2009 Specialized Rockhopper Comp: My 10,894mi ownership experience
On March 7, 2009, I purchased my third mountain bike: a 26″ Specialized Rockhopper Comp. My primary motivation for this purchase was to have a tough and capable mountain bike at my disposal for the days I felt like trail riding instead of road riding.
I was doing mostly road riding at that time, but it was hard to let go of my mountain biking roots. The mid-level Rockhopper was perfect for the mid-level fire roads and trails near my home. Not only that, it looked kinda bad a**.
What it was like to ride a 2009 Specialized Rockhopper Comp from 2009-2023
The following is a full overview of my ownership experience (from the day I purchased it to the day I gave it away).
Spoiler alert: I put less than 200 miles on it in my first 11 years of ownership. It then became my primary bike in 2020 thanks to a catastrophic failure on my 2007 Specialized Allez Comp. I rode it nearly 10,000 over the next three years.
Quick overview
My Rockhopper was a 2009 “Comp Disc” model in Satin Charcoal. I paid $750 for it from UC Cyclery here in San Diego. The reasoning for choosing a mid-level bike over something more expensive was because I’m cheap. I just couldn’t justify spending so much money on something I was just going to beat up on the trails.
Here’s the full spec sheet:
| FRAME | Specialized M4 Manipulated Alloy frame, fully butted, ORE DT, forged dropouts w/ replaceable 98954020 hanger, disc only |
| FORK | RockShox Dart 3 SL, 100mm, preload and rebound adj. w/ LO, 13/15″: standard spring, all others: “stiff” spring, disc only |
| HEADSET | Specialized 1-1/8″ threadless, loose ball |
| STEM | Specialized 3D forged, 4-bolt, 7 degree rise, 31.8mm clamp |
| HANDLEBARS | Specialized alloy, 31.8mm, 25mm rise, 640mm wide, 8 degree back sweep, 8 degree up, 2.8mm thick |
| GRIPS | Specialized Enduro, dual compound Kraton, no flange, 131mm |
| FRONT BRAKE | Avid BB5, mechanical disc, caliper/adapter w/ 160mm G2 Clean Sweep rotor |
| REAR BRAKES | Avid BB5, mechanical disc, caliper/adapter w/ 160mm G2 Clean Sweep rotor |
| BRAKE LEVERS | Avid FR-5, alloy, two-finger, linear pull |
| FRONT DERAILLEUR | Shimano Altus, 34.9mm clamp, top swing |
| REAR DERAILLEURS | SRAM X-5, med. cage |
| SHIFT LEVERS | SRAM X-4, 8-speed trigger |
| CASSETTE | SRAM PG-830-18, 8-speed, 11-32t |
| CHAIN | KMC X8 w/ reuseable Missing Link |
| CRANKSET | Shimano FC-M36108, Octalink spline, replaceable rings |
| CHAINRINGS | 425 x 325 x 22S |
| BOTTOM BRACKET | Shimano BB-ES5, Octalink spline, cartridge bearings, 68mm x 118mm |
| PEDALS | Steel cage, composite body, 9/16″ |
| RIMS | Specialized RHD 26″, double wall disc, pinned w/ eyelets, 28/32h |
| FRONT HUB | Specialized Hi Lo, forged alloy, double sealed, ground race, 28h |
| REAR HUB | Specialized, forged alloy, double sealed, ground race, cassette, QR, 32h |
| SPOKES | 1.8mm (15g) stainless |
| FRONT TIRE | Specialized Fast Trak LK Sport, 26×2.0″, 60TPI, wire bead |
| REAR TIRE | Specialized Fast Trak LK Sport, 26×2.0″, 60TPI, wire bead |
| INNER TUBES | Specialized schraeder valve |
| SADDLE | Specialized XC, Body Geometry, 143m with, front and rea |
| SEATPOST | Specialized alloy two bolt, micro adjust head, 30.9mm |
| SEAT BINDER | Specialized alloy w/ QR, brass washer |
| OTHER | Chain stay protector, reflectors, clear coat, owners manual |
Up close detail shots from the day that I purchased it
Bringing this Rockhopper home from the bike shop gave me mixed feelings. On one hand, it was a beautiful bike and I couldn’t wait to ride it! On the other hand, it was so beautiful that I was loading the idea of getting it dirty. But that’s what I bought it for, right?
Even by today’s standards, the 2009 Rockhopper Comp was a very well spec’d mountain bike. The fact that all of these components held together(ish) for 10,000 miles is proof of that.
2009-2016: What Rockhopper?
I’m normally pretty good about not buying things on total impulse. However, by 2016, I had come to the realization that this Rockhopper purchase might’ve been a mistake. I just never rode the dang thing.
Thinking back on it, there were two main reasons for choosing to ride my other bikes over the Rockhopper:
- I just didn’t enjoy mountain biking as much as I used to (mostly because I don’t like getting dirty). Go ahead. Call me a wuss. I deserve it.
- My wife would’ve killed me for bringing a dirty bike into the house. I had no place to store bikes outside, so doing any proper mountain biking would have necessitated a full wash and detail after every ride. F that.
2016-2020: Maybe it’s actually a road bike
I was pretty much over mountain biking by 2016. It just didn’t appeal to me anymore, but I had no intention of selling this bike. I liked it too much! I started using it as a back up bike (for use whenever one of my other bikes were down for repairs or maintenance).
I was starting to get into photography at the time, and by 2017 I was finding myself using it as a prop for photos rather than for proper “bike” stuff. My road bike was still getting all the miles.
I was even excited enough about riding it again that I actually made video overview for it (and posted it to my YouTube channel). Better late than never I guess:
On Christmas day 2018, I was gifted a set of a set of Kenda City Slick tires to replace the stock Specialized knobbies. The transition from mountain bike to road bike was complete.
2020-2023: becoming my primary bike (and riding until it quit)
On February 21, 2020, I snapped the chain on my Specialized Allez road bike (the one I was riding nearly 100% of the time). Not only was I lacking the proper tools to fix it, I was also lacking the time and motivation. I put that bike aside and started riding the Rockhopper full-time.
I rode his bike four times a week over the last three years (for a grand total of 10,894.3 miles). It was holding up well overall, but the drivetrain was wearing out as time went on. Maintenance was becoming a very regular (and annoying) thing.
This bike was becoming borderline unrideable by spring of 2023. The chain was starting to skip over the chainring, which made climbing difficult. That’s a problem in hilly San Diego.
I was faced with a decision: was it worth spending the time and money to get it all fixed up and running perfect? Or should I just use that money towards the purchase of a new bike? I had to do something, because by July I couldn’t even ride it anymore. The drivetrain was completely shot.
Long story short, I decided to let it go and purchase a new bike (a 2023 Canyon Exceed CF 5).
