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Submitted by
Major Clanger
a Date Reviewed: May 3, 2012
Strengths: Superb lever feel and modulation, build quality, attention to detail, adjustability, power (within the confines of their intended use).Weaknesses: None so far.Bottom Line: I bought the 2012 Special Edition Evo X2 brakes with braided hoses and floating rotors (183/160mm) for my recently completed Cove XC racer and recommend them very highly.....
Straight out of the box it's clear that Hope have gone to a lot of effort with the build quality and finish; all components are well made and fit together nicely, the CNC engine-turned effect is smart too. The Tech lever is multi-adjustable for reach and bite-point and can be done on the move - it's really easy to find the right spot for one-finger braking.
The braided hoses are DOT3 size and have a clear shrink-wrap covering. I had to shorten front and back and it was a doddle; all you'll need will be normal tools plus a good pair of HD cable shears so that when you cut the hose you don't crush it. I re-used the olive and the inner spigot and all sits well with no leaks and because I was careful I didn't need to re-bleed the brakes. The calipers are monobloc aluminium so there's no twist or flex and all the fasteners are aviation grade Ti. The Tech levers didn't sit well on the bars with the XTR M970 shifter pods, so I bought the Matchmaker clamps from Hope which solve the problem and clean up the bars well.
Setting the brakes up was straight-forward but it will pay dividends to be patient and get the wheel spinning as freely as possible. I centred the caliper as best I could before riding about 5 miles to take the 'edges' off the pads. Then I put it back on the workstand and centred the opposed pistons so that they were touching the rotor face at the same time. It was easy and Hope provide some good instructional videos on You Tube about all aspects of installation.
I did a 30ml road ride first of all to dial everything in (the whole bike is new) and make all the necessary fine adjustments before doing the same on my local XC trails which are fast-flowing but with a section full of bomb-holes. I found that the organic pads bedded in quickly (don't be too gentle or harsh with new pads or you'll 'polish' them).
I have to say that the brakes are totally brilliant! The lever feel is solid but still gives great feedback from the tyres (front especially) and pulling endos has never been easier! For recreational and racing XC use as well as All Mountain I'd say that they have all the power you will ever need. On slower and technical sections the feel is great and I never felt that the front or rear was about to wash out because I couldn't feel what was going on.
They are light but not the lightest in their class. However, for their intended use I'd say they're the best of the pack.
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Gondo
a Weekend Warrior
from CanadaDate Reviewed: April 10, 2012
Strengths: EverythingWeaknesses: Clearance to brake mounts on forkBottom Line: This is my first set of hydraulics. I also got the version with Goodridge stainless hoses which is nice. I can twist the hoses any which way I want to rout them and they stay nice.
First off when installing the hope floating disc, there may be some issues of clearance between the rotor and the fork mounts. Mine was so close I checked online to find out many people have a similar problem. Adding a washer as a spacer to your axle seems to help. Mine is close yet doesn't scrape so I was fine. Secondly the manual is so badly written you will be lost if your not familiar with hydraulics. The manual basically tells you to check online for more help.
Now for installing the caliper there is a groove in the aluminum above and below the rotor stamped right into the caliper. Simply center the rotor with these grooves and tighten the caliper. Very simple to get it nearly 99% centered by eye. Now remove the wheel and install the brake pads. I found the brake pads very simple ti removed compoared to my old Avids. The Avids would snap in and use magnets so I needed pliers to pull them out. With hope I jsut remove the pin at the back and the pads easily slide out without force required.
Once this is done there will be some scraping of course cause things are not 100% aligned. Just apply the brakes and see which pad hits the rotor first. Remove the wheel, use a flat head screwdriver to force both pads towards the side that hits first to hold that piston in place then pump the lever about half way once. That will allow the free piston to move a bit and center things out. Put the wheel back on and you should be good to go. It may take a few shots going back and fourth, left to right, until you get it perfectly centered and remove the scrapping. Very quick and easy with quick release wheels and a repair stand.
I did not bleed the brake system after installing and it works flawlessly. I've heard horror stories about how Avid hydraulics should always be bled after installing. The hopes also have a simple drip free bleed port on the caliper just like a car. The brake lever has 2 dials. One for preload and one for reach. Both work fantastic and you have quite a bit of flexibility in how you set up your lever.
Overall the whole system is built like a car. Very simple and durable. Everything is aluminum machined, even all the dials and stuff. No plastic knobs or gadgets or anything. The lever pivots are upgraded for 2012 and supposedly very stable and built like a tank with 15% more power. I noticed no play or wobble whatsoever.
Over the brakes seem well built, easy to install, possible to get a perfect alignment without having to play with pad adjusters like Avid, and simple bleeding like a car without a kit required. Just a piece of rubber hose form Home Depot to attach to the bleed port.
The only downfall is the poor documentation included.
Price wise these were about $75 cheaper than Avid Elixir 9's, and included stainless braided hoses. No rotors included however which are $40 each or so. I also required adapters for use with 180mm rotors. I didn't ride them yet but I have 0 rotor rub on brand new pads with 1/10mm clearance which is unheard of with my old Avid BB7 mechanicals. I did my research and choose hope as king of brakes, aside form Formula which are almost twice the price. It seems the reviews are correct and hope are a flawless reliable easy to work on brake system.
Favorite Trail: none
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At: Jenson USA
Similar Products Used: Avid Mechanical DIscs
Bike Setup: Aluminum Hardtail, Can Creek Thudbuster, Full Sram X9 w/ Gripshift, Manitou R7 MRD Absolute
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