Upgrading a Specialized Hard Rock Comp - worth it?

marko75
marko75 Posts: 52
edited August 2011 in MTB general
2 years ago I bought a Spec hard rock comp and have since joined the big boys with a FS :D (Canyon 8XC) - but I have a hard tail sitting in my garage doing nothing (I am sure I am not the only one!).

As one can imagine the hard tail took a bit of a bashing as it was my first bike - but I dont have the heart to get rid of it. I was thinking of making it a fun, lightweight do anything bike. Is it worth upgrading components on the the hard rock comp frame? (as I have the canyon?) - or leave it as it is and remember the good ole times?

thanks!

Comments

  • The hard rocks have quite good frames, so i'd say go for it. Although don't go overboard with the upgrades, as it is just a spesh hardrock.
  • marko75
    marko75 Posts: 52
    cheers monster.... but whats considered overboard?
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Depends on the thickness of your wallet.
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  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    have a look in my sig, et voila: 1 upgraded spesh hardrock.

    i only use it as my commuting bike really, i have used it once or twice for a 'proper' ride.
  • kinmofo
    kinmofo Posts: 172
    single speed, rock solid brakes. make it a bike for practicing your technical's
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  • phz
    phz Posts: 478
    I'd say do it to whatever budget you can without going silly. The pic below is my wife's Hardrock. On top of the non-original parts you can see there it now also has Superstar wheels and disk brakes. 2 years old and pretty much the only original parts left are the frame, stem, bars and mechs. I wouldn't have done all this if I didn't think the frame was decent - in her size (15) it's actually a nice chuckable do-it-all hardtail.

    810_1868.JPG

    slainte :) rob
  • marko75 wrote:
    cheers monster.... but whats considered overboard?

    Overboard for that bike would be spending more than a grand or so max, at least in my opinion. You could kit it out with full XTR, Fox Vanillas and top of the line mavics with full carbon finishing kit, but at the end of the day it's just a hardrock.

    SLX groupset, some medium grade wheels from superstar components, and a few nicer bits to add some colour would be alright, but I wouldn't go much more than that.
  • wordnumb
    wordnumb Posts: 847
    Always good to have a back up / pub bike. Why would you want to upgrade it though? It's never going to challenge the Canyon for proper riding.
  • shorty15
    shorty15 Posts: 97
    Can I hijack thread?
    I bought one of these a year ago for 120 quid, but it now needs new wheels, at least a rear mech ( is is worth just buying new shifters to make sure it all works?) and I would like a new fork ( what is the best cheap one?)
    So is it worth doing (budget 300ish) or do I just bin it and buy another complete bike
    Ta
  • What year is it? And as far as cheap forks, save up and get decent ones, the difference between a 150 pound fork and a good quality one is so drastic it's not worth buying cheap on them.
  • shorty15
    shorty15 Posts: 97
    2008. 0r 09, its got the worn out looking black and grey paint job. its got marchozzi fork on it but no discernable movement!
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    shorty15 wrote:
    2008. 0r 09, its got the worn out looking black and grey paint job. its got marchozzi fork on it but no discernable movement!

    on one have some great deals at the moment:

    rock shox recon silver tk = £120 (but like mountain monster said, if you have the budget i'd buy better ones)

    WTB speed disc xc (pair)= £59

    shifters and mechs etc aswell :D
  • marko75
    marko75 Posts: 52
    More the merrier in hi-jacking this thread. Its interesting to see how people want to upgrade. My forks are shot - so thats the first purchase along with a new chainset.... the wheels can wait - unless i go for through axel forks..... hmm the choices!!!

    On the plus side - I have now a winter project to keep me busy! :D
  • cee
    cee Posts: 4,553
    i have an 06 hardrock which I have upgraded as bits wore.

    First, I put some proper pedals on it...DMR V8's

    Then, the bottom bracket went....I replaced that with a deore crankset and BB.

    Next was the fork....it didn't break, I just needed a bit more control that the rst gila could give, so on went a RS Tora.

    Next, I had a set of hope original minis lying around, so they got fitted to replace the cable pulled disco jobs that came with it.

    Then, somehow, I had a set of front and rear XT mechs and shifters lying around, so they got fitted.

    Over the course, I destroyed a saddle, and bent a seatpost, so they were replaced with similar, good value specialized jobs.

    Original parts still include the frame, wheels, bars, stem and headset.

    Its now the missus bike, so I had to severly crop the seatpost....
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  • the frames are ok but i think you r better spending ur money on something for ur canyon
  • shorty15
    shorty15 Posts: 97
    Looking at the onone site got me thinking, would a solid fork be worth putting on instead? max 70 quid for the steel one.
  • I have a 2008 GT Avalanche 1.0 that I have upgraded as follows:

    RS Reba RLT fork
    XT brakes
    XT cassette
    Stans Crest rims on Hope Evo II hubs
    Charge Spoon saddle

    I also have XT front and rear shifters and an XT rear derailleur that I got for a good price and that I'll fit when the existing breaks, perhaps sooner.

    I enjoy tinkering and learning how to replace and service bits.

    I'll be getting a FS in the next year or so, once I have built up my skills on the hardtail. But I'll probably still keep and tinker with the hardtail, until I eventually upgrade the frame!

    So, it really depends on why you want to upgrade. For me, it's about improving the current steed, having some decent bits that could be used on another bike at a later date, and improving my mechanical skills. And not going too crazy with the £s.
  • marko75
    marko75 Posts: 52
    thanks everyone - its good to see how people have upgraded their beginner bikes..... its giving me ideas and hope that its more than doable! :)
    :D
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    I think what would make the biggest difference (and usually is the same for most bikes) is a better fork, better brakes, better tyres (assuming what you have now isn't that great), and maybe better wheels. Just by getting decent tyres, brakes and suspension, you'll improve the ride a hell of a lot and hopefully your enjoyment of it. If you have a decent hardtail, it's sometimes fun to get out on that instead of the FS, just because it's different and a little simpler.
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  • chr15_8
    chr15_8 Posts: 14
    I've almost finished upgrading/updating my 04 hardrock sport. Got it when I was 15.

    Had it powder coated as it had a few scratches, added hydraulic disc brakes, new forks, wheels.

    Looks a completely different bike and feels alot better than I remember it (haven't ridden it for 3 years).