Submitted by
william
a Weekend Warrior
from westerville Date Reviewed: February 19, 2005
Favorite Trail:
vultures nob
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
from a friend for rent $$$$
Strengths:
cheap even when new. frame is indestructable, strong cranks, good headset, fork is durable,
Weaknesses:
bottom bracket is junk, replace w/ shimano, brake aren't that strong,shifters need constant adjustment, lil on the hevey side
Similar Products Used:
trek 6500
Bike Setup:
stock cept for the shimano bb and suntour rear rim.
Bottom Line:
Not a bad beginers bike. i beat the everloving crap out of it and still it came back for more. then the derailer got caught in the spokes of the rear rim, that stopped it. but otherwise its been a good bike to me. I rode it hard and put it away wet everytime and everytime it came back for more. oh yea i got rid of those half pipe shifters and out some 3.0 shorties on it. best thing i ever did.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jere
a
from Ontario Date Reviewed: July 8, 2004
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$350.00
Strengths:
strong frame consistant with all models of the hardrock fork is cheap but has taken the biggest beating ever, from 4 foot concrete to concrete drops to racing rock gardens
Weaknesses:
shifters seat post pretty much everything
Bike Setup:
replaced derailer twice replaced seat post twice new shifters (changed bike components from sram to shimano)
Bottom Line:
Whoever recommends this bike for beginners is insulting any beginner mtbers, i was a beginner when i got it, after one year of riding this bike will do you no good, none of its parts can withstand a feather touch. the seat post stripped to being smooth like a babys bottom way too easily, the shifters disable any bunny hopping(because they take up 3/4 of the grip so an attemp at bunny hopping shifts gears) unless you invest in clipless pedals but as a beginner who would do that,
if you are just starting out, i suggest you con your parents for whatever you can get out of them, and go for a better(more expensive) bike, i suggest stay away from specialised, unless your parents are awesome and they buy you an epic
buy this bike if you are a granny who will use it once a year to pedal across some freshly paved road
dont buy this bike if you see yourself getting at all involved in mountain biking, if you buy it keep off the trails at the risk of breaking something... buying this bike is like being the guy who buys the kia rio with an auto transmission trying to be a racer.. you will embarass yourself when you look cheap and then your car brakes before you get moving..
STAY AWAY FROM THIS BIKE
value rating is 1 because sure its cheap but value and cheat arent the same thing, you getno value for your money here
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Submitted by
Ben
a Racer
from KS,USA Date Reviewed: March 11, 2004
Favorite Trail:
9mile off road trail/by kansas river
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Play it against sports/used
Strengths:
Great frame,Amazing Seat,Very Very good break pads, Very stylein bike
Weaknesses:
Has been in the shop more time then i can count, had to replace back tire because the rear shifter rubed against the spokes and toor out over 15, replaces grip shift,this bike really really likes the shop, I have spent more on this bike fixing it the bike origanally costs.
Similar Products Used:
Rock Hopper(better bike)
Bike Setup:
2001 frame and new 2003 gripshift
Bottom Line:
This bike is a great buy if you can fix bikes, or if you are not a heavy bike rider. If you want a really good bike buy a rockhopper, (i'm buying a new bike myself)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
snake
a Racer
from Alabama Date Reviewed: January 10, 2002
Favorite Trail:
oak mtn or cheaha
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$390.00
Purchased At:
Bike Link
Strengths:
frame,seat,specialized cranks are strong
Weaknesses:
basically the entire drivetrain. the shifters broke right when i got the bike.bottom bracket is plastic!
Similar Products Used:
many demo'ed none purchased. had pacific full suspenion
Bike Setup:
all LX and XT drivetrain in cluding cranks.Titec stem seatpost and bar. cane creek headset. 01 Judy Race
Bottom Line:
i replaced everything on this bike all the way down to the brakes. it has a very strong frame! a bit heavy but very worthy of upgrades.over all it is a great bike for the money. Specialized is the best
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Derek
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, IL Date Reviewed: November 7, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Palos
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
village cycle
Strengths:
FRAME! light, strong for the price. Has survived several trail crashes and a Range Rover. The frame feels good on & off trail. Good price for what the whole package offers--a beginners bike that is easily upgraded.
Weaknesses:
Componentry sucks. You're paying for a great, upgradable hardtail frame. Rims, drivetrain, BOTTOM BRACKET IS MADE OF PLASITC--I'M NOT KIDDING--I had to replace it after 2 months of very light riding. SR Suntour forks sqeak, weigh a ton and don't do much off-road...no matter how much you adjust them.
Similar Products Used:
I raced BMX back in the day (a Mongoose Proclass--yes I'm old). This is my first foray into MTB.
Bike Setup:
Stock except for Truvative Firex cranks w/ISIS bb, a cheap weinmann rear rim, Ritchey Comp pedals, zero degree rise Ritchey Pro stem
Bottom Line:
Don't get me wrong-I LOVE my bike. It was a great purchase for what I needed at the time. I am, however, realizing that this thing needs A LOT of upgrading if I am to continue riding it the way I am. It's a great, cheap bike for those who want to get off-road four or five times a year, but they've really skimped on a few things, namely the drive train (7 spd SRAM) and the BOTTOM BRACKET. I don't know how common it is to put bb's THAT crappy on an entry level bike, but for safety's sake I'd replace it BEFORE you go anywhere near a trail, curb, or small bump in the road. But the frame is great, and upgrading is part of the fun for me. Now if I can just break those SR Suntour forks...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stinky
a Weekend Warrior
from MA Date Reviewed: September 23, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$320.00
Purchased At:
Casters
Strengths:
Name,Price,Performance,Frame. I like SRAM Gripshift, so this is a plus for me. The only forks I ever had were rigid, so I'm not picky with the suspension.
Weaknesses:
None to date. Tires would be the closest, but I'll have to change them anyway.
Similar Products Used:
Schwinn, Giant, Trek
Bike Setup:
2001 stock
Bottom Line:
Great bike for the price. I have been riding it fairly hard for 3 months now with no problems. Hardpack, sand, mud, rock, gravel, pavement, <=3ft drops, it seems to take it all. As with anything, keep it clean and take care of it and it will do the same for you. As other reviewers have stated, it is very easy to upgrade this frame, should you require it. This makes it great for first time mtb buyer, like me, who won't be driving it into the ground week after week. As skills and desires increase, you can make this one heck of a bike with a few upgrades. For now, this set-up is fine. I was formerly a roadie and thought I would never like a mountain bike. The Hardrock has changed my mind and I now love to tear it up. See you on the trails...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joel Loureiro
a Weekend Warrior
from Portugal Date Reviewed: September 19, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$420.00
Purchased At:
Ribabike
Strengths:
Frame stiffness, incredible for the price, you can really get hard on it, and it will ask for more !!! The alex rimms are fine, they really surprised me. The tires are ok. The saddle is really good.
Weaknesses:
The front and rear derrailleurs are too slow and the suntour fork have no damping at all, just great for small bumps
Similar Products Used:
Scott tampico
Bike Setup:
I'm gonna replace the suntour for a RS Judy TT, the derrailleurs and the shiftlevers too.
Bottom Line:
Miracles still happens !!! Mike Sinyard you're a genius !!! Thanks a lot... Now seriously the great deal on this bike is the relation between the price and the quality of the frame. The rest of the componentry can be easily replacable. What I'm trying to say is that you can transform this affordable machine into a serial killer!!! I just love it!!! If this bike is so good, just imagine the S-works series...Some day I'm gonna have one...That's a promise Sinyard !!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
S Roberts
a Weekend Warrior
from Wilmington Date Reviewed: August 27, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Fair HIll, MD
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$330.00
Purchased At:
Wooden Wheels
Strengths:
Great Aluminum Frame. Can really take a beating!
Weaknesses:
Shifters have broke on me twice. Stock front suspension is not that good. (Suntour)
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Upgraded forks with a Rock Shox Judy XC.
Bottom Line:
A great frame for the price. Upgrade the suspension and you'll be in buisness. This thing can take a beating!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kyle Crutchfield
a
from Daphne, AL USA Date Reviewed: August 16, 2001
Favorite Trail:
University Trail system in Mobile
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$359.00
Purchased At:
Eastern Shore Schwinn
Strengths:
The fact that it's a Specialized to start.The frame obviously is the best part of the bike.all you would ever need in a hardtail frame. If you upgrade the shocks and the gears, then you have a pretty hardcore bike.
Weaknesses:
No real weaknesses. The gears should be replaced if you ride hard.same with the shocks. For normal use they are perfect.plastic rear derailuer...whats up with that?
Similar Products Used:
Trek 4500, gary fischer mamba,roadmaster mt.storm(just kidding)
Bike Setup:
stock except for rock shox and shimano alivios
Bottom Line:
Best possible bike available for the price!Before you get a trek or gary fischer or some walmart crap, check out the king of the midpriced bikes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Janean
a Weekend Warrior
from The Woodlands Date Reviewed: August 10, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
Champions Cyclery
Strengths:
Good Aluminum frame, nice (low end) Suntour suspension fork. Good drivetrain once the bike shop took that SRAM crap off and replaced it with Alivio.
Nice looking black Specialized brand cranks.
Weaknesses:
For the $280 price tag not much wrong-once the SRAM drivetrain was replaced.
Similar Products Used:
fischer, cannondale, schwinn, etc...
Bike Setup:
stock, except a free drivetrain replacement from SRAM to Shimano Alivio.
Bottom Line:
A great starters bike that will last a long time. While the frame is far from the M4 Stumpjumper it provides a solid ride with great geometry and the components can be upgraded to accomodate better riding skills.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
donnie K
a Weekend Warrior
from chelmsford, mass Date Reviewed: August 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
the river
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
goodalls
Strengths:
good solid frame,good stemm and handlebars good shifters derailers and crank.
Weaknesses:
shocks,rims,shifters,tires all suck !!!
Similar Products Used:
diamondback sorrento se
Bike Setup:
bomber shocks rapid fire shifters everything else is the normal stuffthat was there before
Bottom Line:
its an ok bie 4 the money
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
micah klinger
a Cross Country Rider
from harrisburg pa usa Date Reviewed: July 5, 2001
Favorite Trail:
deer path
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$315.00
Purchased At:
wildware
Strengths:
great frame okay suspension basically everything but all the sram 4.0 crap
Weaknesses:
as soon as u get this bike up grade the shifters and derailers they suck. they take ten seconds to shift up or down one gear and its so loud someone could here it a mile away.
Similar Products Used:
i cant even began to say theres been so many demos i went to
Bike Setup:
lite weight specialized aluminum frame sun tour m7700 front suspension crappy sram 4.0 shifting and derailers alex rims
Bottom Line:
perfect bike for people on a budget works great accept for shifting wich u can upgrade i suggest that anyone that wants a bike for under $500 bucks get this its awsome
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jerry
a Weekend Warrior
from SE Michigan Date Reviewed: July 2, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Island Lake
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$330.00
Purchased At:
Fraser Schwinn
Strengths:
Strong/light Aluminum Frame, excellent & comfortable saddle, Stiff front fork absorbs most pounding Black/Blue/Silver finish is great looking!
Weaknesses:
Front derailleur needed several adjustments in first month on my bike, son's is A-OK so far
Similar Products Used:
Trek 820, Schwinn Frontier, Mongoose P.O.S.
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
After my 10 year old trashed his second el-cheapo bike in a month, we decided to go a real bike shop and not continue wasting money on the Walmart-level junk. My son was drawn to the HardRock in the Blue/Black color scheme and I talked with another customer at the shop while he testdrove the bike, and he was very positive on his experience with an older HardRock CroMo model he had in for a checkup. We bought the bike for the my son, and one for myself after deciding that the Specialized had the best combination of quality and features for the price (all other bikes in this pricerange I saw had steel frames, and the aluminum frame of the A1 felt like it had half the weight). I've since ridden this bike nearly every day after work and started weekend off-road trailing. It took a few days to get used to the saddle, but it is very comfortable now (or maybe my rear is just numb enough not to notice). For a rider who hasn't ridden a bike since college 20 years ago, it's definitely different and a lot better than my old Schwinn Le Tour III 10-speed. My son rides his down dirt and rock hills several hours a day, and says this bike is the best he's ridden (several of his friends have Treks and Schwinns, plus a few ride Huffys, Mongoose or Magna cheapos). I had some problems with my front SRAM shifter not changing sprockets, but several free adjustments by the bike shop later, all is well. Check your shop's service policies : the shop we bought our bikes from has a free lifetime checkups that would have cost me at least $75 at another local shop to fix!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jimmy
a Racer
from USA Date Reviewed: June 25, 2001
Favorite Trail:
offroad city jumps
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$389.00
Purchased At:
cycle extreme
Strengths:
Very strong bike with a good frame. Aluminum frame is awesome and used for some of the more expensive models. Great front suspension for bumps and small jumps.
Weaknesses:
could add on a little bit more upgrading parts. The fork is basically the only thing u need to upgrade.
Similar Products Used:
Kona Hahanna, Gary Fisher Mamba,
Bottom Line:
This bike is great for beginners and those who want a long term bike that will last you for years. IT's one of the better buys, especially when i got a lifetime warranty on the frame.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jake
a Cross Country Rider
from Talladega,Alabama Date Reviewed: June 15, 2001
Favorite Trail:
oak mountain loop
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$395.00
Purchased At:
bike link of inverness
Strengths:
everything!! frame is great real strong and quick great components
Weaknesses:
fork!! does ok on drops up to 3 foot.cheap specialized cranks are heavy!!
Similar Products Used:
trek 820,cannondale m300,specialized sport
Bike Setup:
rockshox judy xc,bontrager revolt semi slicks,specialized dirt rodz bar ends,alivio 8 speed shifters and derailurs.
Bottom Line:
cant beat a specialized!great company and very strong bike i ride very hard and it hasnt gave me any trouble.ive won 4 races w/ this bikebut i only weigh 125 pounds and im 14.very easily upgraded to a 500 dollar bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan
a Weekend Warrior
from Abingdon, Virginia, USA Date Reviewed: June 2, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Seneca Creek State Park-Gathersburg Maryland---And the Iron Mountain Trail, Southwest VA
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Mountain Sports Ltd.
Strengths:
You could throw this bad boy up against a brick wall and the worst you would have to do is put your chain back on.
Weaknesses:
the fork isn't the best, but great for beginers, and easily upgradable
Similar Products Used:
Trek 4300, Trek 820, and some Univega bike (it sucked!)
Awesome bike, when needed can be upgraded very easily to optimize performance, last a lifetime, my dad has a 1990 Rockhopper and its still alive and Kickin on the trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Morris
a Weekend Warrior
from Richmond Date Reviewed: May 22, 2001
Favorite Trail:
All
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$330.00
Purchased At:
Agee's
Strengths:
Everything! The components are outstnading and really take a beating! For the price, you can't beat this bike. Great for a starter and easy to upgrade.
Weaknesses:
Haven't found any yet but I am still riding it hard.
Similar Products Used:
Trek and Schwinn equal.
Bike Setup:
Everything is stock.
Bottom Line:
If you are looking for a bike to get you started in the sport or even if you have been riding for awhile and are on a budget, you really can't beat the price and quality of this great bike. This is my first Specialized bike. I have a Schwinn I use on the road but I am impressed. I am sure to have a long useful life from this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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