Hope Tech 4 V4 disc brake review

The Hope Tech 4 V4 from Barnoldswick metal masters Hope technology are their top of the line, hard hitting brake. With a claimed 30% power.

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By singletrackross

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Hope Tech 4 V4 disc brake review

The bit about the drifting away from Hope towards Shimano is pretty much what I did.
Less of a drift and more of a jump towards the end though after a few interesting moments in the Alps.

However after all the good things I’ve read about the Tech 4 V4’s and a couple of mates using them I’ve just bought a pair as I got offered a killer deal on them.

I’m going to try them with an open mind and see how I like them.

Interestingly Mbuk gave them 4 stars, Code R 4 stars and another brake (I forget which – may have been Cura 4’s) the same 4 stars. Then awarded top prize to Shimano XT 4 pots without any mention of the ongoing difficulty lots of people have keeping them reliable with caliper seals and bite point.

Would have thought the Code RSC rather than the R should have been in there and surprised about the order of scores. Everywhere else seem to be saying the tech 4 v4 is very decent.

MBUK stopped being any good in the mid-late 90’s.

The thing is they were reviewed by Tom I believe – and having met him once on a group ride he’s a good rider and seemed quite down to earth.

Paul Aston rates them as the brake to beat right now and I’d (generally) trust his judgement.

If I wasn’t A DOT hater, I’d probably have switched at least one of my bikes away from Shimano to give them a try but then all my brakes are Shimano so I have fluid and bleed kits and mineral oil doesn’t strip the paint off of anything, so I’ll stick with them – for now at least.

A shame as they look lovely and sound (reviews rather than brake squeal) awesome.

Interestingly Mbuk gave them 4 stars, Code R 4 stars and another brake (I forget which – may have been Cura 4’s) the same 4 stars. Then awarded top prize to Shimano XT 4 pots without any mention of the ongoing difficulty lots of people have keeping them reliable with caliper seals and bite point.

I’ve got both XT 4 pots, Tech 4 V4 and Tech 4 E4 on 3 different bikes. I’m taking the XT off as they’re not as good and replacing with Hope.

Does the rotor make a difference, specifically the vented one, if I don’t live on an Alp?

Both my bikes were Shimano Saint until I tried these; now both my bikes are running these. Performance wise the only ones that come close are the Trickstuff ones but I could never justify spending £1k on a set of brakes. For the money these are fantastic, particularly with the 220mm rotors, haven’t tried them with vented rotors yet.

Then awarded top prize to Shimano XT 4 pots without any mention of the ongoing difficulty lots of people have keeping them reliable with caliper seals and bite point.

Eldest_OAB didn’t like the plastic feel or slight faff to bleed his MT5’s. However, his new bike has XT 4-pots on. He has had two seals ‘blow out’ in use, complains of wandering bite point even after the shop bled them with the new caliper on, and now said one of them is slowly dribbling.

I have said he needs to save for Hope…

On the rotor front do the rivets on the floaters still come loose and start rattling like they used to?

I’ve got both XT 4 pots, Tech 4 V4 and Tech 4 E4 on 3 different bikes. I’m taking the XT off as they’re not as good and replacing with Hope.

Is there much difference between E4 & V4?  I’m happy with my T3 E4s at the moment, but can see the T4s in my future.

Also does anyone know if the MX matchmakers on the T3 are transferrable to the T4, or would I need new ones?

You’ll need new mounts.

Is there much difference between E4 & V4

I’ve not ridden either yet, but have got some E4s on the way. I chose E4 because I’ve seen numerous reports that although the overall power on the V4 is higher, the lever feel on the E4 is a bit firmer and has a closer bite point.

I guess it’s down to the bigger pistons and the larger gap?

Any comparisons on power and feel to some of the popular competitors please?

I’ve been riding Tech 3 E4’s on a my Orange for 2 years and SLX 4 pots on my ebike for 1500 miles. I built a new bike recently that needed brakes and got the 1st set of Tech 4’s that my LBS could get in (I pre ordered them before released). They are really very good. So much so that they now grace my e bike, and will go on my next build too.

Compared to the Tech 3, way more power but, with the same lovely feel that you can meter out exactly the level you need and great feel where you can sense the brake locking and easy to modulate around that point. If you do want to just bang on the anchors they can do that too, where the Tech 3 doesn’t have that immediate power. Lots of feel though and that seems to be retained on the Tech 4.

My SLX Shimano 4 pots I would say have similar max power if bled and set up right. And I found the modulation fine and didn’t have most of the Shimano issues. What swung it for me was SLX I broke a piston. Required buying a whole new calliper to resolve and the feel on the Tech 4 is nicer and has the same amount of braking power. And you can get spares and fix at home. So with that in mind and locally made, there isn’t a reason not to go Hope now. Price is not dissimilar, pads are cheaper than Shimano too. I tested the Tech 4 side by side to a the SLX 4 pots, when I broke the piston I swapped on the Tech 4 off my other bike as temporary solution. So SLX on the back, Tech 4 on the front. Good side by side test. The new stainless pistons are great. So smooth you can push them back in with a finger nail. Try that with a Ceramic piston. And as a direct comparison I made the choice to swap over to Hope on all future builds. Nicer feel, similar ultimate power, locally made, spares available and same price.

I have a perfectly good set of Code RSCs so am just dithering over E4 or V4 until Merlin have sold out of any colours that I’d want. Nearly there!

Question on the new Tech4 lever design vs Tech3 – does the ‘longer’ blade that is mentioned mean you end up moving the clamp further inboard than the Tech3 (wondering if will want to sit right where my existing dropper and shifter are immediately inboard from the Tech3 on my bars)?

On the Tech 4, you can genuinely one finger brake. It is longer but not massively so, but yes, you may need to move in board. But if you were two finger braking on the tech 3. Then the tech 4 clamp may end up on other side of the other controls.Once you juggle it of 1 finger and the length. FNAR.

Thanks @stumason10 – am single-digit braker already so would maybe have to consider changing to Ispec.