2002 seat, Avid single digit 5 vbrakes, Shimano XT rear derailleur- LX front
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Submitted by
dinohuntr
a Weekend Warrior
from Utah
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2002
Strengths: The frame quality is excellent. The fit and finish is good. Paint and graphics are sweet looking. Great price!!
Weaknesses: I swapped out a lot of components, but then, I like to customize my bikes. The forks had to go. The seat was a small torture device. The tires were too wimpy.
Bottom Line:
A great frame to start upgrading if you can't afford a Stumpjumper FSR. I've steadily been swapping parts, and with each upgrade the bike gets better. The MRP X-Link and full bearing kit was the best upgrade. The rear end is much stiffer and smoother. The Duke Race fork is a major improvement over the Judy TT it replaced, and matches the rear end perfectly. I'm not sure of the weight of my bike now, but it has to be a few pounds lighter than a stock bike. A few people have complained about the wheels, but mine have rolled true since day one. I don't abuse them, but I ride hard enough that they would have failed by now if they weren't fairly strong. My next upgrades will be a Salsa Lip-Lock seat collar and a headset (not sure which one).
Similar Products Used: First full suspension bike after more than 10 years riding rigid.
Bike Setup: XT read derailleur, IRC Mythos XC tires, Bontrager 2000 seat, Duke Race fork, Easton EA 70 bar, Time ATAC pedals, bar ends, Performance stem, and the best upgrade: the MRP X-Rated link.
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Submitted by
ernesto freyre
a Weekend Warrior
from miami
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2002
Strengths: Since I install all XT shimano parts and mavic rims the bike performance is much better than my old parts. It is lighter and faster. I also add psychlo xc shocks. Works wonderfully.
Weaknesses: Judy shocks does not perform well. The rear shock is good but the seats post hits my rear shocks beaucase it is too close to it.
Bottom Line:
HOnest, the Rockhopper is a very strong frame. The bottom line is that this bike is VERY HEAVY. I had difficulting performing. So I at all XT parts, actually made a huge difference in my performance by adding psyclo shocks, and lighter handle bars, and stem. I ride faster, and better. Worth the investiment. Now it weights 25 pounds. My advise use XT parts because it is stronger quality parts. My secret of this performance, is add mavic 517 rims with Hutchon tires, it is awesome performance, more grip, beter flight, and better speed.
Bike Setup: All ET parts, Mavi rims, with Italia selle seats, and Easton seat post, monkey bar, and stem. Made my bike 7 pounds lighter.
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Submitted by
Ty
a Cross Country Rider
from Morgantown
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2002
Strengths: the gears and shifters are awsome upgrade a lot of the other stuff
Weaknesses: front fork, handle bars,
Bottom Line:
This is a great price for what i paid. For crosscountry it works great but i like to do jumps too. It has stayed together fairly well, no real problems. If you are into hardcore crosscountry or freeriding this obviously isnt the bike.
Bike Setup: Specialized Rockhopper FSRxc, Marzocchi Dirt Jumper I, Roller Pro tires, Shimano XT disc brakes, Titec Hellbent bars
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Submitted by
sem gallegos
a Cross Country Rider
from Anthony, TX, U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2002
Strengths: Capable of doing almost everything from downhill to X-country.Strong Frame.
Weaknesses: Rims for sure get loose every ride.Other components like handlebars, stem, and seatpost.
Bottom Line:
It's a very good bike. other than the rims i love it. It's handeling is awsome, and is not only a good x-country bike, but a good downhill bike. It will not leave in the middle of the trails for any reason. Trust me this is not a bike that will be at the shop every day!!
