Hope Tech4 V4 vs E4 (again)

Bindun, I know…

I’m looking at upgrading my Tech3 E4s for Tech4s  before I head off to the Alps in 6 weeks. The Tech 3’s have been absolutely fine for the majority of my riding, but I did find it fairly fatiguing riding slow, steep, tech, alpine trails (my fave riding)  the last time I went to the big mountains – no issue with fade or anything, I just had to pull the lever harder than I was comfortable with over the duration of the descents.

I’m at the lighter end of the spectrum (65kg + kit), value modulation over outright power.

I was just going to go with Tech4 E4s, but my local Hope dealer is pushing me a bit more towards V4s. On the face of it there’s no reason not to go V4, but I don’t want to end up overbraked for local Peaks riding, which is largely “smash downhill, brake hard for 2 secs at the bottom”. I had a bad experience years back with the original V2 brakes where I couldn’t get enough heat into them to dry out the rotors in winter and had a couple of not-stopping crashes as a result. Swapped to E4 calipers and all was fine again. Likewise the bite point seemed to be based around using the hugely thick vented rotors, not normal ones so the bite point ended up being “at the grip” which wasn’t confidence inspiring. All of which is making me nervous about going V4.

I’m also considering new rotors (got Shimano RT76 on at the mo as being lighter and cheaper than Hope floaters). I could do the 2.3mm solid steel Hope ones, but I think I read somewhere they don’t play great with E4 calipers and pad clearance? Or I could split  the difference and use the 2mm Magura MDR rotors which seem to have a reassuring amount of metal in them!

I’m probably overthinking this, but advice appreciated!

Thanks…

Proper rotors and new pads.

Using the Galfer shark rotors and their pads, bit improvement from the formula discs I was using. Manage temperature much better.

E4s will likely be efficient, one thing i noticed 180 on rear wasnt enough for me at pmba lakes last summer (although i’m far heavier), i put on a 200mm to match front end and they’ve been great ever since, got to be hope rotors with calipers though for me.

This is what Hope recommend, decide for yourself based on your weight and what you’re up to.

“If in doubt, pick the more powerful option. What can do more can do less”

Price wise, the V4s are slightly more but come with green, red and purple pads included, E4s come with just two sets.

Giving the lever a pump or two before refitting the diaphragm allows for the bigger rotors, or hope have a 3d printed tool for doing it exactly – tbh, no issues though, I use 2mm rotots on my v4s

I’ve recently moved from Tech 3 E4’s to Tech 4 V4’s running 2mm thick Galfer discs on both. They’re a lot more powerful but not as sharp feeling, there’s more travel before they bite hard, but they bite much harder with what feels like far less hand pressure.

I much prefer the tech 4 v4s I have now over the tech 3 e4 I had before. You’ll not ever get the v4 and think I should have got the e4 but you may the opposite way around.

How heavy are you – I’m 95kg with riding kit and body armour in the alps and the E4s didn’t miss a beat. Got them for last years trip as an upgrade to old M4s and so much more powerful. Fresh bleed, good pads, centralised with E4 levers on your E4 calipers and you’ll be good without lugging around a more downhill setup locally the rest of the year.

I’m 76kg without kit and E4s with 223/203mm Galfer rotors with absolutely brilliantly for me but they did with 203/183mm rotors as well, I needed new rotors so thought why not. The Tech 4s are a big, big improvement over the Tech 3s, so much so I ended up with a set on the HT as well.

I also have a mate who weights north of 110kg, he doesn’t hang around and uses E4s with 200/180 rotors.

In fact, I think you’re local to me, you’re welcome to a go if you want?

I just got back from the Alps and my E4’s were mint. The best, most consistent feeling brakes I’ve ever used over there and I spent zero time faffing with them or struggling to bring them back to life.

This is with 220/200 rotors.

The only problem is that now I need another set for the other bike.

Does anyone have any deals on at the minute?

System weight – 65kg of me + 15kg of bike + pack just sneaks me into the purple bit of Hope’s suitability chart.

Kinda feels like my initial E4 choice is right, but definitely fit some chunkier rotors while I’m at it.

I recently bought some T4V4 and couldnt be happier. Running the hope 2.3mm single piece rotors and have no issues.

Mine only come with two sets of pads though, a green race set and one of the other compounds. Dont think they come with 3 sets any more.

I did have to bleed them after fitting them to the bike and trimming hoses. made a really big difference to be honest.

I run 220mm discs front and rear on a Levo ebike and feel like I have enough power with great modulation.

Another, fairly similar perspective:

I’m 76kg + bag & bike.

I too am off to the Alps in 6 weeks, AlpPacker South with BV.  I’ve recently fitted a pair of new T4E4 onto existing Hope floating rotors, 200/180 and yes, the outright power is excellent, it just feeds in so smoothly from gentle to tons, without drama.  The modulation that’s available before the outright power is the best bit about these new ones; yes, they’re appreciably better than the T3E4 I have on the hardtail overall.  Whilst those are miles nicer than the XT 8000 series brakes that came off the bike, which are a powerful but blunt tool.  I don’t ride fast enough to need blunt power.  I need and want some finesse instead and that’s what these deliver.  My educated guess is that the V4 version is more than you are actually needing and if cold weather performance might become an issue later, I’d veer away from the ‘biggest’ option.

Ive got some tech3 E4 on my foxy. I’ve just stuck some tech43 E4 onto my old inbred (I know) and wow, they make the shimanos seem like they have buckets of modulation .

I’ll need to have a play with them to get them set up right

I’m on the old Tech 3 levers but here’s my thoughts on E4 vs V4. V4 have more power but a softer feel at the start and are easier to modulate. V4 work better with thicker discs – with the standard floating discs the pistons are a long way out and have more issues with uneven positions and sticking. With the 2.3mm non-floating rotors they’re great. E4 didn’t work with the 2.3mm rotors – whatever I did with alignment etc they rubbed enough to be too annoying to live with.

I understand that with the Tech 4 levers the E4 are almost as powerful (in terms of finger force vs braking force) as Tech 3 V4 plus going up a disc size. I have 203/183 E4 on my Moxie hardtail and 220/200 V4 on my Levo. I don’t think you’ll need the V4 brakes at your weight.

I think the bigger rotors and V4 calipers and vented option are an amazing option for big riders on long descents – it’s pretty crazy how we expect the same brake to work for bigger men by going up a disc size or two, when those men could be twice the weight of a small man or many women.

I recently bought some T4V4 and couldnt be happier. Running the hope 2.3mm single piece rotors and have no issues.

This is also me. 96kg with a 25kg ebike. Sufficient braking for all the stuff I ride with 220mm Fr and 200mm Rr. I’ve been unable to overheat them with 2.3mm rotors to date.

Lovely early modulation and very subtle throughout the lever travel, and gobfuls of hand pressure isn’t required.

So impressed I bought another set for my meat bike.

 E4 didn’t work with the 2.3mm rotors – whatever I did with alignment etc they rubbed enough to be too annoying to live with.

I’ve just stuck 2.3mm tektro rotors on my tech4 e4s, no rubbing so far

I put the green pads back in, ready for racing this weekend and….. wowzers! they are powerful

For Alps/Pyrenees holidays, I tend to move my front rotor to the rear, stick a bigger rotor up front and the original rear that I took off comes along as a spare. New pads and a fresh bleed and I’e never had an issue.

If you dont want to spend too much, you can just swop out the levers for the new T4 ones and retain your original E4 calipers. I did this on the Ebikes brakes as I had a new pair of T3 V4 calipers and it seemed a waste to buy the complete set

For Alps/Pyrenees holidays, I tend to move my front rotor to the rear, stick a bigger rotor up front and the original rear that I took off comes along as a spare. New pads and a fresh bleed and I’e never had an issue.

This looks like the smart option.  Run smaller discs in the UK with powerful brakes

I have the e4’s and I have never felt I needed more and once the pads bedded in the modulation is amazing – 1 finger braking and precision

I don’t think you need the v4’s

Can depend on your riding style, the V4’s are the better brake imo and are more powerful/less resistant to fade than E4s, as you’d expect. They also do a good job of not feeling too bitey like some DH brakes (saints).

Riding blues in the alps or trail centres here the difference would be marginal, but going down say the Pleney off-piste I’m thankful for all the stopping power I have.

I recently bought some T4V4 and couldnt be happier. Running the hope 2.3mm single piece rotors and have no issues.

Mine only come with two sets of pads though, a green race set and one of the other compounds. Dont think they come with 3 sets any more.

I bought some last month and they came with 3 set of pads. A mate bought some in May from the same place (Bike Wheels Direct) and he only got two. Both in black and gold so who knows why.

 bought some last month and they came with 3 set of pads. A mate bought some in May from the same place (Bike Wheels Direct) and he only got two. Both in black and gold so who knows why.

Thats where i bought mine from.

@renton I bet his 3rd pair were the green pads already fitted

Regardless of where or whome you buy v,s from

Retail you get 3 prs of pads

Green fitted race pad (made bybtrickstuff not galfer this ie there power + pad

Red all conditions

Purple e bike

@Big-Bud mine were from bike wheels direct and were in sealed hope boxes.

Green pads were fitted and then there was one other set of pads in each box. No purple ones though.

V3 on my hardtail, E3 on my full suss.

There isn’t enough difference for me to get round to swapping them over. They have been on for about 4 years.

The V3 do have a bit more power, the full suss is used at bike parks and the hardtail isn’t so I probably should swap them over

What about just getting bigger rotors for the Alps? I went from 200 to 230mm on the front and that has made quite a difference.

Green pads were fitted and then there was one other set of pads in each box. No purple ones though.

That’s exactly the combo my mate got. I got the ebike ones as well but I can’t see them ever being used as the greens offer amazing power and control, and I picked up a few spare sets for £10 each from Hope at Ard Rock.