I happen to believe that Hope XC hubs are superior to Pro 2s.
(I have my reasons, and experience, for this)

Anything else that didn’t improve as new models came out?
🙂

My XC hubs have been running for about 6 years now, without complaint. I recently opened up the back one, to check things were ok, and it was perfect. bit of a clean, new grease, good to go. No muck or gunk in there at all. Bearings still buttery-smooth.

I’m with you on this PP, much prefer the steel freebody and spring/pawl design of XCs, have seen too many pro2 freebodies eaten by cassettes!

ford escort?

🙂

North Face clothing.

I did rather well at the weekend. A mate tipped me off that an LBS had a brand new black 36h rear XC hub for £60 (Half price) in stock.
I nearly ripped their arms off for it!
😀

ti hope xc with the pro2 leaf springs would be my weapon of choice
i like the pawl setup in pro2s but different sized bearings?
what a crap idea

Kona bikes

Endura stuff! Their quality control department need shooting…

Kona bikes

Yep. Agreed.

I love my Ford Escort as a matter… 😮

i only know about two different hope hubs – my ten year old ti-glide rear is still silky smooth and not in need of new bearings; ditto the big un front hub. i once had a ti/ally front hope hub (the superlight one for road bikes only) which last a good couple of years on my offroader until someone dropped half a tonne of lorry tyres on it…

How are XC better than Pro II’s?

Pro II can be used with QR, 15mm (???) and 20mm axles, Hope XC can only be used with QR’s!
Now because you’ve got that adaptability the bearings might not last as long, but thats what you get for the versatility gained.
Oh and Pro II’s sound great (weird to ride the XC’s and have no noise).

Now if you’d suggested Hope Bulbs were better than Pro II’s I’d be more likely to agree.

Old xt changers and rear d way better than the new stuff,tuffer and better changing.New stuff feels cheap and changes like crap

Exchange Rates.

Old versions much better…..

8 speed. Or 7 for that matter.

XC’s are good but limited because they are QR only, so I agree with zippy, bulbs on the other hand were pretty much perfect

How are XC better than Pro II’s?

Pro II can be used with QR, 15mm (???) and 20mm axles, Hope XC can only be used with QR’s!
Now because you’ve got that adaptability the bearings might not last as long, but thats what you get for the versatility gained.
Oh and Pro II’s sound great (weird to ride the XC’s and have no noise).

You’ve very neatly answered your own question there. 🙂
And how often do you need that adaptabilty on the rear anyway? Never?
Pro 2s are a compromise: The bearings don’t last, they make an awful din, and the alloy freehub scores really easily, and they take 3 different sized bearings!!

XC bearings on the left, Pro 2s on the right….

And you wonder why XCs last longer?
😀

Buy a bulb then, best of both worlds

Ironically, the Pro2 is not far off being a skinny Bulb in design terms.

😕

Buy a bulb then, best of both worlds

You’re not paying attention, are you?
😉

I think the point that z1ppy is making is that if you want a 20mm front hub then you can’t get one with humungous bearings. I don’t know how Pro11s compare with other brands of 20mm hub but I’ve had 2 years out of mine which I’m quite happy with. Bearing longevity is far from a given anyway, it can vary dramatically depending on where you ride your bike, how you clean it and how much stick you give it.

It’s the same with the people who bang on about HT11 bearings, yes they don’t last as long as square tapers but if you want something that won’t round off or snap then they are a better option.

As I have already said on another thread, the bulb is a much better hub than the proII, front can do 20mm or QR (and if hope still made them I’m sure they’d have knocked out a 15mm adapter by now too), but its the rear thats the big difference IMO. Mainly because they use a ti rather than stupidly soft alluminium cassette body.

(I had first gen hope xc’s – with the lockring for the disc – on an old bike, never got to test the durability though as some twunt nicked it 2 weeks after I bought the wheels!)

It’s the same with the people who bang on about HT11 bearings, yes they don’t last as long as square tapers but if you want something that won’t round off or snap then they are a better option.

Very well put, actually.
Although I seem to be the only rider in the (Singletrack)world that has HT2 bearings last longer than SQ taper ever did…..

🙂

I’ve got a cheapie £20 SuperStar one that I regreased last night. Most people seem to get one ride out of them, but mine’s lasted on the SS since August, in some horrible mud, and I just popped the seales, cleaned it out and regreased it. Nearly as good as new now, I might even get another!

As an aside to the ever ranging Hope hub argument (I agree with PP here about the bearings, but as z1ppy mentions the adapatability issue is valid too), how about the king of bringing out something worse than its forebear, Shimano…

M960 XTR integrated shifters to replace M952 rapidfire pods… HELLO! WORLD CALLING SHIMANO… WE DID NOT ASK FOR THAT!

Same goes for bloody rapidfire, which was not an option but a necessity on M960 XTR rear mechs!

The M970 rapidfire pods are a step back in the right direction, but nothing beats the old M952 XTR pods and I envisage keeping mine forever (or at least until 9 speed drivetrains are no longer catered for!). At one point, I was buying up any new old stock I could get my hands on of M952 XTR shifters and rear mechs to keep me going.

Happily these days though, XT (and even SLX) works loads better than it used to, and is on a par with old XTR for function and weight pretty much.

I’m still not convinced about the whole 31.8 handlebar clamp argument either. Yes it’s stiffer, but does it actually need to be? I mean, BMX’s use 22.2 diameter clamps still, and I forget what Motocross bikes use, but I think it’s 25.4 the same as Mountain bikes were.

the old forum was better than the new one…

Duck and cover

“
I’m still not convinced about the whole 31.8 handlebar clamp argument either. Yes it’s stiffer, but does it actually need to be? I mean, BMX’s use 22.2 diameter clamps still, and I forget what Motocross bikes use, but I think it’s 25.4 the same as Mountain bikes were.
“

MX bikes have 50Hp pushing them round, making bars form thick walled tubing isnt a problem.

Would BMX’s need the brace if they were made from 31.8mm butted alu? No idea, but if they did make them from alu they’d probably snap! ~If the demise of 25mm bars is your only prmlem in life your doing prety well 🙂