# 88 specialized rockhopper comp



## jperry34 (Feb 9, 2012)

guys, a month or so ago I got my hands on a 88 specialized rockhopper comp. This is going to be my main bike though so I've been debating on whether I should replace the whole drive train with a full set of shimano XTR m952 or just keep the original on it and clean them up a bit. Any advice on what to do?


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## jimbowho (Dec 16, 2009)

My first bike not given to me. I vote keep everything as original as possible. U brake packed with mud, but other than that it was solid. Although I did hurt it bad!!

Fun fact: I do remember the outer chain ring was huge, and I don't think I ever put the chain on it.


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## guywitharitchey (Nov 29, 2011)

I vote no xtr for this bike. Keep it original just clean it up as best you can. If you want an xtr bike, find an xtr bike. Also xtr never had thumbies which are essential on an '88. One Man's Opnion


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## vintagemtbr (Jun 6, 2004)

I would save the money and keep it original as possible.Use the money for new tires and a tune up. Your bike will be good on the trails. I kept mine stock and it rides great on the trail.


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## jperry34 (Feb 9, 2012)

thanks for the help guys


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## Skrufryder (Aug 13, 2011)

Well i had a late 80's early 90's model in yellow old enough to have the 1inch threeaded head set. loved it! Had to change out some stuff. I always feel its best to put the best parts you can on any bike and make it your own! Now may it rest in peace got hit by some drunk who hopd a curb n smashed it into the rack it was locked to.


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## vintagemtbr (Jun 6, 2004)

Did you want to swap the current parts for XTR to improve your bike's performance or to lighten it? Sometimes just swapping to modern tires and tubes with presta valves will improve the bike's ride. Try swapping your bike's handlebar(if it's a steel bar) for a lighter alloy version. If you already have the XTR parts laying around then do what you like. I used to upgrade my Deore bikes to XT but I never really noticed any difference in the bike's ride and through the years Deore has proven to be reliable. Honestly I don't like the cheap look of Shimano Exage components so I swap it for Deore. Lets us know what you do with the bike. :thumbsup:


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## rudymexico (Aug 14, 2010)

any pics?


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## SpringsRubicon (Sep 19, 2010)

Would love to see pics... I had that bike. Loved it.


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## jperry34 (Feb 9, 2012)

ill take some pics and post them in the next couple days. so far I have put on a new ritchey seat post and saddle and new WTB tires. I have xtr m952 v-brakes, xtr m952 rapid fire shifters and brake levers, and some 26" vuelta zerolite rims that I haven't yet put on the bike. On the way are some new xtr m972 front and rear derailleurs and a new hg81 9 speed cassette. next thing is just a new crankset and chain. Can't wait to put it all on it, just haven't had time to do it all yet. I'm keeping all the orinigal parts too!


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## jperry34 (Feb 9, 2012)

*pics of 88 rockhopper*

here are the pictures


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## jimbowho (Dec 16, 2009)

Maybe got my years mixed up! I thought my 88 had brakes on the chainstay, maybe mine was 87?
It's looking good. I will be first to say level out the seat, That drivetrain is good for another 100 thousand miles. Hide the lock, and please!!! light duty only.


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## SpringsRubicon (Sep 19, 2010)

I'm wondering about the year as well... I can't quite recall the model year of mine. I bought it in June of 1988 - I'm certain of that. It had the u-brake under the chainstay. I am not sure whether I got an 87 on clearance or an 88. It was blue in the back, white in the front, with above-bar shifters (non-integrated into the levers).

But that's not the bike we're discussing! This bike looks very cool. I'd say nearly stock but for your recent changes. What a great find! Indestructable. Anyone remember Specialized magazine ad, showing one of these frames under some rubble after a Bay Area quake? Frame was still solid.

Fun project. Personally, I'd take the retro route, but whatever excites you is the right thing to do. How does the ride feel compared to your more modern bikes?


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## cegrover (Oct 17, 2004)

It looks clean! That being said, are you riding it like that? The stem height is a bit crazy and the saddle angle looks painful...to each his or her own, however.

Anyway, I believe it's a 1990 model. If the Rapidfire (push-push) shifters are original to the bike, then it's definitely 1990 or newer. Also, the decal design and placement is remarkably similar to the 1991 Rockhopper Comp I once had, though mine was battleship gray with pinkish red decals.

My 1991 Comp had a mix of DX and LX components. I think the "400LX" parts mean yours is from 1990, as the 1991 LX parts dropped the "400". Does yours have a "Comp" label somewhere?

Edit...by the way, keep it stock and enjoy, as long as the shifters are working. If they gum up, shoot some WD40 in them and that should work.


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## jperry34 (Feb 9, 2012)

Yeah I've had it tuned up a little cause the shifters were sticking. Ha I ride it to class a lot and chain it up with a heavy lock because of the area. Don't want it stolen. As for year maybe it is a ninety, it was given to me and he said his wife bought it for him in 88 so maybe he was wrong. Trust yalls knowledge over his on it. Thanks for advice though I new to all this so any help would be great. When I first rode it I was shocked to how smooth it rode especially compared to the newer bikes, it was crazy.


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## guywitharitchey (Nov 29, 2011)

Nice frame, stem is hurting my eyes though. I'd look for a shorter stem then hit the trails.


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## unicrown junkie (Nov 12, 2009)

I think this is the regular 1991 model for RH only. Had one for town use, was nice, The '88s don't have a seat tube reinforcing collar, and only had U-brakes. I broke my all green version in June 1989, it lasted from September '88!


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## jperry34 (Feb 9, 2012)

I did some looking into it and I'm pretty sure this is a 1990 model.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

you really set up your bike that way?


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## jperry34 (Feb 9, 2012)

No the saddle and seat post are new and just put them on the day I took the pictures and didn't bother to really adjust it for the picture...


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Oh great! Carry on. Jam the stem way down too.


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## jperry34 (Feb 9, 2012)

But as I said before I am new to this so any help would be awesome. With the height of the post is there a good formula to know the height it should be at or is basically just by comfort and how you ride?


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Frankly, it should be comfortable to you. Otherwise you won't ride it much. Are you going ride it on the dirt or just around town?


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## jperry34 (Feb 9, 2012)

Dirt


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Best. Answer! :thumbsup:

You would probably want a lower stem and different pedals. Everything else looks good once you fix the saddle angle.


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## unicrown junkie (Nov 12, 2009)

jperry34 said:


> I did some looking into it and I'm pretty sure this is a 1990 model.


 Hi, thank you for correcting me. After finally finding the '90 catalog on the web( on that German site), my memory is slowly coming together. I built oodles and oodles of these back from 1990 through '92, so the models kind of get fuzzy.

They ride great, and I think the '90 was the first year when they finally increased tube sizes, top tube I'm thinking. Plus that dropped/angled top tube heralded the beginning of the new sloped designs, wit better comfort and easier handling.

I had a blue one set aside for a GF, but she ended up bailing and my buddy *Internal14* got it instead. He set it up as a town bike, iirc. Hard to believe that was back in '94!

Many happy days and trails to you. Glad to see you took the time to bring this back.....:thumbsup:


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## 1988Stumpjumper (Mar 7, 2016)

yeah... clean it up , and overhaul all the bearings , replace all cables and housing ( if needed ) , and buy brake pads off Ebay if needed, but everything on the 1988 Rockhopper Comps were built to last , and the frames were quite similar to the Stumpjumper's back then... just slightly heavier. I have my 1988 Stumpjumper with all Deore components now, and it has been thru a hell of a lot of riding over the years , but each time I give it the full tune up/overhaul it needs , it rides like brand new again, proving the bike was well spec'd from the beginning . Good luck, and please e-mail me if you have more questions , I know 1988 models of Specialized better than any other year , as that was the year I first bought a Specialized, working in Bozeman, MT at the local Specialized dealer at the time. ( I still work selling Specialized today , that is how much I like the brand ) - J.


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## 1988Stumpjumper (Mar 7, 2016)

How is your Rockhopper Comp project doing now ?? - J.P. date : 3-7-2016


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## Rocket Dog (Mar 7, 2012)

90 or 91 I'd say, the 1990 model has the word "Comp" on the seatstays:









My 1990 Comp before it got some love.

No longer stock:


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## unicrown junkie (Nov 12, 2009)

Their were two major flaws with the '88 RH Comp unfortunately. First, the original fork was recalled, it bent way too easily under stress right at the unicrown bend. I missed out on that because three weeks after I picked up my warranty green '88 Comp I managed to crash on a training ride outside Dixon, California and bent the thing so far back no warranty would cover it.

Second, the chainstays had a habit of cracking, and mine did just that. It took me about seven months to break it, by summer '89 Special Ed sold me a Stumpy Comp at half price for warranty purposes and I had already purchased a Team about a month earlier.

The '88 RH Comp was my first race bike and I loved the u-brakes for observed trials too. Yet it was prone to failure but heck that's a lot of product and all that matters is it gives personal enjoyment, which I had more of on that than I could ever hope for now.


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