Should I get some XT brakes?

We have 2 reviews; STW and MBUK. Both reckon the XTs are the better brake.

Thats strange, the STW review was posted on the previous page, the way I read it the Hopes won.

The key to good braking is to always have your finger slightly on the brake, this keeps them nice and warm and improves performance massively. You’ll never have any cold weather braking issues if you use this correct technique.

LOL!!

Im with Baarp, the XT’s I’ve used have been awful. Loads of power yeah, but the feel is terrible, they’re grabby, they’re not as easy to get parts for, they don’t look as good and every ***** has them because they are cheap.

There are plenty of more complaints in that thread, whatever examples you can find of Hopes going wrong I can guarantee you’ll find just as many examples of Shimano’s going tits up.

Considering Shimano’s sales volumes in relation to Hope, you’ve done well in making a point that comparitively, Shimano are considerably more reliable.

I don’t understand the non issue point being raised, seriously – pad wear? Laughable.

The old seal arguement – seems a staple one for the Hope fans too. Ironically, the only brake I have ever needed to replace a seal on is guess what? A Hope Tech M4.

TandemJeremy – Member

So you can get spare seals then?

No you can’t- does that mean you “throw them away when they fail”? Of course not- as you know.

This thread’s full of people talking total pish but tbh you are not a total pish talker.

Bollocks, seals go on all brakes eventually. If you don’t throw them away/sell them and replace them each year when the “next greatest” brake comes out….or you rag the shit out of them. The older M775 generation being a perfect example.

pussywillow – Member

Flow, I mean skywalker, u no **** all! In my experience the only people who like hope brakes are the xc boys cos they simply aren’t powerfull enough!

Funny, because most uplift trucks have millions of Hope brakes in them…

Using the tandem we put brakes under far more stress than most folk do. 230+ kgs at 40 mph down 1000 ft descwents?

tj seriously are you and your riding buddy over 100 kg each, have you really been 40mph on a tamdem, do you wave your willy while travelling at these speeds.

BS

Funny, because most uplift trucks have millions of Hope brakes abandoned in them…

Pussywillow – wrong. I have ridden with Northwind and he can walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

Andy – with camping kit 230+ kilos, without 200+ and we have hit 60 mph on it and break 40 often. 175kgs of us 🙂

This thread is now proper embarrassing.

Seriously.

Proper.

EMBARRASSING.

If I ever get this fanatical about anything can someone please come round mine and hit me about the head repeatedly with a big wet fish or something.

The OP asked a simple Q – his brakes are fine – should he spend money?

pussywillow – Member

And I bet u can’t ride for shit!

I’m officially “capable” 😉 Better than many, worse than many. Not sure what relevance that has to the fact that like I say, loads of downhillers choose Hope brakes (and Shimano, and even some weirdos use Avid)

I use Formula personally but hey.

Northwind – as a total / random hijack – I seem to remember you had an mmmBop before your C456???? (could well be totally wrong!). I’m thinking of getting one of the current c456 bargains – but mad Q: I couldnt stand how stiff the mmmbop was – is the c456 more bearable for longer days out?

The OP asked a simple Q – his brakes are fine – should he spend money?

No.

TandemJeremy – Member
Pussywillow – wrong. I have ridden with Northwind and he can walk the walk as well as talk the talk.
POSTED 41 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Haha! That’s no compliment coming from u!!! :D. 😀
😀

Cheers TJ, you flatterer…

couldashouldawoulda – Member

Northwind – as a total / random hijack – I seem to remember you had an mmmBop before your C456???? (could well be totally wrong!). I’m thinking of getting one of the current c456 bargains – but mad Q: I couldnt stand how stiff the mmmbop was – is the c456 more bearable for longer days out?

That’s more or less why I got it- though not so much for long days, I just didn’t like how the rear end of the Bop bounced off everything even with a big tyre. Comfort-wise I was OK with it so wouldn’t really want to recommend based on that, I’ve got a cast-iron arse, but the C456 is definately softer at the back.

Can’t say I’m in love with it tbh but it’s good, and silly cheap. Kind of lacks the wow factor is all but it suits me pretty well.

Andy – with camping kit 230+ kilos, without 200+ and we have hit 60 mph on it and break 40 often

Woo. I hit 50 regularly on my road bike and that uses rim brakes.

Hopes are still shite.

Northwind – thanks – much appreciated. I recognise that “bounced off everything” feeling.

Oh dear threads like this really bring out the worst in STW don’t they – pretty sad for people to get worked up over brands of disc brake.

I’ve had Avid, Hope and now Formula brakes (also used my mate’s XTs) – the Avids were ok-ish if you bled them all the time, the Hopes were decent, and the Formula Ones are amazing. Making massive generalisations like ‘Hope brakes are shite’ is just stupid IMO.

What the **** are you all moaning about, only pussies use brakes. Stop being a bunch of fagots an learn to ride a bike and use the terrain to control your speed.

BTW XT’s over Hopes every time

Northwind – Member
Funny, because most uplift trucks in the UK have millions of Hope brakes in them…

FTFY.

If Hope were really as good as they are made out, they’d be coining it in from foreign sales. Instead, they are a mere bit-part player, surviving on jingoism.

Just like Orange…

I think that is a remarkably naive and simple viewpoint. Hope have never aimed to sell in bulk like Shimano have, they are a smaller operation. Consequently they don’t have as many service centres and dealers (Shimano have them in bike shops up and down the country) outside the UK. Have you ever thought about that?

Oranges have their place, although I don’t own or ride one we hired an Alpine 160.

Compared favourably with my old mans Nomad and my Mega. It was my brothers favourite (who used to race Ancillotis before he moved to a leisure lakes sponsorship and rode a Santa Cruz).

Nicolais are not all that popular outside of Germany, yet in Germany every man and his dog has one. Nice bikes though.

I demoed a couple of bikes with XT brakes today and they are really nice, pretty grabby though but I guess you get used to that, certainly very powerful. I also rode some Hope tech evo somethings and they were also excellent, and I preferred the progressive feel of them to the XTs.

I’ve had a Deore on a bike for years and it is still one of my favourite brakes, great feel and good power, less grabby, had no problems with it at all, though the lever isn’t as nice as my Oros or most other brakes I’ve tried.

Basically you can’t really go wrong with either. As a piece of engineerin the Hopes are a bit more special.

What bike were the Hope’s on Bigjim?

FTFY.

If Hope were really as good as they are made out, they’d be coining it in from foreign sales. Instead, they are a mere bit-part player, surviving on jingoism.

Just like Orange…

The negativity on here is really amazing sometimes – ‘surviving on jingoism’ eh? Nowt to do with decent products and their amazing rep for customer service then (which I’ve experienced first hand)?

I’ve seen quite a bit of Hope stuff in foreign bike shops/on bikes in foreign countries BTW.

I’ve always used hope since the original c2. I now have xtr trail and evo x2 on both bikes. The shimano have more power but rattly levers compared to the hopes. The adjusters work bettrr on hopes and have great modulation but lack all out power. Hope pads last longer too. So I guess both have pro and cons…

their amazing rep for customer service

I can’t believe nobodys really banged this drum yet. This is one area where Hope have Shimano (and Magura, avid, Formula etc etc) licked.

Skywalker-Flow wheres this video of you then?

**** off pinhead, I’m bored already.

skywalker-flow yer full of it lad!

jeyboy!

wrecker – Member

I can’t believe nobodys really banged this drum yet. This is one area where Hope have Shimano (and Magura, avid, Formula etc etc) licked.

My experience of Shimano customer service was pish frankly- I suppose the flipside is that I’ve been using Shimano kit forever, and only ever had to deal with their customer service once…

Formula were good for me (sent me some wear-and-tear parts for free from France when they were changing UK distributors as the supply was a bit disrupted- I’d have happilly paid but they wouldn’t let me)

Hope were OK- did what they had to do and no more. But about 1/3d of all the Hope stuff I’ve had has needed warranty work at least once, so that doesn’t inspire. I know they can be better than they’ve been for me though.

Not sure why there can’t be two decent brands, totally content with my 2008 XTs here. Do we agree current generation Elixirs are pretty arse? Ashima?

Pancake break anyone?

My xt’s are awesome!! 😀