The Big' uns are Hope Technology's answer to the demands of today's downhill maniacs. The oversized hub flange builds beautifully into a bombproof DH or dual slalom wheelset. There are very few other wheels in the world that can compare with the strength, durability and reliability of a Big' uns' . Best of all, these monsters have been on a diet this year! They still retain all their brute strength, yet are trimmed down to only 292g and 493g front and rear!! (20 mm axle too! )
Strengths: Real bombproof construction,
Angle of spokes leaving hub alleviates potential weak point at bend in spoke.
Weaknesses: None that I can find.
Bottom Line:
Not the lightest hubs but they are super strong, really easy to service, make the authentic Hope freewheel noise. These hubs are over 10 years old and are still perfect with just one change of bearings that I know about.
Similar Products Used: dmr revolver, shimao, tesco value on a saracen
Bike Setup: dmr exalt
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Submitted by
Ellis
a Downhiller
from State College PA
Date Reviewed: December 9, 2005
Strengths: very nice hub, smooth and beefy. I love the 5 bolt rotors, they are hard to find but are so much stronger than the normal 6 bolt ones. They are almost impossible to warp. The bearings on the hub are super strong and there are 4 of them. This is one of the best hubs on the market today!
Weaknesses: the coloring on it is a little funky, but who cares, it is also hard to find rotors to fit the hub
Bottom Line:
this is a really nice strong hub. it is excellent on a horizontal dropout bike if you have the 12mm thru axle, use a bolt thru axle and it wont move at all. The rotor is also really tight, they are so strong also. all around great setup!
Similar Products Used: Its been that long, i cant remember!
Bike Setup: The dogs!
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Submitted by
rik Jacobs
a Racer
from Bournemouth!!!
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2005
Strengths: most fo the hub. looks strong, is strong, the large flanges make it a super stron wheel build. got them built onto atom lab aircorp rims and they are really good, another good thing about them is that the left hand flange catches all the washers when you are sorting out your brake setup, how neat is that. (no way intentional but very cool)
Weaknesses: the freewheel isnt sounding like a hope at the mo, normally hopes sound really clicky and nice, but mine doesnt, mmmmm, bit sus
Bottom Line:
very nice hubs, work well, and are the dogs balls. havnt tried any of the chris king hubs, but time will tell. oh and i dont know what all you tandem riders think of it, but they mainly a downhill and jump hub, not for two lazzers on a tandem putting constaint heft wait on them. silly people
Strengths: it is very strong looks cool and fits 20ml or QR. cartridge bearings very smooth
Weaknesses: five bolt hard to find thr right rotas
Bottom Line:
over all its a very strong hub for mtb but all those tandem pussies comlain about it then switch to chris king rip offi think these hubs will last me forever
Strengths: smooth as butter, strong as.....i donno, a tank!
Weaknesses: 5 bolt disc pattern
Bottom Line:
damn awesome hub, had not a single prob with it, except that i can't use em on my new bike coz of the 5 bolt pattern! i'm now in the market for some new hubs that will hopefully be as sweet as the hope's, in a 6 bolt
Strengths: These Hubs are AWESOME! They look awesome (I've got the older versions as I prefer them), build into super tough wheels, the sealed bearings are quality and put up with the UK mud and grime. The 5-bolt pattern is cool, seems better tha 6 bolt. Can swap between 20mm and QR. Hope's back up service.
Weaknesses: Errrrrr weight if your gay!
Bottom Line:
These hubs rock - they don't weigh that much, so stop whining about it - 'too heavy for jumping' what the hell you talking about?
They will take anything that you can through at it - tandem riders should get a life and get two bikes! The seals are awesome, the strength they bring to the wheels are fantastic - my wheels are still going strong, although they're getting a vbit knbackers they've had about 4 years of abuse and the hubs ensure that they still stay strong. Go buy - oh, they're also British! Yay!
Strengths: durability, reliability, cool looks. builds a better wheel than anything on the market!!!!
Weaknesses: weight, but this is also why I purchased the things.
Bottom Line:
I have no idea what these people are doing to be so destructive. I have really used the crap out of these hubs and they have only improved with use. The quality of wheel build achieved with the wide flanges has made me a better rider, period. I have put over 3000 miles of hard riding on these wheels and actually enjoy the fact that I can do anything on my bike without being in danger of component failure. Try the hubs and you will be a better cyclist due to accurate steering and confident riding.
Similar Products Used: king, dt hugi, xtr, xt, woodman, hadley, (I build a lot of custom wheels)
Bike Setup: Maverick, xtr, hope c2's, sun singlewides,klein death grip 2.35 king head set, thompson, fox talus, easton monkey lite,
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Submitted by
Cristobal Marnilupi
a Cross Country Rider
from North Highlands, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: March 3, 2003
Strengths: Solid ride feel. Has been very strong (externally only). Attractive black color.
Weaknesses: Rachet mechanism which pawls contact, along with the freewheel body are thrashed after normal wear & tear. Hub internals did not pull apart for disassembly as Hope suggested they would. I used a gear-puller (not a bike tool) to remove freewheel body for regreasing.
Bottom Line:
2002 Big'Un rear hub is rubbish. After about 20-30 MTB rides, our combined 300-lb. weight toasted the pawls and rachet mechanism to where it seized into a fixed-gear.
Hope has told me that the 2003 hub is improved. I'm warrantying my 2002 hub right now through Hope USA and will see if the 2003 is indeed better. I sure Hope so!
If this hub doesn't work, I will switch to a Chris King tandem specific model, upon recommendation of other tandem friends.
The big'un hub is rubbish. It is so weak that now i prefer to land on my front wheel just in case. When i do downhill the inside of the hub creaks and this feature is complained about by every single owner of the big'un. Why can't it be more like it's better brother the bulb. The big'un has also torn my d521 apart on the back, so any lookin to get a d521 with a big'un on the bck, DON'T!
Bike Setup: 24/7 dark angel V3, deemax rims built on big'un back, bulb front
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Submitted by
Bill Freeman
a Weekend Warrior
from Alpharetta, GA, USA
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2002
Strengths: look nice, huge hub flange for strength
Weaknesses: weak hub teeth
Bottom Line:
My wife and I rode the Big Un hub on our tandem for only 6 weeks before we tore teeth off of the hub body. Luckily, the service at mtbtandems.com is great and Alex is replacing it with a King hub. Not a good sign when 2 reviews on this site report the same problem.
Bike Setup: Ventana El Conquistador with Marzocchi Jr T, Hope/Mammoth wheels, Hope H4 brakes, Race Face cranks, XTR
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Submitted by
JP
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2002
Strengths: look beefy
Weaknesses: These hubs are wimps on the inside. Hub was used on a mountain tandem and lasted less than one year. Previously used shimano tandem hubs and these lasted about as long.
Bottom Line:
Failure of these hubs ruined a potentially great weekend in Fruita...we're going to Chris Kings. The Hopes are particularly smooth and mileage from the cassette is about on par with shimano (and I think the shimano tandem hub sucks).
Strengths: Strong Big British Easy to lace 5 - bolt pattern
Weaknesses: er..... Shorter spokes are ever-so-slightly harder to get hold of
Bottom Line:
A truly amazing hub. Stiffens up the front end a treat, and looks good in the process. I wouldn't reccomend using this hub if you plan to get up hills by pedalling, because it weighs a ton.
Only one downside is that the 5-bolt pattern is rare for rotors, but if you have hope discs, they are easy to get hold of.
