Justa, I was at Afan as well, headbutting a tree and doubling the size of my shin 🙂
Jeremy- I've felt your brakes. They feel like everyone elses- vague and weak. The only good Hopes I've ever felt are ollie's old M4s and he had to upgrade them to goodridge hoses and so on.
I've had a lot of brakes in the past but have now settled with Magura. By far the most reliable I've had. The latest Formulas look like they maybe good, but I've no experience other than a go on somebody else's set. If I wasn't buying Maguras then I'd probably get them.
Hope Tech M4 F+R here. Why? Well because I had it good recommendation from forums such as this a few years ago.
They are a vast improvement on the OEM kit I had (Hayes Sole). But I can't claim they are the best thing out there.
Went for braided hoses too. I have these on my car and they make a difference, and I'd also want such a critical component to have a degree of extra protection (awaits flaming from those who point out why braided hoses can actually mask issues and so could be potential more risky).
I did originally have M4 up front and Mono Mini at the rear on a small rotor. However, even with bled brakes and new pads this combo simply didn't work on some of the faster descents. It isn't much fun going downhill with the rear simply not slowing you down 😮
Called Hope and had a knowledgeable conversation with a chap there - excellent customer service IMHO to be able to talk directly to someone like this. In the end I decided to upgrade the rear rotor to a larger size and to put braided Tech M4 there too. Much improvement.
My only niggle with the Hope's (and this might be the case with others - I don't know) is that they need to be worked up to temperature to really make a bite. After a decent downhill section (XC downhill, not DH DH) the brakes really come to life. If only they could be that good when cold.
SpokesCycles - MemberJeremy- I've felt your brakes. They feel like everyone elses- vague and weak. The only good Hopes I've ever felt are ollie's old M4s and he had to upgrade them to goodridge hoses and so on.
More rubbish - you are confusing lever feel with power - and you have never ridden either of my solos - both of which have hope minis with instant single finger locking.
Next time you are up this way have a shot on them - you will be suprised
I'd repeat my usual behaviour. After trying various hydraulics, I've given up on them, and now use BB7s.
The Ashima hydraulic looks ok though - it doesn't use a piston so there's nothing to get stck.
I'm guessing spokes cycles doesn't sell hope brakes!
Oh, they sell aviod. Enough said really.
I'm very happy with my Formula Oro K18's so I would probably buy a set of the new Formula RX's or if money was no object then a set of Formula R1's
The RX's can be had for around £200 for a set including discs on Ebay from France
The Ashima PCBs look well interesting, and as someone above said, pistonless, so one less thing to go wrong. I ordered some back in january and got fed up with waiting. Projected stock date for UK is now mid to late june.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43121659@N06/4619156354/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43121659@N06/4618543879/
[i]As for your experience with hopes - you are the only person that that happens to[/i]
Nope, everyone I ride with who used to use Hopes has had issues. No one I regularly ride with uses them any more