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Rocky Mountain
Hammer Bike
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Submitted by
geoff parkyn
a Weekend Warrior
from vancouver BC Canada
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | TBD | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Strengths: | Oh that frame... | | Weaknesses: | well, some of the original components are showing there age, I bought this bike to upgrade to a sweet commuter | | Similar Products Used: | salsa ala carte | | Bike Setup: | Ritcheyheadset/rigid fork/WTB wheelset with maxxis tt larson tires/XT derailluers/shimano xt chain/cassette/ cane creek 5 brakes/FSA geomax cranks/original gripshift | | Bottom Line: | what can I say..this bike with the upgrades is one of my favourite rides, even though the frame is 13 years old it is a classic steel frame. I you like old school steel bikes, look fo one of these and give it some love.. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wayne
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Wascana Trails | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$390.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Excellent tracking, Durable, forgiving. | | Weaknesses: | Stock Components | | Similar Products Used: | 1994 Rocky Mountain Hammer. | | Bike Setup: | 19.5" Tange triple butted cromoly frame
Race face Deus cranks
Ritchey clipless pedals
XT pod shifters
Avid SD Ti brake levers
Syncros "Hard core" Easton ea70 straight bar
Raceface 120mm system headstem
Answer Hyper ends
2000 Rockshox Judy SL 80mm
XTR Front Deraileur
XT Rear deraileur
XT 8 speed cassette
XT V brakes
Syncros 7075-T6 seatpost
Serfas ARC Kevlar saddle/Ti rails
XT F/R Hubs
Mavic F519 26" rear wheel
Sun Rhyno Lite 26" front wheel
IRC Mythos XC Kevlar 1.95 tires
| | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike on ebay in '03 because I wanted another steel Rocky. I do not know what year this bike was manufactured as pictures and info on older Rocky's is sketchy at best. Component descriptions vary on models and this makes year identification difficult at best. I do know that this model was put out between 1996-1998. The frame finish is black powder coat with Yellow on red graphics. There are no rear disk brake mounts.
The bottom line is if you are into elegant pencil tubing made from good "memory metal" this is a great frame. The long sloping down tube geometry provides good standover clearance. Coupled with a 9 degree head stem this configuration provides the classic "hammering" XC posture my 6'0" frame requires for sure climbing and max torque to the cranks on the flats. Not as supple as Ti the cromoly still gives a decent amount of cushion on fast bumpy downhill sections while never feeling out of control.
The frame came to me with flexy Bontrager comp cranks and an assortment of Rocky Mountain components as well as a XT/LX drive train and a replacement 2000 Judy SL fork. If this was going to be a credible xc trainer the older components had to go. The part upgrade list has brought the weight of the bike down to 25 lbs.
The Judy lowers are being sandblasted,repainted and new decals applied. The fork has been newly serviced ala "Hippetech" as the 3.8 lb. fork is lighter than a lot of current big hit xc forks on the market and is twice as reliable with its simple hydra coil all travel system with xxx seals. Furthermore the original graphic set for the frame have been provided by Rocky Mountain Bicycles via my local bike shop allowing for an optional re powdercoating and restoration of the frame should it be needed. At this time the paint and graphics are in good condition.
This tube design and bike feel are classic XC. If you are into the full suspension or big tube aluminum school of thought then this frame is not for you. Other steel frames of note such as De Kerf, Brodie, Klein, or even the Rocky "blizzard" employ the same geometry as the Hammer race as most of these builders are former Rocky designers/employees and relied on boutique name status to charge twice as much money for steel frames as was charged for the race series Hammers with a marginally better product. Most of this had to with component spec.
Bottom line is old school hardtail elegance and performance combined with durability and midlevel budget worth revisiting even today. 1996 Bike of the year. Nuff said. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rich
a
from Aurora
Date Reviewed: June 2, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Hall Ranch | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$925.00 | | Strengths: | Craftsmanship of the frame. Handling. Looks. Weight. | | Weaknesses: | Old School shock, brakes and levers | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Rockhopper, GT Avalanche | | Bike Setup: | All stock. | | Bottom Line: | This bike has been very good to me. I ride this bike hard, weigh 200lbs and nothing has ever broken on it. For the first time in 7 years I will be getting the rear wheel trued (from Dakota Ridge Trail). The bearings are all as tight as when new. Would highly recommend. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
William O'Brien
a Weekend Warrior
from Columbus, Ohio
Date Reviewed: November 22, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Revluc | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$750.00 | | Purchased At: | Factory Direct | | Strengths: | Hey all you Hammer owners and potential owners. I just discovered this review site, so I thought I would leave a few comments about my 1991 (YES..a '91 Rocky Mountain) "Hammer". That's right, I have owned my Hammer since April of 1991. It came spec'd with the first generation grip shift (refered to as the road version now) and a full Suntour component package. This "Hammer" also features the now extinct rear monostay. Email me for pictures of this classic. Note to all of you--throughout the years I have constantly upgraded the bike...moving away from the original rigid front fork to the present Judy shock, and a complete and continuous upgrading of my drivetrain and other components. Basically, The only part of the "Hammer" that remains is the frame...but that is also the heart of the bike...which has never let me down. | | Weaknesses: | Initially, having the grip shift in 1991 was ultra cool but not comparable to modern day shifters...including modern day grift shift. Also, Suntour's drivetrain didn't seem to be a perfect match with this 1st generation grip shift...but I still loved riding the bike. | | Similar Products Used: | I briefly traded the "Hammer" in for a brand new "5500" Wheeler in 1995, but in less than one month I busted and bent the Wheeler rigid fork while jumping across a stream. When I took the Wheeler in for repairs, I bought my Hammer back and have never let go of it since. I gave the repaired Wheeler to my sister. I have always weighed around 195+, and at my peak I competed well in sport class. Now I'm a weekend warrior like I was back in the early 1990s, and this Hammer has always been bulletproof. | | Bike Setup: | Kore stem, Nukeproof carbon handlebar, Mavic rims, grip shift, XT rear, XT front, V-brakes, Rock Shock, Salsa Skewers, Ringle front and rear rubs, Downhill Kooka cranks, Micro Chainrings, Shimano Clipless platform pedals, double butted spokes, Rock Shock seatpost. | | Bottom Line: | If I can't break this frame nobody can!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Me
a Weekend Warrior
from Calgary
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | You mean I can ride this thing offroad??!! | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$560.00 | | Purchased At: | From Bargain Finder ($800 Canadian) | | Strengths: | -Light, stiff frame.
-I weigh 170lbs so the soft Indy XC fork is juuuust right for me.
-The black, indestructable paint job is REALLY GREAT (compared to the crap that R.Mountain put out in 2001. Yuk). -Rims are fine. I squarely hit a drainage pipe, flipped the bike, face planted and didn't need to fix anything. I, on the other hand, got a black eye and very badly bruised ribs that hurt even now (a month later).
-etc, etc, etc... | | Weaknesses: | -The front shifter (LX) or rear shifter (XT) can't hold a gear over rough terrain. I think I will have to replace the shifter or the rear spring.
-The rubber (especially in the rear) is unsuitable - THE KNOBS AREN'T BIG ENOUGH! There gotta be BIG KNOBS!
-Cranks are just stiff enough.
-Its impossible (so far) to get into top gear without the chain grinding on the front shifter. It might be because I'm lazy. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Rockhopper (1993). A lovely starter bike. | | Bike Setup: | Stock. LX hubs. Sun rims. LX front der. XT rear der. Indy XC front shock. Sugino cranks. Richy front, Panaracer rear tire. Alivo brakes. R. Mountain handlebar stem...blah, blah.. | | Bottom Line: | -I'll keep the bike and upgrade parts when they break. (I haven't said that about any other bike that I've owned). I really like it. I don't expect it to let me downhill, but I'm going to have a lot of fun with it.
-And I WILL ride it in winter.
-And I didnt have to spend a lot on it. $800 Canadian for a mint second hand bike.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a Weekend Warrior
from Winnipeg
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Bottom Line: | This is just an rant at Bill who was slagging Winnipeg in his message from 5/2/98. Firstly, the guy's obviously a fat POS due to his angry reaction to Chris' review of the '97 Hammer. Whatever!
The truth is though, Winnipeg has a good 50km of serious single track winding along it's various waterways. Lot's of up and down, and if you can't zone in you'll be ringing off tree trunks. Bill didn't say where he's from, but stick this in your bucket pal.....we only have snow 5 months of the year. Besides, the poser shouldn't be scared of a little snow and cold. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dr_Demento
a Weekend Warrior
from Mississauga, ON, CANADA
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Mississauga NorthWest | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Great frame. Great setup/angles/rider positioning. Great value. | | Weaknesses: | Stock components. Upgraded throughout to Ritchey Comp. | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale, GT, Scott, DiamondBack, Kona, Giant, Specialized | | Bike Setup: | Hard Tail with RockShox front, Ritchey Head set, V brakes, and Logic clipless, Ritchey tires... | | Bottom Line: | I bought this 97 bike in 98 from someone up north. Back then RockyMountain had a forum on their website where you could find out if someone was selling an old bike. Paid $800 for the bike, which had been decked out in complete Ritchey after market components, except for the rims and seat post. Replaced the Sun rims after they cracked some there after. Love the bike to death - I don't find it too heavy (that coming from a roadie in my teens) and is very forgiving over technical sections and twisty singletrack.
As far as used bikes go, if you're lucky and the previous owner didn't abuse the sh*t out of it, its a steal. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roger
a Weekend Warrior
from Comox,BC
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | all of them | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Durability. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | All kinds. | | Bike Setup: | XT Rapidfire, Stock Indy xc fork, Sun Rhino rear Wheel. | | Bottom Line: | Having read some of the reviews this bike has received I felt I had to say something about the bike I've been riding for the last three years. This is a review of the second of two hammers I have owned (the first was a '93) and I will speak from my own personal experience (because everyones skills and styles are different it is kind of pointless to compare the subjective stuff.) The bike has evolved with my riding and I would put it up against any bike in its price range. Yes, things have broken and bent and they have been replaced, but I can't say anything bad about the bike. I paid less than $1200can (About $250us)three years ago and have ridden the bike pretty hard and it's still going strong. It climbs awesome, descends, does drops and clears logs just as well. I'm waiting for my RM6 to arrive (and I'm sure I'll break bits off that too, but it goes with the territory) so I can go bigger and faster, but for anyone starting out that's looking for value you can't go wrong. Don't buy it if you're looking for pro level racer for $1000, if that's the case I've got some land for sale that you might be interested in( it's a great deal!). Three thumbs up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd Bailey
a Weekend Warrior
from Ottawa, CANADA
Date Reviewed: August 4, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
-Excellent frame strength
-Beatable Sun AT18 rims
-Shimano DeoreLX Components
-Durable (almost) Chipless Paint | | Weaknesses: |
-BLOODY heavy | | Bottom Line: | This bike is great for someone likes to boot around town and trails but isn't overly hardcore. It's a great durable bike but the trade off is it's hefty frame. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom
a Downhiller
from Whistler B.C.
Date Reviewed: August 3, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
The River Runs Through It | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
everything | | Weaknesses: |
nothing | | Bottom Line: | A ***** (5) star bike | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
DirtyRoo
a Cross-Country Rider
from Waterloo, Ontario
Date Reviewed: July 22, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Trashmount/Fanshaw Lake | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
great frame (good starter bike easily upgraded)
value
good wheels (richey rock 440) | | Weaknesses: |
lx components
a bit heavy | | Similar Products Used: |
Kona Explosive
ThinBlue Line (aluminum)
Specialized Rockhopper
Marin (?) | | Bike Setup: |
96 Rocky Mountain Hammer
xt Bontranger Mustang wheels
Judy XC 80mm travel fork
Panaracer Fire xc Pro
ESP 9.0 rear der & shifters | | Bottom Line: | In 96 I got this bike as a rigid. It was my first MTB bike as I made my transition from road to dirt. The frame is top quality triple-butted Tange, with a great powder coating. I'm one of those 'steel is real' people at first because of cost, but now after having ridden a bunch of other bikes, I'm staying with steel. This bike carves unbelievably, it is a singletrack wet dream. As well as being agile, it can also climb like a goat with it's ass on fire. On my last long ride (7hr & 150km) I switched with my friends Kona Explosive, admittingly his frame is 1 larger but it felt like I had gone from a VW to a 70's Cadillac. My Hammer just felt so much more solid, tight, and 'flickable'. He even admitted it took him an effort to get accustomed to his Kona after switching back, whereas switching to my bike came natural to him. It came with mainly LX components and I've since upgraded as parts wore out or got bent. Speaking of bends, in one huge bail, the front wheel got twisted and the brake levers put a large dent into the frame's top tube. The frame alignment is still fine and the paint didn't so much as chip so I just left it alone as it adds some character. I just wonder what would have happened if the frame had been aluminum instead? Now that I've finally gotten front suspension and clipless pedals, I couldn't ask for a better bike. Sure it's a couple pounds on the heavy side, but that just means I get a better work out, it's not like I race every week or have the money to burn. I would definitly stay with Rocky Mountain bikes, were I to get another.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Saddle Sore
a Cross-Country Rider
from Calgary Alberta
Date Reviewed: May 12, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Twister | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
One of the best made frames you can get.
decent components. | | Weaknesses: |
Deteriorating shifting.
bad fork. | | Similar Products Used: |
1997 Rocky Blizzard
1996 steel Stumpjumper | | Bike Setup: |
new Xt shifters, and deraileur.
RS IndySL Fork
avid 20 v brakes | | Bottom Line: | Mine was a 1996 and it blew me away compared to my 1992 Kuwahara Savage (30lb cromo crap) But the gripshift shifting deteriorated quickly along with the Rock Shox quadra 21 fork, (which isn't even sealed.) So, eventually I replaced the srt600 shifters with XT Rapidfires and Got a rochshox indySL onthe front. It works eons better, but still needs regular lubing. I have had no real trouble with the wheels. after two whole years they are working fine. They do go out of true after a long hard beating in the mountains and I get that fixed when I have the time.The performance of this bike is exceptional for a bike as limited as it is. It's a bit heavy but its ride quality has been compared to top-of-the-line steel bikes. it climbs nicely with it's racing geometry and tight rear end. Like most Rocky Mountains, this bike is a master of singletrack. I am constantly being wowed by it's performance. It doesent act like a $1200 bike. It is a suprising ride. I have riden all kinds of bikes and this thing can push it self up to the big boys with a few upgrades cos of it's good racing frame.So, here are my beefs: suspension forks 1n 1996 were crap, replace that. 1996 Gripshift turns to goo in two rides, get a beefy spring in that derailleur and get gortex. & they could have done a better job onthe cranks, they are cheap and flexy, I just got some RaceFace onthere, what an improvement. the newer ones have Marzocchi forks and Rapidfire shifting. Sounds like an incredibly beefy and dependable bike!!My praises: Kicked anything else in it's price range's ass in performance. Alot of the bikes in that range in 1996 didn't even have suspension. It looks great! and it came with a respectable mix of components for the time. Lx all over except for the cranks and shifters.So, a sweet handler with good components, a great frame, good looks and a crappy fork. But the fork is not it's fault, forks were crap three years ago. Four points, five for the new 1999 one, its, lighter, better components and better Fork. And it is cheaper. The upgrader's delight! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom
a Weekend Warrior
from Calgary, Alberta
Date Reviewed: April 14, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Bottom Line: | Whoa!!!....$$ for $$ this bike kicks some serious @#$%!. The Ritchie components are great and seem to compliment the bike very well! The only draw back at this time is seat slipage on the quick release clamp on the seat post. This bike ROCKS on single track and is quick and responsive!! The frame is top notch, and this Canadian made bike seems like it will last for a long time!! Canada Kicks Ass!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a cross-country rider
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: March 6, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had my 96 Hammer Race for three years now and overall I'm still pleased with the bike. Yes, I had to replace the rear wheel after a year, and I've replaced virtually every other component over time due to wear and tear or upgrades. But I think the frame is top shelf and Rocky sells a lot of bike for the buck. I recommend it as a good entry level race bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J-love
a racer
from Blacksburg, VA
Date Reviewed: January 18, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I am the third owner of a Rocky Mtn. Hammer race that I borrowed from a friend a long time ago when my OCLV frame was all F-ed up. After ridin that thing once, I dumped the OCLV on somebody who wanted to deal with continuous warranty problems and promptly started hossin up on the rocky. Basically this bike is ultra-aggro and deserves more respect than it gets. Like I said, I am the third expert level rider to put massive daily abuse to this thing and after three years it keeps on takin it like a five dollar wh@re. I cant exactly comment on the wheels that came with it, since i never saw em and had to put my own on, but wheels are wheels and I consistantly beat the hell out of all kinds from cane creeks to sups to my new low cost sacraficial lamb...matrix voodoo. Basically if you are gonna ride hard, something is gonna break, but the frame has NEVER given me trouble even after havin to fix the dropout several times due to massive collisions. Those beef-o ritchey dropouts can take several bendings--no prob. The aggro geometry of the frame as well as its friggin durability and excellent climbing characteristics makes it my favorite bike. It descends like a friggin meteor, stable as a horse. A while back, I bought a Bontrager race as my racing specific bike but always prefer ridin that kick ass Rocky. This bike gets full props from the heinous testing ground here in blacksburg. Steel is real!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Ried
a weekend warrior
from Bangor, Maine
Date Reviewed: October 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Warranty??? Let's fact it; Rocky Mountain does not have a warranty. The company only has warranty exclusions. As seems to be the case with Rocky Mountain wheels (they make em'), the spokes on mine popped out on tame rides. I called the warranty department at Rocky Mountain; they passed it off to the dealer. Dealer took two weeks to fix four spokes (and then tried to charge me). Called Rocky Mountain again and, this time, told them I wanted coverage to have all the subpar 15 point spokes replaced with 14 point. The answer, of course, was NO with the wear and tear sub-text. What a joke. This bike is gone and I WILL NEVER DEAL WITH OR RECCOMMEND ROCKY AGAIN. Good riddance. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ernesto
a racer
from PA
Date Reviewed: October 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This is a review on my element t.o frame, but i feel it is representative of the rocky mountain warranty department--or should i say, the non-existant suck ass warranty department....Bike is great-Rocky Mountain's Warranty sucks major ass to put it lightly. After racing/riding the complete for approximately 4 months, the top tube started to fatigue-it looked like two dimples on the top tube, which were getting bigger the more i rode it. After talking to the rep, talking to the warranty department, and talking to the shop owner, we all decided it was fatiging and would be covered by warranty. It is to note that where these dimples were appearing, had absolutely no scratching/scuffing that would indicate i hit something, and the stickers that were above the dings had no tears in them at all-no way did i hit this thing. One other noticable thing to note was that the dings were close to the cable stops-which rocky later claimed that i had the bike in a park stand, which would of actually had to of been clamped over top of these, thus rendering any type of cable adjustment impossible. this bike was only transported in the back of my subaru outback on on fork mounts-no mount of any type had touched that top tube. yet when i talked to rocky warranty, this suddenly became a non-warrantied frame. they could not tell me what happened, other than somehow it was my fault that the frame was doing this. I am not a happy camper-this was total crap. They don't stand behind any of their lines which is ridiculous considering that this bike retails at over 3000 dollars. This is especially more ridiculous when one considers that i was an grassroots rider for rocky and in no way did they ever help out. Since then, they have promised me a frame, but it has not come yet, and i have never heard from anybody about what the hell is going on. It appears to me that they will not warranty anything that anybody rides with the name rocky mountain on it. I have had several friends with bikes from trek, schwinn, gt, merlin, khs, torelli--that have had problems with their frames (similar to mine) and the frames were replaced IMMEDIATELY. Rocky Mountain is a company I will never deal with again and will never recommend-if they cannot support a grassroots rider with a clear clase of a bad frame, then how do they treat the general public. Bottom line, their warranty sucks and their response time sucks even more. Please feel free to contact me and I will be more explicit in my wording and my feelings toward this company...... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jimmy Tobin
a weekend warrior
from Montreal, Quebec
Date Reviewed: October 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Save your money for a Stumpjumper. This thing warps at light speed. I can't understand why people rate this wreck so highly. It was a letdown for me and now it's gone. Good riddance. Bad frame, bad wheels, bad componentry. Three words to describe this bike - - SNAP, CRACKLE, POP. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew
a cross-country rider
from Calgary, Alberta
Date Reviewed: September 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought the Hammer this spring and I was a little leary of the wheels as I read the reviews. I am 200lbs (but also 6'3), so I am NOT A FAT LAZY OVERWEIGHT SACK OF SH**. I have bombed over some brutal terrain in the high backcountry of the Rockies at high speeds and have had to sacrifice my bike to save my body in some occasions, but the bike has lived to tell the tale. Although I have noticed a HAIR of wobble in my wheels, it has not interfered with the performance. Let's face it, you get what you pay for - a $1300 bike, NOT A TANK!!!
I figure if that you have taco-ed your wheels or (especially) your frame, you seem to think that these are indestructable. Sometimes I think that people should sacrifice a couple of DANGEROUS CHEAP THRILLS to save several hundred dollars of repairs, replacements, and/or upgrades. Have fun, challenge the bike, BUT DON'T BE AN IDIOT!!! I think that this bike will perform at the level it was designed and made for. Go spend $5000 if you want a NASA designed bike that will withstand atmospheric re-entry. So grab a brain when you go biking, instead of frying it.
As an aside, I would check into pedals you buy. The lower-end Ritchey's I have are mediocre at best. Considere an upgrade at purchase. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean Green
a weekend warrior
from Calgary Alberta
Date Reviewed: September 17, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
BAD BIKE. I have found that everything about this bike that came from Rocky Mountain (frame and WHEELS most notably) were the worst on the markets. My 1996 Hammer (now a loaner for bikeless friends) was a let down from the get go. The frame bends under hard (cross country riding) and the wheels and spokes - well the nightmares below speak for themselves. And I will blame the manufacturer cos' Wheeltech who make the wheels are an in-house facility. Wheels signed by their maker - WHO CARES - you're just telling the world that you're lazy and incompetent or the product you have to work with hasn't been screened by quality control. Go ahead and buy this bike and go ahead and post your raves (raves will stop when this bike leaves you stranded in grizzly country. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J Sterritt
a weekend warrior
from Vancouver, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
1997 Hammer Race - Marzocchi Bombers, Sun Rhyno Lites - Front and Rear - I admit that my tire did warp a bit, but why blame the Bike - amazing bike for technical and downhill - not a thing that it won't climb or descend, (for you in Ontario - we have amazing riding out here - not the flat land semi hills you guys call home) - Only reason I would get rid of it is too step up to the FS (Rocky of Course) - If I could afford two bikes, It would be a keeper | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob V
a weekend warrior
from Surrey, BC
Date Reviewed: September 14, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I too have a Hammer bought a leftover 97 about 5 months ago, true the rear wheel warps a little to easily ( I weigh 210) but I haven't had it warped so baddly that I couldn't ride. So far I am totally happy with this bike. Seeing as how the last two reviewers were rating the bike soley on its wheels maybe they should place their reviews in the wheel section. By the way its a lot cheaper to buy a new top quality rear wheel, than it is to buy a new bike and give your hammers away for nothing or next to nothing.I rate this bike 4.5 stars mainly for the poor wheel selection, strangely enough my front wheel doesn't suffer from any problems. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard D.
a cross-country rider
from North Bay, Ontario
Date Reviewed: September 13, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
My Hammer - purchased on April 18, 1997. First wheel tacoed - April 18, 1997. Bike shop in Etobicoke will go unmentioned - repaired it (took a 2 weeks). They blamed me; Rocky Mountain blamed me. I rode over a curb at 15 kmph. My fault - nawwwww. After a bout of spontaneous spoke breakage and two more wheel tacoes, sold bike and purchased a GT. Didn't bother selling the Hammer. Just gave it to a kid in the neighbourhood. NO PROBLEMS WITH GT. Different bike shop (they don't care that I'm not Mr. Spandex) and different bike company. That makes all the difference. No doubt in my mind - those Americans make better stuff, bikes included. Rocky Mountain - never again. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ricksom
a weekend warrior
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This is a review of the 1997 Hammer which I have owned since last July. Now that I have owned it for one year now, and have riden every non-winter week since, I feel I can give the bike a pretty good review.The ideal buyer for this bike is:- the intermediate to advanced, expert rider who is not hung up on super light weight and over-priced flashy components
- the single-track technical rider who prefers spending more energy on improving technique, than comparing component spec's and weight and dreaming of XTR
- someone looking for the best value, or not willing to pay over $1,500
- someone looking for a quality, durable frame with outstanding geometry that will grow with your skills to the point of serious racing
- someone who would prefer investing in a long term frame that will accomodate rapid skill and technique growth, and upgrading the components as required over time
- the serious technical single-track rider who is also looking for a stable ride on the downhills and high speed flats, and who is racing
- someone who is not overweight or on the heavy side
- someone who is not hung up on aluminum, titanium, or carbon fiber framesFor the price, this bike is an outstanding buy from an outstanding company. No, this is not the best bike you can buy (and people who compare it negatively to bikes costing $2,000 and more are justing unintentionally endorsing it more). IT IS THE BEST BIKE YOU CAN BUY FOR THE PRICE!
The heart of this bike is the frame. No flashy, gimicky frame; but one that constantly begs you to challenge yourself and improve your skill, and a frame that never seems to be pushed beyond its limits.Yes, some components are rather weak in Rocky's effort to keep the bike's cost down.
The low-end Sugino crank was a poor choice, and Rocky replaced this in the 1998 model with LX or Race Face cranks (they were listening).
The eyelet less CR18 rims are also a poor choice, and I can't deny I am truing them on a regular basis. However, you should remember they are made by Sunn (not Rocky) and can be upgraded (see above).
The rest of the components are quality with no noticeable wear or breakdowns so far, and work well together.For single-track riding, the bike moves and responds with you like any high end sports equipment does. Since buying this bike, I have quickly moved from an intermediate level to the advanced level, handling any of the toughest, gnarliest, tightest, adrenaline rising technical single-track in my area (I had previously spent 3 years as a beginner / intermediate level rider fighting with my old bike to improve). The only thing limiting me from reaching expert level is my fitness, and definitely not the bike.If you are a dedicated single-track rider, have more important things to spend your money on, and want a bike that will grow with your skills and component requirements;
GET THIS BIKE DAMNIT!If this bike is not kool enough for you, then spend the bucks on a high-end Klein, Kona, or Rocky Vertex / Altitude T.O., and stop whining... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
rich
a cross-country rider
from lambertville, nj
Date Reviewed: August 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Here is an update from my March 18 posting: i blew out 4 spokes on the drive side of the rear wheel during a nite ride and did not realize it. i kept riding for another couple of miles pretty hard before heading for home. saw that the spokes were gone when i was loading the bike on my truck. the rim was hardly bent at all. the shop where i bought it cant believe that i did not taco the wheel altogether, esp. after jumping it with the spokes gone. now, who says these wheels are not built well? still the best deal out there. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jared Sokalofsky
a racer
from Canada
Date Reviewed: August 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I Race it it isn't a bad bike but the indy xc is the lamest piece of shit I've ever seen or ridden you'd be better to trade that fork in and buy a bag of shit you'd problably have more fun with it. It is called the Hammer RACE so put some kind of racing tires on it like a mythos or just call it a hammer because those tires were way to damn slow for racing so I had to waste more money on some new tires and those wheels realy shit the bed but other than that the frame is wicked its a little heavy but is si so smooth yet clmbs well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a racer
from Baltimore, MD
Date Reviewed: August 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I think the difference in opinion regarding the wheels is due to the fact that the quality of the wheel depends largely on who builds the wheel - not so much on the materials used. It's apparent that Rocky is employing some good wheel builders and some not so good wheel builders - so the quality of the wheels are going to vary greatly.
As for me, I've been riding the same set of factory wheels for 3 years when my rear wheel finally gave out. I raced all 3 years and did some downhilling with it as well. I've crashed the bike 8 or 10 times, once splitting the back of my helmet down the middle. Throughout I have had no problems with the wheels and the front wheel still works fine. I must have been lucky and gotten a good pair of wheels but I also true my wheels as well as a part of general maintenance.
Even if you get a bad pair of wheels though, this bike is well worth the money. The frame alone justifies the purchase - if it was a bit lighter, it would be one of the best steel frames made. I've ridden Independent Fabrications and Moots, and the ride quality of this frame is in that league. However, the parts are thorwaways and need to be upgraded as the money comes in. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rod Jones
a weekend warrior
from Aldergrove, B.C.
Date Reviewed: August 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well, since my last submission, I've pushhed the bike even harder, crashed even harder, and generally ridden the crap outta this bike.
IT STANDS UP LIKE A QUALITY BIKE SHOULD. Even under my 195 lbs.So all I can say about the people that are having problems is,
DO A LITTLE MAINTENANCE.
It does wonders for keepinng the bike working properly. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a cross-country rider
from Banff, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 29, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Sheesh....I love all the bad reviews here from fat-boys complaining about rims or bad riders. Here's a hint boys...make a few upgrades and LEARN HOW TO RIDE. For about $1300 Canadian, this is the BEST BIKE for the money. The only other bike that comes close is the KONA Calderra. Man, Rocky makes some awesome geometry for climbing. The bike is nimble and the overall package is amazing for the money. For those of you who expect more....take out the wallets you morons. You can't expect a ROCKY Blizzard for 1300 Canadian...can you?? I give this bike two big thumbs up.... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Christian Dean
a cross-country rider
from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been riding the Hammer race for two years now. It came stock with a quad 21-R, and a combo of LX and XT parts. I originally bought it partially because I thought it to be a solid ride, partially because it was Canadian. i am now riding it because it kicks some royal boot-eh! the frame has lasted me longer than any bike, it required few upgrades, and it rides like a dream. it is a rigid enough frame to handle all tight corners, short enough rear triangle to climb like a banshee and damp enough to absorb most any jolts that the local cross-country trail can throw at me. All in all a kickin' ride. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
eric
a weekend warrior
from Vancouver, B.C.
Date Reviewed: July 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought the Hammer Race last year...boy is this bike a piece of sh**...the wheels suck, the shocks are useless & what's with the cheap yellow grips?!?! Rocky is supposed to have a reptuation for good bikes, but I was totally let down by this bike. One of my friends rides a Thin Air, now that's a great bike. Bike of the year my a$$, save this bike for girls. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe-boy
a cross-country rider
from Norwalk, CT
Date Reviewed: July 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a '96 Hammer. I recently moved to CT from Toronto. I was riding along in and around the big city. Here is the 'burbs I am closer to alot more technical stuff and better climbs. I even raced the ol steed a few weeks back.It was spec'd with LX and a Segino crank. It is true that the wheels are nasty. I just replaced my rear wheel, chain, cogs and chain rings. Not bad for a couple of years of riding.I give it two bar-ends up. I love the feel and geometry of Rocky Mountains. And I like that I don't ride a Cannondale out here in New-England. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jim gibson
a racer
from Moncton, NEW B, Can
Date Reviewed: July 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I took the advice of a friend and bought this bike. What a rip off!!!! The wheels sucked and I won't even mention that the frame tacoes as easy as a... um... taco! Well I guess I did mention it. But, as Darren Little mentions (near end of page), I got girls, and I mean lots of girls! The bike sucks, sorry guys, but Mary is nice!
ps Why don't they allow anti-stars? It deserves one | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a cross-country rider
from CANADA
Date Reviewed: July 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had my Hammer Race for about 4 months now and I am really impressed. I have gone over the bars, crashed into trees, taken some bad air, and just pounded the heck out of the bike. The bike has really stood up to the challenge and I just love how nimble it feels downhill. The only problem I have what-so-ever is with the rapid-fire shifters (Shimano DX) and it was only because the wire was routed improperly. Overall.......the bike kicks my @ss!!! Some of the best money I have ever spent!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James bond
a cross-country rider
from Vancouver Canada
Date Reviewed: June 5, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The bike Rules. You get what you buy. The wheels may be a little sketchy but overaLl the bike is a good buy. This goes out to Dave,John,Houlden, and both Daves. YOU CAN KISS MY WHITE HARRY A$$. GET OFF THE PAVEMENT AND LOSE THE TRAINING WHEELS. CANADA IS THE BOMB | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill
a cross-country rider
from
Date Reviewed: May 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Terrible wheels. The rave from Chris is self explanatory. He lives in Winnipeg, known for its cold winters but not its mountain biking trails. Therefore Chris, the next time you feel the desire to take a shot at my weight, take a good look at the paved cycling trails you ride on in Winn-i-peg and then keep your mouth shut. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a cross-country rider
from Winnipeg, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I had a Rocky Mountain a few years back. It got stolen, and I couldn't find another company I would rather see my insurance money go to. So I got a '97 Hammer. So far (two summers and a Winnipeg winter) everything is perfect. If any of the people are reading this who had a problem with the wheels, lose some f***ing weight. I ride the shit out of mine and it still runs good. Maybe the problem isn't the bike, but the chunks riding it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shawn Webster
a cross-country rider
from Castlegar, British Columbia
Date Reviewed: April 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a '96 hammer, and I love it. I haven't had any problems. The only
time my wheels came out of true was when I got a dog leash stuck between
the spokes and cassette, so I don't know what you guys are whining about. My
seatpost also bent, but that was when my dad pulled into the garage with my
bike on top of the car. I installed a Syncros seatpost, and haven't had any problems with it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason Swan
a weekend warrior
from Kitchener, Ontario
Date Reviewed: April 17, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I purchased my 97 hammer in late December and love it!! I was riding a Giant before this ride and cant beleive the way this bike likes to climb.
I do have one complaint and that is the same as everyone else..the Wheels!!After just one ride my back wheel was out of whack and both front and rear spokes were loose..not just one or two..but a whole bunch!! My were also signed by Chip..???Other than that, for the components and the frame it is a damn good bike for the money!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick Schock
a cross-country rider
from Kingston, Ontario
Date Reviewed: April 13, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought my '97 Hammer last summer. I have raced it, jumped it, ridden in snow with it and most other conditions normal to a cross-country bike. I changed very little- I swapped the GS X-rays for LX RF+, swapped on ATI grips and added bar ends. I would measure my mileage on the bike in the hundreds.
I had one problem with the bike and that was with the wheels. Within the first month or so I had the bike into the dealer twice to re-tension the wheels. Both loosened up and caused noticeable warps. If I was the guy who built the wheels I would be embarrassed(mine are signed by Chip). Since then the wheels have held up well and not come out of true.
The bike is for cross- country. Downhill it at your peril. If you feel that you have not ridden well unless you break something then you have more blood and money than brains! Maintain your equipment and buy the right bike for your kind of riding. I agree that the wheels are disappointing but a couple of truings should solve that.
Overall I really like this bike. It is so well spec'd that after nearly a year I can't think of anything I want/need to upgrade. Nice bike- for x-country riders/racers.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff King
a cross-country rider
from Vancouver Canada
Date Reviewed: April 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well, I have just one thing to say... I see that the ONLY problem that is obvious on this list is the spoke and wheel problems. $1000.00 for this bike, you get LX/XT - RaceFace - Ritchey - A great frame. If you are worried about the wheels, get yourself some new wheels. Try getting a bike of this price with these components anywhere and you won't mind paying an extra $500 bucks a year for rim replacement. A bike was made to be ridden, if you ain't bustin your bike up good on every other ride you just are not givin it all. I do have one suggestion for Rockey... Look into changing pedals to Time. Cause Damn!It is good to see how many good reviews this bike earns. Keep it going! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex W.
a racer
from ONTARIO
Date Reviewed: April 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike is great, I owe rocky a good review.I've raced it for 3 years, and have replaced most things. I really like the frame though. It was really well set up when i got it, and was a smooth ride. Last weekend i raced this bike against pro/elite adults on ti bikes. I like this frame so much that i'm going to keep this bike even when i get my torrent.Also if you do minimal cleaning and occasionally replace your cables and housings it will work great, the only two upgrades i really recomend are; a rounded profile back tire (such as a continental), and esp9's | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a racer
from Sask,Canada
Date Reviewed: March 19, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
My Hammer is a '96. The only problems that I had were one bent seatpost, another bent seatpost, a loose bottom bracket lockring , and not waiting for the '98 model year to come. My powdercoat is still intact even after a huge handlebar ding. Not that that matters, the ride is awesome! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rich
a cross-country rider
from Lambertville, NJ
Date Reviewed: March 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought my Hammer in January 98 and average about 40 miles on per week. I'm 215 lbs. and 6'4, and this bike stands up to everything I put it thru. Last weekend was a nice 6' drop into a ravine, and my wheels held up just fine. I dont know what everyone below here is talking about, other than the fact that they neglect their bikes by not checking out all the components before and after the ride. Spokes don't loosen up that fast and wheels only taco when you're squirrelly...
Other than than rhetoric, this is the best value out there for a 1k price. And you poor Canadians have to live with Shimano stuff will your brothers south of the border here get nice Race Face cranks and the like. Thanks NAFTA!! I upgraded mine with Noleen Elite forks (great for songle tracking), XRay 800 shifters, and Time ATAC carbons (best of the best). If your ever in Newtown PA stop in a see Scott Wilson @ Evolution Pro Bikes. He's great. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a weekend warrior
from Toronto
Date Reviewed: March 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Add one more vote to the these wheels are crap pile. My scrawny 145 pound
frame managed to demo the back wheel twice in about a month. And my wrecks
weren't that bad, either. Lets face it...the Hammer is a decent bike, at
a decent price, with decent components. The wheels are not decent. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill S.
a cross-country rider
from Rutland, Vermont
Date Reviewed: March 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have to agree with the anti-Hammer sentiments expressed below. The Hammer certainly goes where you point it and manouvers well on singletrack but reliability is a huge concern. I am a 180 pound rider and the wheels and spokes cause me nothing but grief. I ride hard but I'm not a maniac so I can only assume that all the positive comments made about this bike below are from calm riding candyasses who enjoy pleasurable Suday afternoon rides on railtrails with all the other yuppies. Therefore, if you want to give the Hammer rave reviews, learn how to ride like a real mountain biker first and then post your comments. And to little Tyler, when you grow up you'll understand that just because someone signs their name to a product (in this case - a wheel) that doesn't necessarily guarantee quality. It's called a marketing gimmick. Hell Tyler - you're dumber than Homer Simpson. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin Miller
a cross-country rider
from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 4, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
1996 Rocky Mountain Hammer with upgrade to Manitou 5 XC Pro fork. Good price. Canadian made! I bought this bike for my 15 year old son. His friend owns one.
My son loves it, and so do I. I started doing some cross country races because of it. It sure beats my 1992 Norco Sasquatch. I agree with many of the previous comments about the bikes VG performance. We bought it late in 1997, so I can't comment on durability. My son's friend it very hard on bikes; he has destroyed the back wheel and both tires. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rod Jones
a weekend warrior
from Aldergrove, B.C.
Date Reviewed: March 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had my 97 bike for about 4 months now and the only thing that's
happened is the rear spokes loosened up in the first 5-6 hours.Tailwind cycles in Richmond took care of me. And the bike has been great ever since. All I've added is a set of fenders,I built, and some Nite hawk lights. The bike does everthing I want it to. Now all I have to do is teach myself to release from my pedals when I throw myself on the ground.
See ya on the trails. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Schnozz
a weekend warrior
from Halifax NS
Date Reviewed: February 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
All around good bike. With regards to the Warranty claims below, Rocky Mountain expects it's dealers to do the running around for you. If you buy on of these excellent bikes...make sure the shop is just as good. I am very lucky to have a shop that stands by it's reputation. It gives awsome support, stuff like three free tune ups a year for the entire time you own the bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Sass
a cross-country rider
from Northville, Michigan
Date Reviewed: February 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Bought this bike in July of '97 so have about a half of a season on the bike. I absolutely love this bike especially for the money. I am 6'2 and weigh 215 pounds, ride pretty hard and have had no trouble with the wheels either so the gentleman below must really be animals or overly abusing. I would suggest this bike to anyone as a solid buy. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Evan
a cross-country rider
from Alberta Canada
Date Reviewed: January 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Great bike at a great price canadian made and built to be rode hard a little on the heavy side but the cromoly frame gives a softer ride than alumminum and only a bit heavier you get better components than any other bike in this price range. Got it from a great store the Bike Shop in Calgary check it out
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ryan
a cross-country rider
from manitoba, canada
Date Reviewed: October 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
industrictable, but bit of a tank. rock shocks are now bomber z-3, and i put on some victor clipless pedals. the tires are not too quality, but that is a cheap and quick fix. other than that, a great bike, i've had mine fo four years now and it is still going strong. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a
from Albany, New York
Date Reviewed: October 22, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
If you're looking for a bike where you get guarantted spoke breakage and a company that couldn't care less, buy the Hammer. I'd be willing to bet that Simon, Nathan, and Rick who rave this bike below have either been paid off by Rocky Mountain or they ride on smoooooooooth surfaces. And I just hope that when they do have their first breakdown, they're on a ROAD in the middle of nowhere and when they finally get back to civilization and call on Rocky Mountain to fix thier machine, they get the same crappy response from the dolts at Rocky Mountain - it's all your fault - our bike is perfect. This bike is junk. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a downhiller
from VT
Date Reviewed: October 21, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I looked at this bike a long time before I bought it and I liked it so I bought it. I weigh 195lbs I eat rear wheels every 2 months so I prayed that this would hold up. It was a cr-18 rim w/ brass nips. After my first run down the MTN I got to the bottom and did a 360, I tried to pedal but I couldnt so I looked at my rear wheel. I thought I might be halucinating at first, but then I snapped out of it and realized that about 15 of my 32 spokes was schredded(seriously).Rockey Mountain didnt want to do shit. So I am screwed and I still have to buy a new wheel. This was the socond short ride that I had ever taken on the bike. So please if you want this bike and you want it to be beefy replace the rear wheel. As far as the frame goes it will live forever. The -2 stars are for dissapointment. Steve | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nathan
a weekend warrior
from calgary
Date Reviewed: October 15, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Best bike I have ever owned - no break-downs or problems yet. Totally impressed. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Simon
a weekend warrior
from London, Ontario,, CANADA
Date Reviewed: October 10, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Wicked bike. Just upgraded from a 5 year old Trek 930 shx..... WOW This bike handles beautifully off-road, under wet, dry, any terrain, blah, blah, blah. I have the '97 Hammer Race, and the components are great for the price. I have had no breakdowns yet! Love the bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John E. W.
a cross-country rider
from Camrose, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 21, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Lovely bike, if I was a waif model. The spokes love to burst when you load up this overpriced citron with more than an anorexic biker. God help you, if over the summer you put on some muscle and breach the load bearing requirements. Alas if you are over 13 years old and bought this bike. Astounding how the frame has not fallen apart yet. For over $1000 I would at least expect something that can hold up my weight on pavement. Oh well, I gues I will have to get another full time job to be able to afford two new wheels this fall. God, knows, the people at Rocky Mountain, have no problem selling new wheels. They obviously thought of this when they built the bike. Their factories must be producing four wheels for every bike sold. So much for the rebate!!!!Rocky Mountain should be ashamed of themselves. HIsssssssss
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Houlden
a weekend warrior
from Prince Edward Island
Date Reviewed: September 19, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
One of the worst mistakes of my life. Wheeltech wheels (from Rocky's in-house wheel facility), with their cheap knock-off spokes guarantee breakdown on half your rides. Rocky is terrible in the customer service department which would be better referred to as the warranty denial department. I do hear that Rocky will cover the cost of parts and repairs if the Hammer spontaneously combusts while sitting in storage. You ride it once, warranty void. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
barry
a racer
from ontario
Date Reviewed: September 17, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
i love this bike, it sticks to corners like glue and is awsomn to climb and decend with, i'm a cross country racer and the only problems that i have had was the crappy lx componentry. i've upgraded the r derailer to a G.S. 7.0, and am going to get an xt casset, and m90 chain, i've also just bought syncros xlt rims to replace the crappy ritchy 440's
since rocky mountain made the frame, i give them 5 stars, but the lx doesn't get anything!
oh ya, my brakes gave out on me in a race cousing me to hit a tree, so i got some cnc machined aluminum curve brakes!, like 'em better than v brakes | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick S.
a weekend warrior
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 10, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Great bike for the price!!
Rides smooth and handles well in single track.
Suits my not so heavy body weight (155 lbs.).
Chromoly not so bone jarring as aluminum for my weight. Even though it is a hard-tail, bone jarring roots and rocks don't seem to hammer you.
Twitchy steering when you ride it really slow, with front wheel flexing sideways somewhat. Speed things up and everything is fine.
Bunny hops, front wheelies, and back wheelies are easy to do.A huge and major improvement over my low-end, no suspension bike.
Highly recommend this quality, no gimmick bike and Rocky Mountain!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Craig R.
a weekend warrior
from Seattle, Washington
Date Reviewed: August 24, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike RULES!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff Parks
a
from cross-country rider
Date Reviewed: July 7, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Great Bike handles well. But too heavy. I have found since owning this bike I'm upgrading parts to put my bike on a diet. First I started with the wheels I up graded to White Industires Hubs and mavic hoops. Next I droped the suguno crank set and went to Race face. Love the x-ray shifters. And nice touch with the xt rear derailer. I'm quite happy with this bike and will probably buy another Bike from this company in the near future. Thanks. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
LK
a weekend warrior
from Vancouver, BC
Date Reviewed: July 5, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
My 96 Hammer Race has served me well for over 1 year and 4000 trail km's. Riding lots of technical, tight singletrack (roots, rocks, logs), the Hammer performs well under most conditions. Tracks like its on rails as long as you keep the speed up. Slowing on bumpy sections can make it a bit jammy. Ramming yourself over very rooty sections will show the best qualities of the Hammer Race. The Q21R eats up the bumps and the frame keeps you straight and on track. Upgrades that I have found worthwhile are LX V brakes (stop on a dime) and a spring for the rear derailleur. Major disappointment are the wheels as I have taco'ed both of them and they never really seemed to want to stay true. All in all though this bike looks great and rides great. Whether its sliding down hill, slushing through streams and mud, or driving yourself over 2-3ft log climbs, the Hammer Race has been a joy to ride. As a converted roadie, I am fully satisfied that the Hammer Race will continue coming back for more as I improve my technical skills. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a racer
from Michigan
Date Reviewed: June 26, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This Bike kicks @$$. All who complain about it can go to hell! Though i do agree i may be on the heavy side but it's not that heavy. Throw some spin rims on it and the bikes a feather. It performs excellent. Though I hate the rapter tires they corner worth shit. But they can easily be changed. The bike is a good deal it eaven costs the same as the 96 version even though it's way better. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a weekend warrior
from Vancouver BC
Date Reviewed: June 19, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike kicks ass it's just to heavy. I like the upgrades that Rocky has put on the 97 bike I put the XT v-brakes on it and I'm kickin ass now. I love this bike it handles really well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg Suh
a racer
from Honolulu, Hawaii
Date Reviewed: June 18, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Great all around bike - fast climber, good descender, quick on singletrack. No complaints except that it's a bit on the heavy side and the Sugino cranks aren't up to par. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John MacKinnon
a weekend warrior
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 11, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I really fell in love with my 96 Hammer Race the first time I saw'er. Since last May I have flown her [in a box] to Moab, Utah and Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland. The bike performed very well on Slickrock - very responsive and even paced. I have had a few problems with my chain breaking - the first week I had the bike and then while riding Slickrock. I suspect that the frame arrived in the bikeshop a little out of shape which places unnecessary tension on the chain....as it has broken both times with little to no tension placed on it. I was riding in some stickey mud the other weekend and the chain kept jamming and kicking off - After looking at the chain I noticed that it looked worn - I only have about 500-600 km on the chain....a little premature wear in many respects. I am planning a trip to Winter Park in a few weeks and I suspect that I will need to buy a spare chain to prevent any challenges in the field. I would be interested if others have experienced problems with their chain breaking or wearing quickly.Other than the chain problem....the bike it fabulous. I like the specs on the 97 - but I wish they would have kept the same colour scheme.Good riding.... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
BeLieVer
a weekend warrior
from Marathon, ON
Date Reviewed: June 10, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Kick Ass! Great Handling! Great Components for the price, and best of all Canadian Made, (so what if I'm bias) GREAT job Rocky Mountain! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James Peterson
a weekend warrior
from St.Albert
Date Reviewed: May 18, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've never owned this bike but a good friend does. He got his in 1995 and when i last rode it rode better than my brand new Hoo Koo E Koo. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken
a weekend warrior
from Comox BC Canada
Date Reviewed: April 4, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Absolutely no question, the very best bike I've ever owned. I'm a heavy guy too
and found this bike perfect for my size, 19.5 for a 6'0 215lb. clydesdale.
I'm no pro but I do know that I am hard on bikes and this one has stood the test so far. The many upgrades that appeared on the 1997 model are for the better i.e. XT rear derailler, LX V brakes w/ Avid levers, RS Indy xc, among others. Here's the kicker, same price as the 1996 model, in an ever increasingly priced world it's nice to see some savings being passed on to the consumer. Bought at Cyledeli on Denman Island, Jon runs a small but top rate shop there.
If I had a beef it would be this, the fact that I bought it before the end of the ski season is limting my riding time but with the good weather just a few short weeks away I'm sure me and my trusty steed will often blaze many a trailkeep the rubber side down..... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Martin Chalifoux
a weekend warrior
from Vancouver, CANADA
Date Reviewed: April 1, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I got a Hammer Race '96, in May '96. Overall this is an excellent bike.
It has a good quality frame which give the bike excellent handling.
I am a fairly heavy rider and the bike can take the beating.
However I ran into a few problems. The RS Quadra 21R turns out to
require a lot of maintenance in the muddy conditions I ride in. Every 4-6
rides I have to take it apart, clean it and reassemble it. I added tie wraps to the top of the boots and made a little hole in them. This help a lot but still,
as soon as some mud gets it that's it, the fork james and needs to
be cleaned. I will beat this one for one more season and probably replace
it with something like a Bomber-Z2 next summer.
Another issue I have is play in the headset. Again, once in a
while I have to take it apart and reassemble to pack the bearings.
Finally I replaced the rear derailleur spring and added an Avid
Rollormajig to improve shifting. These two cheap upgrades indeed improved
shifting, which is now precise and quick. Overall the bike is good, but requires tweaking and maintenance to
maintain its top performance. That is probably something to be expected
when riding and the great Wet Coast.Having to buy another bike today, I would defenately look for a better quality
fork; either a Judy or a Bomber. I would also want V-brakes, which are present
on the '97 model. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael Bergob
a weekend warrior
from Comox, BC
Date Reviewed: March 20, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Just bought the Hammer (1997) and have been very impressed ... most important for me is that I have a 'bad back', am 6'3 tall and weigh about 230lbs ... my best recommedation for this bike is that on or off the road, I have not had one ache or pain from riding. The frame is responsive, the components work well together, and the bike seems very forgiving in rougher terrain. I upgraded to an RS Judy XC, Continental Comp (rear) and Leader (front), and Look SR2 (Moab) pedals that seem more appropriate to a guy my size.LIKES: overall quality, responsiveness, roominess and components. Also, company reputation and its Canadian!Dislikes: some wimpy components on a big (21) frame ... this complaint is not limited to this bike or company. Shameless promotion: Many kudos to local dealer (Black's Cycle) for no-worry upgrades and extras to suit my needs (see above).Highly recommend this bike with some changes to suit individual riders' needs and wants. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Danielsen
a racer
from Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 16, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
My bike is a stallion waiting for an adventure. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kaamil El-Rayess
a weekend warrior
from Winchester, Massachusetts, U.S.
Date Reviewed: February 27, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
An amazing ride! I'm just a beginner, but when my friend let me ride his, I felt like a pro!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kai Hofmann
a weekend warrior
from Lahnau (Germany)
Date Reviewed: January 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have upgraded my Hammer wiht a RS Judy XC, Magura Johnny T. and a XT rear derailleur. This Winter Ive added a DH bar, because I dont like a stretched positon on my bike. I had some problems with the wheels, so i took them back into the shop and after that they are ok, but not great. The Sugino crank had to be fixed a second time. Overall I like the bike very much, because it is very calm on high speed passages in the the forrest or on downhills. The hammer is a durable high speed hardtail with a well balanced geometry and good comfort in the tail. It is great combination with the Judy for my short, but sometimes radical courses, carrying a 100kg rider. The well done frame and my updates are the advantages of this bike, esp. the Maguras (first i had some XT v-breaks on it - they suck!). For more information check out my homepage at http://www.uni-giessen.de/~ged3/mtb.htm (written in german, sorry). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Geof Harries
a racer
from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 6, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
After trying out many a mid-range hardtail this spring, I bought the Hammer Race based on one main attribute. I am a top ranking sport class racer and will moving up to Expert for next season, so I wanted a bike that could be hammered (hence the name maybe?) for a season full of racing (I'm also quite big; 6'3 and 190 lbs.). The Hammer Race proved to be up to this task; the frame is light, extremely durable and stiff, yet somewhat compliant for absorbing the little bumps in the trail. Rocky Mountain spec'ed an XT front derailleur and a Control Tech stem on my bike out of the box, so already I was on my way to tricking the bike out...something that I've wanted and unfortunately, HAD to do over the summer.
The Ritchey Rock 440 rims with the 15 gauge spokes appear to great for someone that is much smaller in stature than me...not only did the wheels come out of the Wheeltech factory (Rocky's wheelbuilding centre) with several spokes loose and 2 nipples stripped, but I had brought the rim back to the shop where I had bought it after only 1 week to be trued. Furthermore, I had to have the rim completely rebuilt with new 14 gauge spokes a month later (luckily, Rocky paid for this). I've now gone to a Mavic 217 SUP UB Control with 14 gauge spokes on the rear.
Other casualties include a bent seatpost (Rocky's stock seatpost appeared to be too short), handlebar (bent this during a enduro-race and replaced it with a Race Face bar), tires (the WTB Velociraptors, although great for traction and cornering, wear out extremely fast), grips (Rocky's grips were very uncomfortable) and front shock (Rock Shox Q21R to Marzocchi XCR-2 for performance reasons...big riders watch out! The Marzocchi XCR and XC700 fork legs flex quite a bit and cause the brake pads to rub on your rims when you stand up and crank on the bars).
The geometry of the Hammer Race is slackened slightly compared to Rocky's higher end steel frames, such as the Blizzard and Altitude T.O. Although still steep enough to be quick in the singletrack, the Hammer Race needs to be really powered into turns in order to keep up to more steeply-angled bikes. At speed, and especially in long downhills, the Hammer Race is very comfortable. This is the key to singletrack riding on this bike: go fast. The bike will respond to your body language very quickly if you keep it at around 15-18 km/h on average.
The Hammer Race also climbs very well both in the saddle and out; just hunker down on the bar-ends and the bike will just 'scoot' forward underneath you. This is the stiffness I have talked about earlier.
In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend the Rocky Mountain Hammer Race to Sport class racers and people who ride a lot of buffed and quick singletrack with long climbs and descents. If you want to ride at a higher competitive level, and especially if you are of large stature, be prepared to upgrade some of the components as you go along...it will happen.
I give the Rocky Mountain Hammer Race...
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Darren Little
a weekend warrior
from Calgary Alberta Canada
Date Reviewed: August 20, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
This is the best bike ever! Rated best bike in Mountain Bike
Magazine for 1996, it offers all the best stuff you could ever want in a
bike. It has primarily LX and XT components, clipless pedals and a 21R
upfront which makes this a very sweet package. I suggest buying this
bike to impress girls. | | Overall Rating: |
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