1989 Specialized Rockhopper Comp

[MojoDave]

Hi,
I moved to London in 2000 and bought this Rockhopper for transport, £80.
Replaced with a Marin Alpine Trail in 2004 when I moved to Kent, and has been mainly gathering dust in the back of various sheds until last month.



It needed new cables and I picked up the front wheel from Ebay.
Unfortunately the seat post is stuck solid and possibly the quill stem in the forks, covered in rust spots too.
Pedals are Campagnolo Centaur?
I added the Arch Rivals sometime over the years and replaced the rear mech and stupidly binned the original.
Maxxis Beavers 2.25 just fitted luckily.
Took it out for the first time yesterday in the local woods - Bikes have come along way since then, but I loved it!
This bike will definitely be out of the shed more often now. Will look to get an original rear mech and tidy it up a bit.
Cheers, Dave.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Check the Retrobike Catalog base. Yours Hopper off-hand looks like an '89 or '90. Regarding the stuck seatpost, consider extraction because the electrolysis only gets worse with time. I would use some kind of penetrating oil and apply over a few days and very cautiously try a pipe wrench. If the post twists even a cm you can walk it out of the frame.

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/Manufacturer+Archive/Specialized+Archive/Catalogues/

 

[gtturbo]

Forks are a nice upgrade. I do like the 89 model Specialized's. As for the stuck post I'm a fan of the freeze method. But generally whatever you do you need to soak if with plusgas or some other penetrating fluid for a good period of time before even trying removal. As above if you can get it to move a touch you are normally home and free from then onwards. I've got an Alpinestars soaking currently. Everytime I walk past the bike I just give it another blast via the bottle boss holes. It has been over 2 weeks now so I will give it a go soon.

 

[Imlach]

Check the Retrobike Catalog base. Yours Hopper off-hand looks like an '89 or '90. Regarding the stuck seatpost, consider extraction because the electrolysis only gets worse with time. I would use some kind of penetrating oil and apply over a few days and very cautiously try a pipe wrench. If the post twists even a cm you can walk it out of the frame.

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/Manufacturer+Archive/Specialized+Archive/Catalogues/

Agreed get the post out

If it happily chugs down the wet stuff and brute force ain't making it budge

Then...

Caustic soda. Yay! Fun for the whole family.

 

[MojoDave]

Thanks for the post suggestions - It's been stuck for a while so might need professional help or drastic measures, that Caustic soda method looks scary!
I noticed the forks appeared stuck to the stem when greasing the headset, WD40 everything but didn't force them as worried about bending the legs. Will keep applying to both.
I'm just hoping the rust isn't more than surface deep, but from what I've read steel frames are pretty tough? Hope the fork drop outs are too! Applying some rust converter to the worst bits.

 

[Imlach]

Thanks for the post suggestions - It's been stuck for a while so might need professional help or drastic measures, that Caustic soda method looks scary!
I noticed the forks appeared stuck to the stem when greasing the headset, WD40 everything but didn't force them as worried about bending the legs. Will keep applying to both.
I'm just hoping the rust isn't more than surface deep, but from what I've read steel frames are pretty tough? Hope the fork drop outs are too! Applying some rust converter to the worst bits.

The only way to really get a feeling for the condition of a frame is proper disassembly hence its crucial that you can remove components. Rusted through frames do usually show obvious signs, such as bubbling under paint and in some cases if very severe, it may have caused pinholes through the tubing, making it structurally unsafe. It takes a LONG TIME of storage in damp conditions for it to be anything significant. Look around bb, chainstay and bottom fork legs particularly. Keep feeding the bits wet stuff, consider going for something stronger than wd40. Last resort, caustic soda isn't as bad as it sounds

 

[Imlach]

Also it's definitely worth doing because it's a very nice bike, love the frame. One of the nicest colour schemes on the decals IMHO.

 

[MojoDave]

It has always been kept inside a shed, so hopefully not too bad.
Will check those suggested spots thanks (the crank arms wouldn't budge off the weird looking BB) - PlusGas needs ordering!

 

[Imlach]

It has always been kept inside a shed, so hopefully not too bad.
Will check those suggested spots thanks (the crank arms wouldn't budge off the weird looking BB) - PlusGas needs ordering!

What's weird about the BB

I do see some bubbling in the paint on one of your pictures, but nothing too extreme. Definitely deserves a kind touch, bit of sanding down of the rust spots and treatment with either BLO or rust converter etc.

 

[Graham_hkr]

Nice looking steed... be gentle with her!