ROCKHOPPER ELITE 29 : GLOSS REDWOOD / SPRUCE Specialized

Yep, we just re-read the spec sheet and still can’t believe it either. The Rockhopper Elite is one helluva lot of bike.

Air-sprung fork? Let me introduce you to your new friend, Judy. Discerning when it comes to your drivetrain? You’ll find no fault—and no grade too steep—with a wide-range Shimano Deore 1×10 drivetrain. Why stop there? We didn’t, in order to allow you the pleasure of stopping yourself with Shimano’s eager-to-please and oh-so-capable MT200 hydraulic disc brakes.

Each is impressive in their own right, but the magic really lies in how they all come together into a Rockhopper that serves up singletrack with a nice big side of ‘ Whoah, so that’s what a real bike feels like.’

• A heart of gold, presented in our lightweight yet durable Premium A1 Aluminum, the Rockhopper features butted aluminum tubes in order to keep weight low and strength high, all while providing increased standover clearance, slick internal cable routing and dropper-post compatibility. With the goal of making sure that the Rockhopper offers both the best fit and best performance for every person, no matter their measure, we’ve paired each Rockhopper frame size with the optimal wheel size. The result is a Rockhopper to fit every rider and the assurance that every Rockhopper is rolling on the best-handling wheel for its frame size.
• A breath of fresh air at this price point—and plenty north of it, RockShox’s Judy SoloAir brings air-sprung sensitivity and performance to the masses with a killer value proposition: more bang, less buck. The TurnKey damper deftly dishes out travel letting you focus on what’s ahead.
• Shimano’s 1×10 wide-range 10-speed Deore shifiting boasts both the pedigree and performance that legends are made of.
• Tubeless-ready rims and tires keep your options open and traction on-call.