1992 Specialized Rockhopper

So I was recently given a 1992 Specialized Rockhopper from a good friend I met over at MTBR.com. This bike may be old and not worth reviewing. However it rides great and I wanted to share my thoughts on how it handles the trail. I am very grateful for this bike, and have taken it on plenty of rides.

A special thank you to my friends over at MTBR for this gift. Thank you!

• Frame & Fork – CroMoly frame, CroMoly Direct Drive ridged fork
• Brakeset – Shimano cantilever
• Shifters – SRAM Gripshift
• Front Derailleur – Shimano Exage 400 LX
• Rear Derailleur – Shimano Exage 400 LX
• Crankset – Shimano Exage 400 LX Biospace
• Pedals – Generic
• Bottom Bracket – Shimano sealed bearing (Square Taper)
• Rear Cogs – Shimano 7 speed cassette
• Chain – Shimano HG
• Seatpost – Generic
• Saddle – Specialized
• Handlebar – Bontrager
• Stem – Generic
• Headset – 1″ Threaded
• Hubs – Shimano Exage
• Rims – Specialized
• Tires – Panaracer Smoke

I have forgotten how it feels to ride a cromoly frame. Riding on aluminum over the last decade or so has made me forget how light cromoly rides and how fun a lighter bike can be. I’m also riding without a suspension fork. I feel it is making me a better rider as with my weight all the forks I owned never worked as they should. Besides simplicity is best. Here’s a few thoughts about the bike:

Cockpit:

I must say this bike is very old school. I thought at first it would not suit me to ride old school. I was so very wrong. Old school seems to suit me much better than some of the new school bikes I have ridden. The cockpit consists of Grip Shift shifters, and Shimano brake levers. The front brake cable runs through the stem. The guy that tuned up my bike before giving it to be included a riser bar. I never have been a really big fan of cantilever brakes. These ones work really well. The shifters work as they should, nice loud clicks when switching gears. I must also point out that this bike is one of the few that I have owned where the front shifting is spot on and painless. The only thing I wish I had was a shorter stem.

Fork:

What can I can about the fork? It is a rigid front fork. It handles the trail well and it very stiff. It actually brings back memories of some of the old bike I have ridden that had the same type of fork. Stiff, light, and simple to use.

Drivetrain:

To be honest I had never heard of Shimano Exage 400 LX components until I seen them on this bike. I have seen other older Shimano components. This drivetrain just rocks. The shifting is spot on. I never find myself trimming the from derailleur just to get it to shift, it just shifts perfectly every time. The rear derailleur shifts as it should and keeps the chain tensioned. The crank has Biospace chainrings. I am not sure what the big deal was about the rings. They pedal well and shift well. Not bad for twenty year old components.

Brakes:

Shimano centerpull cantilever brakes. Not as powerful as V brakes or disc, yet they  do work very well. At first I had little faith in these stoppers. After running down a fire road on a local trail I have more faith in these brakes. They squeal a bit every now and then. Overall they perform well, they stop me when I need to stop and slow me down when I need to trim speed.

Rims, Tires:

The rims on this bike were made by Specialized. The hubs are Shimano Exage hubs. I’ve ridden the bike pretty hard and the rims are staying true. Really impressive considering I’m a Clydesdale. I’m running Panaracer tires front and read. The front is a bit bigger then the rear at 2 inches wide while the rear is 1.8 inches wide. I haven’t lost any traction while climbing, they do very well off road and while riding the street.

Final Thoughts:

This is an awesome bike. Nice and light, it glides over the trails. It is a thrill to ride and has brought the joy back to riding for me. I am very grateful to those who gave me the bike. Here’s to many more long days out on the trail. Thank you!!

UPDATE: Sadly this bike was stolen recently. The loss of the bike has been tough to deal with. Hopefully the bike will be recovered.