Rockhopper 29
A 29″ aluminum frame hardtail crosscountry bike with mid-range components and mechanical disc brakes.
Manufacturer Price
$700Frame | Aluminum |
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Suspension | Hardtail, 100mm |
Fork | Suntour XCE |
Wheels | 29″ Aluminum |
Drivetrain | 2 × 8 |
Groupset | Tourney, Altus |
Brakes | Mechanical Disc |
For This Bike
Oct 2022 · Jim Bland
Specialized’s Rockhopper Elite 29 brings a remarkably smooth ride, but certain specification choices limit its full potential
Low weight
Urgent and fast feel
Fantastic brakes
Air sprung fork
Huge gear range
Straight head tube limits upgrade potential
QR front and rear
Strange spec differences between sizes
Small volume tires
No dropper
Aug 2022 · Alan Muldoon
The Specialized Rockhopper is a stalwart of the hardtail world, and the 29in version is well designed with an impressive spec list that almost places it amongst the best hardtail mountain bikes but for a few elements that take the edge off its otherwise great performance. Specialized Rockhopper Elite 29 need to know: Shimano Deore clutch derailleur and full length rubber chainstay protector minimise chain slap Don’t like sage green? Specialized offers the Rockhopper in three colourways Shimano hydraulic brakes offer a one-finger lever action With a massive 11-51t cassette, the Rockhopper is perfectly geared for climbing Frame At 13.2kg, the 2022 Specialized Rockhopper Elite 29 isn’t just the lightest bike in the shop bought category of our Hardtail of the Year test; it’s also the lightest bike in the overall test. The sleek A1 Premium aluminium frame definitely helps shift the scale in the right direction, but the lightweight wheels, specifically the rear, are what really gives the Rockhopper an advantage when it comes to climbing or accelerating out of corners. With a relatively short front end and longer chainstays, the riding position on the Rockhopper Elite 29 is the most XC focused bike in the test, and again this bolsters climbing efficiency. You could hang this bike up in the shed for six months and the brakes will still work like new next time you ride it. That’s not to say it’s dated though, far from it. With a sloping top tube and a relatively compact 450mm seat tube, the Rockhopper has a modern silhouette with stacks of standover clearance. Specialized has also gone to great lengths to conceal the rack mounts inside the stays so as not to ruin the overall look. A slender chainstay bridge doubles a kickstand mount too. Cable routing on the front triangle is all neatly hidden inside the downtube. There’s zero cable noise but flip the bike over and the open ended downtube where the cables exit is going to act like a mud magnet. Also, the seat tube on our test bike had not been reamed properly so the alloy post got scratched up really badly after just a couple of rides. So a dropper post would be the first upgrade we’d make, and the frame has routing for it. Suspension Longer travel suspension forks need beefy upper tubes to retain stiffness and steering precision, so it’s fitting that the Rockhopper only comes with a 100mm travel RockShox Judy to maximise both. In fact, Specialized takes customisation to the next level on the Rockhopper platform by fitting 80, 90 or 100mm travel forks depending on the frame size, of which there are five. The 100mm travel RockShox Judy on the size L gives a smooth, composed ride. It’s air sprung so you can accurately match the spring rate and associated sag to your rider weight, while the TK lockout will come in handy if you want to make use of the rack mounts to transform the Rockhopper Elite into a hardcore …Continue reading »
Light and fast. Superb brakes
Skinny tyres
May 2021 · Alex Evans
Perfectly adequate for blue-graded trails, but its geometry limits its potential to help you progress
Fast-rolling tyres with plenty of grip for trail centres
Solid performance for beginner riders
Fork let down by sticky action
Geometry limits bike’s upgrade potential
2x drivetrain is dated compared to the competition
Dec 2020
The Rockhopper Expert sits atop Specialized's entry-level cross country range. It’s light and the frame is pretty well-shaped, but the spec leaves a lot to be desired and the price sits at a confused spot in Spesh’s line up. Canyon Grand Canyon AL SL 7.0 review Specialized Epic Expert Carbon Evo 2020 review The best mountain bikes you can buy for under £1,500 - full sus and hardtails The Specialized Rockhopper Expert is built around a reasonably light alloy frame, runs a 120mm fork, and rolls on 29” wheels.
May 2020
Specialized's new Rockhopper is the best they've ever made - affordable singletrack MTB performance for everyone, in 9 size range across all wheel sizes!
May 2020
Updated geometry, an air spring fork, and a 1 x 12-speed drivetrain are the highlights of this budget-friendly hardtail.
Incredible value for this level of capability
SRAM SX Eagle doesn’t shift as crisply as higher-priced drivetrains
Frame | A1 premium butted alloy, zero-stack head tube, internal cable routing, 135x9mm forged dropouts, chainstay-mounted disc brake, replaceable alloy derailleur hanger, stealth rack mounts, dropper post compatible Colors: Gloss Flo Red / White; Gloss Tarmac Black / White; Gloss Ice Papaya / Cast Umber; Satin Cast Blue Metallic / Ice Blue |
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Fork | SR Suntour XCE 29, 28mm stanchions, Rx Tune, coil spring, QR, 90/100mm travel (size-specific), 46mm offset Travel: 100mm Spring Type: Coil |
Bottom Bracket | Square-tapered, 73mm, internal bearings, 122.5mm spindle |
Stem | Stout 3D-forged alloy, 31.8mm, 6-degree rise |
Handlebar | Stout Mini Rise, alloy, 9-degree backsweep, 15mm rise, 31.8mm |
Saddle | Bridge Sport, steel rails |
Seatpost | Alloy, 12mm offset, 2-bolt clamp, 30.9mm Type: Rigid |
Grips | Specialized Trail Grips, lock-on |
Rear Derailleur | Shimano Tourney RD-TX800, 8-speed |
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Front Derailleur | Shimano Altus FD-M315 |
Crank | Stout 2x, forged alloy |
Shifters | microSHIFT, TS39-8R, 8-speed |
Cassette | SunRace, 8-speed, 11-34t |
Chain | KMC X8 EPT, anti-rust coating, 8-speed w/ reusable Missing Link™ |
Brakes | Front: Radius CX7, mechanical disc, 160mm, Rear: Radius CX7, mechanical disc, 160mm Type: Mechanical Disc |
Rims | Specialized alloy, disc only, double-wall, 25mm inner width, 32h |
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Spokes | Stainless, 14g |
Front Hub | Formula 6-Bolt, disc, 100x9mm spacing, quick-release, 32H |
Rear Hub | Formula 6-Bolt freehub, disc, 135x9mm spacing, quick-release, 32H |
Tires | Front: Ground Control Sport, 29x2.3", Rear: Ground Control Sport, 29x2.3" |
Last updated August 6
Not listed for 637 days