What hope brakes??

Going to treat myself to a brake upgrade and wondering what to go for.

I ride a Yeti ASR 5 but these days I’m not a race whippet so not massively fussed over a few grams saved.

I’m fairly decent size at 95kg so nothing to light.

Thinking prob 180mm rotors front and rear.
Brake wise not sure whether to go for the new Tech 4 E4 or Tech 3 X2.
Or even a combination of the two?? I’ve seen a few bikes kicking about with 4 caliper up front and 2 caliper on the back???

Shimano slx or xt will be more effective

< who had 8mins39secs on the book ? > 😀

I’d go for the e4 my M4 race evos have been great riding the ukge series this year I’m not far of your weight

😛

I resisted for at least 2 mins !

Lol had to happen?!

What do you mean by more effective?
Cost, serviceable??

What I mean is they are better performing in most conditions, very much fit and forget, and well priced. They are not really serviceable like Hope, but they don’t need to be as all they need are pads and a very occasional bleed.

Buy 5 SLX brakes, with change, for the price of 2 from Hope and then you can stop worrying about serviceability.

Depends how hard you ride tho ianc a tough year or 2 of riding will test any component fwiw mine have been brilliant through some abysmal conditions this year only needing a new bolt when I snapped a lever off, my mates xtr needed a while new caliper when it died and we’ve done the same 10 or so weekends of racing this year

I’ve had the original techm4s for years now and they’ve been brilliant. I’d stick with same caliper front and rear, only one set of pads to carry on the trail

They are not really serviceable like Hope, but they don’t need to be as all they need are pads and a very occasional bleed.

Unless I’ve been misled, I though broken Shimano brake = buy a new one?

Thinking prob 180mm rotors front and rear.

I am working on a theory that there’s not much point in putting a big rotor on the back as it’s already got enough power to lock the back wheel easily, so what you need more is the modulation of a smaller rotor. As the front does most of the braking, a bigger rotor there makes more sense. 203/160?

I’ve got X2s with 180mm rotor from and back and they are excellent, I’m about the same weight 🙂

Some of us just like stuff that can be serviced, stripped and tinkered with. If that’s not you go for the Shimano stuff and throw it away when it needs servicing 🙂

iainc – Member
What I mean is they are better performing in most conditions, very much fit and forget, and well priced. They are not really serviceable like Hope, but they don’t need to be as all they need are pads and a very occasional bleed.

A very occasional bleed is all my Hopes need. And very, very occasional pads (compared to the Juicys I had before at least)

For what it’s worth, I run 203/180 Tech M4s on the Alpine, 180/160 Tech X2s on the 456, 160/160 Tech X2s on the Pegasus S/S and 160/160 V-Twin X2s on the Gryphon.

Yet to report a failure. No sticky pistons, easiest bleed ever if you do need to do it and pads that last and last.

I always spec a 4pot up front with a 203mm rotor and a 2pot on a 160mm at the back. I find a lighter feeling brake on the back gives more control. The front is where the power is needed.
I am talking Hope by the way can’t tolerate that nasty shimano stuff.

I’d 2nd those who say try something else. I bought a set of brand new tech m4 evos about a year ago and I’ve never been impressed with them. They ok, don’t get me wrong, but they lack the bite and power of other brakes I’ve tried. This is despite getting them looked at by the LBS – they just seem very average as far as I’m concerned. I’ve got new avid codes on another bike & they blow the hopes away. Ok it’s a dh brake, but its very light & a similar price so is fine for a trail bike IMO. Also check out the new avid XOs, they seem to get very good reviews

I have the tech3 x2 really impressed with them so far. I am 93kg and they stop me fine with 203 on the 160 on the rear

I have the tech m4 evos 183mm front and rear.

Impressed with the performance of them, still thinking of going 203mm on the front though.

I would suggest you go 4pot

I’ve got tech3 x2’s on my race bike (only got the tech levers because I couldn’t find the race levers cheaper!). Running them with lightweight 160s front and rear and they stop me fine, granted, I am ~73kg.

Thanks for those that actually answered the OP.

I’m guessing the rest of you have too much time on your hands.

For your purposes I’d probably go for the E4 with whichever lever you prefer/can get cheaper and 180 F&R.

No offence OP, you seem to have chosen a brand first rather than looking for the best product for you, and you’ve not really given any info on what you want from the brake, so it’s no wonder you’ve had so many answers that you’re not finding useful. “Recommend me a Hope for somethingorother”

As for Shimano… The feel of the Hopes and Shimanos is very different, so it’s not really apples and apples- yes Shimano are undeniably better value, and probably better performing on balance, but that doesn’t matter if they’re not doing the job the way you want them to do it. (same reason I have Formula not Shimano tbh) But then we have no idea how you like brakes to feel because you’ve not shared any helpful info…

Just a though guys; With the recommendations of small rotor at the back for better modulation / less power at the back etc (which makes perfect sense) would you not get the same result from having smaller calliper at the rear??
For instance if I had E4 180 up front and 180/160 X2 at the back would I not get the same result??
Just thinking an X2 in the mix would make it cheaper (cheaper pads too I presume) and also give me better rock clearance than having larger rotors ( smaller rotors to get bashed. Also lighter rotors)

But then we have no idea how you like brakes to feel because you’ve not shared any helpful info…

But that’s because that’s not question I asked is it?? Jesus guys please just base this on the OP not what you think I may have meant!!!

Northwind just for you…
I’ve had many many brakes over the years on many different type of bikes.
I’ve used numerous different models from Hope, Shimano, Avid etc over varying different disciplines covering probably 20+ bikes.

Now. For the bike I want to attach these to, the feel I want, the serviceability I want, and the look I want (yes, I’m a tart)
I’ve decided to go for hope on this occasion.
Bearing in mind I’ve not ran Hope since the silver M4’s on a play bike and Ti 2 caliper (I forget the name) on a race bike I’d like the opinion of some one who actually uses the new brakes I’m talking about (the new X2 and E4’s) and can offer me an opinion on them.

Not an opinion of someone who can’t read the OP and then try’s to tell me what I actually want!!

I’ve got new avid codes on another bike & they blow the hopes away.

Firstly, you’re not comparing like with like, as you’re comparing a DH brake with a trail brake, and secondly I had a set of Avids and they were awful – howled like dying dogs and the back one needed bleeding about every two weeks. They were more powerful than the Hopes that replaced them, though.

You’re not coming over too well OP here and your initial post didn’t give much info, or even the impression that you knew as much about Hopes as you obviously do. My Shimano post was tongue in cheek as recognised by some subsequent posters and not meant as a distraction from your quest for Hopes. I hope you find the ones that do what you want from them. Cheers

@gravitysucks- people have to fill in the gaps you’ve left, that’s why they’re basing it on “what we think you may have meant”- we can’t base it on what you actually mean because we don’t know. TBH even now we’re still none the wiser since you’re no clearer on what you want them to do. Pretty much Hope’s entire range could be right for an ASR, depending on the pilot and the riding.

Ask bad questions, get bad answers, basically.

No your right oh wise one. When I said what HOPE brakes I actually meant please recommend me an alternative brand.

The people offering advice up there seem to have taken on board the OP.

I don’t have to justify buying hope to you or anyone else. I’m asking for advice on buying hope. Nothing more if you can’t help with that then please jog on.

Is there a reason why you feel the need to open a thread specific about Hope products purely to stamp your authority on why other brands are better?? You’ve got too much time on your hands fella.

Don’t confuse lack of power with good modulation.

People who don’t like Hope complain about lack of bite, while those who do talk about modulation (which to me means a nice progressive build up of power).
I think they are both saying the same thing – with some brakes you squeeze a bit and you get a lot of power, but the power doesn’t ramp up that much as you squeeze harder; while with others you squeeze a bit, you get a bit of power squeeze a lot and get a lot. It’s your choice.

Back to the OP.
I’d get the same calliper front and back, possibly with different rotors (small rotors seem to make rear pads last longer for me, as well as being all that us needed), because there’s nowt as annoying as finding your two sets of spare pads both fit the rear calliper and it’s the front pads that are shot.

You say you’re after an upgrade, with Hope’s. What are your curent brakes and what aspect of them do you want to upgrade ?

Don’t confuse lack of power with good modulation.

In the interests of balance, one of the mags (?MBR) put a load of brakes on a dyno with constant wheel speed/lever force. IIRC the (pre-Evo) Tech & Race levers were noticeably less powerful than a lot of other options, hence the Evo lever redesign.

All Evo now though – which may or may not make a difference.

Once you get to a certain level of power though, better modulation will add more to your stopping ability than more power – for me at least at 16st+ and able to lock either wheel if I yank hard.

Anybody who has M4’s and isn’t happy with them, I’ll swap you for my SLX. The SLX feel v powerful compared to my older M4’s but that translates to grabby to me.

You’re not coming over too well OP here and your initial post didn’t give much info, or even the impression that you knew as much about Hopes as you obviously do. My Shimano post was tongue in cheek as recognised by some subsequent posters and not meant as a distraction from your quest for Hopes. I hope you find the ones that do what you want from them. Cheers

Iainc – I knew you were tounge cheek, it was more pointed at Northwind with his superiority of you’ve chosen brand first, hope are rubbish diatribe.

I know what brand I want which is why I titled the thread “What HOPE brake” lol 😀

To be honest I was also getting wound up typing responses on my phone whilst defending my choice to buy Hope!

Anyways back to the OP.

I’m upgrading from X0 which I’ve never really been sold on. Don’t overly rate their performance and bugger all modulation. I only got them so shifters, mech, cranks etc all matched up.
Which is another reason I want hope as I can use the matchmaker and keep the clutter free bars I have now.

In the interests of balance, one of the mags (?MBR) put a load of brakes on a dyno with constant wheel speed/lever force. IIRC the (pre-Evo) Tech & Race levers were noticeably less powerful than a lot of other options, hence the Evo lever redesign.

This was kinda my point of the thread. I had pre Tech, race and evo hope brakes so if I’d based my choice on that experience I’d have gone straight for E4’s with 203/183 rotor combo. As the new breed of brakes are likely more powerful by comparison to that it’d prob be overkill for what I want now.

Think your right IGM about the same caliper same pads reason.

From what most of you are saying it sounds like I’d be better going for a pair of E4’s with say a 180 front 160 rear combo. That should give me enough power but with the option to put bigger rotors on if I want more. Make sense?

Now do we go for Tech or race levers?? AAARRRGHGHGHGH!!

edit: just seen the price difference. Think it’ll be the tech! 🙂

OP sign off now and buy. You will be happy with your choice; actually so would I be. Never look at this thread again, it will only cause you pain.

Hope stealth Evo x2 and just copy me.

Pleased you posted this, as I’m in pretty much the same place, want to buy Hope, and support a British company, like how their products look, and how they also sponsor riders in my favourite discipline cyclocross. Avid Elixir 1’s are feeling iffy now, the front starts fine then just ends up with really long lever travel as the ride progresses. Currently running 160/140 on a Pace RC129 singlespeed setup.

In true STW style of recommend what you’ve got I’d say

Tech 4’s 180 upfront and your choice of 180/160 rear, floating rotors with colour coded centres to match the bike/components and braided hoses (cheap upgrade). The adjustability of the tech lever is useful.

For a Yeti I wouldn’t get 2 pot brakes or anything with an xc label.

Hope is a great British company who produce world class stuff and they deserve our support. Coincidently I asked about Shimano brakes when I had my last bike built (2-ish years ago) and was told they where a 3 month wait.

AFAIK the Tech Evo lever (which replaced the Tech lever) has been replaced by the Tech3 lever. Differences are that it’s handed (not flip flop), easier to fit around shifters/remotes, 5% more power which makes it the same power as the Race Evo lever.

I’ve ridden (not owned) bikes with the recent Shimano brakes and they do indeed have a lot of bite – they grab very immediately which makes them feel powerful. They don’t have any more power than comparable recent Hope brakes as you squeeze harder though. The sharp bite makes it much harder to avoid locking up than with the more gradual ramp up of the Hopes. The Hopes are like having ABS in comparison – I skid much less than people I’m following using the Shimanos and I doubt I have more finesse. The Hopes cost more but should be able to be kept running for longer.

I have Race Evo M4s on my hardtail. I’m putting Tech3 E4s on my new full-sus, running 180/160 discs on both. To be honest I could run X2s on the hardtail and swap the M4s to the full-sus but I like the big pads (which last for AGES!) and the control and power of the 4-pot caliper, plus it’s less hassle to have the same pads on both bikes (I’m running the exact same transmission too for similar reasons).

Your Yeti isn’t an XC or DH bike so I’d go for either Race Evo E4 or Tech3 E4 on your bike depending on how much tweakability you want. I wouldn’t use different calipers front and back. I might put 200/180 rotors on for the alps but at 12.5 stone that would be overkill for me in the UK.

Bollocks to everyone…V4’s and 203mm rotors F&R!

gravitysucks – Member

Iainc – I knew you were tounge cheek, it was more pointed at Northwind with his superiority of you’ve chosen brand first, hope are rubbish diatribe.

Do me a favour would you… Go back and actually read my posts? Honestly at a loss where you could get this from. You’re definitely imagining some bits since seriously, I didn’t criticise Hope at all, nor make any other recommendations at all…

But you also missed the point- which was, give people better information and they can give you better recommendations. Sorry I bothered tbh but otoh you did end up giving some info to go on as a result so I suppose it’s worked out 😆