I’m after a new rear hub. I ride pretty mucky trails so I’m thinking Hope. The new 40 point engagement version seems attractive, but I’m wondering if it has any known weaknesses or problems that might lead you to choose the previous version (or indeed another brand altogether).
Your thoughts and experiences would be welcome.
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to all – Tim 😀

I’ve been running once since the week it came out (luckily timed warranty replacement), had no problems with it so far. Bearings were a bit squeaky when they arrived, but a squirt of lube and plenty of use seems to have quietened them down.

The only problem is that they’re not nearly as loud as the old Pro 2’s 🙁

The only problem main selling point is that they’re not nearly as loud as the old Pro 2’s

The only problem main selling point is that they’re not nearly as loud as the old Pro 2’s

Haha! Each to their own, I liked having silly loud show-off hubs to warn pedestrians I was coming behind them 😆

Lets Hope ( mmmmm) the so call freehub labyrinth seal works better than the Pro 2 versions, which I doubt. Bring back proper seals like the XC hubs.

All they’d have to do is remake the XC and bulb hubs and they’d be onto a winner.

XC hubs +1.
A classic. 🙂

My XC and Bulb hubs required new ratchet rings every year… I find the Pro2 and EVO much more reliable… progress is good!

I know more engagement points sounds great, but I did the upgrade on my DT240S and I can’t tell any practical difference.

My XC and Bulb hubs required new ratchet rings every year… I find the Pro2 and EVO much more reliable… progress is good!

Weirdly I find the opposite. I have seen so many broken hub bodies, seized bearings, broken pawl springs, water ingress issues in pro 2’s than any other hub I have or have owned. The xc’s just need a regrease twice a year and back together they go. I rebuild my pro2 maybe every 3 weeks and that’s not due to the usual jetwash yadda. Changed seals ( what joke that is) etc, but it draws water in, from general riding. Be glad when Tim at Sideways gets my WI hubs in, as cant wait to see the back of it. Seems the same with other guys I ride with too, so not just an isolated case. Wouldn’t buy another hub from Hope unless they up their game, as I think things have slipped over time and others have caught up and overtaken them sadly.

I have bulb, XC, Pro 2 and Pro 2 EVO on various bikes and the PRO 2 EVO on my newest bike have been by far the worst hubs i have owned. 500 miles in the bearings explode in the freehub causing the cassette to wobble so much i can’t change gear. The bearings came out in bits and it took alot to get them out to replace them, so much so i needed a new freehub. Front bearings seized at 700 miles – took them out they had NO grease in them at all. Serviced the rear hub again at 2000 miles with the outboard bearings worn – no grease in them replaced with SKF bearings with lots of phil wood grease so hopefully they’ll last. The axle on the rear is also showing some notches on it (I have a maxel rear end)

Strange as I have had my pro 2 hubs for about 4 years and my only complaint is that the freehub is made of cheese, but that is only a problem when changing cassettes. I have never even changed the bearings.

Just changed the bearings in my freehub for the first time in 7 years. Axle bearings are smooth as f… This wheelset has been on loads of bikes and done plenty miles.

I rebuild my pro2 maybe every 3 weeks and that’s not due to the usual jetwash yadda

What you doing, 100 miles per day?

What you doing, 100 miles per day?

Not quite, but I ride to work 5 days and ride it on a Sunday. You can even hear it change its noise if it ever rains or gets muddy, its that crap.

You must have an odd one in that case. They use INA stainless bearings which are some of the best available. I’ve done 25,000 miles on my training road wheels now and still on the original bearings.

Maybe, but if the water doesn’t get into the hub, then the bearings don’t get contaminated. Got a headset with knackered bearings too. not worth buying 2 new bearings. Had better luck with cheaper FSA MX ones. My road Pro 3 hubs were just the same, so just changed them for Shimano RS81’s. Put silkolene grease in them and would get washed out and go pink. Tried Exus grease and was so thick and sticky, may have just ridden with the brakes on.

I rebuild my pro2 maybe every 3 weeks

Wow, had mine since 2007, only changed bearings once. You must have a bad one!

I have Evo Pro2 rear. Never changed the rear on my rear Hope Pro in 4yrs. My Pro2 is a good hub? Had it 6months so far.

Blazin-saddles – Member

You must have an odd one in that case. They use INA stainless bearings which are some of the best available.

They are small, though, and the sealing is pretty poor. I get tolerable performance from mine but that’s all- bearing life is way down on my DTs.

But then, I am realistic, the entire Hope Hoops wheelset cost about the same as a rear DT240 so you can’t expect top end performance. What Hope really give you is excellent flexibility in a fairly cheap package and that’s a big deal.

Sorry – stupid question

What new Hope hubs?

I have to disagree with the OP too, I use Hope 2 evo and non evo on my bikes and they have been very reliable, bearing changes after years and miles of abuse that’s all.. The Singlespeed hubs haven’t been open yet after 18 months and some 1800 miles.

My pro II hub on my winter bike needs a new set of bearings once a year, and that’s from a hub that is occasionally submerged. I’m happy with the performance for the price.

I’m guessing the ‘new’ Hope hubs are the Pro2 Evo 2014…. with 40 instead of 24 points of engagement:

http://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires/40-tooth-ratchet-hope-pro-2-evo-hub-876077.html

I’ve had my Pro2 Evos for over 2 years, done a number of races on them, including a 24 hour. They were secondhand too. Ridden in awful conditions.

Not changed the bearings, no play at all, although they are starting to now have a little notchy feel when you pick them up in your hands, but not on the bike.

My old Pro2s were needing new bearings every month or so, which was rubbish.

I’ve three sets of Hope hubs, they’ve all been excellent and in the case of the Pro2 Evo, far better than the Bulb it replaced. I had a wobbly Blub that required new bearings every six months or so, play would develop in the rear wheel quickly.

Since then I’ve had no reliability problems to report.

The only problem is that they’re not nearly as loud as the old Pro 2’s

That’s good to know, I’ve got a new SS hub sitting in the kitchen waiting to be built up.

I have to disagree with the OP too, I use Hope 2 evo and non evo on my bikes and they have been very reliable, bearing changes after years and miles of abuse that’s all.. The Singlespeed hubs haven’t been open yet after 18 months and some 1800 miles.

Hey, I’m the ‘OP’ and I’m just asking the question – not offering opinions.

Yes I DID mean the newest 40 point engagement version. Btw, I googled it an found a blog that suggested Hope have designed in compatibility for possible future Shimano 11 speed cassetes.

I should add that I currently have a Stans ZTR 330 rear which has just gone Kaput. On the whole I’ve found it runs smoother than previous Hopes but I seems to require more maintenance than Hope.

Anyway I’m just asking if the newest Hope is the best thing in that price bracket or is it the DT Swiss 350 or something else?

I’ve got a set of the new hubs so look forward to seeing how they compare. I also have a few pairs of the older pro 2 evo hubs and a set of the VERY loud pro 3 hubs.

My only criticism of the older hubs was the slow pick up, so the new ones should address that nicely.

Just need to get the bike out on the trails so I can quantify he difference.

I had bearing replacement on my old evo2 rear after 9 months use. Just had a few weeks on he 40t. It’s a different sound, not Chris king like and not old hope like. Distinctive in its own right.

Thread resurrection – anyone with time on the 40t rear care to comment on the engagement compared to the old 24t? I’m waiting for a set to be built up and in the meantime am running a cheapo sram rear wheel as the rim on my e13 got trashed. I find the lag on the sram compared to the e13 quite annoying

I race elite XC and also crits and road, I never noticed the pick up was all that slow on the 24t, the 40’s feel the same to me but with a different noise.

I have noticed the quicker pick up on the 40t vs the 24t but I miss the noise of the old one! I think the fewer teeth in the ratchet and only alternate pawls engaging makes a lot of sense though. My original Pro 2 Evos are almost three years old, have done a few thousand miles in all weather on my hardtail (sole MTB and part-time commuter bike until recently), never serviced, still on original bearings.

put skf bearings in mine.

hope have an all new hub on the way according to the rumour mill