People can scoff all they want.  "Why the hell would you pay that much for a bicycle?!?!"  There is a good reason for it.  At the time I purchased the bike (which was in Aug 99) I was major into mountain biking.  (Now I only wish I had the time and energy.)  I had a cheapy bike...once I started actually riding it (not just to grandma's and back), it lasted 1 year...next cheapy bike $200 = 6 months, and $150 on rims...next cheapy bike $250 = 4 months and $300 on multiple parts (rims, brakes, shifters, etc.)  I decided to save my pennies from working all summer, a little better than minimum wage carpentry labourer, and buy a decent bike that would be worth spending money on it when it would eventually break.  That's the funny thing, it doesn't matter what type of vehicle you drive, or ride, they always break. 

 

Anyway, after my last cheapy bike broke at the end of july, I asked to borrow the money from my dad, until I had the money at the end of summer.  Went out, found the bike I liked (and could afford), and a decent helmet, and I was off!  I could ride without too many worries about bending rims, or breaking parts!  I was hyped!!  Well, it's been going on 6 yrs now, and it still rolls smoothly.  I may have had a 2 1/2 yr breather where I got too involved with cars to ride...and now I still don't have as much time (kids take up a lot of time, not that I'd give them up for anything) or energy to ride (a little outta shape).

 

I've upgraded quite a bit, and had to fix quite a bit, but it's still worth every penny I've put into it (to me).  Also a lot better than going through 5 cheapies, which I'm sure would've been a minimum.

 

More to come...

Brand : Specialized

Model : Rockhopper Comp

Frame : Nitanium

Colour : Silver

Speeds : 27 (3 on front, 9 on back)

Brakes : V-type - DiaCompe

Brake Levers : Shimano STX-RC

Chainrings : 44tooth

               (RaceFace)

             32tooth

               (RaceFace)

             22tooth

               (original)

Crank : Original

Pedals : WAM-D1

           Clipless/Platform

Shifters : Sram Attack 

             Rapid Fire

Fork : Manitou Magnum

Hubs : Original

Front Rim : Original

              Ritchey

Rear Rim : SunRims RhynoLite

BarEnds : Profile

Bar : Bontrager

 

 

Alrite, back to slacking, and that pisses me off, seems everytime I rode tho, something broke, and I just can't afford to fix it (with trying to get the celi on the road).   I broke a spoke last ride out...and basically I need a new rim, because it's just been beat too many times...didn't even get it back to straight last time (that's why the spoke broke, it was too tight for the bump I hit).  Once the celi is on the road, I will be putting a couple hundred into it to get it back and running properly again (new rim, tubes, possibly even tires)...So many projects, so little cash.