As I haven’t bought anything brake related for about 5-6 years (last set was Hope Mono Mini Pro in ’07) what’s currently good in light, reliable XC brakes? I’m not going to be riding Alps etc as it doesn’t suit my temperament so I don’t need monster stoppers.
Is the Tech Evo X2 reliable – I already have a spare set of wheels with floating 160/140 rotors so they would appear to be a reasonable choice.
Any thoughts?

In my experience Tech Evo X2’s are superb and are fit and forget once set up in the correct manner as shown in the Hope video.

However I’ll stand aside now and let the usual band of Hope haters come in to sway you.

If you want them light then the Race version is a better bet (same caliper, lighter lever but you loose the adjustments)

I like Hope Race Evo X2s, have Tech X2s too, just I think the levers are fugly.

Yes they are reliable, so are all their competitors AFAIK.

However I’ll also stand aside now and let the usual band of Hope haters come in to sway you.

You don’t mention budget, hence I’d recommend Formula R1

I’d happily stick another set of Shimano XTs on any of my bikes, or SLXs if on a budget. Really nice brakes. Powerful, plenty of modulation once you’ve gotten used to them.

As per Daniel, everyone I know who has Shimano brakes is happy with them too.

There seems to be a consensus that Shimano are more on/off and Hope are more modulated, but I’ve not ridden Shimano myself.

Either would be a good decision IMO.

There seems to be a consensus that Shimano are more on/off

They have a kind of tipping point. When you go over this point if your not used to them they are very on/off, but once you get used to them you can get a lot of modulation.

However, I’ve never used any hope brakes, so I can’t comment on that front.

Does that help?

My faves have been Forumla R1’s
also like Magura Marta Sl’s and Forumla RX’s

Never been a fan of Hope since the Mini but not used the newer ones.

evo race levers are the bestest

I have Tech Evo X2’swith 183mm rotors front and back (I’m heavy!) and I love them. Fugly is a bit harsh you either like the Hope look or you don’t.

I’ve had Shimano XTs and they were OK, a bit boring, lacked any adjustment and died because I couldn’t get spares for them!

They have a kind of tipping point. When you go over this point if your not used to them they are very on/off, but once you get used to them you can get a lot of modulation.

However, I’ve never used any hope brakes, so I can’t comment on that front.

Does that help?

I think so.

Hope X2 Evo are great IMO, but it’s true, their levers don’t play nicely with shifters. Pad life is good too; just changed my first set after nearly 1500 miles. Rears still got a few hundred on them I reckon.

XTR ones, can’t fault mine, been completely trouble free since I’ve had them, light and plenty of power.

I might go with the Hopes, as it’ll mean that I can still use the wheels with the other bike. Next choice – groupset? Have used sram since 2004, and Sachs Plasma before. Double chainset, something nice but not silly money.

I like Shimano because on a long climb I move my hands inwards and rest on the brakes, and I like being able to change up from over the top rather than thumb underneath. SRAM don’t do that I believe.

But both work fine.

Get a clutch rear mech (Type 2 SRAM or ‘Shadow’ I think Shimano), you’ll be glad you did.

I might go with the Hopes, as it’ll mean that I can still use the wheels with the other bike.

I’m using Hope floating rotors with my Formula brakes if that helps at all (I believe they also work with Shimano etc.)

Shimano are awesome go for those you won’t regret it

I use hope rotors with my XTR brakes as I’ve got the Hope XC3 wheels, works fine.

My old mans got Race X2 Evos, the race levers are actually more powerful than the tech ones. Nothing but good things to say about them, the same can be said for my Tech Evo V2s.

I’ve got Old school Hopes, Avid 9s and Sram XO all using 160mm discs so I can swap all wheels across all bikes.

best by far are the XOs you can remove pads from the top, they’ve got pad adjustment and they hang off the same bracket as the thumb shifters.

Worst are the hope none adjustable so seem to throw away half used pad, Post mount(age related) so difficult to “tune” But I assume that the majority of these gripes are due to the age of the brakes and I assume things have move on some since.

By old school hopes do you mean C2’s or old Mini’s because the ones we have feel much nicer than SRAM brakes.

What’s the point of talking about brakes you have no experience with? Is the OP buying ancient Hope brakes or their new stuff which is pretty damn good?

You can get matchmaker mounts for Hopes as well if that is really your thing.

Have evo race x2 on my xc bike and
Evo Race x2 m4 mix on my enduro
Love them but all of them have leaked a either from bore cap or master cyl
Not a big problem to fix just annoying on a new brake

check the rotor sizes you have and the right ones for the new brakes (depth of surface not diameter) my tech m4’s were great, then I got the new hope rotors (was using 2004/5 ones) and now they are awesome 🙂

Missus has the shimano ones, not a fan of the feel really. Also bent a lever blade so need an entire new lever/master cylinder for it – not really impressed.

There seems to be a consensus that Shimano are more on/off and Hope are more modulated, but I’ve not ridden Shimano myself.

I’ve got hopes on my dh bike and have had shimanos on another and to be honest there’s not much difference in the modulation…the hopes probably just edge it…but if you prefer the on/off feel go for hayes…. completely wooden feel with little or no modulation but when you pull on them….boy do they stop you!!

My XTRs just work. Limited adjustment compared to others but light, good feel & full on stopping power – especially with the ice-tech rotors.

master cyl

I thought mine were leaking when I bought them new, turns out it was just a bit of oil on top of the diagpragm that get’s out through the little vent holes.

Not had any such thing since I bled them. Shimano’s go wrong as well, just go for what makes you happy.

At the end of the day the Shimano’s are probably better value for money at the SLX to XT end of the range but you can’t get parts for them (eg spare levers or seals) – however they’re so cheap it’s somewhat less of an issue. They’re quite a bit heavier than a set of Race Evo X2’s though and the XTR’s which approach the weight of the Hopes are certainly not good value for money as they’e a disposable throwaway product.

Got 2010 Formula RX and was so happy with them wanted another set for a new build.

Got a complete set of 2013 RX with discs which have improved upon the orignals for £100 from Bikeradar classifieds – taken from a new bike that someone was replacing them with Hope brakes. I hope he doesn’t regret that as the RX are awesome.

That’s what I’d suggest doing – get a set of brand new brakes taken from a new bike for less than half the price of a set of Hopes but with less weight and more reliability / power.