Hi all.
I’m sure I read in the distant past about being able to add some gears to a Hope SS/Trials hub. Has anyone done this? Whats needed and what kind of range would you get? Just weighing up whether it’d be easier to just replace the whole back wheel with a ‘proper’ hub.

Cheers
Dave

Done it.I used the top half of an xt cassette (with the carrier machined slightly) to get 7 gears.
You end up with less gears that weigh more ,as the hope ss hub is heavier than the normal one.But you do get an undished rear wheel…..woop.

I did it in the same way as Rorschach. It works fine but the available ratios are pretty poor, it would be better with a custom cassette (i.e. break apart a cheapo one) with wider range.

Bear in mind certain mechs can be difficult to setup for limited range required, the high/low stops on most often dont have enough range and while longer screws can work some mechs (SRAM in my experience) just wont work at all.

I think you can get six on there. Like using an XT cassette and losing the sprockets not on the carrier. I can ask some of the guys who would know for certain what works and what does not. I believe that back in the day trials bikes had to have cassette and mech fitted for competitions.

Hmmm, may just flog it and get something I can just shove a 10 speed cassette on. Thanks guys – worth me doing a little more digging into!

I sometimes run 7 speed on mine using the smallest 7 sprockets off a 10 speed XT cassette. Haven’t needed to machine anything on mine though. It works really well around here (Surrey) and is even fine on long climby days elsewhere.

I did it just to see if it could be done. I used a Shimano 105 cassette, I think, and used the 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25. But needed a random spacer to take up a tiny bit of play. If you use the smallest cogs you can get 7 on, because the last cog before the lock ring hangs over the end of the free hub. Bigger cogs require a bit of machining.

I teamed it up with a Zee mech so everything is was nice and small. Works fine if a bit compromised. Either big jumps between cogs or limited range. For me it added a couple of ratios to my SS when my back was too bad to ride SS.

Couple of photos:

I went the same way as most here, using an XT 9 speed cassette, which gives you 6 gears, added to a 36t ring, gives you IIRC your 2:1 SS gear, plus 2 up and 3 down. I’ve used this with an old Shimano 600 Derailleur, whih has just enough range and depth to use the 34t lowest cog. Short chain too, so no need for chain retention.