Specialized Rockhopper or Orange P7 ?
JCJC
Posts: 162
Hi - I am looking for a new bike around £800. Any recommendations (like one of the above, or anything else)?
Cheers !
Cheers !
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Comments
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Hmm, I see many people have asked similar questions, so maybe I will rephrase it:
Has anyone got any thoughts on the Orange P7 (S)0 -
going by your thread title:
Specialized Rockhopper or Orange P7 ?
definitely the orange! lovely bike. i'd very happily buy one0 -
Have a look at some of the bikes @ Merlin : http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=category&categoryId=6
Lots of folks rave about the Malt 4 & the Rock Lobsters
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Two different bikes really: one is a long, slack steel frame, the other a tighter, stiffer and shorter handling beastie. Test them ;-)0
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The rockhopper by far is the better bike i have had both so can speak from experiance!"
Go and buy the pro-disc (rrp around £900) well worth its value and ready to race provern technology tht is all set to go and enjoy 10/10 deffo !!!G H ALLUM0 -
Thanks all. Although some are saying Orange and some Spec ! I am 5'9, 78kg and will ride to work and then throw it down the steepest stuff I can find (I used to live in Switzerland but dont have the same terrain here in Dorset ! ). Also plan to do a 64mile cycle around the Isle of Wight in June.
Q for Supersonic - which is which (long slack, tight stiff) ?0 -
Orange is the slack, long steel frame (clue: steel, the spec is alu)0
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If you're looking to be a hoolagan in the descents I'd say go for the Orange, the slack head angle and longer travel will be more confidence inspiring and the steel frame will be more forgiving.
The Rockhopper is a great allround trail bike but I reckon the Orange will thrash it in the descents. For another £150 Orange will chuck a Fox Vanilla 140 on there which will sort the weight out too (not that the weight notices when riding)!!0 -
Apologies for newbie question, but what difference does that make and is either better ? I suspect alu is lighter ?0
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Alu is a lighter but weaker so you have to have bigger tubes (often cancels the benefits out although generally alu is lighter still). Alu is stiffer, more responsive to power delivery but less forgiving over bumps.
Steel was the only thing many years ago, it fell out of favor due to big flash Alu bikes that came about. Now Steel is cool again but it's not just a fad. A decent steel frame has a real nice feel, anyone that owned a quality Tange Prestige, Renyolds or similar frame back in the '90s will know what I'm on about!
Have you read the recent Bike Radar P7 review??? They loved it!0 -
To further the illustrate the P7s superiority going down the big stuff - the nice 185mm rotor will beef the Orange's brakes up significantly over the 'hopper's...0
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P7! I've got one and I love it. Both bikes were on my list and I tried both. The hopper is lighter but much stiffer and I just didn't feel comfy on it. The P7 is steel, though for steel read steel alloy, and heavier but it flexes a little more and seems more controllable in the rough stuff. BUT I'd ride both and find out for yourself. Just as a small point, I went on a demo day last year. Specialized 'crew' were quite slapdash in their approach to bike set up before you try. Giant were also there and were fantastic. They weighed you and then set up shocks accordingly. Guess which bike I prefered? Specialized felt slppy and bouncy, Giant felt taut and fast. So when you try a bike ask them to set it up for YOU!0
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A note on the Orange. In this months (i think) WhatMTB, the P7 came bottom in a review due to a design fault/manufacturing flaw with the rear sliding dropout thingy (cos the p7 can be singlespeed). Their one busted leaving not much holding the rear wheel on anymore. This may well have been a one off, but is a little concerning.
It's odd because the P7 usually romps home with the top spot. Did anyone else read that or is it one of those things i dreamt and believe is real, i always seem to do that.
Brighty0 -
Both good bikes, both quite different.
I'd go for the Orange every time, if I had to pick. Seems much more of an all-round bike.0 -
Both good bikes, both quite different.
I'd go for the Orange every time, if I had to pick. Seems much more of an all-round bike.0 -
Brighty wrote:A note on the Orange. In this months (i think) WhatMTB, the P7 came bottom in a review due to a design fault/manufacturing flaw with the rear sliding dropout thingy (cos the p7 can be singlespeed). Their one busted leaving not much holding the rear wheel on anymore. This may well have been a one off, but is a little concerning.
It's odd because the P7 usually romps home with the top spot. Did anyone else read that or is it one of those things i dreamt and believe is real, i always seem to do that.
Brighty
Your eyes worked fine!!
Got a Rockhopper and really do like it.
My 1997 Stumpy is steel and I like that too.
And I like my 2007 Stumpy in Alu too.
I like all sorts you see.0 -
Cheers everyone - seems the orange will be better suited to my riding, but I guess that I need to try both.
Here are links for those interested.
http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/2008bikes/p7-s.php
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=34004
Other comments welcome - many thanks !0 -
If you want a review of the rockhopper go and buy march issue of MBUK it goes up against pretty stiff competition so is given a good thrashing.
I still think the spec of this years bike though has gone slightly downhill ( pardon the pun) for example : downgrading form avid jucey 5 brakes to the lesser quality jucey 3 series tht didnt make sense! and they put a specialized seatpost in it rathe rthan the provern thompson versions , but saying all this the groupset had been upgraded slightly so that was a plus.
Go ROCKHOPPER !!!G H ALLUM0 -
at the end of the day JCJC go and find a reputable dealer who will let you demo both and decide before you buy . ? Really this is the best advice any of us can give to you mate
Best of LuckG H ALLUM0 -
I have just looked at both of those links JCJC, and for a start mate you got the wrong link for the rockhopper its the pro ( the grey one) you need its the top of the line and against the spec of the orange NO WAY !! it is far inferior and anyone who knows the slightest thing about bike spec should agree with me, its in black and white.
Further more to add another concreate nail in the coffin of the orange i have last years version of the rockhopper Pro Disc ( ask supersonic for the review issue ) it totally rocks and preverbally pees all over the orange P7 and its spec!! So in my opinion the '07 rockhopper Pro-Disc is superior to the '08 orange P7.
THere is no arguement here the spec speaks for itself !
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=34003 this is the spec you were meant to look atG H ALLUM0 -
and what about the frames? you can upgrade the components on it. the orange frame is fantastic.0
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Why have you narrowed it down to these 2 bikes, they are completely different. If you want a light weight ali xc hardtail, the rockhopper is good but there's better out there for the money (merlin rocklobster sl for one). If you want a heavy hardcore long fork hardtail the P7 is good for that, but similarly they'll be other contenders too. Comparing these 2 bikes just doesn't make much sense to me.
Brighty0 -
The M4 frame is a provern frame with race pedegree only superseaded by the older brother the M5 and it is also fully upgradeable as mine is living proof
Spec of mine is as follows: standard 07 frame with reba race forks, XTR front mech, XT rear, XT chainset. Speciallized magnesium pedals, Easton EA70 seatpost, Sporting the speciallized World Cup Limited Edition Saddle, Ritchey wet black WCS Stem and WCS straight Bars, Hope gold Q/R Skewers set ( seatpin, front and rear wheels) Hope Gold Headset, and Hope Gold spacers with End plugs.... Yes! in Gold. The only upgrade left for me is the XTR rapidfire shifters, the mavic rims with DT spokes is just fine !!!!
This bike is now valued at over £1500 and i bought it from the dealer at the RRP of £899
NOT BAD HUH??
( Beat That!!)G H ALLUM0 -
Yes Brighty i agree there are other worthy contendes its just that JCJC picked these two mate..G H ALLUM0
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wow you're getting a bit aggressive there it seems. each to their own in the end as brighty says they're for different markets and i'd always prefer something with a bit of soul than a generic specialized.0
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I'm after a new car, it's a toss up between the Toyota MR2 and and the Landrover, which has the best engine?0
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rockhopper can do anything i love my 08!!!Specailized Enduro 08 - Beast
OnOne 4560 -
I picked these two as I am still not sure what I am after and so wanted to select two seeming different options and get peoples views. At the end of the day it seems a test ride is the only way to go.
Re the cars - landrover every time - can't put a bike in the back of a MR2 ...
Thanks all for your comments. Any last words before I go off and buy something ? I plan to get it through the ride to work scheme; hence looking at new bikes (unless anyone knows a dealer that will let me do this on a pre 2008 model and so get higher spec for my £0
