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Specialized Rockhopper Review
Specialized has a bunch of different models in the Specialized Rockhopper line, and they all have one great feature – a wonderful frame design. It has only basic levels of damping, but has enough flex to maintain comfort throughout the ride.
It is made out of aluminum and has variable thicknesses along the tube to support different levels of stiffness in the different parts as needed. A tapered head tube is a great addition as well, primarily because a lot of people (us included) would love to swap out the Suntour XCM fork at the front.
While it isn’t a bad bit of gear on the bike, it doesn’t do its job well because of the lack of manual adjusters and controls for the rebound and damping, leading to the bike’s performance being deplorable on rougher trails. On the smoother ones though, the frame leads to the ride being absolutely marvelous, with a lot of precision available.
+Pros:
- Perfect for upgrades over time
- Insanely good frame
- Quick wheels and tires
- Tough and versatile
-Cons:
- The fork leads to a lot of thrashing on rough trails
The Verdict
A budget trail bike that can exceed your expectations as long as you stick to the trails that it was made for – this one is going to be your standard for a few years at least.
One thing we really loved about this machine was its frame – the thing shone even when the other components threatened to bring it down. We would recommend this to any beginner in the MTB or XC scene.
