Bike Reviews

Specialized's Rockhopper is the cornerstone of the company's hardtail wall, and after 20 years of existence it has become one of the most trusted entry-level mountain bikes available. Much of that success comes from the beauty of the M4 alloy frame, acknowledged as one of the best--designed, best-handling hardtail frames around. In fact, this frame shares many traits with the illustrious S-Works M5 hardtail, a championship thoroughbred with a collection of palmares on the pro circuit. Most impressive is the bike's confident poise in dark, tortuous singletrack, the kind of stuff that brings newbies back for more.

Once a rider adopts the coolness to explore deeper into the unknown, it's imperative that a quality frame have some good parts to back up that courage. In this case the Rockhopper Comp has a fine set of Specialized Fast Track Control tires that hold a line and grip the trail with solid traction. Next up are the reliable X.7 and X.5 shift bits from SRAM, key components to overall rider satisfaction thanks to the ability to click off gears quickly and reliably even in awkward moments of forced shifts under drivetrain stress.

The RockShox Recon Race S Lite and the Avid Juicy 3 brakes work fine, but as a new rider's skills and speed increase, the fork's basic coil-spring performance and the brake's dead-at-the-lever feel might give a newbie the itch for an upgrade. Other than those two small nitpicks, the Rockhopper Comp Disc is a winning choice and proof that good things do pass the test of time.

BUY IT IF: You want a great all-around bike that's also available with 29-inch wheels

FORGET IT IF: You have a few years of riding under your belt