Hi,
I need to order some new brakes for my 2017 orange five I have on order.
Looking for a nice set so it has come down to the hope tech3 e4’s or shimano XTR m9000.
I haven’t used either so which would you recommend.
Cheers

I have XT’s on one bike and E4’s on another. Given the choice, I’d take the Hopes every time, they just feel nicer in use. Nothing wrong with the XT, obviously a lot cheaper as well.

Only two reasons I’d go Shimano over hopes, weight and cost. On every other point for me hopes win which is why I’m the luxury FS bike I have hope and in the budget bike I have a pair of slx brakes.

Magura?

I’m now running three sets of Shimano and two Magura sets. The Magura’s have just as much power, with so much more feel….

I’ve got both Hope and Shimano on various bike. Given the choice I’d go for the Hopes.

Trick question surely? Hopes…every time…

GolfChick – Member
Only two reasons I’d go Shimano over hopes, weight and cost.

Hope E4s are lighter than Shimao XT, not sure on XTR but they’re pretty close

Looks like hopes for the win then.

I have XTs/Zees/Deores/396s on some bikes and E4s on another. Given the choice, I’d take the Hopes every time, they just feel nicer in use. Nothing wrong with Shimano, obviously a lot cheaper as well.

Genuinely not a troll post, but a couple of years ago in Les Arcs I was talking to a few guides – no-one out there would touch hopes (in fact they nicknamed them “No-Hopes”) – I want to like them but have not met anyone (face-to-face) who rates them overt Shimano (whether XT or Saint) – have they significantly improved over the last couple of years, or is it that they’re great for UK trail riding just not Alpine riding?

Cheers

Genuinely not a troll post, but a couple of years ago in Les Arcs I was talking to a few guides – no-one out there would touch hopes (in fact they nicknamed them “No-Hopes”) – I want to like them but have not met anyone (face-to-face) who rates them overt Shimano (whether XT or Saint) – have they significantly improved over the last couple of years, or is it that they’re great for UK trail riding just not Alpine riding?

No issues with the V4’s on my DH bike, 2 trips, 2 weeks of riding both times. The E4’s on my Reign did a week at the Megavalanche and a week in Morzine (prior to that they get ridden every week on steep techincal trails), no issues, one set of sintered pads. Conversely I bled 4 sets of XT’s during the Mega and replaced a set of XT’s with Saints.

I love Hope but find it difficult to spend the extra over a set of slx or xt. Compared to xtr though and it’d be Hope every time.

I can bleed a set of Hopes in a Lake District campsite with stuff I can buy at a local garage. Every spare part is available to rebuild them at reasonable cost (whatever their age) and they hold their value incredibly well second hand. UK bike shops will nearly always have Hope pads. I’ve always liked the feel of them. They’re made in the UK and they look great.

If you’re outside the UK spare parts and pads availability for Hope is (usually) limited but pretty much every bike shop carries Shimano. Good luck getting any small parts but you can buy a complete new lever or caliper easily (or buy a complete brake and keep your old one for spares).

I think that has a lot to do with it.

If you just want good quality, good value brakes. Deore. Anything above is pointless Imo. Deores are excellent. If you want something a bit nicer, a bit shinier, with better serviceability, availability of spares, and support British manafacturing; Hopes.

I’ve got Hopes on a couple of bikes but never quite found then as easy to set-up and maintain as the Shimano’s I have on everything else. Only got XTR brakes on one bike but they’ve been excellent.

Genuinely not a troll post, but a couple of years ago in Les Arcs I was talking to a few guides – no-one out there would touch hopes (in fact they nicknamed them “No-Hopes”) – I want to like them but have not met anyone (face-to-face) who rates them overt Shimano (whether XT or Saint) – have they significantly improved over the last couple of years, or is it that they’re great for UK trail riding just not Alpine riding?

Bollocks. Been guiding on Hope brakes in Les Arcs for at least 6 years. Never had a single issue. Think I’ve had to bleed a brake once in all that time. Ran the same set of V2s for 3 years and the same set of V4s for 2 years, now on E4s. All 3 sets of brakes still in perfect working order. If you want to take old Minis or something to the Alps, well, more fool you…

Shimanos are good too and it can take a while to cross-over from one to the other as the feel is quite different.

Hope. I have Shimano XT’s bought for an n+1 as they are great brakes for the money but both my main bikes as Hope.

I’m currently riding around verbier on a 160mm bike doing some pretty silly off piste stuff with 180/160 e4. Yes, when it gets silly, I’ve had to squeeze harder than I do in the UK, but its steeper and faster. Although I can smell brake pad at the bottom, there’s no fade, no boiling, no movement of the bite point.

I thought I was pushing my luck out here with baby rotors but they’ve done all I’ve asked of them.

I’d have Hopeson all my bikes if they used mineral oil rather than DOT fluid. No idea why, just have a hatred of the Toxic paintstripper.

Hopes all day long… Twice had Xt m8000 locked solid whilst not being used for a couple of weeks, willing to forgo expense for reliability…. Replaced XT’s with Tech 3 E4’s

Cheers for the great reviews,
Orange Hope brakes ordered

I had the Hopes on my Five and now got the XTR on my current bike.

Not much in it to be honest. Shimano can squeal a little more, but are better modulated. Shimano levers are more comfortable. Hopes are easier to bleed.

I find the opposite, Hope have way better modulation and less grab. Also more power but that’s not a fair comparison.

Don’t see the problem with DOT fluid. Hope all the way.