Hello

I have been riding my MTB for 2.5 years now. I have a Rockhopper. I've had disk breaks put on. REplaced seat, replaced cranks and bottom brcaket, new tyres and fully serviced it.

I ride in the week at night and at the weekend in Essex (Danbury, Thorndon, Epping). I've been to Wales the last 2 summers too.

But do I need a new bike ? Everyone I ride with has slowly upgraded their starter bikes and now riding posher steel hardtails, carbon fibre Scott's and full sussers. Maybe I need to. But.. will it really make my riding better (better as in faster, maybe easier and more fun).

I can keep up with most of my mates. The Rockhopper feels good. But ???

Any thoughts ?

you must buy a carbanium, 32" wheeled, 12" travel, multi platformed, all suspension bike to enter the arms race

You do not need a new bike.

If you do not have the money, forget the idea. If you do have the money put it towards a holiday with your bike, or save it for spares or something.

The lust for things sullys the love of living. 🙂

Start – Do you want a new bike? Yes – go to 1; No Goto 2.
1. Do you have the money to buy the bike you REALLY want? Yes- 3 No – 2
2. Dont buy a new bike
3. Buy a new bike

🙂

Edit: also don't feel presurised in getting a new bike – if your tailing behind on your HT and others on FS are streets ahead then maybe but sounds like some are also on HT's as well. So if you enjoy your Rockhopper (had mine for about 12 years until I got an FSR as no fit for disc brakes) then don't bother.

why buy a new bike? just get better and better on your rockhopper. I love mine.

Ok. but..

Will spending a grand on a new hard-tail make me faster ?

Will a 'better' bike be better than my Rockhopper ?

Does my head. I buy the mtb mags, go online and read all things mtb and a lot of time all everyone goes on about kit; this seat post is better than this seat post etc. But really ?

I had a rockhopper absolutaley loved it.

FS just makes things more comfy.

Just upgrade the tyres and brakes. The juicy 3's i had on mine were ok, but not great.

Keep it, as well as the smug feeling you can have when you fly past past someone on a more expensive one.

Don't buy a new bike. As Big Dummy says, saving for a bike holiday will be much better. You'll get new skills, new experiences and have a great laugh. The bike really doesn't matter once you have a reasonably solid bike. Your Rockhopper is a good solid bike by the sounds of it, so keep it.

What's your actual budget?
I mean if you can't actually swing double what you spent on the Rockhopper in the first place will a new bike really be that much "better"?
Why not stick with what you already have? it's not a bad bike…

If you like the bike and are happy with the frame why not look at what further upgrades you can make…

Lighter/stronger wheels, Fancier forks, snappier shifting drive train, bit of weight saving finishing kit…

Maybe just spend some money on new riding clothes/kit (it can make as bi a difference) and a bit of tutoring…

Having said all that nothing is quite as nice as getting a whole shiney new toy…

No, You do not *need* a new bike, don't buy a new bike unless you really *want* to.

Anyway there is a certain perverse pleasure to be had in being just as fast or quicker than all your mates while riding shonky/old/inappropriate bicycles anyway….

I buy bikes because I love bikes and want to try different designs or builds, but never let yourself get under the marketing spell that you *need* a new bike. The only time you really need a new one is when your old one has either been stolen or snapped into a bajillion pieces.

just my 2p worth…
Matt

I still miss my stumpy and your rocker hopper is as good as it ever was. Specialized make excellent bikes.

If you have money buring a hole in your pocket then get what the hell you want but if not you've nothing to worry about!

if you're still having fun on your bike, then you don't need to get a new one. If your riding style changes (i.e. light XC to DH), then a bike change may be a good idea just to save destroying your rockhopper.

rockhoppers are still awesome

Ok. (for now at least) I am NOT going to get a new bike.

My current Cycle To Work scheme has ended (a road bike) and it was kinda 'burning a hole in my pocket'.

Thanks

tobyho… I am local to you, no you dont need a tricker bike, no it wont make you faster, for most of Essex stuff a hardtail is fine, but get to Wales and trailcentres, and though it all fun on a hardtail I find it more fun and faster on a full sus. I rekon you need a 2nd bike.

You will be hard pushed to get any real benefit from another hardtail frame, maybe you could save a tiny bit of weight, maybe you could get somthing racier, or more heavy duty but what you have is bang on the money for just plain old going riding…

Now what you could do is buy a really nice light set of wheels, that you will notice a lot, leaving you with a spare set, new bike builds have started with a lot less than a set if wheels 🙂

Wise decision.
Learn to ride the rockhopper (which is a damn good frame anyway) properly first, then upgrade once the bike is the only thing that is holding you back, or as said above, your riding style changes (eg. you get into a bit of dh and jumping etc).
Oh and don't bother reading any magazines, put the money you've saved not buying them towards your new bike when you do upgrade 😉

why is faster always assumed to be better ?
the rockhopper rules…..ride it a lot !

The lust for things sullys the love of living.

I disagree: Surely it is the lust for new things, new experiences that spurs us on.

Will a new bike make you better? Only if it inspires you to ride more.

ive had an array of expensive and inexpensive bikes, but always find myself going back to Rockhoppers though, there tough and do the job they need to. easy to upgrade too!!

As I have been writing this thread me and my mates have decided this morning that we are going to Coed and not Afan in June. I rode the Rockhopper in Coed two years ago. It was ok (just about). But like Tinsy says I could do with a FS for Wales. But I'm not going to buy one just for my annual trip to Wales.

Therefore, has anyone ever hired a FS for use at a trail centre like Coed ?

(maybe I should have started a new thread..)

Don't do it. This whole notion that you 'need' FS for the Alps or Wales or Scotland or the Moon or wherever is a fallacy. It may be faster. It may be a bit more comfortable. But neither of those is good in and of itself. You're not racing, and I suppose you're fit and young enough that you can come with a battering.

To paraphrase the surfers.. the best rider is the one having the most fun. Just ride, just ride, just ride…

mansonsoul is right really…

tobyho, I wouldnt want to hire a bike, the Rockhopper wil be fine and you know the bike and that will counter any improvement the hire might have.. Did you do the MSG local race series?

You don't 'need' a full sus for any trail centre in wales…

You dont "need it" but its nice… 🙂

Ok. This is great. I wont hire a FS for Wales. You're right I'm wating my time learning to ride a new bike for 2 days; I'm better off on the Rockhopper.

And yes Tinsy I did the MSG race at Danbury.. Only the 1 hour. I came 4th in the 40+ cat on the Rockhopper. And that was fun, cos I am a big bloke but I can ride.. I sailed past numerous skinny blokes on their much posher bikes.

I sailed past numerous skinny blokes on their much posher bikes

😉

Did they eat your dust? 🙂

I've got a Rockhopper, I bought it because I could upgrade it. The frame assuming it's the M4 frame is a brilliant frame. Its trickle down frame so the 2008-9 frame is same(ish) frame as a 2006-7 S-Works & Stumpy frames.

My Rockhopper has done many a lap of C-y-B, (Beast, Dragon's Back) take the bike you've got and MTFU!

Good series wasnt it, I did all 3 had ridden danbury a few times but never over that part, was an OK course… I wont mention placings in case of ridicule!!!

But safe to say lots of skinny posh bike riders ate my dust!! 🙂

The next 2 courses were way better for the more technical riders…

If finances allow, having both a Hard-tail & a Full-suss is a good thing. But, Don't sell the Rockhopper to finance your Full-suss purchase.

I was in a similar position having a Rockhopper ( bought it around the 2005 mark when they went to hydroformed tubes). Annoying little voice in the back of my head kept whispering " need FS….Need FS"
Bought a 2007 Stumpy, but kept the Rockhopper.

I use both equally & wouldn't like to be without either.

Chris

Spot the difference

2005 S-Works

2009 RockHopper

Now I'm betting if yours had the S-Works stickers on it, this thread wouldn't exist? 😉

the biggest problem with hiring a FS for a short trip (weekend?) is that you will not be used to it. In my experience this will not be a good thing. I don't know where this thing about a FS being a requirement or even a significant advantage in Welsh trail centres comes from… in my experience, again, I don't believe they are. Not much more to add to above advice but, depending on your set up for Essex riding (handbrake turns in pub carparks? 😉 ) maybe get some fatter rubber for Wales? 2.1 Nevegals or similar, don't go mental now.

no, keep it rockhoppers are great. 😀

Just resurrecting this thread as I have now just returned from North Wales from a weekend riding my Rockhopper in Coed Y Brenin (Dragons Back and the Coch) and Langdegla (Red twice) – the Rockhopper was fine.

I don't need a FS. My hard tail rode it well. No one overtook me and I rode it all pretty damn hard. Hard tails are cool aren't they ?

We have a Rockhopper (Mrs Matt's) 2008 disk and a 2007 Stumpjumper Comp hardtail that's had over a grand spent on it.

The Stumpy is lighter, more agile and responsive but is it over three times better than the Rockhopper? No way.

Glad the ride was good. I've also yet to "get" FS bikes.

desire, its great…

When my bike was in the menders last week, I took my wifes 1993 Rockhopper out for a ride. Okay it was a bit bumpy and the brakes were terrible (the rubber blocks had gone hard) but I was there on all the ascents and trails with all the £2k bikes!

It depends what you intend to ride. I wouldn't dream of doing DH on my Rockhopper, but my Enduro (04) is perfect for it.

no.

and yes.

(says a man with … 6 bikes, but i have most fun on the £200 bmx)

but certainly; borrow bikes, test bikes, change your stem for a longer/shorter one, try wider/narrower bars, flat pedals, clip-in pedals, big tyres at 25 psi, skinny tyres at 50psi, heavy wheels, lightweight wheels.

try stuff, it's just as much fun as buying a new bike.

(get a £200 bmx though, they're ace and will teach you heaps)

just upgrade the bits as yo u want/can afford, and once they are all upgraded, upgrade them again, because you can. (remember, the frame is only another component)

I can go one better, I bought a s/h £150 bmx 🙂
I have a friend in a similar quandry, after riding a lot locally and dalby a few times on his dirty jo, now apparently he 'needs' a fs before going back to dalby again, hence our upcoming trip is off.
I think just separate need from want in your head, and you'll be reet.