Specialized rockhopper rebuild

Bennybiker
Bennybiker Posts: 22
edited January 2015 in Your mountain bikes
Hi guys newbie here with my 1st post, just wanted to share my little project I'll be starting soon. It's a specialized rockhopper that I bought of ebay for £41, I wasn't actively looking for a new mountain bike as I've recently just sold my carrera Vulcan and bought a boardman cyclo cross but I was just browsing through and saw that it was local to me and I thought it would make a good little project.

Here it is.

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Not sure what year it is but the guy said it had been sat doing nothing for a few years, I'm planning on stripping it down and re painting the frame matt black then I'm going to replace most parts with new ones. Hopefully be picking it up on Saturday or Sunday and start working on it as soon as so I should have some more pics up soon.
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Comments

  • felix.london
    felix.london Posts: 4,067
    Snap...sort of :wink:

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  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    Looks good, now I know who to come with any questions :D
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    I'm guessing at 2005 - 2007 ish as I bought a much abused 2006 Rockhopper and the frame was identical except for paint colour and it was running on Manitou forks.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    Been looking at some parts in the clearance section on the halfords website, wondered if anyone could give me some advice as to if they are any good and would be compatible with the bike. I'm not quite up to speed with what's good or not good in the parts department as this is my first build so all advice would be greatly appreciated.

    http://www.halfords.com/cycling/cycling ... mech-black

    http://www.halfords.com/cycling/cycling ... hifter-set

    http://www.halfords.com/cycling/cycling ... -dual-pull
  • Antm81
    Antm81 Posts: 1,406
    Nothing wrong with deore mechs etc, not the flashiest or super light but work well.
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  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    I'd look at getting decent condition used parts, much better bang for your buck.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    So picked up the bike today and stripped it down and it looks like I'll only need to replace the braking system, front and rear derailleur's are still in good order they just need a good clean and shifters are working fine. And I'll just be replacing other stuff like stem,handlebars,seatpost and seat. Basically tarting it up lol.

    Only thing I'm having trouble with is the crank and pedals, I've removed the hex bolts that holds the cranks on but I carn't pull them off do I need a special tool for removal?

    342f6713eab4722c245dfa4803dbbdcc_zps6d6301f7.jpg

    And should I be worried by this, is it corrosion?
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  • asdfhjkl
    asdfhjkl Posts: 333
    You'll need a crank puller to get them off. They're inexpensive.
  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    asdfhjkl wrote:
    You'll need a crank puller to get them off. They're inexpensive.

    Thought I might, I've ordered a bike tool kit that has one in.
  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    Quick update, progress has been very slow since I bought the bike, started stripping the paint off a few days ago but still wasn't getting as much time on it as I would like so decided to take the frame to work with me today, weekends are normally quiet at work so I managed a good few hours work on it today and got all the paint stripped off apart from some bits in the welds. I'm at work sun and mon night so hoping to get it primed and painted over them two night shifts.

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  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Make sure you use an etch primer, normal primer for steel is useless on ally.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    The Rookie wrote:
    Make sure you use an etch primer, normal primer for steel is useless on ally.

    Ah right thanks for that, I never knew that.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Halfords sell it as do most decent car paint outlets.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    The Rookie wrote:
    Halfords sell it as do most decent car paint outlets.

    Yeah just been to halfords and got some.
  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    So I managed to get three coats of primer on the frame at work last night and was just wondering now should I sand the primer before putting my top coat on, I'm using matt black so I'm not after a glass smooth finish.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    1500 grit wet and dry used wet...... Careful at the welds or you'll go straight through at and have to re-primer!
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • gt-arrowhead
    gt-arrowhead Posts: 2,507
    Looks like a nice little project you got going on. Ive personally never sanded down my primer on any of my many spray can resprays, and i still get pretty good results. But id imagine youd get excellent results if you do it properly and sand it. Good luck with the build.
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  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    Frame is all painted up now but not sure what laquer to use as I don't want the paint to be shiny, anyone got any suggestions?

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  • jimothy78
    jimothy78 Posts: 1,407
    That looks great, well done.

    You can always get matt-finish lacquer if you want to protect the paint without making it too glossy (although it probably won't be quite as "flat" as the paint itself). Are you going to add decals? I got a set of non-model specific Spesh decals from ebay for a couple of quid - went on easy as pie and look good on the bike:
    viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12979789
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  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    Yeah I've ordered a set of decals of ebay in red and I'll have a look for the matt finish laquer because I definitely want to protect the paint.
  • jimothy78
    jimothy78 Posts: 1,407
    Halfords do a matt-finish lacquer, although I haven't tried it myself.
  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    Next job on the list is to strip and clean/recondition the forks, they move up and down ok but they are just looking abit tatty so I think I'll be giving these a coat of matt black as well.

    672e836a8e4172be82e1463bb59a808f_zps5d927373.jpg
  • jimothy78
    jimothy78 Posts: 1,407
    Wasting your time there, I reckon- those forks are dead.:(
  • Chunkers1980
    Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    ^^^ this. A clean is good enough for them otherwise you're wasting your time and money
  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    Unfortunately my budget won't stretch to a new set of forks just yet so a clean up and repaint will have to do at the moment, got some paint left over from the frame so won't cost me anymore money.
  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    Decals arrived today, I'm realy pleased with how it's looking.

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  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    Gave the forks a quick paint, it's not the best of paint jobs as I intend to buy new forks in the future so painted these just to tidy them up a bit and I think they look a lot better.

    14c664585a9c6522394084fee58dd09a_zpsb76dabc3.jpg

    218f6f5872a1c0a3d5a00f09aae827df_zps7b7e569e.jpg
    And here's a pic of how the build is coming along.
    03489b5ce347a357fcea4d955911a46a_zpsb5506443.jpg
  • fevmeister
    fevmeister Posts: 353
    any update?

    eager to see how its coming along!
  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    Just got back from 4 days away so not worked on it all week so nothing new to report, still got another week off work though so hopefully get some work done this week.
  • Bennybiker
    Bennybiker Posts: 22
    Got some more work done today.

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    A bit of bling
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