The Mini is a new open 2-piston brake, which at 380g (inc. lever, caliper, hose & disc) is our lightest system yet. Despite this lightweight, the brake will still give plenty of controllable power. The brake features a new design of lever, which is unique to this brake and also uses its own pads. The 74mm post mount (2000/1 Manitou) requires a special bracket and larger disc.
System type: Open
Lever type: Unique new lever
Caliper No.'s: 3 & 5
Standard Disc: 145, 165, & 185
Submitted by
alanchan
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto Date Reviewed: May 20, 2009
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Great power, good design, easy to bled, good modulation, piston are the best out of all the disc brakes I have tried.
Weaknesses:
Its getting hard to find support as these brakes are old. Setting up with shims are annoying for some people. The new generation uses brackets so its easier.
Ventana El Fuego, DT XR 1540, Fox F80 RLT, RaceFace Turbine LP, Shimano XT, Hope Mini
Bottom Line:
People, don't be confused. This review is for the 'Hope Mini' not 'Hope Mono Mini'. They are different! This thread is for the 'Hope Mini' (old style 2 pcs. caliper)
These are better then the new Hope Mono Mini which has stock gold caliper cover and the newest generation with silver caliper but black cover.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
muddydc
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver,WA Date Reviewed: March 10, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Porcipine Rim, Moab
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
universalcycles.com
Strengths:
Durability, self-adjusting, easy bleeding and fluid replacement, easy pad replacement, cool looking.
02'Titus Switchblade, Sram, Rock Shox Rev. 180mm FR 160mm RR
Bottom Line:
I have had these brakes on brakes on my SW since I bilt it up in 03'. I have changed the pads out twice. They have been great stoppers with no fading. I have had no leaks and no air getting into system. They have held up really well. I am in the process of building up a Motolite and will rebuild and put these brakes on it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
christmann
a Cross Country Rider
from Eagle, Co Date Reviewed: March 6, 2009
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
The Kind Cycles
Strengths:
Pretty light
Weaknesses:
Poor support
Similar Products Used:
My wifes bike has Avid Juicy 5 and I have demoed bikes with Hayes and Shimano.
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountain ETSX 70, Sram 9.0, XTR wheels, XT cranks, Race Face post and stem, Monkey Lite carbon low riser, Selle Italia saddle,
Bottom Line:
Since 2003 these brakes have performed well. 5 weeks ago I bought the stainless braided hoses. My bike mechanic for the last 6 years has spent hours trying to get them to work and hours on the phone with hope to figure out how to fix them. Hope sent new hoses and seals but nothin doin. My bike has been in the shop for 3+ weeks. Their tech does not know any more than the next guy. He wants me to pay another $50 to send them to some dude in Cali. I have spent $80 for the hoses, $25 for seals, $130 in labor and brake fluid. I would not recommend Hope products anymore. It should not be this difficult to fix brakes. I am now buying Avid Elixers.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Silentfoe
a Cross Country Rider
from Eagle Mountain, Utah Date Reviewed: October 17, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Wasatch Crest
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Very light, solid lever feel, low maintenance, set it and forget it.
I bought these brakes brand new in 2001 after an MBA review comparing the Hayes, Shimano XT's and the Minis. The Minis won the shootout and since I was in the market for new brakes, I went right out and bought them.
It is now 2008 and believe it or not, I just barely replaced the pads for the very first time. Granted, I had a few years where I couldn't ride but still, I've put a lot of time on these brakes. They have excellent lever feel and stop me very well from speed. I am 200lbs and use a 160mm front and 140mm rear rotor. The only time I have a problem there is extended downhill when my fingers get tired but that is more due to my choice in rotor size than brake strength.
When I replaced the pads is when I ran into my first problem with these brakes. Hope says that due to several factors, you should only buy genuine Hope Mini pads. This may be the reason for some other not so hot reviews. The factory pads are hands down the best, you just have to order them and then wait. After installing the new pads you really need to make sure you put a screwdriver up between the pads in the caliper and pry them apart as far as you can. This system automatically adjusts itself so your caliper has adjusted for the worn pads. If you just throw the new ones in, they will rub for sure. Too easy to install and once done, off you go. I love these brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
apensity
a Downhiller
from Chico, CA, USA Date Reviewed: August 18, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Alpine Top, Oakridge, OR
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Good feel on fingers, good weight
Weaknesses:
Terrible stopping power, lost ALL braking power on downhill on several different occasions (levers went to handlebars). Had LBS bleed lines, rebuild system, use 5.1 fluid, and larger rotors (7" and 8"), STILL lost all braking power! These brakes are terrible!
Similar Products Used:
Avid Code 5 (these rock!)
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Heckler
Bottom Line:
Terrible brakes, DO NOT use these for ANY sustained downhill!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
blah wtf?
a Weekend Warrior
from BC Date Reviewed: March 12, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
lack of maintenance needed, good strong lever, just about everything else.
Weaknesses:
umm, they are tight and rub just a little when you put brand new pads on. but this isnt that much of a problem, it just does not have a pad contact adjustment
Similar Products Used:
few mechs, juicy's and 2 different xt models
Bike Setup:
35lb. AM/FR 6" setup. now hardtail DJ.
Bottom Line:
i bought these without pads, and with the wrong rotor, but after picking up a decent set of ebc's and the correct rotor, these things work very well. the lever was/is very tight and they did drag very slightly at the beginning, but these things are real good. i wouldnt get rid of them for the world. i like the xt's for the fact that they use mineral oil and not dot 3/4, but these (even though the rotor is small) are very good. i have not been affected by the expanding pad problem, and they do not experience any heat related probelms. i replaced them with a avid J7 185 at the beginning of last year, because i really like the pad distance setting, but i kept these around and now they are going to see another life on a different bike. i had to look through to see if i had reviewed them, and with four years and no problems whatsoever, id say these might be the best bang for the buck, even if you get them used and rebuild them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tony vazquez
a Weekend Warrior
from warwickshire, england Date Reviewed: December 3, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
broadribbs, leamington spa
Strengths:
good stopping power, i tend to go faster than my riding ability allows so these brakes have got me out of trouble a number of times. little maintenance, in fact had them fitted ovar 4 years, got through about 5 or 6 sets of pads and not had to bleed system once. easy to set up and require little adjustment.
Weaknesses:
none, other than price,but have come down since i purchased mine though.
Similar Products Used:
grimeca hydraulic, clarks cable..(don't bother),
Bike Setup:
180mm rotor front, 160mm rotor rear. was on gti drive when i upgraded it, now fitted to giant nrs, will up grade brakes if and when these give up.
Bottom Line:
great stopping power,smooth action, even after all this time. riden in all conditions from dry and dusty, to rain, to deep mud and never let me down. easy pad change, easy to adjust calipers. fitted at the same time as 2 friends(we took all 3 bikes to the shop on the same day) out of 6 calipers, in 4 years, one started leaking about 6 months age,which is'nt bad.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
PJM
a Cross Country Rider
from Park City UT Date Reviewed: August 16, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
freind
Strengths:
Picked these up from a freind who went xtr...180 front and 160 rear....They work great all the time, the pads are easy to replace. Lightweight and durable. Set-up easy. Machining and finish work impeccable. These are the pre-mono minis with silver calipers and all-black square-reservoir levers. Great looking, working, and feeling...
Weaknesses:
On occation (and usually when I needed them) the front brake lever would go to the bar w/no effect....!!
Similar Products Used:
Avid mechs/Others...
Bike Setup:
Kona Dawg custom. xc setup..
Bottom Line:
At $200 for the used set, this was a good buy for sure.... Even with a taller rotor and larger pads, this Hope disc brake is lightweight, with quality machine and finish work on all the parts. This particular pre-mini brake I think came with different levers/reservoir setups during the two or three yrs. they were made. These have the super-ergo, all-black, two-finger lever with the rectangle-shaped reservoir and silver calipers. Some earlier levers have the circular-shaped reservoir. The surpising lever-to-the-bar events are far and few between....once a yr. or so...If you can get ahold of a used pair of these....FOR SURE GET EM!!!!..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul Birtles
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney NSW Australia Date Reviewed: March 6, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
Endeavour Cycles Gymea
Strengths:
They look good but I need something reliable without constant maintenance
Weaknesses:
If my bike isn't ridden for some time the lever on one end (rear) of these brakes firms up causing the pads to rub eventually stopping the wheel from spinning all together. This has been happening since they were brand new. The shop where I purchased these brakes considering I purchased them on a custom $7000 Blur failed to look after me. Eventually they sent them to the Aussie importer who was just the worst it took him over 3 months to return them to my LBS and that was only after I called to tell him to pull his finger out something my LBS couldn't be bothered to do, having my bike for sitting in thier shop all this time. They also lost all the mounting hardware in the process and thought it was quite o.k. to use any old bolts they had hanging around the workshop.It goes to show that once they had thier sale they couldn't give a f**k any more & Hope U.K. should think about getting rid of thier Aussie dealer he just sucks beyond comment! Eventually I sent back to the manufactuer in the U.K. and they fixed the problem and returned them in just 1 week (now that's service)They were spot on in helping me. Now the other brake doing the same I'm going to give up on them and buy some mechanicals or V-brakes again can't be bothered with all the problems.
Similar Products Used:
First & last experience with hydraulics, why is it they can make fool proof brakes for your car or motorbike but come to bicycles and there's still loads of issues?
Bike Setup:
03 Santa Cruz Blur with all the bling. Just because you pay top dollar for the bling factor it's just a wank! Keep it simple.
Bottom Line:
Haven't I said it all. Buy it if you live in England & can have them serviced by someone who knows how too. Stay well clear if you live in Australia because service is pathetic. Endeavour cycles (LBS) has lost a customer too you can't treat people this way after they have spent so much money purchasing their dream bike. The 1 chilli goes to Hope U.K. for thier good help even though their product isn't great.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
al
a Cross Country Rider
from dallas tx Date Reviewed: January 30, 2007
parts a bit more $ and harder to get. Not a weekness, but these are not 1-finger nose wheelie brakes.
Similar Products Used:
hayes mag, el camino, sole.
Bike Setup:
Racer-x
Bottom Line:
I like em! I bought mine well used, cleaned them up, and they work awesome. They are not "stoppers", but "speed-adjusters", on my Racer-x. They have excellent, excellent modulation, very easy to scrub off just the speed you need to when entering a corner. they look cool, easy to work on, nothing comes loose - use lock-tight! the manual even says to. They do NOT have uber-stopping power, as many reviewers have mentioned. Power can be increased by going to bigger rotors, I have 160/140, which is lowest power/highest modulation. I have Hayes Mags on my commuter bike, 160/160, and they are uber-stoppers, which I consider necessary for emergency stops on the street. but much less feel. parts are harder to find, but still available. Support is iffy, not as good as Hayes. Luckily this is a very good product, so support isn't too important. Buy them used as a light, trick, reliable bake for your x-country machine. Avoid them for your 30+ lb am, fr, or dh machine. 5 stars in their application!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bart Simpson
a Weekend Warrior
from Northamptonshire Date Reviewed: January 1, 2007
From the start, these brakes have been downright poor in terms of performance. Although modulation is very good, ultimate braking power has been poor, irrespective of type of pads used, and bleeding the brakes. They have resulted in a loss of confidence on descents, particularly in technical situations, where I have found myself on numerous occasions shouting expletives whilst crampily pulling the levers moments before having close encounters with trees. Not a good trait in a mountain bike brake. The Hayes Nine brakes on my other bike, have on the other hand been awesome, in that they actually stop the bike, but they are very "grabby" compared to the Mono Minis.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
danny
a
from nottingham UK Date Reviewed: November 6, 2006
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$99999999.00
Purchased At:
the pound shop
Strengths:
Reliable, easy to clean, easy to service and bleed, easy to customize the hose to the correct length.
Replacments are not too expensive and are easy to get hold of in UK dunno bout newhere else.
Weaknesses:
the alan key screw on the reservoir cap rounds off easy as it is so small. Same with the screws on the lever clamp, and the disc rotor! Rotor comes loose all the time.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano deore, Hope M4, Magura Julie all hydrolic. and cable deore. Out of these deffo Minis unless you want more power then the M4's.
Bike Setup:
24/7 crosser, mx comps, minis, fsa pig DH Pro headset, sun single track rims on DMR revolvers(strong as hell trust me), xt rear mech, sram x.9 rocket trigger shiftern thats ur lot.
Bottom Line:
Buy them if you are into XC Street n dossin bout with as they are light reliable n powerfull, however if you want more power or take part in Competition DH then deffo M4's.
Make sure you have spare screws of all sizes that hope use, you will need them!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nate
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO Date Reviewed: July 3, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Kenosha Pass, CO
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA.com
Strengths:
You can tell these brakes are engineered well. Solid construction and simple look and design. I installed these never having done a disc installation before and took about 3 hours to get them just right. A lot of trial and error to get the alignment right. I tried them out last week and what a difference from the crappy hayes brakes that came with the bike. Hayes just can't handle the automotive brake fluid and tend to leak. Braking is effortless and the amount of "throw" on the levers is adjustable. These brakes are very powerful and I felt like I'd lock my front tire if I wasn't careful. I think that is because the Hayes sucked so bad.
On top of it all I got the the piston, rotor and lever all for $150. Can't beat that.
Weaknesses:
The metal spring that the brake pads rest on is a little complicated and is a little hard to remove the pads and insert them.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes comp disc.
Bike Setup:
'03 Blur, marzocchi bomber MX, Pushed FOX Float R
Bottom Line:
Great engineering, small package, unbelivable performance at a fraction of the cost of the competition. Need I say more?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon Davies
a Cross Country Rider
from U.K Date Reviewed: April 26, 2006
Favorite Trail:
7 Staines
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Reliable and strong. Plenty of feel with progressive bite point. Well made, unlike the Mono's
Weaknesses:
A tad heavy.
Similar Products Used:
Mechanical & Hydraulics from Shimano and Avid. Hydraulics from Magura and Hayes and most of the Hope range.
Great brakes. 3 years hard riding and no problems. Replaced the pads a few times and replaced the DOT 5.1 Well made and the key is the discs. The new Hope range... "Mono"... have got a one piece caliper....and flimsy discs. These old Mini brakes have a 2 piece caliper and a good strong thick disc that will not warp and gets rid of heat fast. It will also take a good knocking without bending all over the place. I know which I prefer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Keith Carroll
a Weekend Warrior
from Lancashire. England Date Reviewed: March 24, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Any of the 7 Stanes
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Good and reliable with plenty of power and feel. Fairly light weight. Strong discs.
Weaknesses:
None. Maybe do not use Hope pads.
Similar Products Used:
Hydraulic Magura, Avid, Hayes and Shimano Deore and XT.
Bike Setup:
Spec FSR Marz Marathon S. XT bits and Easton/FSA mix. Mavic 317/Hope.
Bottom Line:
After 4 years of hard grind these brakes are still so good. 185/165mm they need so little maintenance just replace the pads....I use Fibrax as they are better than Hope's current offerings. I changed the DOT 5.1 once and it looked like it didn't need it. Great brakes. I was thinking of maybe upgrading to Mono's but I know too many people that have had problems with them so I'm sticking with my sturdy and reliable Mini's. One of the best pieces of MTB equipment that I have ever purchased.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jono
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K Date Reviewed: September 18, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Glentress
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Still a great brake system I run 185/165. Consistent and powerfull with superb modulation, very nice levers. Good well built disc rotors. Robust!
Weaknesses:
Inconsistent Hope pads. I use Fibrax instead. Can screech when very hot but they rarely get that hot.
Similar Products Used:
Haye, Magura, Avid AND...Hope Mono Mini (not impressed) Hope Mono M4 (still not imprassed)
Bike Setup:
2001 Sugar 1, XT Hope hubs on X717, Easton and RaceFace bits, WTB Motoraptors.
Bottom Line:
I don't usually do reviews but I've got a few bikes. I've got Hope Brakes and Hubs on all of them now, I've got Mono Minis on one and Mono M4s on another, and I'm not impressed at all with the new range and it has prompted me to just say how good these old Mini's are. I sort of reminds me how good the Mini system is. Robust Disc rotors that get rid of heat and debris. Consistent braking without having to work on the brakes all the time. Great braking system just change the pads to another maker. Hope have inconsistent pad performance like their new brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Styant
a Cross Country Rider
from London, UK Date Reviewed: September 2, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$145.00
Strengths:
Price, performance is great
Weaknesses:
The bolts. The Hope-supplied bolts and pins have a tendency to seize up. The brake pad retaining pin has completely seized up and I'm unable to change the pads. I contacted Hope for help and when they eventually replied, the fix didn't work. I now have a useless rear brake. Be aware and check bolts and pins regularly.
Bike Setup:
The usual XC stuff
Bottom Line:
Great brakes, but useless if you can't change the pads
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roy Felsham
a Cross Country Rider
from U.K Date Reviewed: August 13, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Marin Trail Wales.
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Consistent good function in dry or wet conditions. Well designed and built. Low maintenance item. Great lever feel and strong reliable brake power. Well made and strong construction.
Weaknesses:
A little heavy by contemporary standards. Require carefull set-up.
Similar Products Used:
Hydraulic products by Hayes, Magura and Formula. Cable pull from Avid and Shimano.
Bike Setup:
Marin Rock Springs. Upgraded to XT. Hope 185 & 165mm brakes.
Bottom Line:
A satisfactory brake product that has given me very good performance every time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jamie
a Cross Country Rider
from U.K Date Reviewed: July 29, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Well designed and strong. Good power and control levels. Reliable and low maintenance even in the lousey British weather.
Weaknesses:
Needs carefull setting up. Takes a few rides to bed-in and the same when you put new pads in. Shop around for pads, don't just use Hopes.
Bottom Line:
Great brakes that have been really reliable for me. Well controlable power and enough of it to do almost anything. I have only changed the hydraulic fluid once. and the pads last a good time. Don't know why this model is no longer made.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Weekend Warrior
from NoCal Date Reviewed: July 25, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Consistent and good levels of brake power with excellent modulation. after set up it's use and forget. Proper Dot 5.1 brake fluid takes away any heat build.
Weaknesses:
Must be set up carefully and you got to choose the right brake pads. Hope's own pads are not always the best choice.
Bottom Line:
I've used these brakes front and back 185 and 165 rotors, for nearly 3 years. They are strongly constructed and well made. Apart from changing the brake pads I have had to do nothing to them not even change the brake fluid. Fantastic modulation allows even the novice rider to feather the brakes on the front over steep and rocky technical descents. I have tried the new Hope range of brakes but I decided to stick with these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will Elliot
a Cross Country Rider
from N.Hampshire Date Reviewed: July 2, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Works as well after more than 3 years as it did new. Low maintenance, good feel and plenty of power, reliable and strong discs which do not bend easy.
Weaknesses:
A bit heavy compared to some of todays discs but nothing noticeable and worth the extra for a strong design. maybe a tad expensive.
Bottom Line:
Just thought I'd throw this one in....more than 3 years of hard use and they work great. Cannot say that about many Mountain Bike parts. Good feel, good power, nice and reliable both in the dry and rain, pads last a good time and I have only just bled them. Great brake system.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Weekend Warrior
from Ireland Date Reviewed: June 19, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Got the design right. Got the weight right. Got the power right. Got the modulation right. Goth the lever ergonomics right. Got the reliability right.
Weaknesses:
The time it can take to set up the system. After a wet ride sometimes the pads drag a little. Check that the replacemant pads are not made by Hope. Hope keeps changing it's supplier and the pad spec changes with it.
Similar Products Used:
Mainly Hayes and Avid.
Bike Setup:
Standard Specialized Stumpjumper FSR XC Comp. Hope hubs on Mavic rims...what else.
Bottom Line:
I've this brake set up front and rear, 185F/165R. Over 3 years and, like so many others, I'm still very satisfied. The amount of maintenance that I have conducted on these brakes is embarrasingly little and yet they still perform their duties as well as they did when new. A caveat, watch that the replacement pads are good. I had to replace my Hope replacemant pads as they were poor performers. Fibrax did the job. It appears that Hope are continually changing their pad supplier and the specifications are definately inferior at the moment. It's unfortunate that Hope have replaced this set up with the Mono Mini, which I regard as considerably inferior in both performance and build design.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim Schofield
a Cross Country Rider
from NoCal Date Reviewed: June 17, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Great trustworthy brakes. The best feel of any brakes that I have ever used. Cheap to maintain with a good rate of pad wear. Robust.
Weaknesses:
Need to replace the pads before they are totally gone or else when the new pads go in then they rub.
Bottom Line:
Over 3 years of hard use! This has got to be one of the best pieces of Mountain Bike equipment since Marzocchi came into the market with their forks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Duck
a Cross Country Rider
from Alamo Date Reviewed: June 13, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
stock with bike from now defunct LBS
Strengths:
Easy to maintain, pads readily available at LBS or online. Brake fluid available in pint sizes for those of us who are Oh-so-sensitive to pad drag and overheating. Even so, I only "feel" the need about twice a season. Terrific modulation, can go way deeper into corners and be confident that they will slow us--the bike and me---down without locking and sliding...unless you want to abuse the trail. I would buy them again, except that they appear to need less maintainence than those of my friends who drive the big brand brakes.
Weaknesses:
Pad drag when the pads are getting tired of serving master. Set up is a pain, needing shims and patience to reinstall repeatedly until centered. Yes, I've learned to tolerate a little drag while awaiting that perfect time when the pads are worn to a thin dime.
Similar Products Used:
XTR rim brakes are very nearly as good but don't have the instant control the Minis deliver.
Bike Setup:
Switchblade and all the light parts you would imagine
Bottom Line:
I was thinking that I need new brakes, after all they're old, then I read the surprisingly less enthusiastic reviews of the other brakes I was avidly contemplating. I'll stick with the Hopes since they're installed, centered and need only new pads and fluid periodically. I'm getting a bit too spry to go faster than these allow me to fly. Cross country types would be very happy with these guys.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim Keiron
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: June 12, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Very good design and reliable. Low weight for the size and power. Pads last well and discs are large enough to keep the system from pumping-up on long downhills. DOT 5.1 Hydraulic fluid is dedicated brake fluid and far more efficient at disippating heat than mineral oil.
Weaknesses:
The system must be carefully set up initially. I sometimes have the pads brush on the discs from time to time but nothing to worry about.
Bottom Line:
The Hope Mini system is a recommendable and time proven/reliable hydraulic braking system. I have only bled the system once because that is all that has been needed. Just be carefull to get good brake pad replacements and these brakes are excellent.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Calgary Date Reviewed: May 30, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$180.00
Strengths:
weight power modulation look
Weaknesses:
tough to get replacement pads - good thing the stock ones last so long
Similar Products Used:
avic mech's, xt duals
Bike Setup:
Heckler for XC
Bottom Line:
Awesome product - very reliable. I have had these on 2 bikes in three years and haven't had to do a thing to them - no bleeding, adjusting nothing. They even still have the same brake pads on there. I ride 3+ times a week 6 mnths/yr.
You can't ask for a better product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wilf
a Weekend Warrior
from Upper state N.Y Date Reviewed: May 27, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Consistently reliable. Very good modulation. Strong Rotor. Good sized pad.
Weaknesses:
They must be set up right... from the start or they will drag. They are maybe a tad heavy compared to say the new Mono but much better braking.
Similar Products Used:
Disc systems from Hayes, Formula, Avid, Shimano Deore and XT and Magura. Also the new Hope Mono Mini's and M4.
Bike Setup:
2001 Rocky MTN Element Race with RaceFace/ Shimano XT and Hope hubs married to Mavic X317 rims.
Bottom Line:
I have 185mm Front & 165mm Back. I am still pleased with these brakes after over 3 years of hard use, for all of the positive reasons above. it is a real shame that they are not made anymore because IMHO they well out-perform the Mono Mini and I think thye give the Mono M4 a good run for it's money. I agree with a comment back there that these puch well above their weight. Worth every dime. If they still made them I would definately buy them again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Philip Johnson
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada Date Reviewed: March 23, 2005
Favorite Trail:
The next challenge
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Cycle1st.com
Strengths:
Tried and tested product that is well engineered. Light but powerful with the best modulation of any brake that I have used. Long lasting brake pads. Reliable. Effective in the same way wet or dry.
Weaknesses:
Fiddly to set up and they can squeel when very hot.
Similar Products Used:
M4 from Hope Mugura Gustav, Hayes HFX 9 XC , Formula B4 SL, Avid Ball Bearing Disc Brake,Shimano XT Disc Brake M765.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Hardrock A1 COMP ...etc ..
Bottom Line:
Very good indeed brakes. Strong...as in well made...powerful with loads of modulation, great levers and lever feel, pads last a long time but the most important thing is that, power apart, they just give me the kind of confidence that makes me take enough risks to enjoy myself...and still stop dead.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Fassbender
a Weekend Warrior
from SoCal Date Reviewed: January 31, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Durable and good braking with very good modulation. Ergonomic levers. Fairly light and reasonable pad wear. Consistent wet weather performance.
Weaknesses:
Requires careful set-up. Can squeel when hot.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes/Formula/HopeM4/Shimano.
Bike Setup:
Spec with the usual trimmings.
Bottom Line:
A very good set of brakes. I have 185mm Rotors up front with 165mm Rotors on the rear and I get very strong braking. Good and consistent modulation in the dry or wet give added value to these brakes. I normally do not do reviews but I have a set of Mono Mini brakes on my H/tail :( and they have made me realise just how good the old Mono brakes that I am reviewing her are.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
The Dark Rider
a Cross Country Rider
from N.W.England Date Reviewed: December 17, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Gwdyr Forest
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Well designed, well constructed, well tested, robust design, excellent modulation, extremely good levers and consistent.
Weaknesses:
It is necessary to bleed the dot 5.1 fluid occasionally as it is hydrophilic and set up can take time and patience.
Marin Rift Zone, Marzocchi Marathon SL, LX/XT, Oval stem and bars, X-Lite post/WTB Rocket, Sh 959 pedals, Hope Hubs on Mavic X717 Disc rims, Sapim spokes.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent hydraulic disc brake which I have been using for 2 1/2 years with no particular trouble. Pad life is remarkably good and consistent. It is powerful enough to undertake Freeride duties as well as Crosscountry without getting flustered. Modulation is quite excellent. The Rotors, because of their shape and size, are a particularly good feature to this brake as they clean debris off of the pads whilst at the same time helping to keep the system cool. Most recommendable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JetFeet
a Racer
from Tucson, AZ Date Reviewed: December 9, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Gooseberry Mesa, UT
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
SuperHo
Strengths:
Pros: -easy Ssetup -quality machine work -sold as a complete front or rear unit (unlike ’05 Shimano XT & XTR)
Weaknesses:
Cons: -stock front hose way to long -brake levers rattle (not shimmed) -no hose attach/fastening hardware included
Similar Products Used:
'03 & '04 XT, Magura Marta SL, Avid Mechanical, Magura Louise FR (friends loaner bikes)
Bike Setup:
'04 Kona Kula Delux Frame w/Chris King Headset, '04 Fox F80RLT Fork, EA70 Handlbars, Thomson Stem, Thomson Seatpost, Ti Flite Seat, Race Face Duce Cranks, SP-99 Chain, XTR Ti Cassette, SRAM X.0 Shifters and R-Derailleur, XTR Front Derailleur, XT/Mavic717 DskBrk Wheelset, Hutchinson Python AirLight Tires & Hope Mini Disk Brakes
Bottom Line:
I recently built up a Kona hardtail for the '05 racing season. This is the first year that I am going with a disk setup on my bike. I've ridden bikes with disk breaks, but have little personal experience with them. I will have a more comprehensive review on the ’04 Hope Mini in mid race season. Until then, ride dirt hard and often.
Cheers!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jenson
a Weekend Warrior
from Al. Canada Date Reviewed: December 1, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Bow Cycle
Strengths:
Well made and well designed so they do the job like they should do. Pretty light and plenty of controlable power. Can go a long distance downhill before they get hot enough to fade, but even then the fade is little. Nice levers. Great rotors that are strong, big and because of the shape they clear mud and debris away.
Weaknesses:
Take a bit of fiddling to get them set up right and keep the pistons clean to stop any lazy piston behaviour.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes. Magura. Avid
Bike Setup:
Tomac Special Pro/ Marzocchi Marathon SL/ Sram/ Middleburn/ Hope hubs on Mavic X717 disc rims.
Bottom Line:
Get these brakes set up properly and let them bed in for a ride or 2 and you have yourself one of the best set of x-country/freeride anchors around.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob the Biker
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K Date Reviewed: November 30, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Dalbeatie
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$350.00
Strengths:
Very confidence-inspiring brake system, superb modulation and lever feel! Good strong and consistent power regardless of the terrain and no apparent loss of power when they get hot. Very good pad life and the general build of the calipers is spot on. The rotors are big enough to cool well and provide plenty of strong stopping power.
Weaknesses:
Can tend to squeel sometimes and when the pads are worn down they can sometimes get piston drag. But with a fluid change and pad change they are again excellent.
Bottom Line:
Spot on set of first class brakes, strong, reliable with top lever feel and plenty of power. Great rotors that cool well and clean themselves.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Fred Bigalow
a Weekend Warrior
from Forest of Dean Date Reviewed: November 18, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
www.cycle1st.com
Strengths:
Very well designed and reliable. Light and excellent modulation. Very good pad life.
Weaknesses:
Sometimes skreech when they get very hot on long descents and occassional pad rub.
Similar Products Used:
Magura. Hayes. Formula and recently tried Hope mono mini..(Doh)
Bike Setup:
Marin East Peak with xt, Marzocchi MX Pro forks, Easton bits, Mavic X317 rims on Hope hubs, Shimano 520 pedals.
Bottom Line:
After over 2 years of really hard use these Mini brakes are still first class. They give excellent modulation and very good and consistent power, remarkably good pad life and little overheating on long descents. I'm impressed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Flange Mungus
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K Date Reviewed: November 8, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Marin trail. Gwydyr Forest.
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Good and effective design. Reasonably light but not flimsy. East to service and pad wear/life is good. Powerful! Much more than a X-country brake.
Weaknesses:
Can squeel a bit and sometimes I get piston drag. It takes time for new pads to bed-in.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes. Avid. Magura. Clark. Formula.
Bottom Line:
I think overall this is a very good and reliable brake. For it's size it delivers a lot of power and takes quite a beating before it gets too hot. Even when hot these brakes still perform well which amazes me. Pad life is very good and consistency of operation is excellent and that's what I need to know that I can rely on them to perform the same time after time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
joshster
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakland, CA Date Reviewed: October 21, 2004
Favorite Trail:
eldridge grade
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$240.00
Purchased At:
universal cycles, Portland OR
Strengths:
good power & modulation, lightweight, simplicity, sexy levers
Weaknesses:
dinky rear rotor lacks power on the longest/steepest situations. Bleeding them & recessing pistons is a mild discomfort in the kiester.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HMX, v's, canti's, Isuzu ABS
Bike Setup:
kokopelli
Bottom Line:
These brakes fit my needs perfectly. The have all the power I need, and while occasionally they'll squeal like Ned Beaty on the steepest trails (and get hot enough to scar your left calf), they still bring me & my bike to a hault. Set up takes a few tries with the shims but once it's together it's a done deal (unless you have Deore disc hubs & the bearing nuts decide they're going to readjust themselves, thus shifting your hub over on the axle). Recessing the pistons is a hctib -- can anyone suggest what tool to use to do this?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ghengis Khan
a Weekend Warrior
from B'ham A Date Reviewed: October 19, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Good design and it works in all situations even down to light down hilling. Low maintenance and real reliable.
Weaknesses:
Got to be set up right.
Bottom Line:
Real good brakes that do the job with no quirks. Low maintenance, just check the pads for wear and take patience to set em up properly and they deliver.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Deacon Philips
a
from Columbus, oh USA Date Reviewed: October 14, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Great feel and loads of it. Light well designed loads of power and reliable with low maintenance. Takes a lot of abuse.
Weaknesses:
Takes time to bed in. Can scream a little when they get real hot.
Bottom Line:
These Hope Mini Discs are the best upgrade to a bike that I have ever made. Powerful and controlled. Fantastic feel at the lever gives so much confidence and lets me go for it knowing I can stop when I want no worries. With over 2 years of worry free braking, totally reliable and real low maintenance it rocks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Cowtown, OH Date Reviewed: October 11, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Ortega (in the O.C.)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Ebay/Univeral Cycles
Strengths:
Lightweight, easy set-up and installation, quality build, look great! Very quick pad break-in time. Good modulation, power and lever action. Quiet, haven't experienced the howl that others have posted.
Weaknesses:
I find the shape of the brake lever hard to use, although the lever action is excellent. I'm used to the shorty 2-finger XT levers, the Hope levers are too long for my liking.
Similar Products Used:
XT canti's then Vs. First disc system I've used so I can't compare to others.
Bike Setup:
'94 S-Works HT. SID XC. Mix of XT, XTR. Woodman disc adapter for the back.
Bottom Line:
I've only used these a short time, but I'm very impressed with these. Honestly, since this is my first experience with disc brakes, I was expecting allot(too much?)more power. But for my lightweight roadie carcass and XC riding style, the power from a 165/145 setup is more than adequate. These brakes have great moduation control and feel. I can vary my speed w/o locking the back (or front) wheel. Pad removal is a breeze and bleeding (for a first timer) wasn't too painful. I have noticed very slight rotor rub on the back, but nothing that will make me adjust anything for now.
I'll post an update after using for a few months, but I highly recommend these to anyone looking for a hydro XC disc brake system.
I give them 5 flaming turds for value since you can find these on sale now and 4 flaming turds because I haven't used them extensively enough to guage their durability.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jamie
a Downhiller
from thame england Date Reviewed: October 9, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$90.00
Strengths:
power, looks rotor disign
Weaknesses:
noise and seals keep dying
Similar Products Used:
shimarno XT and M525 mechanicals
Bike Setup:
2003 kona stuff pics at www.drop-off.co.uk
Bottom Line:
thease brake are great...
i am currently in the prosess of bying mono M$ because my seals died and i am unable to replace the but the brake (when they work ) ar the dogs bollox
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Twist
a Weekend Warrior
from SoCal Date Reviewed: October 2, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Well constructed and well made, light but very powerfull and fabulous modulation with very good levers and lever feel. Strong and reliable with minimum maintenance.
Weaknesses:
They male a lot of noise when they get hot but they don't fade. Fixing them on the bike can be a pain.
Similar Products Used:
Almost every quality hydraulic and mechanical disc system.
Bottom Line:
Really good brakes that deliver high power and very controlled braking every time. Low maintenance and high pad life a totally recommendable product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon Dee
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago Date Reviewed: September 25, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Strong and powerfull set of brakes which when set up right are fit and forget. Good pad life and plenty of stopping power even on long downhills. Price is O.K
Weaknesses:
Got to get them set up right, let the piston/pad get out of shape and your looking at fast pad wear and skreech.
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur
Bottom Line:
These brakes deliver the goods with ease and with power well above their class. Realiable too and with good long lasting pads. Make sure that the pistons are clean and the pads set right....they go on and perform brilliant, just ride the bike. Stonkin!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chad E
a Racer
from Laguna Niguel, CA, USA Date Reviewed: September 20, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Telonix, Stair Steps, Old Car
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$139.00
Purchased At:
Adrenaline
Strengths:
The 185's have good power... even for a 6'4" 215 pound rider. Expect noise when they heat up unless you use a soft pad like the EBC green; the green's stop awesome but wear out FAST. I'm pretty fast so I really have no business riding these brakes but I hated the old M4's with multiple pads (hideous noise and drag) so I got the mini's as a compromise. Taking them off tomorrow and putting the new Mono 6Ti's on instead... no more heat should = no more squeal. Overall though for the average sized guy these brakes rule. The best lever in the business period the end! Perfect modulation. Beats the Avid Mechy's hands down in every department but a the mini's are a little noisier. The wavy rotor always gets attention... it can be (and has been) a good thing here in So Cal with all the chicks on the trail.
Weaknesses:
Need more precise machining of the piston bore. Mild sanding with 800 grit was required to eliminate a "lazy piston" (as Gwen at Hope called it) in one of my caliper halves that caused seriously annoying drag and necessitated frequent manual re-centering of the pistons... frequent = before every ride and after about every 5th mile. One disassembly and one piece of 800 grit later they are PERFECT; one time centering them and they are still dialed after 500 miles and 2 pad changes. You'd think a CNC could do a better job than me and my 800 grit! Maybe somebody forgot to double check all of the CNC setup on a really cold or really hot day? The biggest flaw: tough to get the original Mini's now that the piece of crapola mono mini is out.
Similar Products Used:
Darn near every hydraulic disc out there... and I have the mechanical Avid's on my beater ramp bike.
Bike Setup:
Gemini, 125RLC and DHX5.0 both with Renthal Ti springs, Wheelsmith built 36 hole Kings / Mavic cross 4, King Ti headset, Diabolus, Answer 2.5 bars, Hope mono 6Ti 205's, Thomson 410 post, Salsa QR stuff, SDG S2K kevlar seat, all Ti bolts, XTR everything else. 32 pounds and bulletproof.
Bottom Line:
If you are under 180 pounds, moderately fast, and are looking for a killer value that is lightweight and STOPS with perfect modulation and has the most comfortable and adjustable lever on the planet then these are the brakes for you. If you are over 200 pounds, are competition fast, or BOTH then go bigger... the mini's won't hang on downhills longer than about a quarter of a mile without ridiculous noise (squeal and chatter) or about a mile with noticeable fade. Give me a month and I'll let you guys thinking about upgrading to the mono 6Ti's know if they were worth the $380 bucks for the pair.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Geo Clark
a Weekend Warrior
from Wirral U.K Date Reviewed: September 19, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Jacob's ladder
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Well designed and well made reliable low maintenance powerful and well modulated brakes.
Weaknesses:
Reqiure attention when first setting up to ensure that they function to their best.
Similar Products Used:
Offerings from Formula, Magura, Hayes and other Hope models.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Epic Marathon. Hope hubs and X317 rims.
Bottom Line:
The Hope Mini is an exceptional brake. It has excellent modulation and far more power for it's size than it should have. Due to the size and design of the rotors overheating and pump-up/fade is almost non existent. The brakes inspire confidence and have been completely reliable. In 3 years I have only had to change the pads, they have required no maintenance and considering the conditions in which I ride that is quite an achievement.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chuck
a Weekend Warrior
from AZ Date Reviewed: September 5, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Very well put together with strong and posistive braking with a very nice "bite point". No brake fade except in the most exceptional situations. Very reliable...good rotor which cleans itself as you apply the brakes. Pretty light with a very good pad life.
Weaknesses:
They can squeel sometimes for no reason and they take a few rides to bed in. Must be set up carefully.
Bottom Line:
A stonking set of brakes , and in over 2 years all I have had to do is change the pads. They give you confidence especially on the techy downhill stuff on the front brake. And they can take punishment but still work efficiently over and over. Nice rotors that stay cool but get rid of any build up of trail debris.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: August 29, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Nice looking kit. Very light with top notch modulation. Strong braking consistently even over long downhill sections with almost no pump-up.
Weaknesses:
A little expensive and they need setting up carefully.
Great stoppers...powerful and very well modulated so that's power with control, lots of control. They are light too and pretty straightforward to maintain...just get the setup right. Very good pad wear that is they last a long time. What more can I say...just a great set of discs!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tos Pott
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K Date Reviewed: August 22, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Marin
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Strengths:
Great "feel" to these brakes. Much more powerfull than you would think from their size. The pads are long lasting. Strong rotors and the rotor shape cleans off dirt. More than just a X-country brake. Pretty light. Very reliable.
Weaknesses:
Get some squeal sometimes.
Similar Products Used:
Formula, Hayes, Magura, Avid, Shimano XT and XTR.
Bike Setup:
Whyte PRST-4 with the usual trimmings.
Bottom Line:
Just a great manufacturer of Disc brakes, at least these Mini's are. Strong and reliable with loads of "feel" at the lever. Powerfull braking. They punch well above their weight and as thus can be used for Freeride and even light Downhill. Well beter than many of their competitors, particularly Shimano. Pads last for ages and give good grip in almost all conditions. They have improved my biking no end.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dave
a Cross Country Rider
from pojoaque Date Reviewed: August 5, 2004
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$140.00
Purchased At:
CyclePath
Strengths:
Reasonably light, solid
Weaknesses:
pistons don't retract evenly, especially on new brakes
Similar Products Used:
shimano XT
Bottom Line:
These brakes are top notch after they are well broken in. Before that however, I find that one piston doesn't retract as well as the other and so you tend to have some drag. I have set these up now on 5 bikes and the problem has occurred on every one. As I say though, after a few hundred (or thousand) brake cycles, the pistons get better and better. I have tried the tricks recommended by Hope and others but it seems to come down to just taking time. Eventually, they each retract equally and are completely drag free.
My other slight gripe is that the stated 380 g weight is incorrect. I have weighed at least 8 of these brakes, front and rear and they are all ~420 g with 165 mm rotors.
Other than that they are great. Some pump-up on long descents but that goes away quickly as they cool. They are very reliable and usually don't require reshimming when changing pads.
One other note: when combining this brake with a Fox fork and Chris King front hub you may find, as I did, that there isn't enough space to align the caliper over the rotor and that you need to take some metal off the Fox fork tabs. I spoke with all three companies and they are aware of the problem but point the finger at each other. Just so you know. Taking 1 or 2 mm off the fork tabs solved the probelm for me.
Overall, excellent.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Barbara, CA Date Reviewed: August 2, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Lightweight, cool machining
Weaknesses:
Not super strong, but generally very good stopping power
Bike Setup:
Truth, sweet build
Bottom Line:
I posted a scathing review below. It turned out that I'm a jackass and I felt I should publish a correction. Actually the real jackass is the guy who built the bike. I guess he was out of Hope hydraulic line and put Hayes line on instead- they look identical, I'm sure he figured no difference. So the lines are just different enough my brakes were leaking a little at a time, but ruining rides and brake pads. It took a long time before I caught on to the problem! They are working great now - no noise even!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roj
a Cross Country Rider
from London Date Reviewed: July 30, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Ashridge
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Chain reaction
Strengths:
Nice modulation & Look great
Weaknesses:
Takes time to set up & get right
Similar Products Used:
Avid Mech disc brakes, Shimano Hydraulic
Bike Setup:
Cove Hanjob, 100mm fork, 200 185mm discs, Mavic 519, panaracer fire XC pro, and a seat, oh and some handlebars too!!
Bottom Line:
These things take some patience to get right. I fitted mine, rode em - they squealed like hell - so i re did em - twice. Once you got the best fit, put some copper grease on the rear of the pads - it stops the vibration against the piston doin the squealin thang. The system is an open system, relying on the spring to keep the pads off the disc when rolling - there is some drag at speed as the movement of the disc through the block sucks the pads in - if your that paranoid get a closed system. Remeber you may not need identical shims both sides - how straight is your disc mount?? After a bit of faff i love these brakes, will never return to V Brakes for off road.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff Phillips
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Barbara CA USA Date Reviewed: July 28, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Feel good when working
Weaknesses:
Don't work. I'll spare you the three page essay about the several different problems I've had with these brakes, the humilitating downhill hikes after the brakes have failed, the hours myself and the local bike shop mechanics have spent trying to make these work. HOPELESS! They simply don't work!
Bottom Line:
HOPELESS! Do yourself a favor and step away from these brakes. I wouldn't take another pair for free.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeffrey Puzas
a Cross Country Rider
from Bowie, MD Date Reviewed: July 24, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Patapsco, MD
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
College Park Bicycles
Strengths:
Awesome CNC machining results in a beautiful appearance - these are jewels for your bike, maintenance free, reliable, low weight, and highly durable
Weaknesses:
Can't think of one
Similar Products Used:
First set of disc brakes - I have no comparisons
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Super V, Carbon Lefty, Mavic X317 built w/Hope XC Hubs, XTR front and rear derailure
Bottom Line:
I weigh 220 lbs and the bike is 26.9 lbs and I have had no issues with these brakes. They will pick the rear end up no problem. If they do not, then your pads are contaminated. I am running the "Gold" pads which wear extremely long and stop well. To uncontaminate the pads put them in the oven at 350deg for about 20 minutes and clean the rotors . This really works. Keep them clean and they will not let you down. I can feel them pump up a bit on long technical decents but it has no effect on the braking power it just feels like the lever gets bit stiffer which I actually like. I have been riding these brakes for 2 years and cannot think of any reason you should not buy them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh S
a Downhiller
from prince George, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: July 22, 2004
Favorite Trail:
$10 W#*re
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
Exceptional modulation. Adequate power. BOMPBPROOF! Perhaps the best looking brakes out there. Unquestionably the best levers ever...really tough too.
Weaknesses:
Start to pack-up after really long periods of descending...but hey, these are X-country brakes right? Squeally sometimes.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, Avid
Bike Setup:
03 Bullit with Jr.T.
Bottom Line:
I can't understand why everyone still uses Hayes. I know they have good ratings, but it seems like every ride someones' Hayes s#*ts the bed. And Hayes levers absolutely blow. These are great brakes, i will never own another brand. Unless you're a lightweight like me, I would suggest the Mono 4's though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K Date Reviewed: July 15, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Bottom Line:
The Mini is the way to go for power and modulation. It can also be used for Freeriding and light downhilling. The new Mono Mini which I tested for a full day left me disappointed as the rotor and the pads a very small. This causes premature heat bulid-up on hard descents and palpable fade. And the rotors are a little fragile. So....in short, This "old" Mini is a versatile, strong, well modulated and powerful brake with versatility. The "new" Mono mini is well modulated and powerful BUT strictly a cross-country brake. Be clear.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
M. McMagical
a Weekend Warrior
from Scotland Date Reviewed: June 24, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Glenn Tress
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Cycle1st.com
Strengths:
Powerful, well built and light. Dependable, low maintenance, Fantastic modulation.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, Avid, Shimano XT, Formula.
Bike Setup:
Marin Mount Vision Pro with the usual gubbins.
Bottom Line:
Superb set of brakes. I have had no trouble in nearly 3 years. Pads last very well. The modulation (Feel) of the brakes is amazing and allows me to love my front brake on those gravity induced kimikaze technical steep descents, not losing control even in the wet and slimmy. More than enough power and I have never had an issue with pump-up, which is more than I can say for some disc systems. The only other make that comes close is Formula.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Cael
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver, WA, USA Date Reviewed: June 1, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Submarine Rock, Sedona, AZ
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$149.00
Purchased At:
universalcycles.com
Strengths:
These are great stoppers. Very lite weight. Excellent manufacturing quality. Modulate very well. Easy to install and setup. They also look pretty awesome.
Weaknesses:
Tend to squell a lot. Can't seem to remedy this.
Similar Products Used:
1st disc brakes I've owned
Bike Setup:
Titus Switchblade, Marzocchi MX Pro , SRAM 9.0, Mavic 217, Hope Hubset, Hope Mini disc brakeset. Raceface Prodigy crankset, Easton carbon hb and sp. WTB saddle.
Bottom Line:
These are great brakes which I highly recommend. If anybody knows how I can get rid of the squell let me know. Thanks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stephen Brown
a Weekend Warrior
from Manchester, England Date Reviewed: April 19, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Mike Cookson Cycles, Bury
Strengths:
They stop effectively every time. They need little maintenance.
Weaknesses:
They can squeal a bit when the pads are new or if the disc becomes contaminated with oily substances.
Similar Products Used:
V brakes.
Bike Setup:
Saracen Recoil XC / Hope Minis.
Bottom Line:
The brakes have proved to be very reliable so far. It surprised me how little space I needed to stop when I first used them. They work effectively even when they get wet and muddy. The pads take a couple of rides to bed in and they can squeal if the discs become contaminated. I have recently transferred the brakes to a different bike and they were straightforward to fit. This was helped because the new bike needed the same size spacers to get the alignment correct. The only maintenance that I have had to carry out is to replace the pads (and bleed them after moving them to a different bike).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe L.
a Cross Country Rider
from Owings Mills, MD, USA Date Reviewed: April 10, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Avalon
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
123 Bikes
Strengths:
Lightweight, Good Stopping Power
Weaknesses:
Howls like a god damn banshee, Pad Replacement is a pain, plan on mail ordering parts
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Disc
Bike Setup:
Intense Tracer, Full Xtr, Yada yada
Bottom Line:
Don't get me wrong, these brakes do their job and will stop you on a dime for normal Xc riding. They do have some issues though. I've fought them with adjustments, whenever they get wet, which is often where I ride, they howl like a damn banshee. This drives me nuts. Both front and rear do it. I figure for the price I paid I shouldn't have to play bike mechanic every 5 rides with these. Secondly, pad replacement blows. You have to disassemble the brake which splits in 2 pieces, remove the old pads, and replace. The problem here is that if you accidentaly squeeze or hit the brake lever of the brake your changing, oops there goes your fluid and time to bleed! Sux! They also use Dot 5.1 which no friggin auto or motorcycle store carries around here. Mail order again. Another issue is that the piston will advance as the pad wears. Now when you put a nice new pad in you have to force the piston back to get a new pad in, which blows. Rebleed! Bottom line is on my next purchase, I'll be back to Hayes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Leo Wegner
a Cross Country Rider
from Rancho Santa Margrita Date Reviewed: March 18, 2004
Favorite Trail:
The One I'm Riding in OC
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$140.00
Purchased At:
Don't recall
Strengths:
Light. CNC'd throughout--every piece! Firm Grip. NO fade even after long, long declines.
Weaknesses:
Squeel at first, this goes away. Shims used to adjust.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Mechanical
Bike Setup:
Special Edition I-Drive, Chris King headset and hubs, UST & Contis, XTR Hollowtech, blah, blah
Bottom Line:
After a year of hard trail riding and long descents 3 X a week these brakes are still worth every cent and would replace them with nothing less than the same product.
A friend lost the use of his rear brake (another brand) and he did not want to ride with us. We grouped together and we all agreed to not use our rear brakes that day if he'd consider riding with us, he did. On the longest decline all of my buddies front brakes failed due to heat. But not the Hope Mini front brake!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a
from Birmingham UK Date Reviewed: March 15, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$78.00
Purchased At:
Ebay.co.uk
Strengths:
Looks Strength Modulation
Weaknesses:
Squeels like a banshee when wet stupid 90degree adaptor
Similar Products Used:
Magura HS33 Promax Vbrakes
Bike Setup:
Mongoose Fireball
Bottom Line:
i have always wanted disk braked for abotu 4 years now but havent had the need or the money for them. so when i got my new bike i decided to go all out and fit a front disk.
the setup on this was so simple a noobie like me with limeted technical knowlage can fit them. it was a matter of botl on the rotor and caliper with the approprate spacers.
i also swapped out the 90degree adaptor for a straight one.
bleeding was a breeze (note dont use a cork bloakc as a spacer like i did)
after the inital setup i centered the pads by pumping the leaver and then i decided to take her out for a spin. at first there was no power (worse than my badly setup V's on my old bike) so i thaught they were a bit naff then i rememberd that it took abotu 30- 40 hard stops to bed the pads in. and its reccommended to wet the rotor while bedding in ( thermal cycle the pads/rotor) so i rode to the steepest hill i could find by me with the brake dragging. and rode down it a few times.
now modulation is perfect and i also have the power to lock my front wheel if i ever wanted to.
i managed to warp the rotor not sure if that was me or if it was like that when i got it. but its not very bad and only noticable when riding slowley you can hear it rubbing on each rotation of the wheel.
good brake squeels when wet
i have had no problems with it like anyone else has mentioned below me. i havent even had to face my forks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shane Fadely
a Downhiller
from Martinsburg, WV US Date Reviewed: February 11, 2004
Favorite Trail:
anything steep up or down
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Cool looking and great modulation (excellent feel)
Weaknesses:
They were my first disc brakes after V brakes. I thought they kicked but at first. They're mounted on my Kona Kula hardtail. I then bought a Giant AC-1 and it had Hayes Comps with 8" rotors. Wow, what a difference! The minis had no power in comparison. I pretty muched didn't ride my hardtail too much (was in Arizona and it was too rocky for a hardatail) and really got used to the power of the Hayes. I hopped on my hardtail and took on the same trails with my Kona w/ it's Hope minis. I damn near killed myself on a steep descent because I was used to a level of power that the Hayes offered and the Minis gave me nothing except out of control speed and a steep/rocky descent. I almost bit it real hard. 8" rotors cant make that much difference in power (just cooling factor i guess) Unless they're set up wrong, which I don't think they are, they don't impress me.
Bottom Line:
Opt for a better brake, I thought i'd be different and take on some cool looking Italian Hopes instead of Hayes at the time. Bad choice. Just don't have the power of Hayes. Hell, they're called Minis.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim Field
a Cross Country Rider
from Englan Date Reviewed: February 4, 2004
Favorite Trail:
devils dyke
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$220.00
Strengths:
Weight Modulation Efficiency
Weaknesses:
As all disc breaks set up
Similar Products Used:
hayes, formula
Bike Setup:
Mixed
Bottom Line:
Great break, Light weight, true cross country trail piece of kit. Example of piece of great engineering from the country that does it best. Set up as all discs take your time, do it well and works like a beauty!!! Not as much power as downhill versions but does the job it is built for perfectly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ollie
a Weekend Warrior
from UK Date Reviewed: January 31, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Performance, Modulation, and in the case of the Mini Mono, beautiful!
Weaknesses:
Time consuming to setup, but name a disc brake that isn't!
Similar Products Used:
Hope C2's, Hayes, Magura Rim Brakes
Bike Setup:
Hope Mini's = Kona Kula, XT, X618's, Judy's, Time Z-Control pedals. Hope Mono Mini's = Kona Cindercone, X618's, Time Z-Control pedals, Marzocchi Z3 Flylights
Bottom Line:
I have the standard Mini, and my gf has the new Mini Mono, and I have nothing but praise for these brakes. The Mono's did squeal a little and were spongy at first, but the disc mounts were misaligned on the frame, once a shop faced them off, (Bikelab, Poole), they were excellent.
Ignore the moron below, who I doubt has even used the brakes, if he has then he obviously has no clue how to install them and correctly set them up!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
KGT
a Weekend Warrior
from Bishop Auckland Date Reviewed: January 28, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Hamsterley
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$345.00
Purchased At:
www.chainreactioncycles.com
Strengths:
Simple, effective, good vfm, ease of use/adjustment, look good on the bike !
Weaknesses:
None so far - but only two weeks and one decent ride in
Similar Products Used:
Never used discs before - previous brakes were Avid Arch Rival V's
Bike Setup:
Marin Rock Springs, XT throughout, Mavics, Hopes (obviously), the usual blah blah etc etc.
Bottom Line:
I read a pile of reviews on this site (which is excellent and has helped me on many purchases) and decided to disregard most of the exotic rants and loony raves. Checked out the Shimano and Hayes alternatives but was advised by the bike shops to go Hope. I'll be honest, Im no mechanic (and the boys at Bish' Halfords can vouch for that) but I fitted front and back rotors, levers and calipers in no more than an hour. OK so I spent another hour chasing shims around the garage floor before I considered things perfect. First ride out things seemed good, certainly an improvement over my pretty good V's. Ive never used discs before so not sure what to expect in the coming months. They definitely seem to be decent with good stopping power even in slightly damp condition. I adjusted the levers to my liking, which was easy-as, and I guess they will only get better as they bed in. Bit of a squeak occasionally, but I definitely prefer that to high speed impacts and other such painful moments, of which Ive had a few. I must mention the guys at Chain Reactions who dealt with me very patiently (pre purchase) and have since helped me on a few points (post purchase). "Any problems give us a ring, any major issues send the things back" They've been good to their word on other purchases, so Ive got no real reason to doubt them. If I can think of anything else, Ill get back to you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
J. V.
a Cross Country Rider
from Small Town near somewhere Date Reviewed: January 26, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Light, good power, all condition stopping, easy to set up, reliable
Weaknesses:
Price, they heat up a bit in bigger descents (but even cars do that)
Similar Products Used:
v-brakes XTR (great power but only in dry conditions)
Bike Setup:
Custom, Skareb, X-max, Hope Mini
Bottom Line:
I used the XTR v-brakes for about 4 years. they were very good in dry conditions, they could stop me in the wet ones, but not as much safe as the disc brakes. I chose the Mini's because of it's good power (I use 185/165mm conf.) they are cheaper than the XT's and work great in the rain. If you are looking for a light and reliable disc brake my advice goes to Hope Mini.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Westminster,MA Date Reviewed: January 26, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Bottom Line:
This is a follow up to my 8/6/03 review. I was having a problem with now power. After junking 2 sets of pads, I found a small leak in the piston seal. I ordered the seal kit and rebuilt the rear caliper. I also had to use the power clamp that speedgoat offers to prevent leaking between the caliper halves. The clamp thing is a cheezy bandaid, but it works. I now have no leaks and use the EBC green pads. Sounds like the new Mono design may have addressed the slitting caliper problem. Also, I replaced the rotor with an avid rotor, no more noise, I will replace the front with an avid rotor when it is time. To sum up, if you suspect a leak, rebuild the caliper for small $$$ ($20) and so you don't continue to contaminate brake pads and replace your rotors with avids (the ones for their mech. disc brakes). I really do like the way they modulate and will probably buy the new Mono style for my next bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
skipper
a Weekend Warrior
from plymouth, devon, uk Date Reviewed: January 23, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
halfords
Strengths:
handle bar end of things is faultless. general quality is very good. however, there is one really big problem
Weaknesses:
they CANNOT run without some degree of drag.
Similar Products Used:
magura, hayes
Bike Setup:
'dale f700, x-lite, shimano xt, 24seven
Bottom Line:
these brakes cannot be run without rubs or squeals. that is the bottom line! the wire that is supposed to help your pads move away from the rotor is shockingly poor. they might run free for a while but once you move that wheel (eg puncture)...you will get drag to some degree unless you spend 20 minutes zeroing everything in. i am very very particular and i wanted zero rub when i decided to get c2's. halfords talked me into buying mini's. if you want ZERO DRAG mini's are a DISASTER. spend the extra few quid and get c2's. dont say you havent been warned
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a
from uk Date Reviewed: January 18, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
chainreaction
Strengths:
ive got a 185 old style mini on the front and a new mono mini 165 on the back of my p3 and all i can say is i'm a total hope convert. yes the old minis squeal like hell but be honest, who gives a fu@k? for this much RELIABLE stopping power you can't complain. i managed to set both ends of my bike up in under half hour and havn't looked at them since, true fit and forget items and ive done a lot of miles on 'em!
Weaknesses:
slight fading from the front brake on punishing dh, but the rotor was pretty much glowing! The squealing from the old mini but its no biggie, once you take the glazing off the pads they calm down a bit...
Similar Products Used:
hayes (crap, have these ppl heard of modulation?) gustav M's (crap, so much modulation you think theres air in the line)
Bike Setup:
specialized p3 Z150's hope BULBS d321's bla bla bla
Bottom Line:
i'd reccomend both the old style mini and the new mono mini to anyone unless you'r a hardcore dh'er.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
raz
a
from nottingham Date Reviewed: January 17, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$98.00
Purchased At:
chainreaction
Strengths:
good power, good modulation, prebled... easy to fit
Weaknesses:
a fair bit of 'pull' in the lever, which is ok if u like that sort of thing
this is a review for the NEW hope mini MONO. havent had it that long (weekish) but completed 2-3 fairly hard days of riding in crap conditions. the brake has almost bedded in and feels pretty good, power is always there and there is a noticable lack of pump up when going down long hills compared to my xt discs (dot vs mineral oil). hopes do have a reputation for squealing, and to be fair the new ones do squeal a little, but not as much as the old ones. However i'm taking my bike to the lbs to get the tabs faced off, so hopefully this should sort things out!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Samsun
a Cross Country Rider
from Wales, GB Date Reviewed: January 3, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Local
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
Second hand
Strengths:
Light, cheap (even at RRP), superb power, look sweet, easy to fix.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano
Bike Setup:
Orange Sub-5, Fox, Raceface, Hope, XT.
Bottom Line:
Price I paid is in £ second hand( only 3 months old). I have been using these brakes now for over a year and all I can do I compare them to my mates brakes as I have only ridden Shimanos. These are so light but from what I can tell are not that far from the M4's in the power area. These you just fit and forget, even the pads last for ages and doing some moderate downhill in the conditions over here is nothing to be sniffed at. In my opinion to even compare these to Hayes is a joke, heavy, poor modulation and poor caliper construction to just name a few. I ride about 60 miles a week, all through gloop for most of that and all I have had is a sticky caliper which was fixed in about 20 mins and needed no parts unlike Hayes. In my opinion these are fine unless you are into downhill, they are super light, powerfull, have good modulation and look the dogs doodles. I can only Hope that you take my advice and get a pair, at least stay away from Hayes. For all you people on Hayes we have Hope, have you!!! (cheese)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mark wilson
a Cross Country Rider
from plymouth, mn Date Reviewed: December 24, 2003
Favorite Trail:
f trail rodalben germany
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
?
Strengths:
Modulation, reliability, light weight, easy maintian, provide the best brake control I have ever ridden, self adjusting for wear, no drag, levers are solind with no slop like magura's.
Weaknesses:
sqeauling, pad/rotor contact isn't adjustable, could be a bit stronger in terms of stopping power, can't flip the lever's over like hayes
Similar Products Used:
hayes, magura, early formulas, avid mech.
Bike Setup:
blur, marathon s, easton, thompson, hope mini, next lp, king, fsa ti bb, sram, xtr
Bottom Line:
I have used a number of brakes over the years and I just plain love the feel of the mini's at the lever. The modulation provides superior control over any brake I have ever ridden before. When needed you can keep the wheel at maximum stopping power just before lock up. After initial set up I have done nothing but change the pads. Hope sent me a new set to replace the first ones free of charge. I have done a number of two mile downhills with these and have not expereinced any ramp up or spongy feeling. They could be stronger like the hayes but I don't like the on/off feeling of the hayes. Some people have mentioned shimming them and I would agree that it is mostly a frame issue not a brake issue from manufacturers like Ellsworth, Santa Cruz and Rocky Mountain. On every one of those frames the mounts weren't aligned and caused sqeaul. After sanding the paint of and shimming correctly if was fixed. These are great if your looking for reliability in a great all round trail brake. If you are looking for something to downhill with or freeride with look at the XT, Hope Enduro, SRAM, or Hayes. If you are looking to have a great trailbike brake this may be it. They are really expensive.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marsh
a Weekend Warrior
from London, England Date Reviewed: December 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
freeborn mtb center North Shore style
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$190.00
Purchased At:
wiggle.co.uk
Strengths:
Verylight, great modulation, looks great, and it's quiet as a mouse with a break pad in its mouth. It's also really easy to install.
Weaknesses:
NONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bike Setup:
Saracen Havoc that's spent a lot of time in the work shop-Junior t '04,top eason components, mavic crossmax wheels plus those v. special Hope minis
Bottom Line:
These brakes are primarily designed for xc but i've used them for downhill North Shore, the lot and i haven't had one problem. They don't squeal at all for all you down there all i can say is check the torque after every ride and adjust the levers.All i can say is they're great.
N.B. I'M REVIEWING THE NEW MONO MINIS WHICH SOUND A HELL OF A LOT BETTER THAN THE OLD ONES FROM WHAT ALL THOSE GUYS DOWN THERE SAY PLUS THEY LOOK A LOT BETTER.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard Leftley
a
from Cheltenham, UK Date Reviewed: December 15, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Lecky Hill
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Chainreaction cycles
Strengths:
Modulation, cool looking rotors, fantacstic power
Weaknesses:
None yet
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Heckler with 5th element coil, Zochi MX Comps, XT
Bottom Line:
These rock! I am no lightweight weighing in at 200lbs and with a Heckler that I have not rigged up for some light XC and the minis stop me on a dime everytime. In fact I have to be careful not to pop my eyes out. I have heard so many people whine about minis squealing but have never had a problem - if they squeal, use a bit of methilated spirit on the rotor and change the pads to the gold ones that last forever and give good performance. FIVE chilly things
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dale Peterson
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Barbara, CA, USA Date Reviewed: November 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Tequepas
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$252.00
Purchased At:
Velo Pro (the shop I work at)
Strengths:
Light, super light action lever, very solid feel once pads hit rotor, excellent power & modulation, NO SQUEAL OR RUB. Come prebled, and you can specify housing length at time of purchase, as well as 90° or inline fittings at the lever. I replace my XTR brakes with these, and there simply is no comparison. The lever feel is ten times better, and they are definetly quite a bit stronger. I weigh 190lbs, and with an 8" rotor up front, I have way more power than I'll ever need... I actually think that the 7" (180mm) might have been a better choice (no adapter, lighter rotor).
These brakes are the shiznit. With the 8" rotor they are as strong or stronger than a hayes, and the lever feel is nicer. Plus out of all the brake systems out there (Shimano, Magura, Hayes, Formula, Avid) these are pretty much the cheapest quality set of hydraulic brakes. The really cool thing about them is that you can order them with inline or 90° fittings at the lever, you have your choice of 160mm, 180mm, or 200mm rotors, and Goodridge is making stainless braided lines for these brakes. Once I get those on there, I'll be sure to give another review. Also, when you order these brakes, you can specify the exact length of the housing so you won't have to bleed them once you get them.... they come prebled. I would recommend these brakes to, anybody and if you weigh less then 150lb, definetly go with the 6" rotors
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin Yee
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: November 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Anywhere technical
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
Chainreaction.uk
Strengths:
Salvation is here the new Hope Mono Mini has arrived.
Lotsa power, no squeeking, no pump up, sexy black and gold
Weaknesses:
No so far.
Similar Products Used:
Hope mini, M4, Avid mechanical, Hays mechanical
Bike Setup:
Bla bla xtr bla bla race face bla bla hope this and that, bla bla fox float
Bottom Line:
If you love the weight but cant stand the squeel of the old mini, then get the mini mono, then the only noise you will hear on the trail is your breathing.....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jim
a Cross Country Rider
from marin Date Reviewed: November 18, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
i don't think there are any...maybe they look ok and don't weigh a lot
Weaknesses:
typical finicky british piece of crap. not much stopping power, squeal like a freaking stuck pig, and unless you get lucky and get a good pair, they are impossible to make work well
Similar Products Used:
hayes, avid, magura, formula
Bike Setup:
turner 5 spot w/ the goods
Bottom Line:
like a few folks below, I consider myself a pretty good wrench & I've tried everything to make the rear brake work w/out godawful-squealing-I'm-gonna-kill-myself noise. shimmed em, faced the tabs (twice), tried different brake pads, different rotors, etc. the weird thing is, the front is ok. the brit chic at hope usa blamed turner, says its their problem...interesting. I finally have the squealing semi-under control, but they still are pieces of junk compared to the good brakes out there (moderate stopping power, okay modulation). the bottom line is their quality control is abysmal, & their customer service sucks incredibly. why waste all your time and effort to make a brake work that still has half the stopping power of hayes, magura, avid you name it....reminds me of an old jaguar...kind of fun half the time...rest of the time you are HATIN!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon Lipman
a Cross Country Rider
from Israel Date Reviewed: November 12, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Cycle Surgery London
Strengths:
Light and compact with good British engineering qualities.
Weaknesses:
The noise and squealing from day one (see below)
Bike Setup:
Orange P7 Hardtail c/w Fox RLC Forks
Bottom Line:
Noise Problem Solved by switching from the factory supplied pads (which I believe Hope said were a defective batch) to after -market EBC (Green)Pads (Zoom Products). After three months of suffering and embaressment , the problem went away completely and even gave increased smooth control.I can't recommend these pads enough. My rating of the Hope Mini is post EBC conversion.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael
a Cross Country Rider
from Canoga Park,CA USA Date Reviewed: November 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Johnsons Trail Off Rocky Peak
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Easy To Install Great Modulation Dependable Well Made Cool Look
Weaknesses:
None, I'm Happy With The Brakes. They Stop Well And Are Easy To Adjust
Similar Products Used:
Formula Evoultion Discs (Try These Brake And You Will Know Pain)
Bike Setup:
2000 GT XCR-LE
Bottom Line:
I have never gotten any squeaking from them. I recommend them to you. Easy to install and maintain. What more could yo ask from any brake?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
marc stokes
a Weekend Warrior
from atascadero ca Date Reviewed: October 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:
"ridge " in s.l.o.
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1170.00
Strengths:
LOOKS AND MODULATION
Weaknesses:
SEE BOTTOM LINE SECTION
Similar Products Used:
HAYES HYDROS
Bike Setup:
03 enduro
Bottom Line:
I HOPE THESE BRAKES STOP YOU? I HOPE THE CALIPERS DONT LEAK CAUSE ITS LIKE AN EXTRA $40.00 I HOPE YOU CAN FIND A BIKE SHOP TO "ACE THE TABS" I HOPE YOU CAN AFFORD THESE CAUSE THEY ARE EXPENSIVE I HOPE YOU CAN SHIM THEM PROPERLY I HOPE YOU DONT WEIGH MORE THAN 180 LBS I HOPE YOU JUST RIDE X CROUNTRY I HOPE YOU HAVE A SET OF EAR PLUGS TO MINIMIZE THE SQUEAL I HOPE YOU RIDE ALONE CAUSE YOUR FRIENDS HATE THE NOISE ALSO
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Urbana, Illinois Date Reviewed: October 22, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Kickapoo State Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
MTBR classifieds
Strengths:
Works great with proper set up. I first called Hope and question them on the set up and then took about 4 hours to set them up and properly shim them. Zero disc drag, no squealing. Very light setup. Excellent modulation and very good stopping power, it's all one finger all the way! I waited to get in several rides before this posting to give them a fair amount of rides before reviewing. I will repost after I get about a year on them.
Santa Cruz Superlight with a Marzocchi Atom 80 fork, Raceface Dues stem, Easton Monkeylite low riser bars, XO shifters, Alien ti seat post, Selle Flite gel saddle, WTB disclite hubs laced with black dt revolutin spokes to black Mavic 301 disc hubs, XT fron derailleur, XO rear derailleur, Raceface compact crank 42, 32, 20. Time ATACS pedals, XT 12-34 cassette and of course, Hope Mini's fron and back.
Bottom Line:
Great brakes, everything I've always wanted in a brake and it does it while wet too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
steve
a Cross Country Rider
from UK Date Reviewed: October 19, 2003
Favorite Trail:
anything out of the edale valley
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
samways, derby UK
Strengths:
No fuss, low maintainance, work whatever the conditions, classic British design
Weaknesses:
You have to change the pads yourself!!!!!!!!!!!
Similar Products Used:
Formula B4, many years of v's and canti's
Bike Setup:
Dave Hinde columbus foco frame, rond quake comps, mini's, mix everywhere else
Bottom Line:
I ride tricky trails all year round, I scratch myself and my bike, and the mini's keep on stopping me whatever the conditions. I was a disc sceptic for a couple of years, but if u ride in the UK, only weight watchers and people who ride mtbs on roads could argue they get comparable performance from rim brakes. the only possible negative is your bike shop, mention any grumble or squeaks and they will sting you for a £20 bleed kit, of which the most expensive item is the box it comes in!!!!! Also if we do not support quality smaller companies who make top kit, we are all going to become shimano clones, who suck corporate dick!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will
a Weekend Warrior
from UK Date Reviewed: October 11, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$105.00
Purchased At:
Merlin Cycles
Strengths:
Looks, they would work well if they didnt keep leaking
Weaknesses:
Caliper halfs separate and oil leaks out onto the pads
Similar Products Used:
V-Brakes
Bike Setup:
Specalized, Marzocchi, DMR
Bottom Line:
I have had brake fluid leaking onto the brake pads inside the caliper so the brakes had no power whatsoever. I have, however, ridden a mates bike with Minis and his were sweet so i know they are nice if they do work..
I have sent them back to Hope, who have so far replied to all emails instantly so i have no problems with their customer service.
Hopefully ill have a working brake soon, i look forward to it....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
j. tibb
a Weekend Warrior
from athens Date Reviewed: October 10, 2003
Favorite Trail:
dirt
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$130.00
Purchased At:
universal cycles
Strengths:
light, incredibly easy to set up,lever reach adjust
very light squeek when pads first contact rotor (to be expected, all other i have owned were much worse when new) after a few rides and water rinses squeek has dissappeared. set up? wow, a whopping two washers on the rear and one washer on the front. squeeze the handle and tighten down. dont forget threadlock (blue) on all bolts. done!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hugo
a Cross Country Rider
from San Antonio, TX Date Reviewed: October 5, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA.com
Strengths:
Lightweight. Plenty of controllable braking power. Quality construction. Customer service.
Weaknesses:
It takes some time and patience to set up.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT V-brakes, Magura Hydro rim brakes.
Bike Setup:
2001 Intense Tracer, XT/XTR, Rock Shox Sid 100
Bottom Line:
Exellent brake system for what it was designed to do. Worked flawlessly for a year. Two weeks ago, I did a 24 hour race in mud. The brake pads were just about due to be replaced before the race, but I wasn't expecting rain and mud. As a consequense, I wore throught the brake pad, the brake pad backing plate and into the caliper piston. I called Hope, told that what had happened and that I wasn't expecting warranty to cover this. They said to send it in and they'd take a look at it. Within two days, they repaired and returned them to me without charge. With many companies, customer service is a little less than what you hope for. With Hope, they exceeded my expectations.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Derek Ealy
a Cross Country Rider
from Redondo Beach, CA Date Reviewed: September 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Most everything
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
speedgoat.com
Strengths:
Build quality, good combination of price, weight and performance. Also they look pretty cool.
Weaknesses:
Squealing noise, sticking pistons
Bike Setup:
'02 Spec FSR configured for trail riding.
Bottom Line:
I'm not sure about some of the posts people put up here. One guy says the brakes are like on-off switches, and the other says they have no power, but great modulation. Doesn't anyone read the instructions and realize that these characterstics are adjustable on these brakes. I had no problem at all dialing in what I consider to be just the right balance between the two.
Also I've had pretty good experience so far with Hope Tech USA. I'm sure its possible that some guy had a bad time with them, but I think that was the same guy who started out saying he had no power from the rear brake. But yet he somehow got them hot enough to melt the hydro line. This makes no sense. How can you have no power and yet generate enough heat to melt the hose?
I've ridden just about every place there is to ride in southern california, and several places in Moab too and have never come across a downhill situation that these brakes couldn't handle. I've never had any pump up or over heating at all. I weigh about 185lbs and ride some very aggressive trails.
My biggest problem with these brakes has been the pistons not retracting from the rotors in a symetrical fashion. By this I mean that often one of the brake pads is in light contact with the rotor. I doubt this slows me down in any appreciable way, but the thought is always there when I hear the sound from the rotor dragging on the pad.
In over 1000 miles on these brakes I've bled them only twice and it was really simple and straight forward with the Hope bleed kit. I've also completely dissassembled the calipers for a cleaning and relube of all pistons and seals once. But this really didn't seem to fix the sticking piston problem. In over 18 months of use I don't really consider this to be an unreasonable amount of maintenance considering the rough riding I put them through.
If I were building up a new bike I would still certainly put these brakes near the top of my list along with Martas, XTRs and B4SLs. I think all have their pluses and minuses and would weigh my considerations carefully before spending the cash.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from Vienna Va. Date Reviewed: September 30, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$150.00
Strengths:
Great modulation and good power. I set it up and it works. I haven't had to do any tweaking.
Weaknesses:
Sqeals like a stuck pig when the rotors get wet.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes
Bike Setup:
Tracer, Zokkie Z1 MCR (w/ 100 mm travel springs)
Bottom Line:
With the exception of the squeal when wet issue I have had no problems with these. They have the best modulation I have ever felt and great power for a XC brake. Yes, I have had them start to pump up on long Down Hills but all you have to do is release the lever for a second and they are back to normal (beauty of the open system). Set up can take some time but once they are on and broken in they just plane work with nothing but a pad change every year
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gary White
a Cross Country Rider
from London, UK Date Reviewed: September 15, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Old Springs Trail, Marin, Ca
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Cycle Surgery, London, UK
Strengths:
Light weight, excellent lever ergonomics, good stopping power, pad life very respectable. Look good
Weaknesses:
Care needed with bleeding and maintenance - top reservoir diaphragm seal easily damaged
Similar Products Used:
Hope C2, Hayes, Shimano XT
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight A (2001 model), Fox Forx Float 100mm RLC, Mavic Crossmax XL wheelset with Hope Ti skewers, Panaracer Trailblaster UST tires, Race Face Turbine LP cranks & rings (42-32-22), XT cassette (12-34), Sachs PC99 chain, XTR shifters & mechs, Hope Mini brake set with 165mm rotors, Easton EC Monkeylite bar & seat post, Koobi Si saddle, Shimano 959 pedals, Chris King headset, Race Face System stem, WTB grips, XTR shifter cable set
Bottom Line:
Apart from some fears of premature fluid leakage from top reservoir, this is a truly great brake set. In the UK, we can't understand why you guys the other side of the Pond use any other brakes - Hopes are second to none (the Hope C2s are great too). Maybe it's a US customer service issue? The Mini is a very light brake set, with minimum set-up fuss and great stopping power. Great in wet or dry. Possibly the best looking brakes available as well???
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pat G
a Cross Country Rider
from Virginia Date Reviewed: September 11, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Chutes and Ladders
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Speedgoat.com
Strengths:
Light, easy to change pads
Weaknesses:
Wide body sometimes has fitment issues with spoke clearance on the front. Much bigger fitment issues if you got with the larger rotors..i.e. good luck.
Similar Products Used:
XT Disc, hayes, Formula B4 (crap)
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Chameleon, Turner 5 Spot
Bottom Line:
Very strong, and pretty darned sturdy. They have a tendancy to squeal for no good reason even after you set em up perfectly. Initially there were some pad issues, but the new ones work well.
They don't really modulate well, very much on/off. Grip well in wet, snow, and mud. Levers nees some redesign. XT and Hayes levers just fit better. One of my calipers pistons stuck when new, got em warrantied from Speedgoat lickety split.
Sometimes the little adjuster screws for lever reach crack and are a pain to get out.
Bottom line: Not bad, light, grip well, but honestly the XT's work better, and the Hayes grip harder. So.....for the same money, I'd go with one of the above two.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
stephan
a Downhiller
from noyal, brittany, france Date Reviewed: September 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
trails of the customers
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
www.chainreactiocycles.com
Strengths:
good looking, great machining job, easy to install. The lever is great, the feeling is really soft. The break is progressive and powerfull when you need. It works great with a 185mm disk. There is a caliper per disk diameter, so you don't need to buy an adaptater.
Weaknesses:
none at the moment.
Similar Products Used:
sachs(they suck), formula evoluzione
Bottom Line:
This is really a great disk brake system, i put on my hardtail(planet x jack flash). It is powerfull and progressive. I didn't encounter any problem with it. I rode with it downhill, trail riding.I was a bit surprised by its power the first ride but get accustomed quickly. Soon i'll put the same on the rear end. You pull the lever and you slow down the way you want, that what should do all the brake systems.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from brooklyn NY Date Reviewed: August 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
HAHA IN BK???
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$175.00
Purchased At:
jensonusa
Strengths:
UNBELIEVABLE STOPPING POWER FOR SUCH SMALL BRAKES!!!!! THEY ONLY TOOK ABOUT 3 DAYS TO BED IN, I DUNNO WHAT THESE GUYS ARE TALKIN ABOUT SQUEELIN, THEY PROBABLY DIDNT SET IT UP RIGHT
Weaknesses:
NONE!!!!!
Similar Products Used:
MAGURA LOISE AND MARTA SL'S BOTH OF WICH ARENT EVEN CLOSE TO BE COMPARED
Bike Setup:
XT/XTR/HOPE MINIS,
Bottom Line:
THE BEST BRAKE WITH FLAWLESS POWER AND THE BEST MODULATION, YOU WANT 10 PERCENT POWER YOU GOT IT, WITH MARTAS ITS EITHER 30 50 75 OR 100 PERCENT BRAKING, THESE ARE GREAT
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kyle Johnson
a Cross Country Rider
from Anchorage, Alaska Date Reviewed: August 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
--N/A--
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
Local Bike Shop
Strengths:
- Great Modulation - one finger braking - Ease of Maintenance (once setup) - Dependable & durable - Works well below 0 degrees F where other systems do not. - Relatively lightweight - DOT 5.1 fluid is a superior brake medium - Great customer service
Weaknesses:
- Setup is rather tricky & frustrating at times - Stiff seals = long break-in period - Everything being equal, could use more power
Similar Products Used:
- Avid Mech. - Hayes Hydros
Bike Setup:
1999 Litespeed Ocoee Ti-HT; 01 XTR DriveTrain; 01 Marzochi Atom Race 80mm; King Headset; King ISO hubs laced to Bontrager Asym disc rims
Bottom Line:
Brake setup for XC, 145mm rotor back, 165mm rotor front. Running Motul high performance DOT 5.1 and original Fibrax pads.
Rider setup: I'm a finesse 200 lbs rider and mostly ride technical single track; 32 years young. I ride all year in Alaska so I ride in A to Z conditions in a 12 month period. I've been riding MTBikes for 18 years; and I do not race.
I've been using this brake system for 6 months (winter, spring, & summer) and have 1200 miles on it. So, I'd like to address some of the common threads posted here in detail:
1) This is NOT a downhill brake, but rather an "All Mountain" XC specific brake. Great brake for everything except LONG, STEEP, FAST descents. This brake IS capable of longer, steeper descents, but you have to take your time and numerous breaks so not to let system get too hot. 2) Setup IS difficult. Long break in for the caliper seals require you to do a lot of shimming during the first few months. Also, the caliper/rotor interface is very sensitive to improper alignment and poor setup. I've discovered the squealing is NOT an inherent flaw in the brake itself, but rather flaws with the frame and/or fork. Get your brake tabs faced and 99% of this problem goes away!! With proper setup, the only squealing then comes from contaminated pads and rotors. 3) Power is good, but not great. This is a trade off for the excellent, silky smooth, linear modulation these brakes offer. These brakes are never grabby and offer, in my opinion, the best brake modulation in the market. I rarely, if ever, lose braking traction with these brakes. If everything were equal and you want more power, I'd recommend Hayes Hydros or the Avid Mech; but you will certainly lose modulation and gain some weight. 4) The caliper separation issue (as describe on these reviews and other websites). I have not had this problem nor do I expect to at this point, but I have given it much thought. If you will, imagine a line drawn through the cap screws (screws that hold caliper halves together) that divides caliper body into two regions. The area below this line is the piston region and the area above this line is bleed valve region. As the force of braking is applied and pistons expand, the piston region pivots on the imaginary line and the caliper halves will want to separate. As the piston region separates, the bleed valve region must also pivot on the same line, but it does so in the opposite direction resulting in compressive forces between caliper halves. It's this region of COMPRESSION (the bleed valve region) that Speedgoat and others suggest a fix for separation!! What the?? The proposed "hose-clamp" type fix is therefore bunk, makes no sense, and is a waste of your money and time. If the system leaks under braking forces, there is a problem with the manufacturing and should then be covered under warranty. It really looks like to me that HOPE has a QC problem, if anything, and not a design flaw.
Other things to note: - Top down bleed makes for super easy maintenance. - DOT 5.1 brake fluid is a vastly superior braking medium and allows these brakes to take some serious abuse especially if performance and durability are a concern. The Motul DOT 5.1 fluid I use has a dry boiling point of 508 degrees F and a wet (3% water by volume) boiling point of 375 degrees F. If you keep fresh brake fluid in the system, heat stressing the hydraulics (fluid, calipers, master cylinder) is very difficult to do. At these temperatures, one is more likely to heat temper the rotors and burn up the pads rather than damage the hydraulics before the brake fluid boils. DOT 5.1 IS glycol based and is thus hydroscopic (water absorbing) and annual bleeding is recommended to maintain high levels of performance. High water volume in the fluid will increase likelihood of vapor locking the brakes when very hot. - Under extreme amounts of braking, I have experienced some brake pump, but the open reservoir design worked as advertised and compensated for the fluid expansion. This had no effect on braking (this is hardly unique to HOPE's brake systems). - If you like "tight" feeling brakes or very little lever throw, this system might not satisfy you. The way this brake modulates its power is by using lots of lever throw. It's by no means spongy, but it's not unusual to use 3/4 of the lever throw when braking hard.
I think there is room for improvement in most aspects of the brake, but these would be small enhancements at best. Overall this is a well-engineered piece of high performance kit that has not disappointed me. I'm very happy with these brakes and would recommend them with or without their caveats. I'll have to give it 4 chili's overall.
Last recommendation: Go big on the rotors. If I had to do it again, I'd go with 185mm up front and 165mm in back.
Ride On.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sam morse
a Weekend Warrior
from bath,england,uk Date Reviewed: August 11, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
well made reliable
Weaknesses:
squeals very bad fade on long downhills-the lever will pull to the bar quite quickly and leave you with no power
Bottom Line:
these are excellent brakes for riding cross-country in Britain.If you go to the Alps they're not really up to it,which is fair enough as they're not designed for it. Just make sure they are right for what you want them to do and realise that you are partly paying for the craftsmanship and name when you buy hope.I would probably go for XTs now which are more powerful and don't have heat dispersal problems if I was buying now.If you do get this and like the downhills or are heavy make sure you get a big rotor.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Westminster Date Reviewed: August 6, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Strengths:
Good braking power for xc riding
Weaknesses:
some noise
Bike Setup:
Schwinn Homegrown FS
Bottom Line:
I have had no complaints about these brakes. I have front and back. With the original pads I did have some squeaking, but not bad. The problem I have now is I am replacing the original pads with the Golds, but after two rides of 2hrs each, they squeal 10 times worse than the originals and have no stopping power, I can't lock up the real wheel at all and forget about a fast downhill. Anyone have any experience with bedding new pads on these?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh
a Cross Country Rider
from England Date Reviewed: July 31, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$120.00
Strengths:
good braking power and very light looks greate
Weaknesses:
the very irritating squeal when braking
Bottom Line:
a great brake you can stop the squeal by putting copper slip behind the pads. and if you got the money you should go out and get one the are supper reliable and the pads last ages and very low maintanance for many miles happy cycling
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stephen Hole
a Cross Country Rider
from Birmingham Date Reviewed: July 22, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Coed-y-brenin, Mach3
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$170.00
Strengths:
weight power value
Weaknesses:
noise
Similar Products Used:
hayes, deores,
Bike Setup:
claud butler cape wrath
Bottom Line:
Had them for 3 months and the back brake is perfect, but the cap came off the bleed nipple on the front, so I had a leak. I bled it 3 times and the front brake works well but the lever is a bit spongy and is not as loose as the back one. there is no air in the system. What can I do? is anything wrong? After a couple of rides I had a squeak on the front so I retracted the pads by pushing the pistons back, yet I still have a bit of disc rub, is this normal? I am not to sure if I bedded the brake pads in properly, if not what shall I do? So, the front brake is not too sharp and the pads seem to be being pushed out a little too far, can anyone help, please? I recommend the brakes to any cross counrty rider.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tae
a
from Chicago Date Reviewed: July 17, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Strengths:
Awsome looks, great modulation, enough power for XC stuff
Weaknesses:
Initial shimming takes some getting used to.
Similar Products Used:
first discset
Bike Setup:
Turner XCE, TALAS RLC, Vanilla RC, VXC rim
Bottom Line:
Initially it took some time to properly shim the brakes and after some time when I noticed some squeal on the rear, I had to reshim it. Once the brake is properly set up you'll hear almost no squeal. Now it works perfect! Remember to check the space between the rotor and the pads after a couple of months and once you reshim it properly, it works great. I now have zero complaints but since I haven't tried other discs I will give four chillies for overall rating.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Weekend Warrior
from Sheffield uk Date Reviewed: July 9, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
je james
Strengths:
looks price weight performace
Weaknesses:
noise
Similar Products Used:
deore
Bike Setup:
not bad thanks
Bottom Line:
i got this disk when i got a disk only fork as i wanted one at some point anyway. i have the manitou version so i don't have the problem with fitting that most people do. it started off good but went a bit funny ands didn't seam to have as much power as i thought they would have. but it turned out that the bolts holding the caliper on had come loose and it was of center so was only using one pad. now sorted at the shop it is great par the noise
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim Nielsen
a Cross Country Rider
from New York City Date Reviewed: July 3, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Frederick Watershed
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Beyond
Strengths:
When you FINALLY get them tuned, they're great ...
Weaknesses:
Very difficult to tune out squeaks, lack of power, fade
Similar Products Used:
magura louise
Bike Setup:
'03 S-Works FSR-XC, Fox F100X, XTR, Crossmax UST, XT Thumbshifters!
Bottom Line:
Its been a frustrating month since my somewhat hopeful post of 5/22, but I have finally gotten my minis dialed in. Like Greg from Boston below, I am a shop trained wrench ... I took the tuning issue as a personal challenge where most folks would have given up.
Where to start, where to start ...
Let me confirm some things others have said here, and then i'll add a few of my own.
1.You MUST get the mounting tabs on your frame and fork faced at a shop. The hard part is finding a shop that does it. I was stunned to find that not a single shop in NYC has the Magura Gnannomat tool to do this, although I did find out that the guys at Toga are friggin' idiots. The boys at Bicycle Pro Shop in DC finally came thru for me. BTW, anything you buy from Speedgoat comes pre-faced :).
2. It may take a few tries to get the calipers shimmed correctly. Because the Mini is an open system, they do not retract all the way and centering the rotor on the pads doesn't mean that its centered between the pistons. Remove the pads and spring, spread the springy spreader further apart (for more spring power) and reinsert with the pads. You may get a small amount of drag that will be evident when spinning the wheel in the stand, but this is not noticeable when on the bike.
3. Get the speedgoat clamps - this will fix the spread/fade issue. If you don't understand what I mean, go to the disc brake section on their site and look for them.
4. The EBC green pads suck. The stock Fibrax are ok. The EBC golds are the best for XC.
5. After going thru #'s 1-4 I had good power but I couldnt get rid of the squeak. It wasn't until in desperation that I swapped the rotors out for my old Louise rotors that suddenly the squeak disappeared and the power went way up. I don't know if the rotors were somehow out of true, warped, or just a bad design, but that seemed to do the trick for me.
My final eval ...
2 flaming rats for value since I had to add clamps, change rotors, bleed to Dot 4, and swap pads.
5 overall in that now they work they are twice as good as my Louise or Hayes ever were.
Tim
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Boston MA Date Reviewed: July 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Gilbert Hills State Forest
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
Pro Form
Strengths:
Easy Set-up, beautiful craftsmenship
Weaknesses:
No power
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, Magura, Formula, Avid,
Bike Setup:
IF Steel Hardtale, full XTR (raceface Crank), Fox Forx Vinalla RLC 100, King Headset and hubs, Thompson Seatpost and stem, Selle Italia prolink seat
Bottom Line:
I've been very disappointed with these brakes and I'm looking for help. I'm a shop mechanic, but I can't seem to drum out ANY power from this setup. I've bled the rear brake 5 or 6 times already, yet I can't get the lever responsive and stiff, I need to pull it back a substancial amount in order to get stopping power on the wheel. I'm a big guy (210 lbs.) and so far these don't have the stopping power. I like tight brakes, but I can't seem to get a one finger setup...any suggestions? I'm running 165 mm rotors now, do I need to step up to the 185? I can barely lock the wheel with the current setup. I have not had ANY problem with squeek, I have almost no drag ( I was disappointed my rotor wasn't straight coming from the factory). I can see the rear caliper bodies starting to seperate, for riding on them this short a time (6 monthes) that is a bad sign. Should I ditch these and buy hayes? If not, does anyone have any advice? There is no air in the line...what is going on?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Callum
a Downhiller
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: June 30, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
John Bull Cycles
Strengths:
Very nice build quality
Weaknesses:
Power seems less than O2
Similar Products Used:
Hope O2, Hayes
Bike Setup:
Specialized Big Hit, XT/XTR, single ring system.
Bottom Line:
Was dissapointed in the power. I replaced my 8" Hayes on the front with the 185 Hope. I've got an O2 on the back with a 165 disc and it stops great, just awesome for high speed manuals. Was presuming the Mini with the 185 on the front would be more than a match, but it aint. Maybe hope have changed the brake pad compound for the mini, god knows why coz the O2 is perfecto. Looking at either grabbing a new set of pads or selling the Mini and getting the M4... would not consider any other brake, Hope are the best brakes out there.
$ 180.00
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