# 04' Hardrock: Possible hardcore dirt jumper?



## mromano (Aug 7, 2009)

I just recently got back into mountain biking, used to ride a 06 stumpy myself, but unfortunantely sold it. Now I'm stuck with my little brothers hardrock, which he no longer uses. But lemme tell you, this bike is a BEAST. The '04 or 05' Hardrock pro is probably the best year ever for the series. I ride it downhill like its full suspension, and while it's probably not a good idea, this bike takes it like a mexican whore!!. I don't jump with it, I use it purely for XC. The marzocchi comp fork is the entry level fork from marz, but its awesome, great absorption and never bottoms out (I weigh 130lbs). The disc brakes are just mechanical shimanos, but I've yet to adjust them or change the pads, they are still as strong as ever.

Heres my question; The frame and components are so beefy I'm thinking this bike could be a dj'er. Eventually I'm going to upgrade to a FS bike, think I could make a solid jumper outta this frame? Pics below.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

Neither the frame nor components are beefy. It's a recreational/entry level trail bike.


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## ServeEm (Jun 15, 2005)

dunno what kinda dh you're doing with that set up but if you do anything that closely resembles real dh terrain you'd have to be rolling quite slow for the hardrock to be holding up. No disrespect but if you're saying the fork doesn't bottom out and you haven't taco'd those wheels I can't imangine you're blasing thru rock gardens.

I rode hardtails on dh trails but an actual dj frame w/ 20mm DJ FR forks and Azonic Outlaw wheels. But with what you have you can jump some smooth jumps but I wouldn't go large.


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## kingbrian24 (May 30, 2009)

i ride an 08 hardrock comp disc and i know it wasnt designed to DJ but it holds its own for what it is.. even though i suck.. i am fat and very harsh, i figure if your comfortable on the bike, do it... just ride it till it breaks and upgrade as needed... even if it is the whole bike.


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## Kevin_Federline (Nov 19, 2008)

that bike is decent, but those wheels would be gone with one real ride, down a real dh trail.

it is a nice bike tho..


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## JGill (May 2, 2008)

People have jumped on less equipped bikes, not too long ago bikes that were being used weren't up to the level. You can find some old footage of Brian Lopes and some other dudes jumping mountain bikes that were nowhere near the quality of your bike......at the same time though, don't be super shocked if you wake up in the middle of the woods with a concussion and missing teeth though. Don't say anyone didn't warn you. Possibly may even be karma for the "Mexican Whore" stuff...


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## kingbrian24 (May 30, 2009)

JGill said:


> Don't say anyone didn't warn you. Possibly may even be karma for the "Mexican Whore" stuff...


LOL...


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## mromano (Aug 7, 2009)

Fine, a Caucasian whore..PC enough for ya?

And LOL I'm not trying to tell you I rip down downhill courses with the bike, I do XC and on rocky downhill sections I go faster than I think I probably should. WAPWAPWAP the chain goes effing nuts back there. I'm just saying, for an entry level hardtail frame it's rather durable....

I think it could be a decent dirt jumper too, look at how thick the frame is. It's almost as thick as the rear of my arm.


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## Kevin_Federline (Nov 19, 2008)

mromano said:


> Fine, a Caucasian whore..PC enough for ya?
> 
> And LOL I'm not trying to tell you I rip down downhill courses with the bike, I do XC and on rocky downhill sections I go faster than I think I probably should. WAPWAPWAP the chain goes effing nuts back there. I'm just saying, for an entry level hardtail frame it's rather durable....
> 
> I think it could be a decent dirt jumper too, look at how thick the frame is. It's almost as thick as the rear of my arm.


 just because the tube is that size o.d doesnt mean its thick. its prolly as thin as the beer can you drank last night. (perfect for lightweight xc) Every bike has its place, and that bike WILL break. ask me how many frames i broke, jumping it when it wasnt designed for it.

*edit* as long as you can land smooth as butter you will be okay. But one mistake, and your front wheel will disapear from under you.. haha


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## xDetroitMetalx (Mar 19, 2009)

You can jump it.

















Off a curb.


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## hucker1960 (Sep 30, 2008)

i started with that exact bike, except mine was a ss, i upgraded the bars and stem, pedals, and brakes, overall it gets the job done, its not easy, comfotable, or durable, but it works, and ill tell you now you will not "hardcore" dirtjump on that thing, its a beautiful trail rig, but not at home on the jumps


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## Demo-9 (Mar 24, 2006)

No offense but there is nothing hardcore about that bike. Beyond XC and a commuter there is nothing I would use that bike for. Maybe a nice lake jumper but that would be all.

That said if you had some parts laying around like a decent fork, extra wheelset and a SS set-up you could make something out of it.But to spend any $$ to make it a DJ bike is a waste.


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## hucker1960 (Sep 30, 2008)

mine came with sun rims ditch witch which i still run on my steelhead and they are doinng great, never trued and still running relativaly straight, i also am still using the tru-vativ crankset from my hardrock. the only weak parts i found on that bike is the fork, bar/stem, brakes, the chain wheels, and the geo
but look a KHE dirtjumpers and they look the same. have fun with it


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## ServeEm (Jun 15, 2005)

everyones opinion is valid and concern is legit. only mromano knows where his boundaries are and where that bike fits into that equation. If you feel your rig, set up the way it is, rips for you more power to ya.


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## clewttu (May 16, 2007)

that thing is on the lowest end of XC, heavy frame and low spec'd (aka sucks on trails), you dont need FS going downhill on an XC trail though...depending on your gameplan and what you think youd ride more, may be worth making that a more capable trailbike...but even then, if you plan to be serious about riding, thats a waste of money

as far as the fork, at 130lbs, you wont bottom out many (that isnt heavy)

to be an actual DJ'er, youd spend enough money making it into one that it makes more sense to buy a complete (so youd have decent components and frame as well) and sell that sucker on craigslist (you would need new wheels and fork at the very minimum, those on there are crap)

the hardrock is for someone who rides to the corner store/bar a few times a week, and non technical trails a couple times a month...someone who wants the specialized name without spending any money


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## Berkley (May 21, 2007)

clewttu said:


> the hardrock is for someone who rides to the corner store/bar a few times a week, and non technical trails a couple times a month...someone who wants the specialized name without spending any money


That's a load of nonsense. I alternate riding my 05 SJ and my 05 Hardrock frames on technical mountain trails and they both hold up equally well (the geo is almost identical - the HR has .5* slacker HA). The frame is rather burly...for a cross country bike. It's no dirt jumper by any means.

For the record, the 04 and 05 frames had a much different design than the newer Hardrocks, which don't appear to be nearly as burly. I imagine you could do some light jumping on it if you were smooth, but keep an eye on the frame - check it for cracks frequently and stop riding it if you find any.


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## clewttu (May 16, 2007)

haha, thats your opinion, and the other is mine (and many others)
but comparing my old rockhopper to my buds hardrock, much different, and moving up from there its a no brainer
i didnt say you couldnt ride tech on it, you can ride a Walmart Next on A-Line if you want, but that doesnt mean thats what its meant for
its also alum, something to keep in mind


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## WaveDude (Jan 14, 2004)

You weigh 130lbs. For starting out on smaller jumps the bike will be fine as long as you don't continually case a bunch of doubles with it. It won't hold up to long term abuse but you can learn on it. Then buy something more suited to jumping (i.e. I wouldn't bother upgrading anything to make it a jumper). More than likely you'll snap derailler hangers which seems to be the problem with kids jumping those bikes around here. And keep an eye on the fork (at least it's not an RST which I've seen end up looking like choppers after a few hard landings).


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

XSL_WiLL said:


> Neither the frame nor components are beefy. It's a recreational/entry level trail bike.


A 110lbs friend of mine snapped his frame in half in a single summer. A hardrock, just like yours. He also had to get stitches in his face. Don't do it.


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## Plats (Jun 18, 2008)

I have converted and messed with various manner of frames, bars, transmissions, etc. trying to create my own DJ bikes. 

Do Not Waste Your Time or Money trying to convert a mountain bike into a DJ bike! 

I have tried and failed on several bikes, I think they sprinkle majic jumping dust on the DJ bikes - its just not even fun jumping a converted MTB once you have jumped a real DJ bike. You cannot compare a small MTB to a DJ bike visually, everyone thinks the same thing, "I will get a cheap small MTB and start DJ'ing", then you fail.

Maybe some old skool pros threw down on every manner of banana-seated schwinn and whatnot, but for everyone else a DJ bike is highly reccomended to catch proper air.


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