I’ve got Hope X2 tech brakes on my bike, like these ones

I’ve got center lock wheels, so prefer to run center lock rotors. I’ve got Shimano XT Ice-Tech rotors on my bike, and no matter what I do, I cannot stop the brakes dragging on the rotor. When I fit new pads (hope original standard), and ensure the pistons are fully retracted, I cannot even get the rotor between the pads. I’ve got to sand the pads down, before I can get the rotor in, and then I always seem to get rubbing and dragging.

Everything I’ve read says that the hope brake discs are thicker than normal, so the Shimano’s should fit at 1.8mm thick. So what am I missing?

Wrong pads, ice tech too thick, pistons not fully home or on the piss. Hard to say without seeing and measuring shit.

Not doing anything like running Uberbike finned backing plates?

Are you pushing the pistons back in with a screwdriver behind the opposite pad? That’s the right way.

FWIW I run M4’s and a Shimano 203mm rotor up front on 2 bikes no problem (non Ice Tech, but should be the same thickness).

Ice tech rotors appear to be thicker than the previous Shimanos. I only notice this because the B+ wheels for my Pact have them and the 29er wheels with older style rotors don’t. When I fit the 29er wheels I immediately have more lever travel.

Hope pads. With the pistons pushed back as far as they will go, it is 10.5mm between the pistons. Pads are 4.3mm each, rotor is 1.8mm, so that makes 10.4mm, i.e. No gap at all.

Tech FAQ: Lennard Zinn on rotors and drilling frame drain holes

This suggests 1.8mm for hope’s discs when new.

Have you bled the brakes? Could there be too much fluid preventing the pistons from fully retracting.

I use rt86 ice tech rotors with hope x2 on the back of my enduro and it’s fine.

Do the pistons go back flush with the calliper ?

Tried letting some fluid dribble out?

Yep, opened up the cap on the lever, took the diaphragm off and pushed the pistons back. Then refitted everything and still the same. The pistons do sit a little bit proud of the body, I can feel it if I rub my finger over it, but not much, and after pushing back with the top open.

I feel your pain, I’m ripping my hair out with my new X2’s as well.

I have found them to be extremely fussy on setup, so much so I’ve spent days over them trying to get them running as per the Hope videos on youtube. You are right, my pistons sit slightly proud of the caliper too.

Strangely enough its only my rear brake that I’ve had issues with, the front was relatively easy to set up.

It got that bad I had my digital calipers and feeler gauges on set up and measured every distance etc that I can! I am using Hope discs

Disc thickness – 1.82mm
Piston face to disc face (fully retracted piston and no pads) 4.0mm when centered (ie 4mm both sides)
Pad face to disc face (With pads and all centered) 0.1mm

My problem is that I can everything set up to a gnats nut, but come back from a ride and the inboard pad deflects the disc by about 0.5 – 0.75mm, every time I ride I have to reset the poxy things.

PS, my Shimano non centreloc rotors are 1.79mm in thickness.

I was thinking of getting some SRAM CenterLine X, but I can’t find any info on their thickness.

I would drop hope a email or ring them.
They might have a idea or a lest let them know there might be a issue with the breaks.

Only other thing is the post mounts are they flat? and not miss aligning the caliper top to bottom (as in top od LH pad is close and bottom of rh pad close)

My problem is that I can everything set up to a gnats nut, but come back from a ride and the inboard pad deflects the disc by about 0.5 – 0.75mm, every time I ride I have to reset the poxy things.

sounds like you’ve got a lazy piston which isn’t retracting all the way back in. Take the pads out and pump it out a little bit (not too far!) holding the other one in, then lube with proper silicone lube and push it back in.

Are the pads parallel to the disk or on the wonk? Could be facing of the frame/fork mounts? Or it could be the upper edge of the caliper itself rubbing on the disc… take the pads out, put the wheel in tighten the caliper down to check…