Ok, so it doesn’t exist yet…

I love my x2 race evo brakes, the lever snap/fee is great, the brakes are great on my XC bike.

Hope have created the Race Evo M4, less weight than the Tech if you don’t need flip flop ability and bite point adjustment, which I don’t.

I have found I wanted a bit more on long alpine descents and sometimes in crappy weather than my previous Tech M4s delivered even with big rotors. Not in absolute terms but I only like to brake with one finger no matter how much is needed and I don’t like to have to use big pressure, relaxed is good for arm pump and hand cramp…enter my Tech V2s, feel, power, everything, I’d just like a bit less weight and I just don’t need the tech lever adjustability….

A Tech V2 weighs the same as a Tech M4 with braided hose….

Technically the current Race lever doesn’t move enough fluid to run a V2 calliper unless you ‘bodge’ it by moving the pistons closer to the disk and then over filling, not ideal really. One of the great aspects of the V2 is big pad clearance.

So anyone else support Hope creating a Race Evo lever to move a bit more fluid to work with a V2 and create a Race Evo V2.

Mega powerful but lose maybe 200g or so.c’mon Hope indulge us…please….

Or you could just buy a Formula One and save yourself 200g on the brakes, then another 50g an end because you don’t have to run the silly deeper track V2 rotors 😉

Silly in your view!

Weight is not the only objective – deeper disc for the same diameter =more brake surface area=cooler brakes.

I’ve had the formula’s. Didn’t like the feel, the lever or the PITA bleeding or the spares availability. I race Enduro’s I crash, stuff breaks…Hope make sure that whatever happens, from a lever to a seal, I can get up and running quickly, easily and at a sensible cost and will be able to do that for years to come.

Thanks, yeah I’d been getting pissed off with my Oro’s. Think I’ll be buying some V2’s as everyone seems to rave about them in terms of reliability and service, I also love the lever feel and light touch. Brakes are one of those things that needs to be reliable as opposed to light.

Got V2’s and they are just amazing brakes, look good, need hardly any pressure to stop you so no arm pump. The control through them are amazing. I like the Tech levers as like to have both levers pulling the same distance and biting at the same point and this is easily achievable with these levers. Never tried the race levers but all the reviews love them so it would be interesting to see how they compare. I run my pads very close too the rotors any way so the levers would probably work for me. I loosed weight on my V2’s by running standard hoses which brought them close to the weight of my old X2’s with tech levers and braided hoses. The main gain with V2 brakes is in the rotors, the actual calipers are only about 15g heavier.

I gave up on Hope V2’s as I didn’t get on with the Tech lever (there was also the daft heavyness of the 200/200 Mk1’s I had). I’ve tried X2 and found them underwhelming, and I didn’t find the M4 any better than the X2 so a bit pointless.

I really like the Formula The One’s I have now but I have a soft spot for Hope and could be tempted back with the Race lever if it was on something like the V2 calliper and wasn’t daft heavy… the rotor is stupid heavy though, and only available in 180 and up… I run 180/160 on my Formula’s and they are powerfull enough.

I gave up on Hope V2’s as I didn’t get on with the Tech lever (there was also the daft heavyness of the 200/200 Mk1’s I had). I’ve tried X2 and found them underwhelming, and I didn’t find the M4 any better than the X2 so a bit pointless

Different opinions and all that, but personally I love the Tech lever. The X2 is only meant to be an XC brake, so would definitely not suit your type of riding, although I was using X2’s on that MacDui ride and did one finger brake 95% of the descent.

Really surprised at your Tech M4 comment – I’ve now upgraded to these and have experienced a huge difference in power. It took 2-3 rides to get them bedded in before I got the caliper alignment completely right and therefore the full power. They do seem pretty sensitive to alignment set up

I upgraded to tech EVO v2 on both my mountain bikes just because the levers are so lovely. It’s only slightly heavier that what came off. Certainly not enough to bother about. I like the floating rotors as well. Just wish the v2 had a 160 mm option for the rear.

The only UK made brake?

Gave up on Hope brakes years ago – they look beautiful but Shimano and Formula just work. I can forego a bit of bling and all the unnecessary gubbins for good old reliability.

Just buy shimano works and works and stops with no effort. Oh nooooo it’s not made in the UK – who cares if it works?

Shimano XT brakes and the usual no spares parts complaint.
5 posts & 5 voices | Started 3 hours ago by mattmbk

mattmbk – Member
Has any one ever had any success repairing an XT M775 brake lever? Mine seems to be leaking from the master cylinder. As usual no spares listed but it can only be an o ring or square cut seal that’s faulty.

Rik – Member
Just buy shimano works and works and stops with no effort.

Obviously they don’t!!

Never had a days problem or worries with any Hope brakes I have had in over 12 years.

Eh, the calipers on the Saints aren’t serviceable. The service and support you get from Hope is way better than Shimano as well.

Never had a days problem or worries with any Hope brakes I have had in over 12 years.

You’ve also not had a days good braking either!

It wasn’t supposed to be a champion your own brakes thread. I’ve had most types and personal experience is very valid.

I have Race x2’s and might try the lever on the V2s as an experiment.

The Race Evo M4 is supposed to be very good and all the Evo brakes have 15% more power allegedly.

I did think about going with the M4s Ed Oxly used them on TP this year and there are some 30+minute descents on that, I know! He had no problems with power or fade.

For info, the Mini Trials uses the same pads and brake disc size as the V2, I have one on my curtis.

If you want to use a 160 rotor, and are less worried about floatingness you can get a 160 trials rotor and it will work.

Thanks, I was aware of the trials disc and considered have custom cut rotors but the tart in me insisted on floating rotors, just because they’re pretty.

i’m looking at buying some evo V2s at the moment.
I’ve had tech M4s, are the M4 evos much better does anyone know?

I have Race Evo M4’s. They are great brakes. I had Old Gen V2’s and they had oodles of power, but they are heavy, especially with floaty rotors. The Tech lever is good, but I only used them with matchmakers.

Formula Mega’s I really rated. Shimano’s spares bin is tiny; you break/wear out something you replace the whole assembly. Avids are nice, but fragile.

I can’t understand Folks who have such problems with Hope. They are easy to fit, service, dismantle, reassemble and diagnose. What is the issue? I’ve still got a set of C2’s on a bike that still work perfectly, despite not being used year on year.

You’ve also not had a days good braking either!

Ah, comedy.

I’ve just replaced the Avid Elixir R (OEM on my Boardman HT Pro) on my Soul with some Race M4 Evo brakes. I’ve yet to find out how well they work on the trail but they look amazing and feel very nice now I’ve got the levers tweaked into position, I’ve read numerous glowing reviews of them and heard many good things about their ease of maintenance. Weren’t cheap so I hope they meet expectation!

The Avids always had plenty of power and good modulation but weren’t half finicky about set-up, often noisy and often draggy.

I’m sure opinions on brakes depend hugely on your riding style (if you’re good at braking hard but infrequently then you’ll be easy on brakes) and your weight, so a brake that might suit a very skilled lightweight like Ed Oxley may struggle with a bigger but less able rider (I am both but not that heavy and I can’t see myself managing a continuous 30 minute descent on a hardtail!)

wrecker,

The tech V2s are more powerful than the M4s,

The extra weight is attributable to the rotors, at about 30g to an equivalent disk size.

Most people had no issues with the older, less powerful M4s.

I like lots of braking for very little effort and almost no fade as I like the lever close to the bar to avoid hand cramp on very long descents. I find I get that with the v2s as well as oodles of modulation.

I had all that with the M4s. just a bit less power and occasionally wanted more, Now they have 15% more power I may not have that issue if I used them again but I have v2s now so there you go…

it does depend what you ride and your bike too. I have a 20lb full suss with race x2s that I’ve never felt under braked on, but its 10lb lighter than my AM bike and I obviously go slower!!

Thanks chainline.

I had all that with the M4s. just a bit less power and occasionally wanted more, Now they have 15% more power I may not have that issue if I used them again but I have v2s now so there you go…

This is my question really. Has anyone experience of the evo and non evo (tech) M4s? Is there much difference in power?
The V2s are pricey; particularly with the rotors.

I went Tech M4 to Race Evo M4. any difference in power? No.

Better colour scheme, though!

If you want lots of braking for little effort, try Magura. Light feel at the lever, but by crikey they are powerful.

Wrecker. Send an email to richard@gravity-sports.co.uk and ask for some prices for the Hope brakes you’re intrested in. Tell him the_pilot recommended you. You might be surprised…

Thank you chainline, that’s very kind of you. I’ll be sure to drop him a line.

Richard has just quoted me a excellent price for a pair of Race Evo M4 / X2 brakes. Cheaper than CRC etc.

In the past I have also had Hope Hoops and Vision 4 lights from him, all at great prices.

And yes I am a Hope fanboy…

Richards customer service is also excellent.

Unfortunately, despite him trying I didn’t get the deal I had hoped. He does seem like a very nice and honest bloke though and I’d definitely consider using him in the future.