Specialized Rockhopper year?

[cycletothesea]

Hi Folks, I have this Specialized Rockhopper that I'm puzzled over. I also have a Red Rockhopper Comp with exactly the same general look and feel. However, ALL the old catalogues and Google searches I've looked at have the 'Rockhopper' decal on the down tube and the 'Specialized' decal on the top tube. BOTH of mine are the other way round. Plus my Red Rockhopper Comp is a deep scarlet red that I've not seen anywhere else. Does anybody know anything about the year these might be from?

 

[Repacker]

The V brakes alone would put it past 1996/7. But I guess this to be a 1998, this is surely the "Very DK Blue"?

There's another recent thread about a similar era Team Red Rockhopper here

 

[cycletothesea]

Okay, thanks for that. Did they just swap the decals around for the 1 year?

 

[Repacker]

Was that way in 98 too, maybe beyond.

 

[CassidyAce]

As above, the bike in the photo is a 1998 model in 'Very dark blue'. Specialized changed their decals in 1997 so that 'Specialized' was on the down tube and the model on the top tube. To my knowledge, it's been that way ever since.

I would guess that your red RockHopper is a 1997 model. Google for '1997 RockHopper' and I think you'll find other examples.

 

[Repacker]

From the 1997 Catalogue

 

[splotch]

I was going to say...looks very similar to my 1997 Rockhopper A1 FS. Cranks, stem, grip shifters, and logo placements. The above catalogue photo shows it well.

 

[splotch]

From the 1997 Catalogue

I forgot to ask...where did you find the 1997 catalogue? I didn't see it on this site but I've been looking for one.

 

[Repacker]

I forgot to ask...where did you find the 1997 catalogue? I didn't see it on this site but I've been looking for one.

I can't remember, its just one of my many files on my laptop. I will have found it somewhere on the web though.

 

[Repacker]

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/resources/1997-specialized-catalogue.4/