Submitted by
j-hemm2h
a Weekend Warrior
from Oregon
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2011
Strengths: Frame, some components, rear shock is OK. Specialized for the most part KEEPS IT REAL !
Weaknesses: Throw the fork in the ocean if you weigh one pound over 150lbs it sucks ! Rim brakes blow, upgrade cheap skate !
Bottom Line:
Great bike, but realize the fork is garbage, factor the cost into your buy. Buy a Marzochi, or Fox 120mm with a lockout. The stock fork is built for small men from Europe or Asia who wear MEDIUM sized kids shirts and haven't eaten a meal since high-school. Rim brakes are horrible, but the bike is ready for upgrades so upgrade to discs ASAP and VOILA ! Cheap well-built trail heaven !
Similar Products Used: Giant, other Specialized schizz..
Bike Setup: Avid disc brakes, Marzochi Marathon SL fork, power grips pedals, upgraded seat & Specialized bar ends.
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Submitted by
DriftMachine
a Cross Country Rider
from Fort Lauderdale
Date Reviewed: December 2, 2010
Strengths: Light weight(27 pounds) Stiff suspension for 160 pound rider. Easy to adjust suspension. Smooth shifting.
Weaknesses: Non other than the rims are skinny and warped shortly after my first ride
Bottom Line:
Before I bought this bike, I read a few reviews that scared me. I looked at front shock prices. They cost about $200.usd used for decent ones. Considering this bike cost about $1000 new I think it was set up nice for that price range. Components ad up fast.
I got this bike as a fixer upper. This bike had been extremely neglected, so I had to rebuild it to make everything work. When I was done I made it look like new. Now I have put close to a 1000 miles on it. The suspension is still stiff, the seals are still good.
So far the best bike I have owed.
If you gonna do power slides you will need to change the rims, but over all this bike can take a beating.
Similar Products Used: Mongoose Black Comb. Trek 830. Specialized Hard Rock
Bike Setup: I changed the pedals to Cheetah HT AR-01 light weight. I changed the jockey wheels to 11t aluminum, put thorn resistant tubes in and change the grips and seat due to dry rot. Other than that I left everything as it came.
I did disassemble and clean everything and put it back together to make sure it rode like new.
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Submitted by
tnhness
a Cross Country Rider
from San Antonio, TX
Date Reviewed: July 12, 2008
Strengths: proven fsr suspension, fairly nimble, climbs well, predictable downs, fast through technical sections, still looks good, tough build, decent stock rear shock
Weaknesses: not the lightest place to start, fsr sus. requires some upkeep to keep it quiet, notorious crank/bottom bracket creaking
Bottom Line:
I'm about 200 lbs, so my bikes have it harder than many, and i don't hesitate much on our texas trails. I'll puss out, but the bike has yet to.
I can't speak to how this bike rides in stock config, as i bought it from a friend who upgraded almost everthing.
But with the current setup, it climbs and handles almost as well as my last FSR-XC, which was 2-3 lbs lighter and had a lower CG (that thing ate single track), and has the indestructive/monster truck feel that my old GT I-drive had.
It's a good comprimise between agility and toughness.
It's seen around 5' of air, hasen't broke yet.
The 130mm fork is a little overkill on this bike, it makes steep climbs hard because FSR design puts power down very well, and the taller front wants to pop up alot.
Any FSR bike, old or new, is a good place to start. All the frames are worth upgrading.
Similar Products Used: GT I-Drive 4.0 (the old bad-ass i-drive), Specialized FSR-XC
Bike Setup: Fox Float R 130 fork, Float R shock, MAXM bars/stem, XT shifters, LX front, XT rear, Juicy 3's, Mavic X717 disc wheelset, XT rear/Stout front hubs, stock roll-x tires, 30 lbs even
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Submitted by
Peter Stikkelman
a Weekend Warrior
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: January 11, 2008
Strengths: Great feeling bike: balanced nicely and quite nimble for the size (mines an xl size). For a soft-tail, it's lighter in the rear than my other bikes. Comfortable for long rides - Molesworth is 80km. Brakes work really well on this bike- it's a good combination. Appearance is great - a bit of a head-turner. It's the first bike I've had that doesn't bat an eyelid at a head-wind. Fantastic hubs. Runs sweet on Specialized tires on the trail-they're very light.
Weaknesses: Yes, that good old squishy Axel fork, but if I crank up the pre-load and increase the damping like I need to on the Float-R on the rear, it comes up real nice for a cross country bike. Spokes on rear not strong enough for me. No worries. BG seat uncomfortable-easy to remedy.
Bottom Line:
A joy to ride. I try to find an excuse to get out especially if the missus goes out. A great bike to buy at an entry level price with a mid range-plus performance and high end comfort level. P.S. My baby is from Orlando, Florida-Orange Cycles. An American couple heading home sold it to me!
Similar Products Used: Specialized Ground Control 1995 with Quadra 21r on the front, Specialized shock on the rear (spring-looked like a Vanilla) and a 2002 Jamis Dakar (a heavy beast-entry level shocks).
Bike Setup: Deore hydraulic 6"discs, deore changers and levers, Deore front and XT rear deraillers. Specialised cranks and stem. Changed the risers (not a fan of these) for a carbon Amoeba Scud handlebar (only 115g-eat your heart out)! Original seatpost.
Strengths: Cheap. Specialized Frame. Some decent components on bike.
Weaknesses: Front fork. F&R Derailleurs.
Bottom Line:
Can't get a better FS for the money. Stock components work ok frame is worthy of buying goodies for it. Stock front fork is garbage, biggest weakness on bike.
Submitted by
Andrew
a Cross Country Rider
from Brookings, SD, USA
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2007
Strengths: everything not listed in "weaknesses"
Weaknesses: stock chainrings, mediocre fork, shock mount bolts
Bottom Line:
Excellent bike. I've been riding it for 5 years and I love it. It holds up fine for trail riding, dorking around in the driveway, 18-inch drops, etc. I do all my own maintenance, and have stripped it down to the frame, shock, and fork many times - so maintenance is a big part of why it's holding up so well I suppose. Others complain about the fork, personally I find that it works well for a 150-pound trail rider, but it's not spectacular. The handling is a little sketchy on downhills, but you'll probably find that with any XC bike. Overall this bike is a fantastic ride and mine will continue to be used for years to come.
Submitted by
Jacob
a Cross Country Rider
from Pittsburgh
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2006
Strengths: I got the bike for basicaly half of of the original price. Its got a great spec for a rider still in his first year. They didnt skam on shock and fork. It comes disc break compatible which will make transitioning a lot easier.
Weaknesses: Component spec will need to be upgraded to xt for most serious or semi serious riders to be happy (me included). Uses rim brakes, but once again comes disc ready. grips arent very comfortable but thats a personal thing. You better find your desired seat height then cut the post or else you will bang into the shock. needs some lighter components to be light enough to take to even a small weekend race but is perfect for any other short travel trail riding. You will ride more upright and may have to replace the riserbar with a flat bar and the stem with a flat stem
Bottom Line:
If you dont have much cash to spend and your looking for a quality fullsuspension bike for all around xc riding this is the bike its ballanced and a great bang for the buck. Just be warned that if you intend to race with it (such as I) you will need to either get a bit stronger or lighten up some components. But i say go buy it.
Bike Setup: Currently stock but with upgraded welgo m3 ti pedals and a bontranger select stem
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Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from Niagara Falls
Date Reviewed: June 10, 2005
Strengths: Great upgrade platform ! Little details like super-durable suspension bearings- bike is 2 years old and still tight ! Good cable routing.
Weaknesses: Axel fork too soft for 200 lb. riders
Bottom Line:
Great intro to FS bikes. Worthy of upgrades & for learning the value of same as you improve as a rider. The Marzocchi Marathon S is excellent for 200 lb. riders. Mavic 117's that came with bike got the spokes bent pretty easily when hitting 14" fallen trees- the 223's don't even blink. Since there's a lot of creeks & water crossing around here I upgraded to Hayes hydraulic brakes. Wow ! never going back to V's ! No bizarre noises either. Great climber, rear shock w/adjustable rebound is super-durable and feels as new. Spend time trying different tire pressures, fork preloads and shock preloads and see what a huge difference a few psi can make ! too many reviews here show that people slag all kinds of otherwise great components without even learning how to tune what they have ! This isn't the lightest FSR you can buy but I figured out that to get a new bike with the level of parts I have now, I'd have been out another grand+ esy and wouldn't have learned as much as I did doing it this way. If I buy a new bike in the future I will make a far more informed purchase after this experience. Remember, the magazines are for selling new bikes/parts and seem to infer that if it's old it's horribly out of date like computers. It's not so ! Now I wouldn't buy a 5-year old bike, but the best values are 1-2 years old. These FSR's have very durable basic bits including bottom bracket, good cranks though heavy. Even with the big Trailbears the bike sits at 29 lbs. Hey- mountainbiking IS a workout isn't it ? Happy Trails !
4 chili's for value, Axel was out of place on otherwise great bike. 5 chili's for being worthy of upgrading !
Weaknesses: Bottom bracket is creaking, bearings may be failing.
Bottom Line:
This bike takes abuse and smiles. I've given this bike many a beating which I'm sure it wasn't designed for, and it's come out fairly well.
I got the bike used with the upgraded forks and brakes, so I can't really comment on the stock parts in those areas, however, with the upgrades the bike is an absolute pleasure to ride.
The bike climbs beautifully and downhills quite comfortably. A great all-around bike.
Similar Products Used: big sur, some other fs bikes
Bike Setup: stock with new mx comp with the travel adjuster and xtr rear derailer
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Submitted by
Matt Labadie
a Cross Country Rider
from Chatham, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 3, 2004
Strengths: The bike has nice plush ride that does not give up anything due to the suspension.
Weaknesses: Manitou Axel Super Fork This complaint keeps coming up on this bike so I won't pound on it any more
Tires - They fill up with mud too fast... Again a re-occuring theam
Bottom Line:
This bike seems to have a supurb value. You get a great frame with a decent set of components on it that works very well as an "off the rack" sort of set up.
I bought this bike to replace my old Giant ATX-890 hard tail and get back into biking after a long time off a bike. The RH FSR XC fit the bill perfictly.
The bike has a plush ride with a set of components that work well together. It has been a great bike on the road and on the trail for me.
The cost and construction of this bike make it a great canidate for upgrading. There is enough performance there that it makes upgrades worth while.
Similar Products Used: GT hardtail, Schwinn hardtail. My biking buddies ride on Santa Cruz Superlight, Blur, Specialized Epic, Enduro. So I get to ride on them as well
Bike Setup: Just got the frame. Sold parts and changed to Fox Vanilla front shocks, mavic 517's on Lx hubs, Lx cranks, XTR shifter and levers, koobi saddle and time pedals. Planning to upgrade to mech. disks brakes, Avid probably.
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Submitted by
Andrew
a Cross Country Rider
from Lawrence, KS
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2004
Strengths: Fox Float R, very light weight, bombproof LX components. Price is incredible.
Weaknesses: Stock fork, wheels, brakes (good for v-brakes, but with disc hubs who can resist the upgrade?)
Bottom Line:
Excellent bike for the money. Very, very good for most types of riding. Flies on the downhills and pedals uphill like a champ. Absolutely no noticeable bob, especially on the 90 mm rear travel setting. With the right part upgrades this bike is as good as any other, more expensive, FSR bike.
Bike Setup: Stock plus new saddle, Psylo Race fork, Avid CPS disc brakes, Rhyno Lite rims
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Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2004
Strengths: Frame Versatility Value 100%
Weaknesses: Rims, which bent pretty early on but I was too cheap to replace them so i just got em trued & the fork is kinda crappy, especially if you're relatively heavy (I'm 180 and it gives me trouble)
Bottom Line:
This is my first legitimate mountain bike, not counting my piece of crap commuter bike. It rides really well and can handle light to moderate downhilling. Now that I know more about biking, I'll probably switch to a freeride bike, but for x-country or just as a cheap alternative to a real freerider this thing is awesome. With the exception of the rims and fork as mentioned above, it can take a beating, and it can even take on drop offs and jumps. Basically, this is a lot of bike for the amount of money you're going to spend on it.
Purchased At: Circle Cycle (before it turned into Performance)
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Submitted by
Raiyn
a Weekend Warrior
from St. Pete FL
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2004
Strengths: Great frame - no issues as currently assembled
Weaknesses: Manitou Axel fork, original wheels, Neither of which left the shop with me
Bottom Line:
This is an update from my earlier post. I've upgraded the snot out of this bike and with each upgrade a strong performing bike got better and better. The stock driveline components went to upgrade my commuter bike so there was no loss or waste in that department. In short the bike's great upgrading it allowed me to better two bikes at the same time. On the trail the Rockhopper is a blast, climbs like there's no tomorrow, plush as anything, more efficient than the majority of the dual sussers I see on the trial, and tough as nails to boot.
Bike Setup: RS Duke XC, Sun Rhyno Lites laced to XT disc, Avid Mechanical Discs w/ Hope Gothic rotors, Chris King headset, MAXM MX-5 handlebars, ODI "Rogue" Lock-on grips, Driveline is XT 750 except for the Truvativ Hussefelt triple crank set and Gigapipe DH bottom bracket, Odyssey South Gate pedals, Vittoria Blue Ridge tires (N.O.S from LBS), Gore Ride-On brake cables, XTR shifter cables, and everything else is stock
I would like to upgrade my wife's 04 Rockhopper FSR Comp's fork and rear shock. The bike is equipped with a Manitou Axel fork set to 80mm of travel and a Fox float R rear shock. Th Read More »
My wife owns a 03 Rockhopper FSR Comp, which has the same frame as a 04 FSR XC. The rear travel can be switch from 75mm to 90mm via the link. I would like to change the OEM Manitou Read More »
I am looking at getting a different bike, was looking at mostly hardtails but came accross a 2003 RH FSR Comp. The bike does not look like it has seen much use and the guy claims t Read More »
I am looking to upgade the shock on my Rockhopper. The Fox shock just will not hold air for more than a 30 min ride even after a cleaning and rebuild. :madman: I would love to go Read More »
evening all! i need some advice please, i picked up a 2000 rockhopper fsr a1 comp this week because i always wanted that frameset and finally found it. the problem is that all th Read More »
