[Closed] Disc rotors - worth the premium for hope?

Often thought that myself, but to me non Hope rotors just look... cheap. I am sure they work the same, but the Hopes look ace even the plain stainless steel ones which I have.

Other brands work fine, and it's hard to find something as expensive as hope. Hope floaters can be a little tricky fitwise too, they fould on some hub/frame/caliper combinations.

They're worth it if you want hope ones. Otherwise I'd say probably not.

That said, I've got a 50% record with cheap discs. One I got off ebay for about £4 was fine, one that came with a cheap clarkes brake is awful and pulses horribly.

IME no I always used to use hope floaters but

1. They rub with some brakes

2. they seem to bend/warp more easily

3. they are eye wateringly expensive

Having used a variety of others sine and having some Hope ones still [ including non floaters] I cannot detect any difference in use

they do look nice but i am not getting any more floating rotors personally - not even any real weight saving wither its just aesthetics at the cost of functionality

To add to the above, there are also some interference issues with burlier forks.

I went with Shimano RT76s instead. Still look nice, but much cheaper, and that seem to work really well.

SRAM Centreline have also been very good for me.

It's about the least important part of the bike to upgrade, IMO.

Not sure about no-name rotors on ebay but I tend to buy whatever's reasonably priced. Superstar seem to have stopped them, but perhaps something from here...

https://www.carboncycles.cc/?s=0&t=4&type=DiscoBrakes%20Shop&#Disc_Rotors

They’re better than the eBay specials, but I’d struggle to say they were definitely better than XT. Unless you want coloured rotors.

I just got some because blue. They will go with my new blue brakes. There’s a 10% tredz code online that brings the price down a bit. Oh, and I had a quidco £10 thing too.

Hopes seem heavy and expensive...

Why would you add needless weight to your bike when you could get something like:

http://www.xcracer.com/shop/viewproduct.php?productid=389

To me, that looks like a path to melted noodly death.  Soo little material, such tiny connections between the surface and the hub.  No thanks.

Aztec available for less than £20 from Evans I think are as good as anything.

There's a lot to be said for Centerlines.

Those ultra light ones about do indeed look a little scarey. I think my lardy bodyweight would kill them. 😀

I couldn't get rid of brake squeal on some cheaper rotors so bought Hope in the end and silence was resumed.

Brainflex, how/when did your brakes squeel? Mine are horrendous but only in the wet, considering new rotors...

Recently used some cheep discs of ebay "snail Discs" since superstar went all expensive. Coped well with a weeks riding in spain, always used cheepish floating rotors and if you dont mind the odd correctional tweek on first fitting the've all worked fine.

The main issue I come across with cheap discs is their inconsistency compared to the likes of Hope, Shimano, and Sram, one may bend easily (and often straighten easily too), but go to the other end of the bike and that one will just flex and spring back, and generally fight you all the way. Wear can also be inconsistent too, as can bite (though these could be pad related as well). As far as squeal, I find most will squeal at some point when wet, it's apparently caused by resonances due to the pads movement. On my commuter I have a set of the original Hope Minis, the ones that squealed like banshees, the ones that nobody was able to stop squealing. I'm running them with C2 discs with round and concentric braking surfaces that are deeper than the pad contact area, and in most conditions they're near silent now, much like the Race X2's on the mountain bike that have similar discs from Hope's custom range (not sure if they still do this option though).

I've settled on RT66.  I've looked at cheaper, and been put off by patchy reviews, and inconsistency as above.  Nothing more annoying than disc rub from warped/bent rotors and having to keep tweaking back with an adjustable spanner (plenty more, obviously!)

I've tried lighter, also easily put out of shape and pulsy braking to boot.  RT66 are well made out of decent steel, consistent, quiet and stay as true as you can reasonably expect (not accident proof, obviously!).  If you shop around you can pick them up for £10- 12.  Can't see the benefit of going more expensive apart from looks.

The RT66 look good to me, are they are compatible with all Hope calipers?

I'd be amazed if there were any compatibility issues. Just get the right size and you'll be grand.

I use RT76s with v4s with no issues.

+1 for RT66 they just work, and if you taco them off a rock they are not too expensive to replace.

of course they aren't worth it but they are tasty. I have some on my Dh bike with V4s. I'm after some centreline x rotors for my trail bike just cause they are tasty and match my silver guide rscs. don't fight the inner tart, go with it.....!

SRAM Centreline have also been very good for me.

I like the Centerline rotors too, but to be fair they're silly money as well (especially as they're non-floating) and not far of the Hopes.

My old XT rotors didn't judder and also presented a consistent braking surface to the pads; they were about a third of the price and simply plain round!

@ 13thfloormonk
The back one squealed when cold, wet or dry, get some heat into it and it shut up. Front howled like a banshee when wet. Tried different pads, constantly fiddled with alignment but gave up and bought hope rotors to match the brakes and no noise anytime.