Solid bike, light weight and ahead of its time as far as geometry.

Can't think of any

I'm posting this review 18years after this bike is made. I found this bike on the side of the road with a free sign zip tied to it and am pleasantly surprised with the quality of how this bike still performs at its age. I have a 2013 cannondale and a 2014 gary Fischer both mtn bikes. I took the rockhopper out for fun when I got home and was extremely surprised by the comfort and feel of this bike for being a stock '97 bike. It doesn't need to be tuned and the fork needs to be replaced but for the year I'm very surprised that's all that needs to be done. I've fallen in love with this bike already and after riding a lot newer entry level mtn bikes I'm going to stick with this specialized rockhopper as my new mountain bike because the feel is so perfect for me.

light, takes a beating, easily upgraded, light!

got a crap fork - Jett XC, but must get that upgraded

sweet, sweet bike. Bought mine from a friend who worked in a bike shop, so this was treated like a baby! he added some nice components (XT rear, lx front and those Maggie brakes - which are very, very good) and sold me the bike at a pretty good price. A new hardrock is more expensive than this, and even though hardrocks are aluminium, they still weigh about the same as this steel thing. When I added in all the after market components this was a great deal.

Similar Products Used:

trek 4500, 2003 hardrock

Just a quick update to my post below:

After seven years, I finaly developed a small (1/8") crack in the headtube. Specialized warrantied the frame for free/no questions asked, so now I have a 2002 frame.

Specialized customer service rocks.


five more cajun shripm! god, I love seafood.

Very good Frame, very strong, and it's a funny little kid, mine is 13" so I can do Dhill. Bmx, DSlalom, what I want.
Its a very good frame.

Maybe the stays, it doesn't have snake stays.

I bought the frame alone one year ago. I allways faund the frame amazig, in everyway, angry look, and cool specs.
What can I say, we don't have a official Specilized dealer in Chile, so I was very lucky .

Similar Products Used:

Trek 4500, GT Backwoods, Scott Yacora

Durability. Quick and light.

Stock components.

I'll probably be the last person to add to this thread, but after ten happy years with this bike, I had to. I have gradually replaced, through need or desire, litterally everything on this bike with the exception of the seat post and the stem, many parts more than once. I'm not the most aggressive rider, but I'm big and strong and have ridden many miles. Frame is still solid as a rock.

Very nice frame, good components specially the fork and Ritchey wheel/Specialized tire combo

NO barends, annoying carrier screws on seat stays and pedals (slippery in mud)

These mods adds to the already awesome ride and makes it a true racer altough somewhat heavy -I guess the Ritchey wheels will have to take some of the blame (a quick comparison revealed that my chum Roy's Mavic Crossmax REAR wheel was at least the same weight as my FRONT! And that's with similar type Kevlar tires...)
Stock the Dia Compe vee-brakes provide good stopping but nothing compares (at least in my opinion) to a good set of maguras!If you want a sweet (budget) singletrack bike that handles good, climbs like a goat and has control to take it all out on downhills get a Rockhopper!!

Similar Products Used:

Kona AA ('96) & Merida Dura Carbon 970 ('95)

little in weight,heavy in performance!
solid frame,good climbing bike.

If your serious about off road,you must upgrade some components.shocks,brakes and rear derailler

My friends say "as much as you ride i'm surprised you don't have a full suspension yeti or fisher.Well,i did'nt think this bike would last this long in the rocky terrain i ride in.Its still going strong waiting to be pounded.After riding this bike and given the steep rocky terrian i ride,i may never own another bike.

Similar Products Used:

trek 7000,ridgid fishers.

Looks good, high-quality manufacture, built like a tank, Stock Ritchie wheels and hubs bulletproof, decent components.

Weight, questionable geometry, stock LX front derailleur worthless, stock Answer Manitou Spider shock kinda wimpy.

I bought this bike new in '98, and beleived at that time (and still do) that it was the best bike for the buck then.
But now I see what $700 or so can buy today, and it brings tears to my eyes. Shoulda ridden out the old StreetStomper for just two more years. Oh well.

I have ridden this bike ruthlessly for over three years, and have not had yet had to even true the wheels or tune it up. It is indestructable. I had to ditch the stock LX derailleur becasuse it wouldn't shift going up hills, the new XT worked great. The bike was heavy (31 lbs) when I bought it, and being the fan of bolting on aftermarket crap that I am, it now weighs a healthy 36 lbs fully loaded. Not one for racing, but I have had much success using it for light to medium trail duty.

The stock Answer shock was decent middle-market quality and technology for 1998, but I think that they are using them on Huffys now. I am in the process of getting a new one, just as soon as I can find a sucker to buy my old one (my wide has imposed a "zero net bike crap gain" rule upon me). Make me an offer!

I am 6' tall, and have always ridden 21" frames, but you would need gorilla arms to get comfortable on this one. A shorty high degree rise stem took care of that.

Bottom line - Great survivor, This will be the preferred mode of transportation after they drop the big one. Buy it if you prefer visiting the mechanic once a decade instead of annually. PLan on dropping a few extra bucks into comfort items and componentry.

Similar Products Used:

Specialized StreetStomper (remember that one?)

Stiff light frame
Cost

Too stiff for me
The damn Manitou Spyder
The bottom bracket

The frma ruled. I loved evry minuite of riding it. I was very pissed when I signed with a team that rides Kona's and I had to sell it....:-( This is a perfect bike for anyone who is a weekend warrior, or races very lightly. I know i pushed this frame as hard as I could, and it still begged for more.

The only down sides were the fork, the spyder sucks. It absorbs, next to nothing, and it doesn't work in the cold, and the bottom bracket. I replaced the bb after about three monthes riding it, and put a UN-72 bb in. It made the ride so sweet.

Bottom line is this is a sweet bike for your girlfriend/wife, or anyone who rides on the weekend. But if you race, buy a KONA they kick ass!

Similar Products Used:

Kona Calder Custom
GT Zascar
Schwinn Moab
Many many other bikes

strong light frame, good componentry, great ride, awsome fork, more responsive ride than my friend's trek 7000

diacompe brakes, try to swich them out w/ avids

THIS BIKE ROX, i cant believe that i havent reviewed it yet. The frame is strong, light, and does exactly what you want it to do. Im gonna switch out the brakes soon, but other than that awsome ride. I ride this thing all over technical singletrack, placed 6 in state cycleocross on it, (dont ask y i was riding cycleocross, i dont know) and has survived huge air. Get this bike if you want to FLY!!! oh ya, the spyder r's rock as well, u can check out my review on that lata.

Similar Products Used:

trek 7000
ralegh m55
trek 830 shx
giant 830
some other stuff