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Worth Upgrading?

977 views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  safme 
#1 ·
I got a 2010 Hardrock Disc all stock.

I ordered BB7 brakes for it but is it worth upgrading other parts?
 
#3 ·
sure, upgrade it to the best of your ability,
the hardrock will still be limited by a heavy frame though.

start with the fork, the fork sucks, why not go for a Rockshox Tora or Recon ~$250

then go with a wheelset, can you afford $200? Go for WTB laserdiscs with XT hubs.

do you like lightweight/carbon bling? you can get a handlebar for about $75, stem for about $50, and seatpost for about $75.
 
#6 ·
I have a 2008 HR and I had the same question.I found in time,that although heavy,this bike can take a hell of a beating.Thats was why I decided to simply upgrade it instead of buying a new more pricy bike...I mean,this bike does everything a 5,000 dollar bike can do...except make me worry about cracking a carbon frame.My 700 dollar bike is now worth abot 2 grand,and i am happy i did it.I have a connection to this bike and it was worth every penny
 
#7 ·
no, bad idea. almost always a bad idea UNLESS bike/frame relatively high end to begin with to the extent it was your plan to buy as high end stuff as possible on the bike but due to budget constraints couldnt get every part where you wanted originally (i.e., high end frame, fork, and wheels purchased with other parts not quite where you wanted...but you know you want to keep it and thus, put the money into the important parts straight away).

if you remain interested in biking, you will spend lots of money upgrading, still not making it a great bike, and THEN realize you want/need a new bike altogether thus buying a new bike and all the so called upgrades you wasted money on are for not
 
#8 ·
Most pre-assembled bikes dont really come with high end parts, especially the modest priced ones. There is always something better.

I have a 2010 Rockhopper and my brother a 2009 Trek 4300. His rims may be heavier and bulkier, but they dont bend as easy and he sits gong over rocks. His 4300 has far less drive train problems than mine, even though my components are better.

More expensive doesn't always mean better.
 
#9 ·
Hi There,
I had the same questions not long ago. You need to ask yourself 2 questions. First what type of riding do you do and see yourself doing in the future and two what about the bike am I not happy with. I have a 2009 HR that I bought just to ride bike paths with my son and found the frame and size to be more comfortable for me than my old 95 GT which I have been using for years for XC type off road riding. The biggest negative I found with the bike is with the 7 speed drivetrain. I did not like the 14-34 gear range and the shifting was not precise as what I am used to. I decided to change over the entire drivetrain to 9 speed and I did it for around $300 by looking for deals on new and used parts and by doing the work myself. I did not go for the latest and greatest components but I did stick for the most part with proven Deore LX and XT components. The result is a bike that shifts quickly and smoothly and handles the trails well. The problem is and other people have brought this up is that this truly is an entry level bike and most of the parts are low quality so by the time you change everything you want to it adds up. I paid 390 for the bike and have probably put in another $350 at this point with all changes I have made so far. Even if you buy a higher end bike you will likely find things you will want to change and you will not get the experience and delight of building up your bike yourself!

BTW - Why did you change the brakes on your bike?

Here is what I have upgraded so far on my 09 HR:
Front and rear wheels - Mavic Crosstrail
Crankset - Deore XT (Older Octalink Style)
Rear Dérailleur - Deore XT
Front Derailleur - Deore LX ($6 on JensonUSA!)
Rear Cassette - Deore 9 Speed 11-32
Shifters - Deore LX
Brake Levers - Deore
Handle Bars - Ritchey Severe Duty
Tires - WTB Velociraptor - F&R
Chain - Shimano Deore LX
 
#10 ·
The stock Tektro Novela disc brakes are just plain horrible. I already had to adjust them 3 times because the stopping power was bad... The bike is only 1 month old lol

I use it for riding to college but would love to try to take it on a trail :D, I dunno how the stock parts would respond to harsher treatment tho.
 
#12 ·
specialized.cookie said:
The stock Tektro Novela disc brakes are just plain horrible. I already had to adjust them 3 times because the stopping power was bad... The bike is only 1 month old lol

I use it for riding to college but would love to try to take it on a trail :D, I dunno how the stock parts would respond to harsher treatment tho.
it's meant for mountain biking.. you don't need to upgrade to take it on singletrack
besides, you've got a warranty (as long as you don't huck it off a house or something)

another point of view to consider is that you can carryover the upgrades to a nicer bike if you ever decide the HR is not good enough.
One point I forgot to mention is that the frame is designed around a 80mm fork. I believe a 100mm fork will both interfere with the intended geometry and void the frame's lifetime warranty.

don't forget a jagwire ripcord compressionless cable kit and set of avid speed-dial 7 levers to go with your bb7. really makes a big difference

one more thing, heavier does not mean stronger nor more durable. I don't really know how people can conclude that the HR is a particularly durable frame without any real evidence. Also, just because you can ride it on the same trails as more expensive bikes, does not mean it does it nearly as well. for example, a carbon hardtail will dampen a lot of the bumps in the trail.
 
#13 ·
Lambdamaster said:
it's meant for mountain biking.. you don't need to upgrade to take it on singletrack
besides, you've got a warranty (as long as you don't huck it off a house or something)

another point of view to consider is that you can carryover the upgrades to a nicer bike if you ever decide the HR is not good enough.
One point I forgot to mention is that the frame is designed around a 80mm fork. I believe a 100mm fork will both interfere with the intended geometry and void the frame's lifetime warranty.

don't forget a jagwire ripcord compressionless cable kit and set of avid speed-dial 7 levers to go with your bb7. really makes a big difference

one more thing, heavier does not mean stronger nor more durable. I don't really know how people can conclude that the HR is a particularly durable frame without any real evidence. Also, just because you can ride it on the same trails as more expensive bikes, does not mean it does it nearly as well. for example, a carbon hardtail will dampen a lot of the bumps in the trail.
I can't even begin to tell you all the spectacular crashes,tree slamming,messing up a huge down graded drop and othe hits i've taken with that bike,and it still is rock solid.I had a carbon trek,and a stell frame frame fischer,both bottom brackets cracked with in ,I'd say,6 months of riding them the same way i rid my HR.my 2002 hr,is also still in great shape after 7 years of abuse.Granted,at 42 my idea of abuse and hard riding may be different than what a 20y/0 fearless buck considers hard riding
 
#14 ·
samuraibushi said:
I can't even begin to tell you all the spectacular crashes,tree slamming,messing up a huge down graded drop and othe hits i've taken with that bike,and it still is rock solid.I had a carbon trek,and a stell frame frame fischer,both bottom brackets cracked with in ,I'd say,6 months of riding them the same way i rid my HR.my 2002 hr,is also still in great shape after 7 years of abuse.Granted,at 42 my idea of abuse and hard riding may be different than what a 20y/0 fearless buck considers hard riding
I've had some pretty bad crashes on my rockhopper as well, and the frame is 1600g flat.
anecdotal evidence only does so much..
 
#15 ·
specialized.cookie said:
The stock Tektro Novela disc brakes are just plain horrible. I already had to adjust them 3 times because the stopping power was bad... The bike is only 1 month old lol

I use it for riding to college but would love to try to take it on a trail :D, I dunno how the stock parts would respond to harsher treatment tho.
Glad I didnt get the HR Disc!
 
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