Eurobike 2019: Convert your Hope Pro 4 to Microspline for $25

When it was revealed that Hope couldn’t get a license to make a Microspline freehub there was uproar, luckily this Chinese company came to the rescue.

Microspline is a new standard that Shimano came up with when it released its long-over-due 1 x 12 drivetrains. Shimano XTR, XT and SLX have all been upgraded to 1 x 12 which is great news, unless you happen to run Hope hubs.

The issue is Shimano awards manufacturers a license to be allowed to make Microspline freehubs. So far Shimano has worked with larger OEM companies but hasn‘t gotten around to giving Hope, Stan’s, plus others the official stamp to go ahead and make their own.

That caused quite a stir, and this article talking about the issue created a buzz with Singletrack readers who want their Hope parts to be Shimano compatible.

Well, look what we have here!

The bad news is that officially there still isn‘t an agreement in place, the good news is that Chinese brand FOVNO doesn’t care, and have gone ahead and made its own freehub for Microspline hubs that are compatible with Hope Pro 4 hubs.

Available for Hope, i9, and Mavic.

Actually they make Microspline freehubs for Hope, Industry Nine and Mavic hubs.

FOVNO reps told us that the cost of the freehub is just $25, but that‘s if you‘re planning on ordering an MOQ (minimum order quantity – probably hundreds, we’d reckon – Ed) from China. Still, this conversion is still going to be much cheaper than buying a new hub and rebuilding your wheel, and it won‘t take too long before they‘re readily available online.

Would you be willing to give one of these Hope Microspline conversions a try? Perhaps you already have. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Andi Sykes

Andi is a gadget guru and mountain biker who has lived and ridden bikes in China and Spain before settling down in the Peak District to become Singletrack's social media expert. He is definitely more big travel fun than XC sufferer but his bike collection does include some rare hardtails - He's a collector and curator as well as a rider. Theory and practice in perfect balance with his inner chi, or something. As well as living life based on what he last read in a fortune cookie Andi likes nothing better than riding big travel bikes.

Comments (18)

sniggasnigga September 5, 2019 at 4:48 pm

i will order one when i get a link 😉

kilbenatorkilbenator September 5, 2019 at 4:58 pm

Gotta love the Chinese. Patent? What’s that?

hopkinsgmhopkinsgm September 5, 2019 at 5:01 pm

Interesting – particularly that Founo are offering freehubs for hubs where “legal” options already exist. You mention in your earlier article that Shimano have already granted licences to Industry 9 and Mavic

endoriumendorium September 5, 2019 at 8:39 pm

true, but I bet they are way cheaper than i9’s/mavics own freehubs for microspline

LeeGeeLeeGee September 5, 2019 at 9:37 pm

Would this work with a Pro2 Evo?

twonkstwonks September 5, 2019 at 10:08 pm

I recently spent a small fortune on Eagle X01 to get 12sp with a light-ish overall weight.

Already swapped the shifter to XTR and I run Pro 4 wheels on both my bikes, so i’d deffinately buy 2 straight away if they were available.

Maybe a group buy ;o)

lindonlindon September 6, 2019 at 8:34 am

Love to try this out as I have full M9100 except cassette. had to use Sram eagle cassette as only free hub for my Hope pro 4 was XD.
then I can try HYPERGLIDE+ Link to photo
https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/107360239996818197062/photos/@51.250084,0.559408,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m7!1e2!3m5!1sAF1QipPRlFHIALN0orbb9EQsIrluag9HH4ncun3FikRV!2e10!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPRlFHIALN0orbb9EQsIrluag9HH4ncun3FikRV%3Dw365-h486-k-no!7i1536!8i2048!4m3!8m2!3m1!1e1

fivealivefivealive September 6, 2019 at 8:50 am

what a total debacle this is. What on earth are Shimano playing at. Hopefully some wheel manufacturers had some success at Eurobike discussions, but my hopes (no pun intended) are sure to be dashed.

nixienixie September 6, 2019 at 9:27 am

If this product is a success then no reason for Shimano to continue with their strategy as the horse has already bolted.

shackletonshackleton September 6, 2019 at 12:58 pm

Any chance that this would fit non-boost proII evos?

hopkinsgmhopkinsgm September 6, 2019 at 1:30 pm

“true, but I bet they are way cheaper than i9’s/mavics own freehubs for microspline” – need to make sure you’re comparing apples with apples there though – I’m sure Mavic and Industry 9 freehubs probably work out considerably cheaper than retail when you’re buying them in quantities measured in hundreds or thousands, and haven’t yet added any applicable taxes, duties, tariffs, supply chain margins and transport costs

sillyoldmansillyoldman September 6, 2019 at 3:25 pm

Hopkinsgm Exactly – seems like a rash article. I don’t see any sense in quoting the vendor’s price. Unless you can buy them in single units at that price it’s not relevant?

jim-the-saintjim-the-saint September 6, 2019 at 4:44 pm

At $25 from China it will probably be about £100 once a distributor and a shop has applied a margin to it.

creasercreaser September 7, 2019 at 10:44 pm

Anyone found a link to order them yet ?

zornittazornitta September 9, 2019 at 4:03 am

Looks like it will be here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Bicycle-Shop/FOVNO-Philippines-2246515528701881/

tmaystmays September 9, 2019 at 1:27 pm

Isn’t there a potential risk of damaging your hub here if the quality of the freehub is poor and it breaks apart? I wouldn’t trust this!

drewbot9drewbot9 September 10, 2019 at 8:01 am

Everyone’s missing the most important point: will it be as loud as a hope freehub?

PoopscoopPoopscoop September 14, 2019 at 1:56 am

Interesting but I’ll be sticking with Eagle I think. The Eagle cassettes are probably the best part of the groupset aren’t they?
The total disregard China has for patents is both money saving at times but also worrying on so many other levels.

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