The new M4 replaces last years successful Enduro 4. The caliper has been redesigned to allow it to use the standard Mini lever. Even though the brake has been slimmed down it still retains its awesome braking power. The caliper features 4 pistons operating 4 separate pads (pads remain same as Enduro and DH4) and is an open system. The 74mm post mount (2000/1 Manitou) requires a special bracket and larger disc
Submitted by
BizS
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA USA Date Reviewed: July 19, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Tiger Mountain
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
Wiggle.com
Strengths:
Looks (love the 'machined from billet' solid looks, including the 'gaudy' Union Jack flag), feel (rock solid machined components), modulation, braking strength. I bought mine with the stainless lines and floating rotor, and the quality and looks are tops!
Weaknesses:
My only small gripe would be that I wish they would have spec'd the brake lines with some revolving-type lock-nut to more easily dial out any line bends or kinks--the way the Hope technician showed to do this on their video didn't quite work for me...a minor quibble
Similar Products Used:
I graduated from rim brakes to hydraulic rim brakes to Avid mechanical BB disc brakes, and lastly to Magura Marta (SL's and regular). These brakes smokes them all
Bike Setup:
2008 Yeti ASR carbon, Chris King headset, XTR 960 cranks w/Middleburn rings, Crank Bros. pedals, Fox TALAS front w/RP23 rear, Mavic 819 disc rims w/ Chris King ISO front/rear hubs on Kenda Nevagal USB tires, Thomson Masterpiece seatpost and stem
Bottom Line:
The best disc brakes I've used so far. I'm a motorcycle guy (have raced my 2001 Suzuki GSXR1000 w/Brembo radial master cylinder), and have to say these brakes feel like a good moto-setup. More than enough power and modulation. So far, after several runs on my trail, they have performed without a hiccup. My Magura Marta's on my 2003 Ellsworth Truth have had episodic problems with lever feel, and I've had to re-bleed them a half-a-dozen times. Magura's are nice when set up properly, but are a finicky lot to bleed and maintain. Moreover, they are prone to fade so you can forget about doing any freeride with them (not that you'd chose that model to freeride with anyhow). I'm now a converted Hope-believer, and they make great kit for the $$. They are the 'Chris King of the UK' IMHO.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
AustinBiker
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, TX US Date Reviewed: May 17, 2009
Racer X 29er, Fox Float, Tech M4's, X9, I9's with Stan's arch, nanoraptor rear, ignitor front, Thompson post, Gobi saddle
Bottom Line:
I've ridden most of the popular brakes out over the last few months in the quest for my new 29'er. My old hardtail had Juicy 5's. What these brakes will give you over Ultimates, XTR's, and Martas of the world is *control* without fading, while retaining as much of your speed as possible. All the brakes out there can stop you, most of the time. These give you the option to apply infinitely varied levels of braking, depending on the situation... exactly what you need to ride fast. Need to slow just a touch for that hairpin followed by a nasty climb? No prob. My old juicy's used to be a nightmare in such situations, gobbling the whole way as my bike jerked to and fro. Need to still have brakes at the end of a wicked downhill? These will not fail you.
They are expensive, but worth it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
crispycritter
a Weekend Warrior
from somerset, uk Date Reviewed: March 20, 2009
Favorite Trail:
w2
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
Somerset Bike Centre
Strengths:
Looks, modulation, build quality, power.
Weaknesses:
Can get a bit out of their depth on really long, steep descents. Not a downhill brakeset.
Similar Products Used:
Hope C2, Avid juicy 5's and 7's, Shimano xt.
Bike Setup:
Specialized enduro sl frame and forks eveything else all mountain components.
Bottom Line:
This is a review for the new Hope Tech M4's with the new tech levers and new calipers. Really good looking quality bit of kit good power and modulation for 95% of riding. Just make sure you have a good check over the whole shooting match for loose nuts and bolts after the first few uses. I managed to lose the lever pivot bolt at the top of a descent in Wales which could have spoiled my day if the lever blade had fallen out at speed!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben1
a Weekend Warrior
from Devon, UK Date Reviewed: January 20, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Loads of good bit in Devon!
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
my LBS (Props to Sid
Strengths:
Review is for the new TECH M4s (No listing yet) Too many to list - Power is (obviously) amazing, but control and modulation is even better. Feel and feedback from the new Tech levers is fantastic. As with all Hope stuff, finish and workmanship is class-leading, all exquisitely detailed milled aluminium goodness.
Weaknesses:
None really. Squeak a little whilst pads wear in, but so do most. New reservoir cover (Union Jack design) is a little gaudy but is black and white so not too noticeable.
Similar Products Used:
A few Shimano and Avids discs, V-Brakes!
Bike Setup:
Evil DOC, Pike 454 coils, Tech M4s (200/180 floating), Singletracks on Pro IIs, XT 2x9 drivetrain and shifters etc
Bottom Line:
Couldn't be happier. Absolutely blown away by the combination of power and control.
I use this bike for everything, and was worried that the M4s would be overpowered for things like commuting to work, but level of control available completely negates this. Equally, there is adequate power for those long, fast winding down hills, panic avoidance of trees etc., and haven't noticed any sort of fade yet either.
The brakes look amazing, with the floating rotors and beautifully finished calipers.
New levers are awsome, plenty of adjustability and the feel they give is spot-on. Only gripe with the levers is the new reservoir cover design, which is a little tacky in a black/white Union Jack design. Fortunately it's smallish so only able to see what it is when you look closely... Also, given how well they perform, can't really complain too much about a minor cosmetic detail!
Not exactly cheap to buy, but as with all the Hope kit I've tried, it's definitely a case of getting what one pays for.
Really wouldn't hesitate to recomend these to anyone but the most lycra-loving of weight weenies (Who should probably by the new X2!) or psychotic freeriders (Who need the V2).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bxxer rider
a Downhiller
from UK Date Reviewed: October 29, 2008
Favorite Trail:
leckhampton daisy bank
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
stock
Strengths:
great power, did not notice any fade, power over time is rising not dropping, very realiable
Weaknesses:
none to think of other then bit of an on going squike in back brake
Similar Products Used:
v2
Bike Setup:
orange patriot fr lt, boxxer, junior t pro, xt deore
Bottom Line:
great brake, if looking for a realiable high power DH brake look no further
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gerbil1976
a Cross Country Rider
from United Kingdom Date Reviewed: August 1, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Cwmcarn
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$260.00
Purchased At:
The Big Adventure (S
Strengths:
Boy do they do the business. Looks great too.
Weaknesses:
Not possible to buy the brake with a specific coloured rotor. Hmmm..., why not?
Similar Products Used:
Hope C2s and Hayes 9s
Bike Setup:
Marin Rock Springs
Bottom Line:
Where do I start? Great looks, incredible braking power which projects confidence in every way. Almost no squealing after the initial bedding in but incredible braking from the outset. They just seem like the way brakes should be - preventative medicine!
I'm sure there are other just-as-good or better brakes out there; these are the kiddies for me. Given that I've only had them a month and it's always possible they may go wrong, I'll stop short of a 5 chilli rating.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
keeweesteathfreerider
a Downhiller
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: July 2, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Lava flow
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$320.00
Purchased At:
TradeMe
Strengths:
Amazing power!
absolutly brilliant!
Great Modulation!
Easy(ish) to bleed!
Weaknesses:
Took some time to get it working properly but it was mainly the bike shop in my opinion.
These brakes are the best brakes ive ever used! Don't bother with anyother brake like hayes 9 or avid juicys 3s.
I highly recomend these brakes to anyone if you want to stop quickly!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
PT
a
from Durango, CO Date Reviewed: February 18, 2008
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$480.00
Purchased At:
bike shop
Strengths:
'06 M4's here. great feel - great power - great modulation - dangerboy levers really make these brakes top notch
Weaknesses:
expensive
the reseviour top-cap bolts allen holes strip easily. hope has replaced the allen screw with a torx screw on the new ones, so I upgraded to those for $10.
they're now 35 grams heavier than the new '08 M4's.
don't use ebc xc pads on these brakes!
Similar Products Used:
hayes hayes hayes, avid, magura
Bike Setup:
Supermoto FR/DH
Bottom Line:
As soon as I put these brakes on my bike I was super stoked! It's two years later and I'm still stoked on them! I have the old style Juicy's ('06) on another bike, and my friends have just about everything elese on the market. Some brakes are lighter, some have as much stopping power, but the hope's just blow them all away in feel / modulation. And they always feel exactly the same! That's why I love these so much.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
zac x
a
from England Date Reviewed: February 4, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
Chain reaction cycles
Strengths:
Stopping power ! looks & quality
Weaknesses:
instructions are weak and cable is just long enough.
This brake fitted with a 203mm floating disc will lock a wheel up regardless of speed or conditions ! I was amazed at the shear power it had and how volatile a break could be.
Although cost is rather high for what your getting i would recommend 100 %
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dale Newman
a Weekend Warrior
from Holland Date Reviewed: December 10, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Passport du soleil
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Looks great. Haven't found a better looking model.
Weaknesses:
Squeals like a piggy! Difficult to set up. Dissapointing brake power for a 4 pot caliper.
Similar Products Used:
Hope Mini 165mm. Magura HS33/22. Hayes Stroker Ryde 180/160.
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Heckler 2006. M4 front, Mini rear. RS Pike 95/140. 5th element coil. Sram. Built up as 'all mountain'.
Bottom Line:
The M4 brake looks super and functions well as a xc brake, but really dissapointed me in the mountains. I didn't need a bell to warn people of my approach if you know what i mean! What a terrible sqealer it is. What's more, i've never been able to find out what the problem is/was. Of course, if your brake squeals so bad, it's not delivering the power either (with all that movement/vibration).I've tried it all. Washers, frasing the fork, copperslip behind the pads..... you name it , i've tried it. Even Hope don't have the answers. A Hope machanic in Les Gets had a good go at it too and gave up... twise! Hope Benelux's advise was, "keep off the brakes"!". Well, that just about raps it up. I have kept off the brakes. I've sold them and bought a set of Hayes Strokers! Until now they work perfectly!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Downhiller
from Surrey/Kent Engalnd Date Reviewed: July 17, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
With bike - standard
Strengths:
Very powerful once bedded in!
Weaknesses:
None yet. Work extremely well for me. Yet i kno you either love them or hate them. I love them
Similar Products Used:
HFX-9, HFX -5
Bike Setup:
24/7 Dark Angel DH1
Bottom Line:
If you get a good set, you will love them like me. Very very powerful with very good modulation.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
LanceMan
a Downhiller
from CA Date Reviewed: July 5, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$425.00
Purchased At:
oniline
Strengths:
As another poster said, I can't believe all the negetive reviews are legit. Is someone trying to lower the M4 ratings on MTBR? We've seen this before on MTBR. Most of those posts exhibit the same writing style. Curious. If I were grading them, I'd say they were all copied from the same student!
I LOVE my M4's! Yes, the rotors are little thin, but I just replaced them with Formula rotors. I've NEVER had a problem with these brakes!
Weaknesses:
The '06 standard rotors are a bit thin, but upgrading is easy enough. Of course, this adds to the cost.
Similar Products Used:
I have Formula K24's on my trail bike - another great brake. I used Avid BB7's back in the day - on ALL my bikes. Then went to the Hayes HFX. I had '06 Juicy 7's for a week, then swapped to M4's.
Bike Setup:
VPFree, 888
Bottom Line:
The Hope M4's have been great for me. They were no more difficult to install than any other disc brake system - and I've installed a great number of brakes over the past decade for friends.
As for performance, I love them! Because of thier fantastic modulation, it was a no-brainer choice over the Juicy 7's. As mentioned, I also love the K24's on my trail bike, but I still prefer the lever feel of the M4's.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John DeCorsey
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland, Or Date Reviewed: April 23, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Forrest
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
On Line
Strengths:
Light and nice finish. When they work they have very good lever feel and modulation.
Weaknesses:
Leaks at the joints, Low power output. Also the pistons do not retract properly especially on the rear giving dragging pads and overheating. I have warped my rear rotor so much I had to get a new one. Rotors are on the whispy side.
Similar Products Used:
Magura Marta, Shimano XT, Hayes HFX9.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Epic
Bottom Line:
I think the issue I have with this brake model is quality control. It's kind of lacking. The ingredients are all there but the final package has a lot of problems and I guess there is a variance in the quality. My experiences continue to be bad for all the reasons I've said in the weaknesses and I just cannot get on top of it. It gets expensive to maintain this brake and it was no bargain basement item to start out with. I am looking to maybe get some Formula Oro's.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Des Williamson
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K Date Reviewed: April 19, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Penmachno
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Merlin
Strengths:
Light
Weaknesses:
Hassle to fit, low power levels, I get them set up to work well but they always tail off. Rotors warp.
Bottom Line:
I'd like more consistency from these .....more power and less prima donna problems. Rotor problems include warping and a tendency to bend very easily and they are impossible to true up properly. They go off tune very quickly and give a wooden feel with less power than is acceptable for this classification of brake. Basically Hope is overated stuff.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Al Cribbins
a Weekend Warrior
from Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: April 15, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Light.
Weaknesses:
Pistons stick, the system is underpowered and set up is a difficult process.
Bottom Line:
Yeah well maybe these are great brakes. I look for more power from a 4 pot brake system than I get from these. The Hope modulation magic has been easily matched by other brake companies and beaten on power. They have given me hassle with fitting, dragging pistons most particularly on the rear and warped rotors which are very thin. I have now fitted Formula Oro's, with the same rotor diameter as the M4 that I have taken off, and the power has doubled. Hey and that's with just 2 pot brakes. Kind of tells you something don't it?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg Evans
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K Date Reviewed: April 8, 2007
Favorite Trail:
7 Stanes
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Chain Reaction
Strengths:
Light
Weaknesses:
Lazy pistons, Poor power, overheating, stock pads stink and the whole system is so unreliable.
Bottom Line:
This is a brake system that needs some serious attention because it suffers badly from a lack of reliability. The discs are not well made and they warp. They warp because the pistons are prone to regular sticking, drag on the discs and so the brakes overheat. The brakes overheat so the system is prone to pump up and loses power. The discs need to be constantly re-aligned which is a labourious job involving messing about with shims....read washers. It's just not good enough.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sammy Caldridge
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada Date Reviewed: March 24, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Mail Order
Strengths:
Pimpy nad low weight. Plenty of modulation.
Weaknesses:
Pain to install, pain to adjust, a pain to bed in and a pain to maintain in good working order.
Bottom Line:
Glossy looking brakes. Performance doesn't match it. Nothing is easy with these brakes...from installation, adjustment, bedding in time to leaks at the banjo joints, not so good stock pad choice and sticking pistons. When I get the chance I will replace these and sell them. No doubt from these reviews there are plenty of people who will bid for them on Ebay.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
calrider805
a Downhiller
from San Luis Obispo Date Reviewed: March 16, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$240.00
Purchased At:
The Texas branch
Strengths:
strength, modulation, light, machined, one-piece caliper, 4 pistons, seems very high quality all around
Weaknesses:
none yet other than $$$$
Similar Products Used:
Avid mechs, Avid Juicy 7's
Bike Setup:
VP-Free, Fox 40, Diabolous, Hope, Hadley, SRAM...
Bottom Line:
I bought the M4 Mono for the rear after recovering from the financial hit I took from buying the Hope Mono M6 for the front!! Which was about 300 plus the 250 I paid for this... das some expensive brakes!! How does one justify spending over 500 dollars on brakes alone? By getting in return extremely high quality-feeling brakes that have all the modulation and power you want to the point where I just ride faster now. Straight up. Knowing you can get on the brakes and get tons of solid power or feather and get finite responsiveness and control makes you want to push it farther and is confidence-inspiring. Got the "floating" rotors and ss lines f&r so it is a sick setup. Mono style levers, not the new "moto"s. NO sign of fade yet but will not really know until I go to BC this summer ;). Takes a bit to get used to the range of modulation vs. the sort of on-off feeling my Juicy 7's had.
I'm still braking these in, the front is about 6 rides in, the rear 3, and they are still getting more powerful it feels... we'll see how it goes.... as long as I don't have any mechanical problems like I've been reading about below this feels like a brake I will loooooove and have for a loooooong time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Borat
a
from Khazakstan Date Reviewed: March 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Ae
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Light and bling bling
Weaknesses:
Rotors bend and warp as they are fragile. The front heats up too much. My back brake always gets grit in it and the pistons stick.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes and Avid.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Enduro
Bottom Line:
This is a finicky brake and needs attention. But my main gripe is that the rotors are so so fragile. As a freeride brake it needs metal on the rotors and what makes things worse for me is that I get a lot of times when one or more pistons drag on the rotors creating a lot of heat. I have bent and warped 2 of these rotors on the front and bent 2 on the back.....Expensive!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Nicholls
a Cross Country Rider
from Shropshire Date Reviewed: March 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
??
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$320.00
Purchased At:
www.wiggle.com
Strengths:
extreamly sharp
Weaknesses:
??
Similar Products Used:
??
Bike Setup:
Carrera Banshee
Bottom Line:
I think the Hope M4 07 disc are really good because I like the way they are really sharp but sometimes a bit to sharp but I surpose you have to get used to them. I bought the floating disc and ss braided hose and they are awsome. I love the way the disc has a kwl pattern around the edge not like the wavey disc. Overall this is are really good buy so pick these brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon Ballarde
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland, Oregon Date Reviewed: March 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Forrest Park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
4 Pots gives good modulation pretty much all of the time. Nice CNC finish and a variety of insert colors. Very low weight.
Weaknesses:
Tricky set up proceedure and difficult and messy adjustments. Stock pads could be better. Pistons tend to stick and sometimes drag badly. Rotors are on the thin side and both warp and bend with amazing ease. On lomg descents I need to feather the front brakes or else they overheat.
Similar Products Used:
Old Hope Mini (very good). Hayes HFX 9 (O.K.). Shimano XT (good) Magura Marta Sl (excellent but rotor too thin)
I hate to rain in on the parade but My M4's have not been the perfect, reliable and strong braking units that a lot of Guys here are saying. For a start setting these babies up so they work like they should takes some time and maybe it is no big deal ( so long as you have the facing tool) but you have got to put the time in to get the performance out. And that kind of sets the scene for the rest of the way they work as mine do need constant attention. Couple that with having to replce the front and back rotor....front one fried and warped, back one I hit on a rock and it bent like it was made from paper mache. They are kind of weight-saving light. Stock pads can be improved on and you got to run these with braided hoses to get performance. Plenty of modulation but the pistons stick all the time. I mean that I never get a week without a sticking piston no matter how many times I strip and clean them. Kind of gets me down. This is no bargain basement brake either so all in all I am not knocked out with these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phil Crawley
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K Date Reviewed: March 2, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Glentress Black
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Merlin
Strengths:
Lightweight, nice design to look at and, when working, excellent modulation.
Weaknesses:
Inconsistent, always pad drag, overheating, poor stock pads, Stupid design of pad retention pin, rotors warp, expensive and requires a lot of maintenance.
Similar Products Used:
Brake products from Hayes, Formula and Magura.
Bike Setup:
Marin Wolf Ridge
Bottom Line:
I have had so much trouble with this brake system that I cannot recommend it. The quality control on this product is inadequate and the result is a hit and miss brake. Some riders have a good brake and others have a pile of problems like me. It's also expensive and I assocciate expense with performance. I have had to ditch this brake and bought some Formula Oro K24 brakes... which although not a 4 pot Freeride brake is more powerful than this and more reliable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
R S
a Downhiller
from Central AZ Date Reviewed: January 20, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
Monk-a-moo.com
Strengths:
This review is for 2006 model year, with aftermarket DangerBoy levers installed - a must have upgrade in my opinion. 203mm/185mm.
Modulation is fantastic. Stopping power is great. Easy to install. Easy to bleed. Survived several rock garden crashes. Other than tearing a resevior membrane upon reintallation (my fault) I've had no problems at all!
I actually installed them inside a tent while it was pouring rain in the Telluride campground - far from ideal conditions - and the process was a snap. I cut the hose, bled them, the whole works, in the tent! I later changed hoses and bled them again - alone! Cake!
First ride was in a serious mountain rain storm - fire road up, then long fast soaking wet DH. The pads were completely bedded-in by the end of the ride and have never, ever squeeled.
The DangerBoy levers are a HUGE improvement - true one-finger stopping!
Weaknesses:
Expensive unless you find a deal - but as always, you get what you pay for. Check Monk-a-Moo.com - great service!
I do NOT understand why there are a handfull of reviewers here who have had such inconsistently negetive experiences with these seemingly excellent brakes. Oddly, they all posted in the same general time frame. I'm suspicious of this...
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HFX, El Camino, Magura Marta, Juicy 7's. While each of these has something to offer (except the HFX), in my experience and opinion, none compare with the M4's in overall performance.
Bike Setup:
Titus Supermoto 7"x7", FR / DH setup. 39 lbs w/ 2.7" DH tires, 35 lbs w/ AM tires.
Bottom Line:
I LOVE these brakes. Modulation is excellent and intuitive. Action is smooth. Stopping power has thus far never been a concern, even in DH race conditions. I weigh about 180, plus 40lb bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Timish horbay
a Downhiller
from edmonton alberta canada Date Reviewed: September 1, 2006
Favorite Trail:
schleyer
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$650.00
Purchased At:
united
Strengths:
Good stopping power, when they work pads lasted 3 years good modulation no noise
Weaknesses:
when they start to die, it is not subtle, they just die try and find parts pads cost too much
Similar Products Used:
hayes (all of them), hope mono m4, shimano deore, xt and saint, magura gustav, avid juicy7
good when they work, but they only work on occasion. They are really hard to maintain because the parts are rare and expensive. But, if you take good care to properly look after your brakes, they will reward you with better than average stopping power. If you ignore them, they will bite back.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Simon Potter
a
from England Date Reviewed: July 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Bottom Line:
Opps review below was for the M4 mono not the older M4's sorry.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Simon Potter
a Weekend Warrior
from England Date Reviewed: July 2, 2006
Favorite Trail:
QECP Hampshire,Afan forest in Wales
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came standard on bike
Strengths:
Loads of power,great modulation,quiet,no rubbing or squealing even after a few hundred miles on them,they've been subjected to loads of mud rides and recently lots of dry rides and there's been no noticeable pad wear,running 200mm floating front rotor and 180mm floating rear rotor, they have a nice pinging noise as they cool down but they've stayed nice and true. Looking at the prices out there they also appear to be great value for what you get.
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Formula B4 & B4sl Hope mini's, Hope mono mini's, Hayes HFX 9's.
Bike Setup:
Whyte 46 (06 model)
Bottom Line:
Great stoppers,excellent modulation,low weight for 4 pots,very reliable and quiet,great looking especially with floating rotors that come in cool colours,you can also swap out the bore caps and cylinder caps for coloured ones,currently running red rotor spiders with red bore caps, just adds that little extra to a mighty fine brake system.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Irwin
a Cross Country Rider
from Bristol, England, UK Date Reviewed: April 18, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Hanham Woods
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Somewhere online
Strengths:
Power in the wet (stock pads)
Weaknesses:
Rubbish out of the box for dry rides. Stock hope pads are for wet weather use only - fine in the UK where its wet, but i dont ride in the wet.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
2002 Trek 6700, uprated to XT/Fox Float RLC.
Bottom Line:
Upgraded from V's to M4's on the front. Was really disappointed. Power in the dry was pathetic - however, wet rides were incredible. Changed the pads to EBC reds, and wow, 100% improvement - they actually worked in the dry.
Then the next problem - heat. Coming down a long downhill, i managed to boil the brake fluid. So bled the system and put in Castol SRX racing brake fluid. never looked back - these babies now rival 6pot Ti's.
Can stop from 35Mph to zero in less than 8 metres. Actually winded myself doing it. Deceleration is like hitting a brick wall. i love them now.
Seriously, tune them and you'll love them even more.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott Conner
a Racer
from Highlands Ranch Date Reviewed: April 9, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
Mojo Wheels
Strengths:
Not only is it a beautifully machined brake it works better than any other brake I have used. It has incredible modulation allowing you to power into the corners and brake without skidding. Thus minimizing front wheel washouts and increasing your control at high speed.
Weaknesses:
The only weakness I can say is it is not the easiest brake to setup but it is worth the time to do it right. Price but you get what you pay for...
Similar Products Used:
Hydro XT,XTR, Hayes, Juicy 5 and 7 and Avid mechanicals.
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountian Element. Sram XO, Hope brakes, Chris King wheels, Fox suspension.
Bottom Line:
Bottom line is that I have two other bikes that I ride and the first thing that I notice when I get on it is that the braking is not as good as the Hope brakes. Say what you want about shifting and crankes but a top quality set of brakes is worth the money. I cant wait till I can get another set on my other bikes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam Samaha
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix, AZ USA Date Reviewed: March 16, 2006
Favorite Trail:
back yard
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$580.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Frighteningly good brakes! They'll launch you of your bike if you hit them too hard! CNC workmanship (in the UK) is second place to none. Good customer service. 2-piece rotors are kick ass.
Weaknesses:
Costly.. I paid $580 to get the M6ti's and these M4's installed.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Saint / XTR
Bike Setup:
Here, see for yourself: http://homepage.mac.com/sjsamaha/PhotoAlbum39.html
Bottom Line:
These are must have brakes for the "Spare no expense" bike build. Forget Avid, Shimano and Hayes.. they're all second rate compared to these monsters. I live at the top of 1/4 mile steep hill and I ride down frequently to ride the local trails.. that ride down the hill with normal brakes would be scary at best, and dangerous at worse with poor brakes.. but with these, I can ride the brakes the the whole way down and experience no, repeat no brake fade or over heating.. even in Phoenix AZ temps.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Colorado Springs Co Date Reviewed: March 10, 2006
Favorite Trail:
House Rock
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
The brakes themselves!
Weaknesses:
NONE!!!
Bottom Line:
These Brakes are smooth and very responsive! I recomend them to anyone who wants to stop dead in thier tracks!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kelly W
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney Date Reviewed: July 6, 2005
No lever pivot adjustment, inconsistent seal quality.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Cable disc
Bike Setup:
DMR Sidekick frame, trailstar fork, mavic 321 rim, Chris King rear hub, hope M4 185mm front and rear.
Bottom Line:
ONe finger stopping power, I mostly rely on the front for stopping, the rear is for doing rear wheel hops when doing trials. They do pump up just a little bit in summer, the reach adjustment compensates a little.
Fitting was easy, put the brake on the disc, hold down the lever, put shims between the caliper and the disc tab, put screws in , tighten and off you go.
My fronts only had one rebleeding in two years, but the rears has been leaking ever since the first month, the fluid just oozes from the pistons slowly, so won't be a problem when riding, only happening during the night when you leave it standing still.
Very satisfied, should be considered over all other if you have just that little extra dough ($20 over the Hayes)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Geoff
a
from Sydney Date Reviewed: July 4, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
value, looks, power, reliability
Weaknesses:
i cant buy another brake...
Similar Products Used:
hayes
Bike Setup:
klein palomino -> foes inferno
Bottom Line:
if you see a set of hope brakes then get them!! i finally serviced my brakes this year by changing the hoses to use steel braid after one finally split in transport. otherwise i just change my pads every year and they keep working!
some people i know complain about brake pump... well they are just too slow. i dont get brake pump and i wait for them at the bottom of the trails.
does squeal a bit, but then just sand your pads back... done in 5 mins
all in all one quality peice of kit that has outlasted one bike and im guessing many more!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Per
a
from Sweden Date Reviewed: March 30, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
cyclecomponents
Strengths:
Function.Modulation.Durability.Simplicity in design(no worries)Parker hose.DOT brake fluid.Cheap spares if needed.Long life on pads.Looks like it is custom made just for me,sweet finish.
Weaknesses:
None yet. Heavy?If you care. Probably one of the last HOPEs with outstanding finish,the hunt for pennies goes on.
Bottom Line:
Buy them if you want quality.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Francis
a Cross Country Rider
from California Date Reviewed: February 14, 2005
Submitted by
Scott
a Downhiller
from Syracuse, NY Date Reviewed: December 29, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Whistler or Plattekill
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
1) Power: The power is phenomemal. I'm 240lbs. and I ride steep chutes and long downhills fast, and I have never had a need to brake with more than one finger. Hand fatigue has never been an issue. There are some long and super steep rock faces on a couple of the trails at Whistler (Whistler Downhill & Joyride if I recall correctly). Two years ago with my Bullit and the Hope M4's I easily controlled my speed and made my way down these steeps with no issue. This past summer I ran Hayes Mag HD brakes on my new Scream and on these same steep rock faces I found myself running out of brake power, to the point that I was picking up speed regardless of how much I pulled on the lever! The Hope M4's are superb! 2) Modulation: The power starts very modestly and ramps up progressively as you squeeze the lever. Makes it very easy to brake accurately on snow, ice, wet, mud and also when you are fatigued from a lot of DH runs. In my expereience the Hayes Mag HD are much more "digital" in their response, with the power being pretty much either "on" or "off". I found this to be particularly troublesome when I'd get tired after a full day of runs and my ability to gently apply the Hayes lever would be diminished. No such problems with the Hopes smooth and gradual application of power. 3) Aesthetics: the attention to detail is outstanding. Beautifully CNC machined, banjo fittings on the hoses, they look like a cusotm job! 4) Durability: In two years of extremely hard use I have never had to even think of bleeding them. Lots of crashes and no lever damage outside of some normal scratches. No leaky seals, no leaky hoses, NOTHING. I've only had to change pads once or twice a season but I've watched my friends with numerous Hayes set ups and one Shimano XT setup deal with bleeding issues, hoses falling off, master cyllinder blow outs, etc. 5) Lever: The Hope lever is the best. It's the perfect length for one finger braking and has a great feel with a nice wide, flat face, radiused edges and the perfect hook to keep your finger from falling off. 6) The noise: I'm counting this as both a strength and a weakness. From day one my brakes have "howled" when applied. I tried a LOT of things to remedy it, but to no avail, eventually I just got used to it. I've actually come to appreciate it as it helps to warn other trail users of your approach.
Weaknesses:
1) The noise: As noted above, my brakes have always howled. In addition the make a bit of a scraping sound when not applied. Big deal, it' hardly noticeable. 2) Wheel removal is a pain in the ass. This is caused by the same reason that there is scraping sound when the brake isn't applied. A spring clip mounts between each set of pads and pushes them outward against the pistons....it pushes the tops of the pads out but, unfortunately the bottoms tend to toe in making for rotor contact (hence noise), or when the rotor isn't there the pads touch each other. I get around this by using a small allen wrench , slipped between the pads as a separator to allow the wheel to seat in easily. I then just pull out the allen wrench....problem solved. 3) Initial set up takes patience and a little time since you have to select fit shims to get the caliper positioned so that the pads are equidistant from the rotor. 4) The lever adjustment screw is a little tricky to access and is only a 2mm, which can round out easily. 5) The rotors could be stiffer. I find that they get bent a bit too easily and I have even cracked one rotor. Hayes wins this one as I find their rotors are much more resistant to bending. 6) Pricey, but you get what you pay for! 7) The calipers have the frame/fork mounting feature integral to them. While this is nice in a sense (dont have to fool around buying an adapter) it can really suck if you buy a new frame or fork that has different mounting. In my case I went from a fork with an IS mount to one with a post mount (2003 Monster T) and found I could not use the same caliper. In fact I would have had to buy a new caliper half with the correct mounting feature and then teardown, rebuild and rebleed the caliper. In this case an adapter separate from the caliper would have been nice.
Similar Products Used:
Hope C2, Hayes Mag HD
Bike Setup:
SC Bullit which has been through several set ups, from a serious FR/DH rig to it's current incarnation as a heavy duty trail bike / light FR rig with a Marz. Z150.
Bottom Line:
After two full years of running the M4's and the last year with the M4's on one bike the Hayes on another I am fully convinced that the Hope M4's are well worth their price. I tried the Hayes this year out curiousity and, while they are nice brakes, they do not have the performance of the Hopes. In my opinion, they are not even in the same league. I will be getting a new set of Hopes to run on the new bike this comming season!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tony
a Cross Country Rider
from UK Date Reviewed: November 20, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Sherwood Pines
Strengths:
Superb Quality Simple Setup bloody good at stopping
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Grimeca system 1
Bike Setup:
Epic Marathon
Bottom Line:
"Bloody hell why did you ride into the back of me"
My new favorite trick is to brake as late as possible and watch my fellow riders leave the track into the scrub.
Buy these without looking at the price tag - they are worth it.
not sure how these will be beat, you don't need any more stopping power.
Superb
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
NCR 600
a
from Sydney, NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: May 8, 2004
Favorite Trail:
anything dirt with interesting rocks
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
bike addiction
Strengths:
Quality, power, modulation.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
XT v brakes, Brembo racing motorcycle brakes, demo'd hayes, shimano. magura hydro's
Bike Setup:
Craftworks FRM 125
Bottom Line:
Awesome brakes. Best power, modulation & build quality out there. Very expensive, but worth it. Many reviews here complain about set up & noise, Setup is easy & well within the capabilities of anyone who can turn a spanner the right way. Just read the instructions! Noise is another issue. sometimes brake pads squeal for no reason. if it's not affecting performance, I don't worry about it, however a quick rinse with plain water has silenced any grinding noises mine have made. Sometimes my MTB gets dirty so it's not a big prob to me, where are you riding yours?
Tip for all discs. Rubbing the pads on something abrasive ( a smooth concrete floor works fine) takes the glaze off and quietens them down for a while. Sintered metal pads are noisy anyway, so try not to get too hung up about it ok!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
greg bays
a Cross Country Rider
from vacaville Date Reviewed: April 19, 2004
Favorite Trail:
south fork mountain
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$170.00
Purchased At:
123 bikes
Strengths:
I also have the old Hope Minis and while I like them, the Monos are vastly superior for dispersing heat,slower pad wear, and quiet running, while they are equal in modulation. I ride a very steep downhill for my daily ride (Mix Canyon in Vacaville, Ca, a 2,500 foot ascent in 4.7 miles) and the Monos never overheat or fade on the steepest grade.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Hope Minis
Bike Setup:
Specialized Enduro hardtail, XTR/XT drivetrain.
Bottom Line:
Excellent.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ade
a Weekend Warrior
from Birmingham Date Reviewed: March 12, 2004
Favorite Trail:
steep, dangerous
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
bike shop
Strengths:
looks and feels superb. Quality is unsurpassed by anything i've seen! Break in period is short and once bedded in, the performance is amazing.
Weaknesses:
slightly noisy. can be cured by applying a small amount of grease to the BACK of the pads where they meet the pistons. (NOT the friction material!) did have a leakage issue due to a faulty seal, but hope service was excellent ad my brake is now fully operational
Similar Products Used:
magura julie, shimano m475
Bike Setup:
'03 kona stuff, lots of hope bits including the brake (surprise, surprise!) lots of DMR bits too. Magura julie rear brake, hope m4 on front
Bottom Line:
if you have £140 to spend, suggest that you buy these brakes. if you are a keen rider, there is nothing better you spend that money on! The brakes are AMAZING!!!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Grant
a
from Anaheim Hills, CA Date Reviewed: February 29, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
The Path Bike Shop
Strengths:
Modulation is amazing and unlike anything I have ever felt, or even close. Stopping power once broken in is great.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Mechinacals with upgraded rotors, Hayes hydros.
Bottom Line:
This review is for the Hope M4 Mono's.
These brakes are amazing. I couldn't be happier that I bought 'em.
I am in the clysdale class and got these brakes in the 205 and 185 sizes (front and rear respectively). Took them out on some technical stuff and the modulation blew me away. Simply amazing, truly.
After they broke in the stopping power was superb.
Set up is trial and error but can be aided with feeler gauges. Once you get them set up, forget them and ride 'em.
I've had no squeal, but started out "by the book" by facing the fork and frame so that the mount was "clean".
Great brakes and worth the money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
philip rowlands
a Weekend Warrior
from south wales , uk Date Reviewed: February 15, 2004
Favorite Trail:
coed y enin
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
leisure lakes - daventry
Strengths:
exellent stoppers - look great on my trans gold santa cruz heckler - really easy to fit..
Weaknesses:
none yet
Similar Products Used:
avid mech disk brakes
Bike Setup:
santa cruz heckler / easton seatpost and stem / xt drive train /x317's on hope xc hubs / wtb rocket v saddle /panaracer fire xc pro 2.1" tires.
Bottom Line:
This review is for the new hope Mono m4's...
Never set up hydraulic dick brakes before.. found these really easy to set up - biggest problem was I kept dropping the spacers - spent lots on time on my hands an knees searching the shed floor ..
They were really weak at first but after the first ride the stopping power had increased enormously - currently I can stop the bike with my little finger with the front brake only.. and I'm sure they are still not fully bedded..
So far there has been very little squeal - have a tube of copper grease ready at hand just in case..
Haven't had any prob's with rotor rust - maybe the guy from Kent below had a bad set...
To top it off the calipers look great on my trans gold Heckler - the gold anodised inserts look great against the black Mono bodies..
I love the lever feel - modulation is exellent
The bottom line is that I'm really pleased with these brakes top marks to the guys at Hope..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave molony
a Downhiller
from Kent, UK Date Reviewed: February 3, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Perry and so on...
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
chainreaction
Strengths:
they look beautiful, and are powerful, also damn easy to set up!! ( after doing 3 sets i have it down to a fine art and can do it in 12 mins.) nice lever feel
Weaknesses:
the rotors have rusted after 3 rides. power isnt amazing; they lack the bite i really want. modulation isnt to great but here is a tip: PULL THEM LESS HARD.
Similar Products Used:
hope mini, magura crappas (claras) C2 magura rim breaks, v brakes.
Bike Setup:
Identiti slalom with DJ2 and XT disc hubs.
Bottom Line:
they are an amazing brake, shame about the soding rotors rusting - if it gets any worse they are going back. occasionally they squeak, but to sort that out u have to (lightly) grease the back of the pads (this is so that the pads rest on the end plates of the calliper, not the pistons - is they do that is what causes the queak, as they are free to vibrate forwards and backwards). the mono is definitely worth it over the normal one, and the M4 is way better than the mini, spend the extra 40£ a pair. another tip for setup: align the rotor with the metal, not the pads, and then pull the lever to squeeze the pads in. If the pads arent central, get a mate to squeeze the lever while you twist the rotor (gently with your hands) to get the pads lined up exactly. another beautiful thing about the M4 over the mini is that the 4 pison system allows the pads to twist slightly in the rest position, eliminating nearly all rub.
A world class brake, appart from those f^&£ing rotors. Buy it, you may want to INCREDIBLY LIGHTLY grease the discs, BUT ONLY WHERE THE PADS DO NOT TOUCH IT (obviously).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Keith Rissen
a Weekend Warrior
from Hertfordshire Date Reviewed: January 25, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Light weight, look good, good feel, and powerfull until they overheat.
Weaknesses:
Hiddiously overheat on prolonged steep downhills, so much so that the lever pumps up, and then eventually pulls right through to the bars, and fail completely. even though I'm only 12 stone I had both brakes do this every day I was in France, and I've had the rear brake fail in Dartmore in the uk. Also the brakes can squeal a lot.
Similar Products Used:
N/A
Bike Setup:
1999 Marin Eastpeak, Riser Bars, Rock Shocks Duke SL Fork, Hope M4 Brakes.
Bottom Line:
Should be called "Hype Brakes" not "Hope Brake".
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rusco
a Downhiller
from San Jose Date Reviewed: January 19, 2004
Favorite Trail:
santa cruz
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$340.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
superb modulation, great stopping power, best stock lever of any disc brakes I've felt, easy to bleed, reusable olives, incredible detail and machine work, comes with plenty of spacers to get the rotor centered properly, very easy to bleed, very strong rotors
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
hayes, shimano
Bike Setup:
karpiel dv with lots of shiny stuff
Bottom Line:
all disc brakes are a pain to set up initially but once you get the rotor spacing and hose length right, you can pretty much forget about them for a long time.
my new favorite brakes, I will never go back to hayes!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bernhard
a Weekend Warrior
from austria Date Reviewed: December 26, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Strengths:
reallly strong, superb modulation, no fading, great braking power
Weaknesses:
expensive, hard to set up
Similar Products Used:
magura marta, louise, louise fr, julie, shimano xt (2003)
Bike Setup:
ventana el salt, black super air, x.o., thomson...
Bottom Line:
really, really good brakes, fine peace of word, braking power is great, modulation too, but spare parts (pads) are really expensive, too (not only because you need four pads per brake) hard to set up, 'cause alignment is difficult due to the longer brake caliper
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phil
a Downhiller
from Seattle, WA Date Reviewed: December 21, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
mano a mano
Strengths:
Modulation of 4pot, Very powerful, Look great, Precision of the machining, Easy to bleed, it's Hope!
Weaknesses:
No adapters like Hayes so you need to replace half caliper if you want to change rotor sizes or to manitou post mount. Stock pads squeak but last forever and can be fixed if you switch to EBC greens when they do.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, Avid Mech, XT
Bike Setup:
'02 Bullit/Avy, '99 Monster
Bottom Line:
Great brakes, I use hayes and hope, but I like these for more demanding trails and when downhilling. I find it much easier to control braking power instead of the more powerful, but very on/off feeling I get from hayes. Only thing that beats these are the new Ti Mono lineup.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Patrick
a
from Manitoba, Canada Date Reviewed: December 9, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$385.00
Purchased At:
ukbikestore.co.uk
Strengths:
this review is for the new mono M4, NOT the old 2 piece m4
-one piece billet calipers -the levers -sheer stopping power -fit and finish -laser etching -shiny black and gold(bore caps) anodizing
Weaknesses:
-Cheapo parker hoses..will be replacing with goodridge. -Getting the calipers lined up took a while, but patience is rewarding. -allen head rotor bolts. Not a problem if you're careful. If you're really worried about rounding them out, get torx head bolts.
Similar Products Used:
magura clara
Bike Setup:
2001 RM slayer
Bottom Line:
The pads aren't even bedded, yet 1 finger stoppies are easy to come by. When the amount of machining that goes into these little works of art is considered, they are a great value. bNo plastic here!
Phenomenal stopping power, especially when compared with my former magura claras. Lever feel is the best anywhere. Very easy to modulate.
Get these if you need more power. They may be overkill for cross country use.
I ordered them from the UK, since they weren't available here yet, and were quite a bit cheaper, even after shipping and taxes..
overall, perfect, and they aren't even broken in yet..
Did i mention they look awesome?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Voozer
a
from Warsaw, Poland Date Reviewed: October 19, 2003
Favorite Trail:
The one I do not know :)
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$185.00
Strengths:
Beautifully CNC machined alluminium calipers...
The same goes for the levers...
Good pads - wear out slowly even with big rotors...
Setup simplicity...
The braking power surpassing probably every brake on the market...
Weaknesses:
I have a weird hunch that the brake hoses are weaker than in other brakes, but nothing happened to them so far, so I can't complain.
Everything else's cool with me...
Similar Products Used:
Avid Ball Bearing Disc Brake with 160 rotor (the most powerfull from all mechanicals out there);
Hayes Mag with 8" rotor (no modulation, it can't brake - it just blocks the wheel)
Grimeca sys.12 (fine brake, but there are faulty ones on the market)
Bike Setup:
Kona Stuff '01, Hope M4's (well that's a suprise ;), Trek Bruiser Cr-Mo fork, Intense MAG 30/DT Swiss Cerit rear, Mavic D321/F.U.N.N. Big Bertha front, Tioga's F/R, Truvativ Crankset
Bottom Line:
I can recommend these brakes to anyone... They are simply adorable. At the beggining I've had some problems with the distributor cus' they've sent a me a faulty brake (the lever was leaking and had torn up screws), but now I have a fully working one...
Submitted by
Paul
a Weekend Warrior
from London, UK Date Reviewed: September 24, 2003
Favorite Trail:
steep stuff
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Evans Cycles
Strengths:
Modulation and power
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Demo'd hayes
Bike Setup:
03 Bullit, Z1 SL, XTR, Hope bulbs with F219s and Nokians etc etc
Bottom Line:
I bought 205mm rotors (8" for you over the pond) all round. No point going for anything smaller to stop my 220lb lardy ass as I plan to hit some really long decents in the Alps and Colorado next year.
So far they are amazing at doing what they are designed to do - stop you very quickly. They also have great modulation and are not at all graby (like the hayes seem to be).
I have had the fork and the frame faced (as with the gent below) and after some messing about with shims I don't suffer from any of the noise problems that others have mentioned in their posts.
Tech Tip. Also I stuffed the bike so bad front end into a tree (stem and cables first) that the seals broke at the levers. Had to re-bleed the system which was a sinch and only requires a length of pipe to fit on the bleed nut. You don't need a proper bleed kit.
Bottom line - awesome.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim C
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver Date Reviewed: September 19, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Espresso
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$588.00
Purchased At:
On Top Bike Shop Vancouver
Strengths:
modulation is excellent; Power is excellent.
Weaknesses:
older style grub screws (now replaced with brass cylinder) fell out and jammed brakes off.
Similar Products Used:
Magura Gustav; Louise; Hayes Comps;
Bike Setup:
'03 LG Bullit; Super T; Dewlie; 5th; Mich. DH 24's; yada yada
Bottom Line:
Cannot fault these brakes in any way. As close to perfect as I have found, save for the older designed lever, now rectified. After 3+ years of discs, these leave no need for improvement, now I guess I better improve. Has raised my confidence far above where it was, I hope this is a good thing ;P
I faced the fork and rear of the Bullit, the brakes fit perfectly.
One remark, they cost a bit more, but IMHO well worth it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill McMillan
a Cross Country Rider
from British Columbia Date Reviewed: September 14, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Doumont Trail System
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Bastion Cycle
Strengths:
Looks good, easy to set up, works well.
Weaknesses:
can't get rid of the squeal. returned one disk with several hairline cracks that developed from the "lightning bolts" to the outside of the disk after 2-3 weeks riding
Bike Setup:
titanium hardtail with Marathon SL fork. V brake on rear and the M4 on the front
Bottom Line:
Good quality system that looks good and works the way it should. Will try mini's on front and rear of my new bike
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jess tuason
a Downhiller
from Frauenfeld,Switzerland Date Reviewed: September 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
freeride,downhill
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$240.00
Purchased At:
bike shop
Strengths:
beautifully handcrafted from the British friends.4 pistons are amazing.
Weaknesses:
none at all.
Similar Products Used:
maguras all disc but not one comes close to M4 Hope.
The most important is to ride 2-3 times and the pads are brake-in and you have the most powerful disc brakes on the market available for freeride/downhill whatever you want to do with it.Keep on riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
speedy
a Weekend Warrior
from nsw, australia Date Reviewed: July 21, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
everything below: modulation + power - couldn't imagine it being more powerful or more predictable and smooth. design of lever is excellent and works well with rapidfire
Weaknesses:
noise. I am not interested in sanding/cleaning/heating discs or pads, or whatever regular maintenance may be required to silence these brakes - I tend to just ride and put up with it. I've even tried "disc brake quiet" which didn't really work. I just want some brakes that stop me, are quiet, don't wear pads quickly, and need maintenance once a year max. The M4's passed all the criteria except the noise. So I'm getting mini's all round to see how I go. Otherwise, there's nothing to fault these brakes at all. As far as I'm concerned, a silent M4 is the perfect brake.
Similar Products Used:
mini
Bike Setup:
id, talas RLC, king h/s, '03xtr cranks drs etc, '02xtr shifters, 185mm M4 front, 145mm mini rear, DT Swiss Hubs (hugi240's & onyx's, depending on wheels), thomson stem & post, monkeylite
Bottom Line:
After riding a hartail with M4's (185 f, 165 r) for a year, I still was not used to the noise, so I thought I'd try a mini brake on the rear of my new full suspension to compare. i found a dramatic reduction in power (maybe due to the smaller disc (20mm smaller) or due to the heavier bike and big tyres), but found it to be much much quieter than a M4. Maybe some people can deal with the noise, but every M4 I have had set up (f+r on hardtail, f on FS with new disc and pads) manages to eventually start making the dreaded noise. Those brakes seem much stronger/smoother/"dependable" than anything I've tried, even compared to my enduro m'bike. the M4 is way overkill for my hardtail, and also probably on the rear of my FS. I am considering changing to a 165mm mini front on my FS. This could be a mistake (the front is where the power reduction will be felt most), but I'm hoping that the mini should be enough to stop my 160lbs + bike. With the M4s on my h/t, I was never able to experience "fade" or "pump-up" ever. Maybe I'll find out what it is when I put a mini on the front.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tomasz Urban
a Downhiller
from Poland, Tychy Date Reviewed: July 10, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Kocierz
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$225.00
Purchased At:
7Anna Poland
Strengths:
Power of breaking.
Weaknesses:
Nop
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HFX 9 HD, Grimeca System 12
Bike Setup:
DunCon ElMariachi + DNM Burner (ST10RC), Bomber Z1 Drop Off 2002, Hope M4 Front 205 Rear 185, SRAM 9.0
Bottom Line:
Power of breaking better than any disc breakes I have ever ridden. Not overheating.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
El Rosso
a Downhiller
from Manchester UK Date Reviewed: July 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Owt steep and deep
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Hope
Strengths:
Fantastic quality, power, superb modulation,
Weaknesses:
None whatsoever
Similar Products Used:
grimeca, Hayes,
Bike Setup:
Brooklyn Machine Works Link Bike with all sorts of trick parts
Bottom Line:
Quite possibly the finest disc brakes on the planet, all the quality, all the modulation, all the power, handy weight, lovely to look at, highly reliable..... go on treat yourself...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Giiba
a Downhiller
from Someplace, Somewhere, Sometime Date Reviewed: June 27, 2003
Favorite Trail:
descent to 7th layer of Hell
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$550.00
Purchased At:
A bike shop
Strengths:
Best looking brake system out there. Gobs of power - on command. Comfy lever (unlike some, uhum hayes *couch*). Beautiful modulation.
Weaknesses:
I had some troubles setting it up on my frame, but I've worked it out. Pads in the rear caliper were defective.
Noticably more powerful than Hayes, and oh so much more comfortable. They cost more but if you have the money it is worth it. Once you've bled these right you just ride; I've yet to have to re-bleed them. However do not use the 205mm rotor with standard dropouts - I did and they produced enough power to actualy slide the wheel off of the dropouts. Went to a 20mm setup and now enjoy all the power I could need. Did I mention the modualtion? There is no grab point! They smoothly transition from just touching to full lock-up with no surprises. This much power would be very scary if it wasn't for the perfect modulation.
Customer Service: very helpful in figuring out my setup problems.
Bottom line: If you are on a tight budget get Avid mechanicals. If you want to buy a quality set of hydraulic discs, spend the extra money for thses over the Hayes. Worth every penny I spent on them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
G Love
a Racer
from massachuets Date Reviewed: May 28, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
amazing nothing is wrong. great braking power, wanted to try them on my car, they stoppong really is that good. Great in all conditions.
Weaknesses:
kinda of a pain to get on since you have 4 pistons to get around, but once you get it on, it is worth it. not the cheapest thing, but it is a well spent buck
Similar Products Used:
avid, xtr friction brakes
Bike Setup:
pyslo race, race face cranks, stratos helix pro, etc.
Bottom Line:
this is the best brakes i have ever had. Reliable in ALL conditions. Great stoppong power. better than all brakes i have tried. Yes they are expensive, but look around...ebay... and i got mine 100.00 off list price. definally worth the money. If you want to buy a trek 6700 frame, drop me an email. Peace.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott P
a Weekend Warrior
from San Jose Date Reviewed: May 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Braille
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
Jensen
Strengths:
Modulation,modulation, Power, Feel, Looks. System compensates for heat constantly thru lever action. No lever pump up or dive. Lever position can be adjusted easily. Easy as pie bleeding & no maintainance yet.
Weaknesses:
Can be noisy
Similar Products Used:
Grameca sys 8, Hayes
Bike Setup:
Uzzi slx,Z1,M4, rhino lites
Bottom Line:
If you like modulation over power these brakes are for you. While you don't get gobbs of stopping power with minimal lever force you do get a nice linear ramp up to serious power thru the lever pull. My hands used to get tired on long decents with Single Digit 7s on my old bike. I ride harder now & don't notice fatigue. If I could I'd give mo chillies.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steven
a Cross Country Rider
from Aarschot Belgium Date Reviewed: May 26, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Ischgl, Bouillon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
www.cyclexpress.co.uk
Strengths:
Power !! Boy, these brakes really hook and bite. My LBS whou mounted the brakes, told me to brake them in. But the power i had the first ride, beats any other brake from the start.
Weaknesses:
Drags at first, but then the automatic pad wear adjustment kicks in and does it's job just beautifully. No drag anymore. Cost, but worth it.
Similar Products Used:
1st discbrake set, HS33 V Brakes
Bike Setup:
Specialized Stumpjumper FSR XC modified to full XT/XTR, Mavic Crossroc disc, Carbon handlebar, Ciclosport CM 414 Alti M(love this thing !!)
Bottom Line:
Bought these via Internet, see adress above, and LBS installed these beatifully. Setup appearently was a breeze. They look great and same way they look, they perform. I was taking more risks already on the first ride coz i knew i had better brakest then others ! I don't have any squealing, i think the squealing comes by bad installation.
I mostly do XC but go all out on descents and can use these brakes to stop way shorter after a full speed descent to turn or stop.
Look at them and you'll love them !! Use 'em and you'll never think of anything else!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Neal Richards
a
from England Date Reviewed: May 12, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
easy to set up, look the part, superb power and modulation, fit and forget.
Weaknesses:
None, these are the best brakes out there!
Similar Products Used:
Hope C2, hope enduro 4, hayes
Bike Setup:
hardtail, mavic d321 rims, big'uns front and rear, psylo race 03. hope xc headset. 185mm front and rear m4's
Bottom Line:
if you want realiability, stacks of power and modulation with great aftercare service from hope (uk) then these brakes are for you. They are expensive but i would recommend these to anyone. I replaced my enduros with these brakes having paid £140 per end for them 1 year ago. if you have the money buy them!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Thomas
a Cross Country Rider
from Ithaca Date Reviewed: May 4, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Strengths:
simply the best, most powerful, nicest, most quality machined brake system. Don't have to adjust it at all, pads automaticaly adjust, pistons adjust for heat automatically. everything about them is wonderful
Weaknesses:
I gave the horrible review on the bottom with the tech line being so horrible - I decided to give them a second chance. I fortunately did not talk to BILL DEAN this time who was very unhelpful and flat-out mean. The hope tech line was great!! I have 22mm chainstay mount on the rear and they managed to hook me up with a hope C2 type 1 caliper. On the front I have a hope m4
Similar Products Used:
xtr v brakes - v brakes suck (but these are probably the best v brakes you can buy)
Bike Setup:
trek y-11 (made of OCLV carbon)
Bottom Line:
These brakes are excellent - and the hope tech line is wonderful. They were very helpful and resolved my problems quickly. all other disc brakes are pieces of plastic and I hear people have lots of problems with them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben M
a Downhiller
from London Date Reviewed: May 1, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Gradient In my favour
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
e-bay
Strengths:
Awsome stopping power, great looks, extremely tough, easy set up, fit and forget, great customer service, British..!
Weaknesses:
Expensive, but I was fortunate enough to get a pair, front and rear, brand new from e-bay! (smug mode on...)
These are superb brakes, everything abut them reeks quality from the minite you take them out of the box. I have 185 and 165mm front and rear rotas respecitvely and these deliver unbelivable braking power. I think 205mm front might be a bit overkill as some people have discovered catching unvoluntary airmiles! They are easy to set up, with a collection of spacer washers to align the capiper with, simply attach it all and off you go. Bedding in takes a little while, and when they do bed in you certainly know about it! After that they seem to be totally maintanance free, which has a lot to be said for some other brakes I have tried. Just one word of advice - don't pull the lever when you have the pads out!! this causes the pistons to pop out meaning you have to bleed the whole thing!! I would recommend these brakes for the serious downhiller right through to the novice who just wants to own such a high quality, low maintanance product that will hold its value for years. Buy these now! 5/5
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
hora
a Weekend Warrior
from London, UK Date Reviewed: April 27, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Single track
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Looks the business firstly, secondly great stopping power.
Weaknesses:
Weight?
Similar Products Used:
Hope Mini, Hayes and assorted V brakes
Bike Setup:
Currently RM Vertex soon to be Ellsworth Id
Bottom Line:
If your sub 13stone the minis are light, maintanence free and will do the job probably better than anything else on the market. However I'm 15.5stone (210lb) and the minis tended to fade and didn't inspire last minute braking confidence hence I never road at speed. The M4's are like having double minis on each wheel (the M4's have 4 pads per caliper).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Geoff
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney Date Reviewed: April 11, 2003
Favorite Trail:
anything with dirt
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
fully CNC machined housing, stopping power, fit and forget, ease of assembly.
Weaknesses:
everyone asking where to buy them
Similar Products Used:
hayes and maugura's
Bike Setup:
klein palomino, marzocchi forks, hope discs
Bottom Line:
i have heard of these brakes squealing, but i just had to shim mine a little and use 'spot' from hope to remove the nanometer of adonising and your problems are gone.
these brakes look the part, and have enough power to stop your runaway steed down any descent. problem is that when i first got these brakes i applied full power on a descent and promptly flew over the handles.
i have used over 50 hours in the saddle of these things and the power and modulation are the same as the day i bought them. you just have to fit and forget, i havent experienced a problem changing tyres yet. and unlike hayes i dont have to bleed these after every ride, in fact i havent even bled them since i put them on, they just keep working.
customer service in aus is top notch, after a major stack i bent my disc, i had a new disc at my door the next afternoon. now thats speedy service!!
bit more expensive than hayes and maguras, but then again you can spend more time riding and not fiddling with spongy brakes trying 'to get the best' out of them. to me the power of these puppies is more than enough, and stopping almost 90kg is a tough ask. for those concerned about the weight i would have to say that you should look in the mirror first. and at $100 more per end over either hayes or maguras, the money is well spent.
for those looking for disc brakes look no further, these are the best brakes on the market. just save your dosh for another coupla weeks and you will have purchased some quality kit that will last longer and perform better.
i give it 5 flamin' turds all round!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard Barker
a Weekend Warrior
from Northern UK Date Reviewed: March 29, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Macc forest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Northwest mtb centre
Strengths:
Outstanding performance, more like a motorcycle brake. I've had no problems with fade, and the power in all conditions has to be experienced to be beleived. The lever design is much impoved over the C2/O2, you can now use one finger all the time.
Weaknesses:
The only weakness I can think of is the extra care needed with 205mm discs. Be cearful when you lay you bike down, or throw it in the back fo the car, they are easier to bend than the smaller versions.
Similar Products Used:
Magura Gustav, Hope C2/O2, Hope pro.
Bike Setup:
Specialized '03 BigHit, Monster T's, Profile cranks, M4's, home made chain device, Halo 24" wheels.
Bottom Line:
If you are prepared to pay a little more, you can get the best brakes available at the moment. Not light, but who cares?
To all those who whine about setup - you obviously have no idea what you're doing. Just shim them out, once set up, that's it, they are maintanance free.
On the subject of squeal, take your wheels out of your bike to wash them, and use just plain water on the disks. If you do get the disks contaminated, use Isopropyl Alcohol to clean them. If you get your pads contaminated, take them out and put them in the over at 200 degrees C for 20 mins, this burns off the contaminants.
As for Hope customer service, the UK branch at the factory were great with me, and were very helpful. Obviously I cannot comment on the USA service. If you have problems with them, write a letter to the UK office (head office) and tell them.
Overall, performance is 10 out of 10, and I give them 8 out of 10 for value. The brakes are a good price, but the pads are a little pricey, but hey, if you want the best...
Ric B.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stephen
a Downhiller
from Scotland Date Reviewed: March 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
fort bill
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Outstanding braking in all conditions superb two finger controlled braking
Weaknesses:
squeal quite a lot, a total nightmare when u get a puncture, as when u try to get the wheel back on u r fighting 4 individual pads, hope shoulda including magnetic pistons to cure this.
Similar Products Used:
hope mini's magura louise
Bike Setup:
gemini 900
Bottom Line:
If u want superb braking then buy, but if u don't want the hassle of fumbling your wheel on and off when u get a punture, then don't buy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Goobs
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: March 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Nasho
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Endevour Cycles
Strengths:
Awesome braking power. Very little force required, whic allows much greater braking controls/
Weaknesses:
None So Far.
Similar Products Used:
Avid 6" mechanical, Hayes 6 & 8" hydraulics
Bike Setup:
Cove G Sport 2003, Marzocchi Super T, Chris Kings hubs, Sun Single Track Rims, Vanilla RC rear shock.
Bottom Line:
Nothing comes close to these brakes. They are phenominal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hunter
a Downhiller
from Billings, Mt Date Reviewed: February 22, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
the levers one finger braking beautiful cnc or machining the most powerful out there fairly light easy to bleed and maintain
Weaknesses:
nothing at all
Similar Products Used:
Hayes hydros ( these are nice too but not as powerful)
Bike Setup:
2003 Foes Mono, 2003 Dorado, 2003 M4's
Bottom Line:
Bottom line is that these brakes rock. they are so powerful and sweet. The machining on these puppies are the finest. They work great in the dry or the mud. These are way more powerful than hayes. The levers are sweet and it is easy to use one finger. I highly recommend for all downhillers or freeriders.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Guzzetta
a Downhiller
from Cornelia, GA USA Date Reviewed: February 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
SECRET
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$199.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Powerful one finger breaking,Excellent modulation, Beautiful CNC on calipers & levers, lightweight
Weaknesses:
Pricey
Similar Products Used:
None Compare
Bike Setup:
Bullit,Z1 FR
Bottom Line:
If you can afford them, NO ONE comes close to the performance! WORTH EVERY PENNY!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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