Hope brake fanbois, you won’t want these

The look like the old Mono M4s.

FYI these require a new type of shifter adaptor, tech 3 ones won’t fit

Shimano basically just cheap and okay as mass produced item.

Only the cheap ones, now look at XT, XTR, Saint etc.

@kimbers have you found a fitment chart?  I’m assuming SRAM mounts will be available but what about the wealth of iSpec variants?

I just emailed hope to ask about ispec B, they said…

The Tech 4 master cylinder uses a new matchmaker, these are available to pre-order now along with the brakes

Cheers, I guess it will all be on hopetech once they actually release the brakes

Updated calipers (well pistons) too

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/hope-launch-new-tech-4-brakes.html

Love my v4s, have them paired with 220f 200r rotors on my enduro bike and absolutely love them, easily on par with the mt7s I had on my last bike, just much nicer levers.

However absolutely hate the look of these tech 4s, surely part of the hope appeal was the look of them

I know there’s no sense of scale on those white backdrops but those levers look massive. They look like a big dangly MX levers.

There’s a Joe Barnes bike check on YouTube and he’s already running custom lever blades.

surely part of the hope appeal was the look of them

I always thought people liked them despite the looks? 🤢

The levers do have that spindly long TRP-ish look to them, though I think maybe it’s an optical illusion and they’re not that long? The adjusters look really out of place for the same reason, like they’re off a different brake (and I still hates me tool free adjusters on general principles)

But they look good to me overall

I loved my Hope Race levers. Never understood the need for the big nobs (ohh err mrs) considering how infrequently I adjusted the reach etc.

tech docs finally online for the new tech 4 brakes. The shifter mount looks like the same arrangement as the tech 3 but no mention of ispec B being direct fit. The adapters only come in shimano EV or sram flavours so looks likely that older ispec B and Ispec II shifters are out.

Bit of a bugger as I have spec B rear shifters and wolf tooth dropper levers. I think I did buy one wolftooth with a bar clamp option just in case I didnt like the position on the shifter mount. They seem to be £20 for a bar clamp these days which is madness, have seen some 3D printed ones for a few £ but no idea how well they will last and how flexi they will be.

I’m surprised no one (incliding Hope) has offered a grub screw style adjuster for reach and bite point that needed a 2.5 or 3mm hex instead, that threads in and remains out of site. As above, once set, it’s not something I fiddle with.

Hex headed grub screws are very easy to find if you want them. I’d do it myself if I still had my Hope brakes.

Has anyone seen a picture of the new levers fitted to a bike yet? I imagine they won’t look so comically large with a bit of perspective.

They’re not just simple grub screws though.

@sharkattack my tech4s have been delivered today. My gf is collecting them on the way home. I can show you it vs a tech3 later if you want

Ian

They’re not just simple grub screws though.

I’ll have to take your word for it as I don’t have any to look at anymore.

@sharkattack my tech4s have been delivered today. My gf is collecting them on the way home. I can show you it vs a tech3 later if you want

An actual side by side comparison is more than I dared to hope for!

Another request for a new v old comparison, I’ve been very vocal about how long they look but would love a side by side picture. Thanks!

Ok…they are here. If someone PMs me i can send a pic via whatsapp. Then someone more savvy than me can share them!

Ian

I have sent some photos to sharkattack and he has kindly offered to share them here. Over to you sharkattack…..

Im happy to answer any questions that arise (other than why is your garage such a state).

Ian

I’d love to know how they compare to common alternatives in terms of feel and power. That might take a little longer to figure out though.

@sharkattack

Sorry, I just had to walk home from work!

Pics are here…

I think they look great. They seem very substantial, and that lever blade still looks massive! I’m a fan of that if it translates to more stopping power. I’ve been saying for years that brakes shouldn’t be whittled away to nothing for the sake of a few grammes when I’m only interested in how well they work.

I’ll think about some when my new plastic filled Code RSC’s inevitably die and hopefully there’s such a thing as sale prices again by that time.

Why is your garage such a state? (They do look great)

The tech4 lever is dimpled not perforated like the tech3.

From centre of pivot to tip of tech3 lever is 85mm.

Ftom centre of pivot to tip of tech4 lever is 90mm.

Ian

The later Tech 3 lever blades were also dimpled.

Thanks for taking the time to take/share the pictures. I’m definitely interested in some, but just can’t get over the lever length. Wish they’d gone the shorter route, but guess that means the performance gains wouldn’t be as good. Decisions decisions…

Glad you’ve seen sense and swapped to black from purple

There’s not much in it, but seeing as Joe Barnes had his so close to his grips I didn’t think there would be a huge difference, Joe has custom levers though which do look better and are closer to tech3 shape, I typically run my tech3s with an inch gap from my grips so I’m keen to see the shifter mount, shame there’s no underside photos 🙂, but appreciate the comparison pics. I wouldn’t have gone black, the silver versions caught my eye.

@tabletop the V4s in purple are my daughter’s on her DH bike. Theybwouldnt be my firat choice of colour but thwy do work well.

Bit annoying about them only doing ispec EV (Tbf shimano are dicks for constantly changing their ‘standard’)
Kcnc do a clamp for ispec adaptors

Big thanks to Ben from Bird for sorting me out some E4s

Took them on a loop round the peaks today

Very impressed, certainly compared to my tech3s, more power, feel more solid at the lever.
Bit easier to bleed too.

Came with a set of organic pads as well as the flash green ones, be interesting to see how they are with those

What makes them easier to bleed? The only tricky bit was sometimes chasing the air out from behind the pistons in the calliper I thought.

What makes them easier to bleed

The reservoir is a bit more level and longer, just seemed to make it easier

Didn’t do a full bleed, just shortened the hose as per the hope how-to video

Here’s a pic

I couldn’t wait for my ispec bar clamp to arrive so 3d printed one last night, obviously I cracked it over tightening (PLA) At 1am 😳 So Gorilla glued a ziptie on, held up fine!

@kimbers did you get a chance to ride these yet? What do you think? How do they compare to other brakes you’ve tried?

My review……

Ive done about 100km on them so far, Peaks, Cannock, Woburn

swapped to the organics after 50km or so

(fwiw I weighed them and they were pretty much the same weight as the tech3s, maybe 10g heavier an end)

Really like the thicker lever, feels more solid than the tech 3s (maybe just fresh pivots/bushings help?)

The Green pads (are they galfas?) have a bit more initial bite, but the organics have plenty

They ARENT shimano instant otb, but more grabby than tech3s, still tons of modulation, definitely feels like theres more power for less input than tech 3s

Honestly Ive not tested them fully yet, need some big descents to really see and thats where I only felt the my tech3s needed more (muddy EWS scotland, last septenber)

overall very pleased

Awesome, thanks for sharing!

Nice, definitely adding some tech 4 v4’s to my list for any future frame upgrades I might be pondering… 😁