1 set of wheels per bike is better than swapping, IMHO hopes are much nicer than Shimano's so I'd probably hold out for some more of them.

This is my thinking, it would be ideal to have two sets but I can't afford or justify 2 sets of Hopes so as I've been offered the XTs at a reasonable price I thought it may be a solution but in all honesty I don't want to compromise if they're not going to run as free/smooth, are going to be weaker or need lots of maintenance!

no idea on weaker/running but you would need to service them which is more involved than popping the bearings out of the hopes. When the Shimano's are running well they should feel as good but if they are not...

Why not look for some second and hoops.

Shimanos have to get pretty rough, past the point of no return almost, before they drag as much as a 6 month old Hope rears ime. 2 Hopes here and no matter what bearings go in them they're in the 'durable and agricultural' category rather than 'smooth'. It's just down to whether you like to do the servicing with a mallet or spanners.

I have some 26" hoops with flows in classifieds.

I have plenty Hope hubs, but that's because they're shiny stuff (also because they are good).

I regard Shimano XT as every bit as good, in fact they could be an everlasting hub in the hands of someone prepared to do a bit of basic maintenance. Clean out and regrease at reasonable periods, with the occasional set of new balls (cost pennies), and they could very well last as long as the hubs on my 80 year old Sunbeam.

Thanks, interesting, I am a bit of a fit & forget type, I like to use my spare time to ride don't get enough to be constantly fettling...

nwill1 - Member
...don't get enough to be constantly fettling...

I wouldn't regard the maintenance needed to keep an XT hub up to scratch as constant fettling, but it does raise the question of is it any more onerous that replacing Hope bearings - I'd say it's more user friendly, but others may differ.

It's a shame Shimano don't put a grease nipple on their hubs, but then I suppose the hubs would last for ever and they'd go out of business like the prewar British quality hub makers.... 🙂

Cheers, as a 2nd bike they may be fit & forget for some time given how much it'll be ridden, they will mainly be a fair weather ride. If I use it over the winter I could throw the Hopes on with their sealed hubs!?

I like to use my spare time to ride don't get enough to be constantly fettling...

and yet

meaning a bit of swapping and changing tyres/axel converters.

I couldn't go back to all that changing over stuff between bikes(unless it was very simple)

The XTs will be fine 😉

XT's, at a quality level, are absolutely fine and I ran with them on my DH bikes for years with no maintenance. I'm guessing the ones you're looking at are cartridge if 15mm (no idea as it's after my time so to speak) but if not then cup and cone are simple beasts to deal with.

If they're a good price then go for it.

i use across 4 bikes
Hope Pro 2 Evo
Hope pro 2
Hope XC
Shimano XT x 2

Cannot really tell which is which in operation except for the ****ing noise of Hope.

FWIW i use the XT on my winter SS as well so they get the worst of the weather limited fettling but more than the HOPE.
Once every year or so I will check and grease bearings for example
Hope I replace when they have play.

I've had a couple of experiences of cracked flanges with machined hubs, and have read a fair few reports of (early?) Hope hubs going the same way. I ended up buying (cold-forged) XT hubs for my last pair of wheels because of this. They're relatively heavy compared with more expensive hubs, but they run well, and I'll trade a little extra weight for reliability.

Advice? Learn to spell 'advice' for a start.... 🙂

Never had any serious issues with either but my xt hubs have an irritating habit of lock ring loosening on the cassette side of the axle. But when it happens it just gives me a reason to do a proper cassette clean. I'd use them just to save the tyre swapping