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Specialized Hard Rock Sport mtb

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Jesper

Wore out three sets of tires already!
I am being offered a bike for free from some left behind from the loss of a friend's brother. Out of a "Walmart" nearly new fake mtb, a very good condition Schwinn "newfangled" Varsity (alloy frame), and an old 70s/80s Panasonic sport "racer" (lugged steel frame, Shimano "Skylark" stuff); I thought that the Specialized mtb was the best bike for the buck (they are all free!).
I will post some photos of it (when able to), but, it seems to be in very good mechanical condition, and overall aesthetics aren't too bad for its age or presumed use.
Looks like a mix of steel and alloy parts; I guess a lower/entry level set-up for the components. From what I saw the group is Sun Tour/Dia Compe XCM (7 speed rear/3 speed front) with alloy seat post, steel bar and stem, and steel chainrings.
Although I am not familiar with the model; the frame seems to be of high quality construction and may have been the same CroMo frame used on higher end models with better components.
Appears to have been used more as a beach cruiser given the replacement saddle mounted to it.

Are these bikes considered any good? Is the XCM group worthwhile keeping on it for non-competitive riding?

I think it is early 90s (canti brakes, rigid frame), but I have not tried dating it via its serial number yet (when I locate it.)

It would seem to be a worthwhile frame to throw some basic upgrades on it if the SunTour/Dia Compe stuff wasn't up to par for my riding needs (pretty much flatland off-road, no major climbing/descents).
 
Are these bikes considered any good? Is the XCM group worthwhile keeping on it for non-competitive riding?

I think it is early 90s (canti brakes, rigid frame), but I have not tried dating it via its serial number yet (when I locate it.)
Some of the early Hardrocks with araya wheels, bullmoose bars attract attention.
This one sounds more generic. Xcm 21-speed good enough for recreational riding as described. Suntour date code on derailleurs straightforward to decode here:
 
Thanks @J-wagon
I had not had the chance to scrutinize the Sun Tour parts yet for codes, but I will do that when I get to it next weekend. I believe that all the components are original. I had not looked at the rims, except to note that they are alloy. Again, for $0 I can't go wrong, but I don't really want to do much more than to put on the type of tires I want and replace the saddle, bar and stem, and the chainrings. Maybe toss $100 into it for myself to ride; or just clean, service and sell as is for about $75-$100 (if it has that value?).
 
or just clean, service and sell as is for about $75-$100 (if it has that value?).
I fixed curbside free blue specialized Rockhopper and sold for $60 (within hours), I kept the og bullmoose, the rims are og Saturae x28 (made by Ukai?).
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I sold red 1980s (chainstay brakes) Hardrock for around $90 (during pandemic bike boom). Og Araya rims.
1641981
 
Thanks again @J-wagon for the examples and general selling prices. I am hoping I will like it as a quality beater off-road bike. Would like to see it around 24-25 lbs if possible with alloy parts in place. A little touch-up paint (it's had some already) would do wonders other than a possible upgrade of parts. Tires are in very good condition, saddle sucks (condition, and type).

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Specialized HARD ROCK SPORT 5.jpg
 
I have managed to salvage Deore LX shifters and RD (dated code '03), alloy bar/System 2 stem (need adaptor to fit fork), and saddle/post from a Trek 8000 ZX frame going to the scrap metal guy (unless someone needs it) to get a few $ for the aluminum. I would have taken the crankset too, but no puller on hand when I stripped it.
Not sure if the indexing on the Deore shifter will work with the existing cassette (make as yet unknown); if not swap existing system to new bar.


Note: about the Trek frame: very good quality alloy (Easton?) TIG (conjunctions a welds are smooth) frame with (I believe) internal reinforcements at tube conjunctions; the fork (Judy model) is toast from elemental exposure. I think it was a "specialty" Trek frame at the time (90s). Has typical mtb scrapes and scars, no cracks. I will try to find a photo if possible.

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If it was my bike, I would keep the original Suntour parts on it...
Keeping the Sun Tour FD. RD has bent cage, shifters are somewhat siezed. Since I have some better performing parts it made sense to utilize them. If the Shimano stuff doesn't work out and the OE cannot be made operable, I will just toss on some ratcheting thumb shifters and not concern myself with the indexing which really doesn't matter much to me anyways.
 
Looks like hardrock cassette 7-speed and Shimano rear shifter Trek 8000 is indexed for 8-speed capacity. The og suntour probly easy recondition. Often internal pawl / spring mechanism gums up. Open up, squirt some wd40 to loosen up gummy pawls, until crisp clicks with shifts.
 
Looks like hardrock cassette 7-speed and Shimano rear shifter Trek 8000 is indexed for 8-speed capacity. The og suntour probly easy recondition. Often internal pawl / spring mechanism gums up. Open up, squirt some wd40 to loosen up gummy pawls, until crisp clicks with shifts.
I put lubricant/penetrant on all exposed hardware, pivots, etc. with the bike upright and upside down over 2 weeks ago. I'll still overhaul all the OE parts; they won't be trashed, and they may still end up back on the bike. All bearings have good function, but I'll overhaul everything.
I don't doubt the capacity of the Deore RD (RD-M510) as being able to handle an 8 spd cassette (probably 9 spd as well; mech dated from 2003) as you stated, but the part I really wanted were the shifters (from Trek) that for a 7 spd. That Deore RD is a replacement since the Trek frame is about 10 years older. I'll keep the XCM RD on it when trying D-LX shifters since they are on the bar I'm using and function great. As stated earlier the XCM shifters may come back on if they function after overhaul.
 
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