Imagine me, pumped and flexing like a Spartacus Season 1, foaming at the mouth, breathing fire, tearing limbs off the awful evil empire Big Red S. Blood in the street, quality triumphs over price-point, marketing driven back in holy war against engineering.

but

*yawn*

That is really played. Especially for $21 shipped to store, next to the gym. I challenge anyone to find a better 20″ 2.1 mildly-directional dry-conditions mtb tire. The dipshits in Specialized’s marketing dept probably built it thinking parents think it looks cool. They don’t know what they got. Slicks or bmx tread are 95% of the available inventory, the rest is too knobby. Its the closest thing I’ve found in 20″ to a WTB Exiwolf, Bronson, Weirwolf, a Nevegal or a High Roller or Ignitor.

The Hotrock is about $75 too much, but is still my favorite kids bike. Even if I had to replace the crankset cause the plastic chainguard sheared off the steel rings, leaving it dangerous to do otherwise. They warrantied it, of course.   Multiply that ratio of 75\325 by about…14, the amount Specialized rips your off for a real bike, and you can quantify how much   disgust and discount i will tolerate to ride with my tinyShredder.