Thinking about finally investing in some decent brakes, been let down by Shimano a couple of times too many recently and though the SRAM Guides on my HT have done me proud so far, I’m thinking sod it, just buy some Hope’s for the FS. So…

Braided hoses… Yay or nay? Seems to me the only benefit (or drawback) is a firmer (more wooden?) lever feel. Obviously they cost more, they weigh more, cost more, and are more of a PITA to trim.

So what do you reckon? Going on a 160mm travel FS bike FWIW with 203FR/180RR rotors.

Have them on both bikes, extra cost wasn’t so much from memory certainly given whole setup. Could I tell the difference vs normal hoses, probably not

Nay, no point in them.

I’m planning on getting the same brakes in the new year to replace my XT’s and had the same conundrum. All my previous Hope brakes, bar my ’00 Mini’s, had braided hoses as they were ‘pimp’ but I looked into it this time and for the pressures MTB brakes work at it’s not a worthwhile upgrade so I’ll be going standard hoses this time. The added advantage is that they’ll be easier to thread through the 5’s swingarm and they’ll match the gear and Reverb hose too 😀

I’ve just bought tech e4s for my Whyte t130, rear brake hose was routed through the frame and looked like it would be a bastard to replace
So I just cut the scram brake of the back end and removed it of the front
Shortened and used the old hose
Works fine and saved a lot of work might be worth considering if yours are routed the same

I’ve been running them on my hope brakes for decades. However, on my most recent sets earlier this year, I stayed with standard hose after reading somewhere that hope themselves said it made bugger all difference. So far, I’d say they were right and that’s with a 200lb rider on a 160mm full sus bike riding silly stuff in verbier on 180/160 rotors.

Bigger rotors might have been nice, I was squeezing bloody hard at times, but my tech 3 e4 brakes never faded, boiled fluid or let me down. The bite position didn’t even move. I don’t see what braided hose brings to the party. On a dirty or neglected bike, they might even threated an expensive Tupperware frame.

Nay.

On my second pair now and have gone for standard hoses again, didn’t fancy braided on a plastic frame. Rode a bike last year with the same setup bar braided hoses and they felt identical (to me).

Who cares if they work better? They look so much better than the boring black ones and only cost about £10 more. I have them on all my hopes and will always pick them over standard. If I’m spending a considerable amount anyway an extra £10 isn’t the end of the world.

Who cares if they work better? They look so much better than the boring black ones…

Not when both your bikes are stealth black with external routing!

Yay.

They look bitchin’ 8)

Especially on stealth black bikes, when you get matching steel braided gear cable outers, natch.

No brainer.

Nay obv

Only if the silver grey colour matched the bike better than the standard black.

Nay, if you can feel the difference when using them on the bike you’re a biking god!

I had several sets of Hope brakes with braided hoses but went with the standard hoses last time. Genuinely cannot tell any difference between them.

Aesthetically, although you can match them with braided look gear cables, you are struggling with the dropper if you run a Reverb. I also found you can get odd loop shapes in front of the bars as you twist them to get the brakes in position

Cheers guys for confirming my suspicions.

I’ve set quite a few bikes up for customers with Hope brakes with plastic hoses, all of them have felt fine to me. No experience of their braided hoses, but I guessed it wouldn’t make a huge difference.

Black plastic hoses would match the bike better anyhow, and 30g weight saving per end isn’t to be sniffed at! 😉

“braided gives better feel” always makes me laugh. It is knitwear. Keep it for the golf buggy.

I have both, sod-all difference other than weight and looks.

No difference performance wise but I always use them, I think they look good but also they offer a bit more protection should you have a crash catch them etc standard hoses could kink or split easier.

Nope from me too. No noticeable difference in feel, plus they’re a bit more of a PITA to set up – as you have to cut the braid carefully, and splay the olive. It’s just more hassle, and when the oil eventually seeps into the braid – the laminate goes white.

Pointless really.

But they cost more – so must be better, eh? 😉

I bought plastic just to make internal routing easier and not have open up the frame grommets.