# ?91' Specialized Hardrock?



## mtnman1007 (Dec 14, 2009)

Gentlemen, 

I am a returning mtn biker I used to do alot of biking about 12 years ago and am getting back into the sport. I have what I believe to be a 91' Specialized Hardrock and I would like to beef it up a little bit. I just want to make sure I can put components (suspension fork) onto it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, D


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## trailville (Jul 24, 2006)

No. 
That frame was not designed for suspension and I almost positive it has a 1" headtube which will make it very difficult finding a suspension fork that fits. 
Tune it up and ride it as is, or get a newer bike.


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## mtnman1007 (Dec 14, 2009)

Thanks for the reply, it's got a CR-MO sticker on it but I can't read all of the serial number, it's like G?01945.


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## jacdykema (Apr 10, 2006)

If it has a CR-MO sticker, components should work fine.


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## mtnman1007 (Dec 14, 2009)

Thank for the help.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Unless you're planning on riding on bike paths only....start over.


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

Basically, what they said. A Hard Rock is a recreational level bike. As such, it'll have a shorter than normal top tube, making the ride comfortable and upright. The components are also fairly basic, and functional. Get a tune up, ignore the comments about "just getting a new bike" you're likely to hear at the shop. If you need a mess of new parts, that may be something to consider, but more than likely, air it up, lube it, and get things running smoothly, and get out there. 

If you like it, have fun, and want to hit the trails, look into a bike better suited to actual trail riding. 

This forum is mostly old farts who like stuff from 20+ years ago, before suspension was even a consideration, so asking for help from these guys is like asking the docent at the Henry Ford Museum to have an opinion about the rear end gearing on your 1996 Mustang 

Have fun!:thumbsup:


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## trailville (Jul 24, 2006)

Watch me as I defend both the old farts (sort of) and Hardrocks in the same post. 

The old farts don't necessarily have a problem with suspension, they just don't like entry-level bikes. Hell, they don't even like mid-level bikes.

As to the old Hardrock, my first mtb was a Hardrock I purchased in '93 for $300. It had fat tires and a burly steel frame and was quite capable of trail riding. Granted I only rode it that one season then sold it for $50 and got a much nicer bike (but still not nice enough for the old farts on this forum  ).

And just to clarify, the statement made by jacdykema about the CR-MO sticker was a joke. Actually a pretty good one. I don't usually "out" jokes and sarcasm, but I'd hate to find out you started buying "components" based on that.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

trailville said:


> And just to clarify, the statement made by jacdykema about the CR-MO sticker was a joke. Actually a pretty good one. I don't usually "out" jokes and sarcasm, but I'd hate to find out you started buying "components" based on that.


Damn you. It was perfectly executed dead pan!


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## trailville (Jul 24, 2006)

Rumpfy said:


> Damn you. It was perfectly executed dead pan!


Don't think it didn't hurt me to do that. I was good enough to let it sit and simmer for a while though.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

trailville said:


> Don't think it didn't hurt me to do that. I was good enough to let it sit and simmer for a while though.


True.

And I've been nice enough not to tell him his bike is a steaming turd.

Ssssss. Ooo, my bad. :blush:


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

Rumpfy said:


> And I've been nice enough not to tell him his bike is a steaming turd.


I was going to comment on your exemplary restraint, I guess there's no need now


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## mechagouki (Nov 30, 2007)

There goes another one whose post count won't make double digits.

I will say this in defense of the (early) Hardrocks; they were styled pretty much identically to the Rockhoppers and Stumpys, and if you ignored the Tourney/70GS/whatever it was, and squinted a bit, and had a couple/6 beers, they weren't as bad looking as most of the MTB-alikes around at the time.


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## s4gobabygo (Sep 1, 2008)

apparently i'm alone in this sentiment, but i still ride my 1992 hardrock regularly offroad, and i think it's just swell. i stay away from the really technical stuff on that bike, but it's no less trail-capable than most higher-end bikes a decade older (which get plenty of offroad cred around here). however, glamorous it isn't.


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## mtnman1007 (Dec 14, 2009)

Thanks for all the advise, but you are going to have to try a little harder. It was free so why wouldn't I try to keep it around a little longer even though it's probably time trade her in and believe me if I had the money for a new bike it would have been done already and I wouldn't be on this thread listening to all you old farts. I am just trying to do the economically sound thing and save some money where I can.

Is there a good web site that I can go that has a serial number search to find out how old this bike actually is? I would like to get the specs on it. I had it tuned up a couple years ago I put new tires on it one new shift control, all the components are Shimano.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

mtnman1007 said:


> Thanks for all the advise, you guys have been a huge help.
> 
> Is there a good web site that I can go that has a serial number search to find out how old this bike actually is? I would like to get the specs on it. I had it tuned up a couple years ago I put new tires on it one new shift control, all the components are Shimano.


Post a picture and the people here will be able to tell you exactly what it is.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

I swear to God, I know I saw a Potts around here somewhere just the other day.


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## trailville (Jul 24, 2006)

Rumpfy said:


> Post a picture and the people here will be able to tell you exactly what it is.


Seems like there should be a warning here somewhere. Or maybe that was the warning?


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## trailville (Jul 24, 2006)

Oh look what I found in another thread.
Now I feel bad for telling people not to upgrade their old Hardrocks.


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## Funrover (Oct 4, 2006)

Sweet a hardrock with Girvin forks, that is friggen sweet! I wish I still had tha front fork!


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## jacdykema (Apr 10, 2006)

trailville said:


> And just to clarify, the statement made by jacdykema about the CR-MO sticker was a joke. Actually a pretty good one.


Thanks. I don't hear that often.

Seriously though, that's awesome that you're getting back into the sport. I just got back into it myself 4 or 5 years ago after a 10 year absence. One of the best decisions I've ever made.

My advice would be to just ride what you have now until it starts breaking things (which won't be long given the level of components) and then get a new bike or a bit higher range vintage bike that was made for mountain biking. I started out on a similar level bike and it was pretty much toast after one year of heavy riding. The money you would sink into a worthwhile one inch steerer suspension fork alone would be much better put towards a mid-level bike of the same period, which if you look in the right places will set you back the same amount of cash as the fork would.

Welcome back and good luck.


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## RX-1 (Jul 23, 2009)

Go to www.oldmoutainbikes.com to the specialized catalogs & you should be able to ID it there. The frame is probably just as tough as most any other bike out there & most hardrocks aren't that heavy compared to some of the other lower end bikes. Most likely it will need a longer stem & the rear deraillieur & shifters may not be the greatest. If you like the bike, just ride it and have fun. Pay no mind to Kanye.


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## mtnman1007 (Dec 14, 2009)

Thanks for the info but I couldn't find anything that had to do with Specialized serial numbers. Maybe I wasn't looking in the right spot on the site.


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## RX-1 (Jul 23, 2009)

Sometimes on Specialized bikes made in the 90's the first two digits of the serial # indicate the year. Not true in all cases.


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## mechagouki (Nov 30, 2007)

mtnman1007 said:


> Thanks for the info but I couldn't find anything that had to do with Specialized serial numbers. Maybe I wasn't looking in the right spot on the site.


I suggest you spend some time browsing here:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=15578

Or you could just do as has been suggested previously and post a picture of the bike, someone can probably make an educated guess.


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## trailville (Jul 24, 2006)

You don't need to know exactly what year or even what model your bike is to know how to spec replacement parts. You just need to understand basic bike stuff like the difference between a threadless headset and a threaded one, how to determine your headtube size, the difference between 6, 7, 8, 9, speed hubs, cassettes, chains, and shifters, different types and sizes of bottom brackets and cranks, etc. 
You can find info on all these things online, then you just need to look at your bike and do some basic measurements.


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## muddybuddy (Jan 31, 2007)

trailville said:


> You just need to understand basic bike stuff like the difference between a threaded headset and a threaded one, ....


I never could figure that one out.


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## trailville (Jul 24, 2006)

muddybuddy said:


> I never could figure that one out.


Oops. People need to learn to read what I was thinking, not what I was typing. Fixed.


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## hobbers (Aug 26, 2006)

What is the diameter on the mid-90s hardrock head tubes?

It had a threaded headset standard. But if you wanted to swap in a threadless headset, would it take a standard 1 - 1/8" headset and associated fork?


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## da'HOOV (Jan 3, 2009)

hobbers said:


> What is the diameter on the mid-90s hardrock head tubes?
> 
> It had a threaded headset standard. But if you wanted to swap in a threadless headset, would it take a standard 1 - 1/8" headset and associated fork?


I'd go 1 1/4", bigger is better


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