Talk me out of buying Hope Tech 4 brakes......

No reason not to. Although if you don't need the all out power of the V4, might I suggest the E4. Pads might be a little easier to come by at short notice and I've heard some comments that the V4 can feel a little soft in comparison due to the high leverage ratio.

Any other bike you ride that doesn't have them will just get flagged in your mind as "a bit crap". You'll constantly flagellate yourself for not buying the vented rotors to go with the V4s.

hope usually send sets out with two if not three sets of pads now.

I got my latest set here.

You could spend the money on buying me a set instead.

Think about it - a new friend, a sense of happiness from your enormous generosity, and you'd get to hear all about my experiences on em.

Whhere would you get a better deal?

Address sent via DM

There is a great thread on Lewis brakes 😉

The annoying squeak/squeal. Expensive. Annoying bleed cap solution.

I've got SLX 4 pot on one bike and tech 4 e4 on the other. The hope are great but I'm not sure they're worth the money over Shimano. I prefer the lever feel/shape of the Shimano.

Tell you what, you could save some money and buy one of my sets of Tech 3 E4s and I'll put the money towards replacing them with T4E4.

Nope, won't even try to talk you out of it. Shimano brakes are perfectly fine in a white goods style but Hope are just nice things to own.

Just buy them, you will regret it if you dont

I only run Hope's on the MTB's now, got fed up with the many issues ive had with Shimano brakes over the years

My Hope tech 3 E4 & V4 have been faultless, my Tech 4 V4 have also been faultless

With the V4's you get 3 sets of pads included

Best thing is no more Shimano mineral oil! if i need to bleed or top up for some reason i can walk 5 mins to the local motor factors and pick up a 500ml bottle of Brembo DOT 5.1 fluid for under £5 rather than having to order in 1 litre of shimano mineral oil at £15-20 a bottle plus postage!

Thanks all, some very helpful (I think..) advice.

Do I have to buy ispec-EV adaptors for my shifter & dropper?

you will need new ispec adapters.  Beware that the Tech4s use different ones to the tech3.

So why SHOULDN’T I get Hope brakes?

A go on my mate's bike would put you right off...

shimano bite much stronger for less lever effort historically, are tech 4 any different?

personally i love my brakes to be 'on/off' and i really dont get on with hope.  Shimano 4 pots all the way!

you want them for the bling colours rather than the braking ability.

Just buy them they're mint.

I've got Code RSC's as well and they feel like Lego in comparison.

I've just fitted a set of T4E4's to my Ripmo. To replace Shimano SLX 4 pots. I'm very nervous as I've used Shimano for years. They look amazing, the finish and quality is next level. I'll report back on performance and ergonomics soon. Why did I change? I've always been curious and I think the latest Tech 4 look great. I have a few mates who use them and swear by them.

I’ve got Code RSC’s as well and they feel like Lego in comparison.

Whereas the ones I have inherited on a bike I bought will be sold to some mug & replaced with, guess what, some Code RSC’s 🙂

They look ridiculous with the length of the lever, they don’t actually ‘feel’ very nice (poorly machined levers / not very comfortable to use) & performance despite bleeding them to death still feel like my Codes, after being boiled to death after a month of Alpine riding.

It’s been a long time since I used a Hope brake & based on the above, it will be a long time again.

Save your money & buy something else (also, not Shimano).

You don't need anything fancy to bleed hopes.  a bit of tubing and a jam jar.  Conventional bleed

Missing the bling?

Just buy a rattle can in blue/pink/purple or whatever and vajazzle your old Shimano master cyl and caliper. Its so easy! Don't even taken them off the bike, just fire away. Outside on a windy day gives a very cool "splatter" paint effect that will be the annoyance of all your neighbours with the same colour on their fence!.

Save heaps of dosh, no need to get that spendy DOT fluid and brake pads. Cool AF and, as you've painted the disc, that annoying on/off Shimano feel will change to a lovely progressive modulated feel thatks to the paint on the disc and pads! So much winning, so little stopping!

YoUr WeLcOmE

Other negative to add is that the pads don't seem to retract as effectively as Shimano meaning they sit extremely close or touching the disc, meaning they tend to rub and squeak just when moving the bike around. So if your rotor has even the slightest bend, you'll hear it.

I think they’re great. Tech 4 E4s here and replaced a knackered pair of SRAM Guide Ultimates. Easy to bleed and so much more power and control compared to the Guides.

I use 180mm discs front and rear and there is almost too much power. It took me a while to learn how to feather the brakes.

Lever feels fine to me and not massively long either.

Huge range of spares whereas the Guides went in the bin.

Discs have to be dead straight as the clearance is tiny - the trade off with having an increased mechanical advantage.

Love my two sets of T4E4s.  Fit and forget.

DOT fluid, that's enough for me

Negatives aside, performance when it matters is amazing. The first and only time I rode the golfie I was raving to my mates about how good they were. The modulation is brilliant. It was pure loose and dusty and they really helped inspire confidence.

We had 3 racers all suffer with levers back to the bar on uplift days. All were bled professionally by 3 different shops..

My lad moaned 3 times when racing as he lost a brake due to air/something. We took them off after the 3rd. They were full serviced between 2nd and 3rd complaint by a pro shop. Tech 3 V4.

Never ever ever again.

Tech 3 V4.

Never ever ever again.

Luckily the OP is asking about a completely different brake.

E4 versus V4

Only difference really is the V4's have a wider slot to accomodate the vented rotors. So if you arent using vented, or dont think you will in the future(even on changing the bike) then just go get E4.

Another point is its the levers where the improvement in power is, not 'really' the calipers, though the new ones have stainless covered pistons, which improve heat dissipation and possibly fight stiction. I suppose the entire system, new levers, non sticky pistons etc will have an accumulative overall effect.

So if you've already got E or V4's, then just buy new levers

.

I replaced the tech 3 V4's on the E commuter with T4 levers and they work great will a measurable/noticeable improvement on stopping power, and I've another full set of the T4V4's(levers+calipers) on the mega, but those are on vented rotors, so no option other on them.

just go for it - love mine. now the pistons are lubed and exercised they are perfect

Lol @onzadog I was going to suggest the same!!

Probably because you'll become a blinkered Hope fanboy who proclaims that they're the best thing ever until the Tech 5 comes out and then you'll decide that the 4 was actually a bit crap.

“ Only difference really is the V4’s have a wider slot to accomodate the vented rotors.”

Half the pistons on the V4 are bigger so they have more power and modulation and a slightly different feel to the E4.

They also work better with the new thicker (2.3mm) non-floating discs whilst I couldn’t get the E4 to stop rubbing until I went back to the 1.8mm floating discs.

I like my Hope brakes a lot but with all things on bikes, if it’s working well and feeling good then I wouldn’t change it until it starts being problematic.

If you can say "hope brake bling" 5 times in a row fast then get them, if not you have to stick with Shimano.😀

Btw, I have the Tech 3 V4 and E4 with 220/200 and 203/183 discs on my ebike and hardtail respectively. 5 and 10 years old (the E4 are on their 4th bike). No plans to change to the new version when these work so well!

That makes them better value per year or mile than any other brakes I’ve owned, so far…

@tjagain

You don’t need anything fancy to bleed hopes. a bit of tubing and a jam jar. Conventional bleed

What?? 😲😲

These are hope brakes - not a 1980 Ford Fiesta....... Got to have the blingy Hope funnel & stuff!!!

Although the Hope's are the same as I paid for my 1980 Fiesta back in '91.....

V4s come with 3 sets of pads. I run the softest ones up front and I think the ebike ones in the rear.

As pointed out the biggest issue is they make them brakes on your other bikes a bit meh.

The lever shape is a bizarre backwards step. Not pleasant to use at all for me.

Tech 4 E4s on all of my bikes. It’s an extravagance. Same lever and similar calliper.

Pros: Prolific power. Comfortable lever, DOT 5.1 cheap and easy to get. Parts availability. Tech support at the end of a phone. Generally easy to bleed (just do it like a motorbike). Green pads are really excellent. Fully home-serviceable.

Cons: Lever feel and pull a little inconsistent across my bikes. Very fussy about setup, calliper and piston efficacy measured in millimetres from perfection or poor. Not difficult but takes time and can be a serious faff. If you’re a perfectionist it can be maddening as you’re never quite sure whether you’ve got it as good as it could be.

Overall though I can’t recommend them enough. The main thing for me is that they’re totally rebuildable and serviceable and all being well I fully intend to be using the same brakes in 10 years time. I hate how disposable a lot of modern things are and don’t trust most bike shops so prioritise bike parts that can be serviced, rebuilt and bled at home.

E4 tech 3 and e4 tech 4 here ..

Dont feel plastic.

Work when I pull the lever .

Tech 4s  want me to skid and  endo  as they are daft powerful

No daft wandering bit point

Easy to bleed

Not noisey even in the wettest of months

Hold value quiet well

Not cheap feeling  plastic  wandering bite point, un colour co-ordinated shimano ...

Think that just about covers the  try to talk me out of it  For vote 🙂

I love hope brakes they just work, get them bought OP!

Had T4E4 on the 916. Thought they were really good. Then put T4V4 on. Jesus TFC... another level of good.

Nothing wrong with DOT5.1 if you aren't a ham-fisted lummox, and a piece of cake to bleed.

Put the E4 on the KSL to replace the Code R. I'd give up riding rather than use them again.  Utter dog shit.

Thanks all - I think.....

So should I go E4 or V4 on my Nukeproof Mega 290 with 203 rotors?

Well my back lane test is complete. They feel really really nice. I can already feel the massive difference in modulation. No more on/off feel of the Shimanos. And they do look great... I went E4's plenty of power for what I ride and I doubt I'll ever be going fast enough or long enough to need more.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53531044764_d4d73c9e3f_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53531044764_d4d73c9e3f_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2pymABE ]New Hopetech T4 E4 brakes fitted with floating discs[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/colinhines26/ ]Colin[/url], on Flickr

On a mega? V4.

you know you want the vented rotors. 😈

I have a 220mm non vented rotor with purple carrier up for grabs if you’re interested. Had very little use. £offers

Don’t buy them, you’ll get teased by the Lewis Brake fanbois 😉

2 reasons:

1. DOT fluid

2. Aesthetics - i know it's subjective, but I find Hope brakes OTT and fiddly looking. They belong in 2008.

I mean, go for it if you want.

I like, no love, Hopes, and have run them for years.....from C2s in the late 90s, to Mono M4s in the mid 2000s, and then Tech M4s and Race X2s.

I was really close to buying some Tech4 E4s to replace the Tech3 X2s on my hardtail.

....however, I tried out the TRP Slate Evos (that were £89 at Merlin) with 2.3mm 2o3mm rotors, and they're bloody great. Might still get Hopes though 😆

So talk me out of buying some Hope Tech 4 V4’s please…..

I can’t help thinking that my bike won’t be complete without some Hope brake bling…..

Currently have Shimano SLX 4 pots, which I  honestly can’t fault – but they don’t look as awesome as Hope…..

My wife's bike has circa 2018 XTs, they're pretty good TBH. My wife isn't a colossal biffer though, but I am.  I've got E4s on an Enduro bike and they've got lots of power & feedback.  The levers are (fwiw, I have paddle-sized hands) free from stickyness and v.v. sensitive.

One size doesn't fit all though.

Unless you're racing DH, I see no major advantage for the V4's... Upgraded from the original Hope Tech to Tech 4's last year. I wouldn't buy another brand as these haven't failed me at any point.

I had a similar quandry last year. Costed it and the upgrade came out at about £500. For a set of bling stoppers that’d get scraped next time I stacked it here in rocky Calderdale.  So I put the money towards an awesome trip away, riding the kit I have. No regrets.

I had a similar quandry last year. Costed it and the upgrade came out at about £500. For a set of bling stoppers that’d get scraped next time I stacked it here in rocky Calderdale.  So I put the money towards an awesome trip away, riding the kit I have. No regrets.

Is also a correct answer.

Nice sentiment but there's plenty of people who can buy the brakes and still go on a trip away

Just get the v4 .the  clearance is still great even with 2.3mm rotors whereas the e4,s with 1.8mm can be a right ball ache to get  running quite. The slightest bend will cause issues

Just get the v4 .the clearance is still great even with 2.3mm rotors whereas the e4,s with 1.8mm can be a right ball ache to get running quite. The slightest bend will cause issues

Well there you go. Vented are 3.3+/-mm thick. So you have that option with the V4.

All in all the V4 offers more.

shimano bite much stronger for less lever effort historically, are tech 4 any different?

personally i love my brakes to be ‘on/off’ and i really dont get on with hope.  Shimano 4 pots all the way!

i cant recommend deore 4 pots enough, oodles of power and that direct feel

then i ride my tech4 E4s on my other bike (as I did today) and im just wishing i could afford to upgrade to tech4s on my hardtail too, the lightness of lever feel, means less fatigue and just more confidence