Hope Hoops Build Quality?

Am I being anal here?
This is a video showing how true my brand new Hope Hoops are out of the box… Cant say I’m that impressed!
Stan’s EX on Hope Pro Evo 2 SP Hubs
Also they spin noticeably gritty, anyone else notice this?

This is a video of a XM719 on a Hope pro 2 Hub I got in 2009 from CRC Custom build. They haven’t seen a spoke key in all this time.
They run true and smooth even on the original bearings.

What would you guys do?

I don’t rate hope hoops at all, poor build quality. Much better to get s proper wheel builder to make them up…I’ve owned a few sets of hope hoops; but last wheels I bought were stans arch ex on pro 2 but hand built by moonglu – yes more expensive for the same spec but so much better put together.

As yes pro 2 evo rears always seem a bit rough, it’s because they’re stainless bearings so hope told me.

Where did you buy them from.I’m just about to click the button on a set.
I’d have thought they might have give them a quick check for you first.

Have then on both bikes, no issues at all. I confess I haven’t tested them quite like you have.

Have you contacted Hope yet or just posted on here first ?

Personally, I wouldn’t bat an eyelid at that. Doesn’t matter who built the wheel mine would be looking less true than that after six months of riding.

Got (had, if you count recent theft) two pairs. Never had an issue. As far as I’m concerned that amount of play is negligible.

If the bearings are gritty I’d give them a ring though. All of mine have felt silky smooth from day one till now.

Yoshimi – This is a front that’s not that true and gritty..
The rear is a lot better.

RobHughes – I got them from Wicked Cycles Cheapest I could fid on the net..

The only thing I can think of is when I mounted a tubeless tyre on and pumped it up to 35PSI, might have knocked it out of true?

My rear one was out of dish

That,s where i was going Goldigger.

is that £105 for a pair, or is the £375 RRP for one wheel ?

Either way – 😯

If they’re selling single wheels and showing the RRP for a pair, 🙄

(that wheel build would do me just fine, BTW)

On Wicked Cycles Click on the product options tab..
You can then select:
Hub colour – Red/Blue/Black/Gold/Silver/Gunsmoke
Rim – Crest/Arch/Flow/DT Swiss XR400
Straight Pull/J Pull
Wheel – Rear/Front/Pair

J pull – Front £105/Rear £185/Pair £285
Straight Pull – Front £115/Rear £195/Pair £305

I generally find that new wheels always need a tweak after fitting the tyre and going for a first ride. This applies to machine built wheels and ones I build myself. Probably a combination of the spokes bedding in and any twisted spokes righting themselves -even if you have done your best to destress them. After the tweak they normally run fine thereafter.

Have a set of 4 year old 26″ Hope Hoops SP on DT Swiss rims that have been straight from day 1. Have taken fair bit of punishment and rims have fair few dings in them but still totally true.
Got a 29″ set with Stans Crest rims, they were very soon out of true. Hope offered to re do them no problem but got a mate to do them as would cost a fair bit to post away. Lasted ok but probably need done again. Maybe its a 29er thing.

That’s weird, sounds like some QC problems.
I’ve had a Hope Hoop front wheel for two or three years now. It’s still totally true and centred in the forks. Have not even bothered to true and tension it.

For me it would depend on whether the spoke tension is equal. I’d rather the wheel builder got the tension perfect and then left the wheel with some minor imperfections like the one in your video, rather than concentrate on getting the wheel uber true by having to adjust spoke tensions to straighten it up.
If the builder is building to spoke tension and not overly worrying about perfection in true then that’s the best wheel set in my opinion. Your about to stick a great big inflatable rubber tyre on it, which won’t be engineering grade perfect. Will seat on the bead randomly, and then you’ll run at relatively low pressure so will be squishing and moving around all over the place. I think your over worrying.

wheels be wheels in my opinion. I stuck them on the bike, and they haven’t folded underneath me yet. They look cool and the freehub makes a nice click. That’s about all you want really.

I’ve had my Hope hoops for 3 1/2 years , dead straight still , great wheels with the Hope hubs.

Think I’ll give Hope a call and see what they say.
I’m more concerned with the gritty feel of the bearing..
Strange thing is.. if I take the end caps of and spin the bearing with my finger, it feels smooth either end.

It feels gritty when I hold both end caps and spin the wheel..
Maybe Hope will post me another set of bearings..

Cant remember where I read it, but someone was complaining that there’s wasn’t smooth. Hope sent new bearings, but it was still the same. Turned out the hub was out of tolerance, so they built him a new wheel with the old rim..

Regarding the trueness, I can just get it tweaked after a few rides..

Found the thread about the same gritty issue..
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/hope-hoops-hub-tolerance-problems-feels-rough-or-too-tight

Honestly I’d say, should be better but as long as the tension feels even and sensible I probably wouldn’t be bothered.

(Mine were wheelpro’d so I can’t say how much was Hope and how much was Roger but they’ve been damn fine)

I’ve had a few sets of Hope Hoops, never a problem.

I’ve also had a few sets of Hoops, not amazing but perfectly acceptable and fine for the money. But my last wheels were hand built on Hope Hubs and they have been really excellent so I’d definitely go that way again in the future.

The only reason I’d buy Hoops again is if a) I needed a wheel next day for some reason or b) they were on offer silly cheap (like Halfords & Wiggle were doing a few weeks back)

Spoke to hope..
They said to send them in, but I have to cover the cost of shipping.

I normally keep boxes for a couple of weeks, but this time I chucked the wheel boxes in the bin!

Have some Hope built Pro II Evo on Stans Flows, rode them for 2 weeks and then got a pro builder to re-tension them. Not touched since after 2 years and they have been absolutely hammered.

Arch EX on Pro 2 evo here. 200+ hours of dirty Pennine and Lakes riding and they’re spot on apart from the front bearing needing replacing. Your wheel looks as good as straight to me.

I think the big problem here is the Stans rims, they really are turd quality, very badly made from the factory. Try building with a Mavic etc. and they are very true and round straight from the box.

Hopes wheel build process has very tight tolerances usually so not normally out at all, the wheels are laced and final checked by hand/eye too.

Quick update..
Sent the wheel back to wicked who said they will process the wheel with hope under warranty.
Cost me £18 to send it 24hour service..
I asked if they could reimburse postage or stick some 15mm convertors in, they agreed to send 15mm convertors..

Merlin wheel builds always been good for me.

Forgot to update this thread.
Got my front wheel back the week before Xmas, hope said there was nothing wrong with the bearing and tru d the wheel up.

I’m not impressed with the bearing, hope state that the stainless bearings are smoother than the old ones used in the pro 2s.

Like i said before my pro 2’s are smooth as butter..

I’ve used these wheels and done approximately 60miles on them..
The bearings now feel worse..I lifted the seals off them to reveal a little grease. So I topped it up.

Any recommendations on replacement bearings? Are the enduro ceramic worth the asking price?

I’ve given up with hope as they say there fine. What I might do is just send them the bearings when I’ve removed them!

For replacement bearings just look for Katec on eBay.

^ This.His bearings are spot on.Wouldn’t use anyone else.