When I started riding my bike in mid-summer 2007, I only had one bike. It was the bike my parents bought me when I was 14 or 15 years old. A traveler from Schwinn. I had it hanging in my garage and one day I decided I had to start exercising again, so I filled my tires with air and went for a bike ride. I really enjoyed riding my bike, but the weather was getting colder and I was wondering how I was going to keep riding through the winter. Also, I knew that a road bike wouldn’t work for winter riding. So I went to my local bike dealer and asked them which bike they recommended.

The seller recommended the 2008 Specialized Hardrock XC disc. I really wanted disc brakes (because they look great, I know that’s not a good reason, but that’s what I am). They recommend the bike because it was in my price range, it has an aluminum frame so it should hold up during winter riding, it had disc brakes that work better in the snow because the brake system is up and out of the snow and has front suspension.

Now I have to tell you about a stupid decision I made. The seller recommended a 17-inch frame to me. I rode the bike and I liked it. But I also bought a bike rack that connects to my Jeep’s spare tire. I put the bike rack in my Jeep when I got home and tried to put my new bike in the bike rack. The new bike did not fit in the bike rack. Also, when I looked at the bike, it seemed small (it may have had something to do with it not fitting in the bike rack). So I retired the bike and got the next size: 19-inch frame. It was a mistake. I should have stuck with the 17-inch frame. Now I know they make a bar that goes from the handlebar to the seat post just for such situations.

Now is the time to get on the bike for your first ride. Right now I was riding the LRT trail in Eden Prairie. I was riding my road bike 20-22 miles at a time with little difficulty. I was amazed at how difficult this bike was to ride. I could barely ride it 6 miles the first time I tried it. I thought something was wrong with the bike. I filled the tires up to maximum air pressure (80 psi), but that had little effect. I just assumed that mountain bikes were a lot more work than a mounted bike.

I bought the bike in mid-October 2007. And I rode the bike at least every other day and worked my way up to 20 miles at a time. I must say that I am very happy with the bike. I rode it all winter, assuming the temperature (wind chill) was above 5 degrees.

Then in the spring, I went for a bike ride with one of my friends. I figured it would be hard for him to follow me. I had been riding all winter and was riding 20 miles at a time again (due to the snow and cold, I was riding 12 to 15 miles at a time during the winter). When we went for a walk, I couldn’t keep up with him. He was embarrassed and couldn’t understand why he was so slow. I finally found out that it was the bicycle. It is very heavy and has cheap components. I guess you get what you pay for.

One problem I had with the bike was that it kept braking the spokes at the rear. The second time I brought the wheel in to get new spokes, they said they would upgrade the wheel. I guess they had problems with the rear wheel on this bike. I have not had any problems with the bike or the rear wheel since it was updated.

I feel like overall I’m satisfied with the 2008 Specialized Hardrock XC disc. Yes, it’s heavy and I can’t keep up with my friends when I’m using it. But that’s not why I bought it. I bought it as a reasonably priced mountain bike to ride through the winter. And it has served that purpose well. Also, I like to ride it when I travel alone on the trails from my house. I have to work a lot more on this bike and use it for training so when I ride with other people on my road bike or other mountain bike it’s easier to keep up.

But if you’re looking for a good all-terrain mountain bike or traveling with other people (especially if they’re as competitive as some of my friends), I wouldn’t recommend this bike. It’s too heavy and that makes it too difficult to keep up with people.