Specialized rockcombo insight

[dustyrider]

Hello everyone,

Anyone have any experience with specialized's rockcombo bike?
Looks like they weren't made for more than a year, but they're actually purpose built drop bar MTBs. I need another project but don't know much about the bikes...I'll be checking it out this afternoon.

Appreciate any experiences you may have had with these bikes, or if you've seen what sort of prices they fetch. I will do my due diligence this evening after work!

[fiamme red]

I think of the Rock Combo as a predecessor to the Bridgestone XO-1, an all-rounder bike. It would make a great urban commuter.

This model is rather rare, since only 500 or so were ever made.

[modernfuturist]

I remember some users on the iBob (https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/internet-bob/IYc8EqCf_ZA) and 650b (https://groups.google.com/forum/#!search/specialized$20rock$20combo/650b/-Q0AJiXnFJ4/Zoefz4QxmHoJ) google groups posted about their experiences with Rock Combos.

[gdw]

I knew a guy who had one in the early 90's and thought it was a decent bike. He used it for commuting and exploring dirt roads but said it wasn't a good choice for New England singletrack and replaced it with a Stumpjumper. It would probably be a good bike for gravel grinders and old railroad bed rides like Rollins Pass, Switzerland Trail, etc.

I've read that 500 were made between 1988-9 so they aren't too common. I've seen a few come up for sale over the years which were priced around $200-300.

[fiamme red]

I found a comment about the bike by the designer, Bryant Bainbridge:

http://2wheelfetish.blogspot.com/2012/04/drop-bar-mountain-bike-redux-vintage.html

Well, it was never a clone of Grant's bikes and in fact Grant started making flared drop bars after I produced an aftermarket set for Cunningham at Specialized. This bike was modeled after various drop bar mountain bikes I had been making in the shop I ran prior to coming to Specialized. At the time we were the only shop to sell Cunninghams and sold his flared Cinelli bars and LD stems by Potts and later Ibis. I had busted my back in the 83 Rockhopper (a race before it was a bike for Specialized) and had spent the years after trying to find a way to still ride on smooth dirt roads without pain. Lots of experimentation with modifying various offroad frames & cross bikes led to a final design which I had Ibis build as a prototype. Wish I still had it because it was quite nice. You are correct about the factory substituting heavier tubing and the wrong BB height, but what really killed this bike was the idustry's move to 700c as the format of choice for the emerging hybrid market. Grant Peterson and I had agreed that we would both use 26" as the wheel of choice, a decision that did not work out for either of us. In the end, no one wanted hybrids aimed at the performance end of the market and we folded this one up after one year.

-BB (my name on the bars there)

[msl819]

Hello everyone,

Anyone have any experience with specialized's rockcombo bike?
Looks like they weren't made for more than a year, but they're actually purpose built drop bar MTBs. I need another project but don't know much about the bikes...I'll be checking it out this afternoon.

Appreciate any experiences you may have had with these bikes, or if you've seen what sort of prices they fetch. I will do my due diligence this evening after work!

I have one that is my commuter bike. It is 26" wheeled but has the geometry more fitting a road bike as I understand it. It is a great choice for what I use it for. As for pricing, from what I have seen they tend to fetch in the $150-$225 range depending on size and specs. Some were originally spec'd with drop bars and some with flat bars. From what I have read they were only produced in 1989 and only about 500 were made. I have mine set up with a set of Paul Moto Lites so I can run a 700 wheelset with the right tires. I believe I have a pic on here somewhere of mine. I am not going to take mine on an all day dirt road trip but for knocking around town and commuting it has been great. As you can see, I had mine powdercoated black. There were a couple of different 90's color schemes and my paint not in great shape when I got it.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=112782&highlight=Rock+Combo

[GRAVELBIKE]

They sold terribly, and I remember seeing ads for shops selling them at half of MSRP. It was an interesting concept, but a little too late, and a little too niche. I'd already been riding drop bars off-road (on my Ibis and Ritchey) for a couple of years, and I thought that they were late to the game.

[Ken Robb]

A Bridgestone MB-1,2,3,or 4 from the late 1980s-early 1990s has geometry closer to a road bike than most mountain bikes of that era. Rivendell sells Nitto Dirtdrop quill stems so drop bars can be used in place of flat bars on these bikes.
I never saw a Rockcombo but I know that Stumpjumpers and Rockhoppers from that time had much more relaxed geometry/steering that I liked for riding in deep gravel and sand but not so much on hard surfaces.

[RFC]

Here's a couple of hours of ideas you must see!

http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/828426-show-your-vintage-mtb-drop-bar-conversions.html

[dustyrider]

Wow! Huge thanks to everyone.

I just checked it out and it's sweaty enough to be priced reasonably(under 100), but not too sweaty for me to pass on it. I'll most likely pick it up this weekend.

Lots of OE parts still in working order, but the wheels do look a little tired...anyone know the rear spacing? It looks like 130mm...

msl819 I'm interested in your wheel/tire choice. I had noticed folks switching over to 650b. I'm not sure I'll go that route yet, but 700c might be appealing too. Was thinking some type of v brake instead of cantis...any idea if there would be enough adjustment on standard v brakes or was Paul the only option to get to the 700c.

I've got a lot of clicking to do as my mind races into parts scavenge mode. Thinking it will make a great project and excellent townie-esque grinder.

Thanks again everyone. For a bike to be produced in such a small amount and over the course of only 1 year it's surprising how much you all know and found out!

[msl819]

Wow! Huge thanks to everyone.

I just checked it out and it's sweaty enough to be priced reasonably(under 100), but not too sweaty for me to pass on it. I'll most likely pick it up this weekend.

Lots of OE parts still in working order, but the wheels do look a little tired...anyone know the rear spacing? It looks like 130mm...

msl819 I'm interested in your wheel/tire choice. I had noticed folks switching over to 650b. I'm not sure I'll go that route yet, but 700c might be appealing too. Was thinking some type of v brake instead of cantis...any idea if there would be enough adjustment on standard v brakes or was Paul the only option to get to the 700c.

I've got a lot of clicking to do as my mind races into parts scavenge mode. Thinking it will make a great project and excellent townie-esque grinder.

Thanks again everyone. For a bike to be produced in such a small amount and over the course of only 1 year it's surprising how much you all know and found out!

I am running 135 Kings on mine. Even when I was running a 700c wheelset, I went back to 26", I was running 135. The Moto Lites are the only brakes I found that would allow me run all the way up to 700c. I have not tried 650b, though I would like. Be careful when you pull parts i f you do. The Seatpost is an odd size, maybe 26.4 or something. I am glad to answer any question you may have along the way. Also the plastic cable guide the runs below the BB is odd so try not to loose that.

[4funbikes]

Certainly interesting bikes, very worthy of a $100 investment.

[msl819]

I bought mine I believe for $150. It was in overall nice shape. The seatpost was not worth keeping. I bought a VO post that works great and fit the bill. I took all of the original components off and built mine with SRAM X9 parts. Like you, I figured that it would be a fun project and if I completely destroyed it I would be out the cost of an expensive meal. My only wish is that it were lugged like the Bridgestone X0-1. I had a buddy who powdercoated mine for free, thus the semi-gloss black. It looks fine, but I love the look of the X0-1's. I have toyed with having it powdercoated orange, but for some reason the lack of lugs make me pause.

[dustyrider]

after I take advantage of today's big blue skies that is!

[modernfuturist]

Rock Combo video from 1989 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/80253671@N04/11983637155/)

[rmplum]

I just bought one of these, FYI

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3670/20311189002_3143161692_b.jpg

A lot of original parts, but replacement tires, brake levers and stem.

And yes, pretty much handles like a 26" knobby tire'd road bike, not like the other dirt dropped MTBs I've had. The position in the drops is pretty similar to how I fit a modern CX or road bike, quick steering. The tubes are heavy, but it still has a lively old steel feeling to it.

It was a little weird at first, but now that I've come to grips with it, I like it a lot - and I've already started a few somewhat period correct modifications.

Just for kicks I threw a set of conti twister pro supersonic 350 gram tires on there for a ride - combined with different wheels (same era) they knocked almost two pounds off the thing and really woke it up.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/381/20297510188_3b3584b9bd_c.jpg

[dustyrider]

Nice! I'll be modernizing mine over the next few weeks. Thinking 8 speed.

I just got a nice wheelset from a fellow forum member and can't wait to put it through it's paces with lighter wheels. It may have to live as a SS for a little bit; vintage 8 speed stuff seems ridiculously priced.

[rmplum]

I'm very curious what the intended frame geo was on these.

For a "mtb" the bottom bracket is low (I measure about 11" or 28cm with 26x1.9 tires), and a BB drop of about 5cm. Did BB want the bottom bracket lower still?

Mine is "modernized" now slightly to 1991 era Deore XT parts from a Craigslist Stumpjumper that I salvaged. I put 25 miles on it last night and it was quite fun. It's not a light bird, that's for sure.

[msl819]

Nice! I'll be modernizing mine over the next few weeks. Thinking 8 speed.

I just got a nice wheelset from a fellow forum member and can't wait to put it through it's paces with lighter wheels. It may have to live as a SS for a little bit; vintage 8 speed stuff seems ridiculously priced.

dustyrider... give us an update on your Rock Combo!

[ptourkin]

after I take advantage of today's big blue skies that is!

Score! Cue Crockett and Tubbs. Loved that paint.

[dustyrider]

dustyrider... give us an update on your Rock Combo!

The Rockcombo is doing good! It gets ridden pretty regularly as a townie. Folks seem to really like it. I catch people eying it all the time, and find myself getting asked questions about it. Right now, I keep going back and forth about racks. Thinking a portuer to make carrying beer easier. I'll have to take some better photos the next time I ride it.

[rmplum]

I have long since finished the M73X Deore XT swap on my Rock Combo

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1648/26375889865_75e2217b5f_b.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1445/25771105824_47d9768e61_b.jpg

https://c5.staticflickr.com/2/1523/26283586812_9b042fc096_b.jpg

Although now I'm struggling with a repeated series of front flats. Time for new rim strips.

Would also like to find a fresher set of folding Speedmax 1.9s