Home | Reviews | Brakes | Disc Brake System

Login  |  Register

Hope Enduro 4

Average Rating 4.63/5
# of Reviews 43
MSRP $ 260.00
Weight
More Products from Hope



Submit a Review

Description:The new Enduro 4 replaces last years successful DH4. Even though the brake has been slimmed down and lost over 60g in weight it still retains its awesome braking power. The caliper features 4 pistons operating 4 separate pads and is supplied with a pro lever. The brake is an open system. The 74mm post mount (200/1 Manitou) requires a special bracket and larger disc.

System type: Open
Lever type: Pro
Caliper No.'s: 3, 5 & 8
Standard Disc: 145, 165, 185 & 205mm
Where To Buy


Chain Reaction Cycles


Other Ways To Shop
  • Buy and Sell the Enduro 4 from our Classifieds.
  • Shop for Similar Products








    Submitted by andy s a Downhiller from wirral
    Date Reviewed: December 1, 2007
    Favoriate Trail:llandegla, wales
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Purchased At:already on my giant acid
    Strengths:amazing works in any conditions due to four pads in each caliper.
    Weaknesses:costly when you need new pads compared to other brakes, if you get good quality pads.
    Similar Products Used:avid juicy 5
    Bike Setup:giant acid
    Bottom Line:amazing bit costly
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Oliver a Downhiller from UK
    Date Reviewed: May 13, 2007
    Duration Product Used:3 months
    Price Paid: $180.00
    Purchased At:Wildside
    Strengths:very powerful, good modulation, looks
    Weaknesses:can be noisy (fixed by poring water over disc), master cylender scraches easily
    Similar Products Used:07 Hope Mono Mini, 07 Hope Mono M4, 06 Shimano Deore, 06 Hayes nine/sole, 06 Avid juicy 5, 06 Avid juicy 7
    Bike Setup:Flow Drift 24" SS, Hope E4 rear brake.
    Bottom Line:very powerful brakes especially as they are quite a few years older than most of the brakes i've used, having said that the set i bought was new in 07 (old stock left in LBS). although there has been a slight ammount of squeal i fixed this by poring water over the discs (the squeal was caused by dust/salt) and upon advice from Hope replacing the standard pads with some newer sinistered pads provided free of charge by them, there is now no unwanted noise.

    although the modulation is good it takes a little bit of getting used to, when they were first fittd i found i was constanly locking up but after about a weeks riding i had them dialed.

    I'd recomend them to any rider, although i have only the rear brake for DJ i have used the same bike for bothe singletrack and DH and even with just the one i am stopping fast than most of the group who are using hydros
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by jens no way stalker a Racer from kamloops b.c.
    Date Reviewed: January 4, 2006
    Favoriate Trail:kamloops bike ranch
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Price Paid: $200.00
    Purchased At:from this dude in the buy and sell
    Strengths:power and looks (4 piston!!!!!!!!!!!!)fitted perfectly on ma bike
    Weaknesses:loud, very loud!
    Similar Products Used:shimano mech,hayes purple,stupid v brakes off super cycle
    Bike Setup:04 kona shred,roox torque dh bar,dury grips,2.6 stout tires,2002 z1 drop off(20mm),single tracks and hope enduro4s
    Bottom Line:i am 11 year old and i love to bike it fun,fun ,fun. i like hope disk brakes they make me happy.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by matt a Weekend Warrior from Bristol
    Date Reviewed: December 20, 2004
    Duration Product Used:2 Years
    Price Paid: $100.00
    Purchased At:2nd hand
    Strengths:Awesome power, great modulation, look pretty damn cool
    Weaknesses:Pistons need cleaning and lubing (with brake fluid) every so often or they stick, as least one pad per caliper rubs at any one time though you can't hear it when riding, rear heats up on long descents
    Similar Products Used:Minis, M4s
    Bottom Line:Really impressive brake and, considering how old they are, extremely reliable. Power is in the "glad I wear glasses or I'd have been picking my eyes up off the trail" league, but really useable even in slimy muddy conditions (which is 10mths of the year here). Brakes used to howl a bit, but stick a coke can cut out with grease on the pad side onto the back of each pad cured this. I'm considering retiring these for some Juicys in the future (bit lighter, bit more adjustable), but I ain't exactly in a hurry!
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Oli Lewis a Weekend Warrior from Wiltshire, UK
    Date Reviewed: April 4, 2004
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Price Paid: $7100.00
    Purchased At:Second hand
    Strengths:Great!
    Light (for the size and power of it)
    Total lock up with one finger ease, yet still has more modulation (and consistent moulation at that) than any V brake)
    Quality
    Customer Service
    Looks
    Weaknesses:RRP prices are quite high, but it is a damn quality bit of kit. I am very lucky to have got mine 2nd hand off a mate for a bargain price of £70, thats 1/2 retail.
    Similar Products Used:Hope minis, Avid Arch rivals, deore mech disks.
    Bike Setup:Custom Saraen mad trials, tough guy forks, hope hubs, hope headset, race face cranks, easton bars.
    Bottom Line:Got this on the back of my trials bike (185mm disk) and my only concern is breaking the disk tabs, which i will resign to happening eventually. I love the feel modulation and reliable power too much to go back to Vs or maggies.

    I liked my Avid when it worked, but it was often inconsistent, needed lots of cleaning- especially through the british winter, and i had to keep my wheel straight otherwise i had lots of rub.

    This has given me more power and modulation, and i dont think ive gained too much wieght as i was runnign a hefty booster any way.

    I was skeptical about gettin ghte old pro lever, as im used to the new mini levers on my other bike, but after riding it for a while i actually really like it. nice broad flat blade. feels good and solid, even with a lot of pressure when im up on the back wheel.

    I have had no noise problems with mine so far, very slight ocasional squeling, no where near as bad as my mins though. try a dab of copper greae behind the pads. that usually quietens things down a bit.

    A fine looking confidence inspiring brake.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Andrew Cook a from York
    Date Reviewed: August 4, 2003
    Favoriate Trail:dalby forest
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Price Paid: $100.00
    Purchased At:second hand for front and rear pair
    Strengths:These are wicked brakes. they are easy to fit and easy to change the pads. the stopping power is amazing even before being bed in. After being bed in they are unbelieveable. 1 finger stops you fine but 2/3 fingers means you're over the bars.
    Weaknesses:none yet
    Similar Products Used:magura hs33's deore v's magura gustav disc's
    Bike Setup:cuda 03 frame dj2's f519 on xt disc hubs hope e4's
    Bottom Line:bloody excellent brakes!!!!
    go and buy some now!!!!!
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Neil Baxter a Weekend Warrior from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK
    Date Reviewed: May 12, 2003
    Favoriate Trail:Coed Y Brenin
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Purchased At:Leisure Lakes
    Strengths:Awesome power, great looks.
    Weaknesses:Insufficient slow speed modulation. Piston resistance to movement is not equal on each side of the caliper, causing the disc to deflect rather than the pads to centralise. Very loud screeching, unless cleaned every 10 minutes. Always seems to be a bit of stray brake fluid around master cylinder/levers
    Similar Products Used:Hayes
    Bike Setup:Santa Cruz Bullit, Set up as Free-ride, Junior T's, 185mm discs on Hope BigUns.
    Bottom Line:These brakes are at home on fast down hill work. The brakes do not modulate well at slow speed on loose or muddy surfaces. These brakes come on with aggresive power which can catch you out. A very light feel is required to keep things from turning nasty on twisty steep technical single track, AKA North Wales. Great for stoppies though! The mis-match of piston movement resistance is a pain in the a.se. Once the caliper is centralised about the disc the free moving pistons should allow the pads to come in to touch the disc with equal force and then retract to the correct distance to ensure no rubbing.....no chance! One pair of pistons on one side of the caliper come out, pushing the disc to one side(even with BigUns), way before the other pair move. Result one pair of pads miles from disc, the other pair rubbing. This can be temporarily cured by wedging the disc so that it can not be pushed to one side, this will force the remaining two pistons to move out, voila! All this I can live with, but not the squeeling, I think I have tried everything(cleaning,pad change, copper lease on back of pad etc etc), at most, the cure works for a day. If anyone knows a long term solution to this problem, please mail me at: neilcbaxter@btinternet.com The noise has pi..ed-off myself and anyone who's ridden with me. If I cannot find a cure I'm getting a pair of Hayes (I already have some on a Trek VRX 500, look c..p, work well, silent-brilliant!)
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:2

    Submitted by Jeremy a Cross Country Rider from Ft. Collins
    Date Reviewed: April 29, 2003
    Favoriate Trail:Downhill
    Duration Product Used:3 months
    Purchased At:Already mounted on used bike
    Strengths:Modulation, Power, Look sweet (we all know it counts!)...
    Weaknesses:Centering the rotor b/t the pads is time consuming and tedious. Stock Pads Squeel like a stuck pig! Seriously... My friends were threatening to stop riding with me if I didn't stop the noise... Also a little heavy, but I'm not a weight weenie when it comes to stopping power.
    Similar Products Used:Only rim brakes. No other disc brakes tried...
    Bike Setup:Titus Loco-Moto
    Bottom Line:These brakes rock! Modulation is awesome and power is sick! I've had success eliminating the squeeling with some automotive disc brake squeel-stop applied to the back of the pads (b/t the pad and piston). EBC green replacement pads also seem to have eliminated the noise (less metal in the pad compound). Another note: the hollow bottom of my Marzocchi X-Fly sliders seemed to act as a resonance chamber increasing the noise these brakes produced. Problem solved with a little pipe insulation stuffed in there...
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Joe a Weekend Warrior from Victoria BC
    Date Reviewed: March 14, 2003
    Duration Product Used:2 Years
    Price Paid: $400.00
    Purchased At:Fairfield Bicycle Shop
    Strengths:Great modulation, powerful, beautiful machining, Made in UK.
    Weaknesses:Can be finicky to set up. Hayes are nicer to setup. Initial brake howl(Cured).
    Similar Products Used:Hayes 6" and 8", Clara, Louise, Avid Mech.
    Bike Setup:Joker, Super,etc
    Bottom Line:Shim set up pretty straight forward but took a couple of rides to stop zinging. I had real trouble with brakes howling but Mike at NRG(great Company) gave me warranty pads no charge(EBC). That silenced them. I rode them for nearly 2 years trouble free then installed the new piston upgrade kit which reduces the distance between lever stop and engagement positions.They are really tuned and snappy now. They are more consistent than any of my hayes were and less susceptible to pad contamination, hayes seem sensitive to even touching the rotors.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by North Shore biker a Weekend Warrior from Vancouver
    Date Reviewed: March 13, 2003
    Favoriate Trail:Anything on Fromme
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Purchased At:Airbomb
    Strengths:They work very well but only when they feel like it. Brake squeal is annoying but you get used to it.
    Weaknesses:Unbelivably finiky to get working properly. I found that generally after 1-3 rides, they would need to be adjusted because of brake fade. I had them bled three times by a LBS who deals with Hopes but the problems continue. I even shipped them back to hope and although they replaced the piston unit in both brakes, the brake fade problems continue. I give up.
    Similar Products Used:Hayes.
    Bike Setup:2002 SC Bullet with 5th element shock, super Ts, WTB laser disc wheels, etc.
    Bottom Line:They are expensive and finiky as hell. Definitely not worth the ridiculous price tag. Believe me, the slighly added power of the four pistons does not make up for the fact that you'll be constantly trying to fix them after every ride! Go buy a set of Hayes. You'll be glad you did.
    Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

    Submitted by Herb neumann a Downhiller from cresskill n.j. usa
    Date Reviewed: February 16, 2003
    Favoriate Trail:jump club
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Price Paid: $300.00
    Purchased At:westwood cycle
    Strengths:powerful,nice lowprofile comfortable levers,trick machined look
    Weaknesses:unreliable have blown a few master cylinder seals(lever) on DH runs (plattekill) so they were retired to a lesser freeride xc (mountaincycle dhs with triple)
    Similar Products Used:Purple hayes and older hopes
    Bike Setup:They were on my Karpiel Armagedon but i replaced them with Purple hayes
    Bottom Line:I had mounting bolts back out of my hopes with in a 100 yyards of getting off the lift, unexplainable, they were tight (though not locktited) it happened twice on different days and later, on both days, the master cylinder blew out it's seal(under the boot) on the lever. I switched to purple hayes with braided steel line and have had zero problems. I think the hopes are over leveraged, all the pistons in the system are smaller and less fluid is in the brakes,creating more pressure and temperature on the seals,i demoted them to my mountain cycle which is a less intensly ridden bike more cross countryish ,less stree is on the brakes now, so they hold up fine,i have a few levers to send back to hope(i own more than one set), the loosening bolts? possibly some sort of vibration,though it was inaudible,i didn't have a squeeling problem. I machined my own adaptor for my shiver and i have a 2003 monster t that will bolt the Hayes right up. In back i just built my own floating set up,that's truely bad ass and stays on the bike during wheel removal( brake therapy's don't) Don't use Hopes for DH if you ride really hard,or think you might.
    Value Rating:3Overall Rating:1

    Submitted by cobbs a Weekend Warrior from London, Kent, England
    Date Reviewed: February 11, 2003
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Price Paid: $235.00
    Purchased At:WWW.UKBIKESTORE.CO.UK
    Strengths:Smooth as...
    Great Control...
    Loads of power (3 fingers will see the rear end over your head...NICE!!. But thnx to superb modulation, major head crunching was avoided) you simply cant go wrong, bought these on the reviews here, 1 year down the line im still smiling :) worth every penny paid.
    Weaknesses:When bolting discs on, advise that you use a criss cross pattern with the bolts, otherwise discs dont line up properly, and gastly squilling and rubbing occurs. Managed to get rid of it when i bolted the discs on correctly.
    Similar Products Used:AVID Mechanical Disc brakes. formula mechanical 99' disc brakes.
    Bike Setup:Giant 2002 DS1 Switched sram for shimano deore Hope Big'un Hubs
    Bottom Line:Best brakes i have ever had the privillage to use. Easy to set up. plenty of spacers of different sizes to line it up perfectly over the disc. changing of pads is an absolute doddle compared to my old formula mechanicals, had to dismantle the whole brake everytime pads needed changing.With these pull out pins slip the old pads out put new pads in put pins back in and away we go...smashing! 235 pounds for front and back including 185mm discs.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Jerym YO-Mama a Downhiller from NZ
    Date Reviewed: January 8, 2003
    Favoriate Trail:krankin.co.nz
    Duration Product Used:6 months
    Price Paid: $10000000000.00
    Purchased At:LBS
    Strengths:POWER- bloody strong, one finger nose manuals, one finger skids

    LOOKS - pretty sweet, machined finish too

    MODULATION - Consistant

    NOISY - lets people know when you are coming and scares the elderly
    Weaknesses:NOISY - lets people know when you are coming and scares the elderly

    takes a while to bleed all the air out of them when setting up

    expensiv
    Similar Products Used:6" hayes, 6" XT, 8" Gustav, 6" grimeca
    Bike Setup:02 avanti D8 , boxxers 205mm rotor
    Bottom Line:i am the man
    Value Rating:1Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Tony a Cross Country Rider from Boulder, CO
    Date Reviewed: December 29, 2002
    Duration Product Used:3 months
    Strengths:Powerful with excellent Modulation. Beautiful CNC work.
    Weaknesses:Noisy. Fade on long downhill runs. Heavier and most expensive than Hayes. Must purchase, disassemble and rebuild caliper half to change rotor size.
    Similar Products Used:Hayes Hydro, Grimeca System 8
    Bike Setup:Titus Switchblade / 185mm front / 165mm rear / '03 Marzocchi Z.1 FR QR20+
    Bottom Line:Mostly good brakes, but they nearly got me killed on the Moab Rim trail. I had severe fade (nearly zero braking while gripping as hard as I could) on the last 3/4 mile of the trail. This is a very steep trail, but I can't believe that DH racers can use this brake safely. I would like to upgrade to the 205/185 rotor size, but I can't without disassembling the calipers and spending $140 on new caliper halves. I will be replacing the brake fluid with some Motul RBF 600 and will post a follow-up if it helps. I am also thinking about buying the Grimeca 20mm spacer kit from Gravity Racing just to see if it would work to allow me to run a 205mm rotor on the front. I am nervous about the spacer because there is very little clearance between the M4 caliper and the rotor bolts on my front hub. I'm worried that the extra leverage when mounted further out could allow the caliper to twist and make contact with the rotor bolts. Marzocchi must not have been thinking too clearly when they made the '03 fork legs.
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

    Submitted by James Edwards a Cross Country Rider from England
    Date Reviewed: November 27, 2002
    Duration Product Used:6 months
    Price Paid: $180.00
    Purchased At:www.ukbikestore.co.uk
    Strengths:VERY powerful, easy to setup and VERY powerful
    Weaknesses:I have got a slight leak around my leaver resluting in a spongy leaver but now i have bleed them they are perfect again
    Similar Products Used:HS-33, Formula B4's and v brakes
    Bike Setup:Club Roost Stinger Evo with 2002 bomber z1 mcr hope enduro 4 on front hs-33 on back lx/xt groupset
    Bottom Line:very powerful brake. i would recomend spending a few extra quid on these rather than the b4's because there is no compairson.
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by speedy a Weekend Warrior from sydney
    Date Reviewed: November 19, 2002
    Duration Product Used:6 months
    Strengths:Modulation - I lock up about 1/100th of the times I used to with V-brakes.
    Precision control - have now discovered how to balance the bike through corners using the rear brake - somehow corrects any slight mis-balancing when setting up a corner.
    Consistency - has always had the same feel/power, which is very important.
    I can't imagine needing more power. These brakes are probably overkill for their application (me: 73kg, bike: 25lbs)
    Zero maintenance, other than cleaning to try to reduce noise - see below
    Weaknesses:major prob (for me): Noisy. more noise if not cleaned, or if wet. makes people jump on the street. almost given up hope of silencing them. suggestions please.
    minor ones: Springs that retract pads are badly designed and don't really work that well - makes it hard when putting the wheel back in the frame (would be near impossible in the dark), and pads drag (only very slightly though, but make noise sometimes).
    can't adjust pads/lever for personal preference - I find the lever travel to be little too much (can't fit index finger between squeezed lever and bar when lever reach is adjusted where I like)
    These brakes make it hard for me to ride other bikes - find them dangerous now - too used to my brakes.
    Similar Products Used:none really, only V-brakes (no other mtb discs)
    Bike Setup:hartail with suspension fork & seatpost, XT/XTR, M4s (185mm front, 165mm rear), quality bits (monkeylite, swiss hubs etc)
    Bottom Line:Given that I've never had any other disc brakes (other than on my 4-stroke enduro), it is hard to have an opinion on these (i.e. vs other mtb discs), but compared to V-brakes, well.... I don't think I could go back now. In addition to weekend trail riding, I put some slicks on, and commute to work every weekday in pretty heavy (and angry) traffic (anyone ridden on the road in Sydney?). To go back to "normal" brakes now, would probably get me into some major trouble (and pain) unless I made some major adjustments to my traffic dodging riding style. The power of these is unreal, and extremely consistent in all conditions. The modulation is excellent, and I always know exactly when a tyre is about to lock. I'm getting used to having the option of grabbing a handful mid-corner, knowing that I won't have any lock-ups, on any surface. I am now going LOTS faster (on and off road), on washed out surfaces, going into corners at crazy speeds. Haven't come to grief at speed since I've had these (it'll hurt a lot more when I do though).

    The performance of these brakes cannot be disputed, that's for sure. I don't know about the others though (gustav, hayes).

    But I just wish there was some way I could quiet them down a bit. I've already changed the pads (EBC ones, can't remember which colour) but that didn't work. It seems that if I clean them (alcohol), it takes away the loud shrieking noise, but the (quieter) squeaking still remains. If anyone has any suggestions about other pads etc, that would be very wellcome. These brakes have been set up properly. I'm also thinking about gluing/gooing the pads to the pistons with hi-temp solvent, in case the pads are vibrating (will also help with retraction problem).

    I was thinking about getting mini's but heard all the good things about hope's open 4 piston system (enduro), so I got the new M4's instead - they don't weigh that much more than mini's. Maybe the mini's might have been quiter though.

    I'd have no hesitation in giving them 5 chillis, except for the noise (I like a quiet bike).
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

    Submitted by Andy a Weekend Warrior from Mercer Island, WA, USA
    Date Reviewed: October 22, 2002
    Favoriate Trail:preston
    Duration Product Used:6 months
    Price Paid: $165.00
    Strengths:Review for M4- Incredible power, great modulation, zero drag, good looks, tons of machining, lever feel, one-finger braking...always
    Weaknesses:A touch of lever flex, wicked squeal
    Similar Products Used:Hayes 6 and 8inch,
    Bike Setup:Spec Enduro Pro, m4 front and rear, xtr throughout, thompson, monkeylite, king
    Bottom Line:You cannot find a more powerful brake than the hope. Period. Takes sometime to get set-up drag free, but then maintains itself. If you can't handle squealing brake, do not buy these brakes.
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Philip Onslow a Downhiller from United Kingdom
    Date Reviewed: October 17, 2002
    Favoriate Trail:Red route at Peebles, Scotland
    Duration Product Used:6 months
    Price Paid: $360.00
    Purchased At:Mark Anthony Cycles
    Strengths:AWESOME power, great modulation, solid CNC parts (no plastic here!), good value, hassle-free, look GREAT!
    Weaknesses:None really, but they can squeal like pigs sometimes and the rotors are a bit thin (keeps the weight down though)
    Similar Products Used:Magura Julie, Shimano XT, Formula MD1 cable discs, Top Gun cable discs
    Bike Setup:custom BMB Special built for me by my frame supplier, 6" rear travel, 7" front from Top Gun inverted forks, Hope M4 brakes, SRAM 7.0 drivetrain with Truvativ crankset (no Shimano anywhere on this bike!)
    Bottom Line:Firstly these are the M4 brakes, the replacement for the Enduro 4. The new Mini lever looks and feels better than the old Pro and works better with my GripShift. Unlike the Enduro the leading pistons in the caliper are smaller than the trailing, meaning less squealing (the Enduro sounded hideous!). I run 205mm and 185mm rotors - after using these EVERYTHING else feels hopeless! Shimano XT for example just doesn't have the power - the M4s lend a new meaning to one-finger braking! Hope's feel, construction quality and customer service is legendary, and at £120 per wheel they are cheaper than all the other DH discs out there. If you do DH then you should be using this brake - nothing else comes close for power and feel, and they are light (ish) into the bargain!
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Ben Bilsland a Weekend Warrior from England
    Date Reviewed: October 9, 2002
    Favoriate Trail:Quantocks
    Duration Product Used:3 months
    Price Paid: $140.00
    Purchased At:Ralph Colman Cycles
    Strengths:Light
    Looks amazing
    Great lever
    Good price
    Hope aftersales
    Weaknesses:Looooooooong break in period...
    Bike Setup:I-drive w/ Psylo and Hope/F510 wheels
    Bottom Line:These brakes are the best you can buy. Obviously you yanks dont think the M4 exists but when you get it, it has an even better lever (Mini) and it's even lighter.
    It owns Hayes/Shimano on price, looks and aftersales service. I see all these american bikes with Hayes brakes and to be honest I think your all a little dumb. Hope M4s are the best XC disc brake you can buy. Minis might be lighter and look cool, but the M4 is hardly any heavier and it has 4 pistons.
    It decimates all - look at Steve Peat. UCI World Cup champ and he did it with Hope.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Tyler a Cross Country Rider from Glasgow, Scotland
    Date Reviewed: August 20, 2002
    Favoriate Trail:Any Trail
    Duration Product Used:6 months
    Price Paid: $420.00
    Purchased At:Internet
    Strengths:Excellent braking power and and strength. Somwhat light for a 4 piston downhill disc brake.
    Weaknesses:None
    Similar Products Used:Hayes Hydro, Shimano XT, Hope DH4.
    Bike Setup:Norco VPS1, Monster T, Race Face North Shore Cranks, XT drivetrain. Hope bulb hubs.
    Bottom Line:These are the best free ride brakes period. They are much better then hayes or shimano or magura. I also have Hope Mini's on my XC bike and they are amazing. Hope only makes the highest quality equipment. Buy these brakes!
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Phil Fontana a Cross Country Rider from Anchorage, AK
    Date Reviewed: July 9, 2002
    Favoriate Trail:hmmm, there's so many...
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Purchased At:RTR
    Strengths:Exactly what I wanted. Tremendous, even stopping power. Hardly a squeal to be heard and works fine in mud, water, steep descents, etc.
    Weaknesses:Some seizing on hot days coming down the mountains. Generally fixable by adjusting the dial on the brakes.
    Similar Products Used:Hayes.
    Bike Setup:Turner O2, the "dream bike" build.
    Bottom Line:I'll never go back to padded brakes. Worth the trade off by having the extra weight.
    Oh, and don't touch hot rotors!
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Tony Ratcliffe a Weekend Warrior from Bucks
    Date Reviewed: July 6, 2002
    Favoriate Trail:Any fast singletrack
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Price Paid: $280.00
    Purchased At:Merlin & Chain reaction
    Strengths:Power and workmanship
    Weaknesses:A bit heavy and care needed with set up. I found out when bleeding apply pressure to the brake lever before releasing the nipple, shut the nipple and release the lever. This purges bubbles from the system during the bleed.
    Similar Products Used:Formula B4's
    Bike Setup:Spesh Enduro 02, Marzocchi's. Set up as a trail / freerider.
    Bottom Line:The front brake bought in 2001 was totally superb from the off but I had to hunt down the rear as everyone now has the M4. The Enduro has quite a long cable run to the rear disc and I needed a new hose, the rear was spongey at first but after some advice on bleeding the brakes are now excellent. Weighing 90+ kilo's I really love these brakes, they have power and modulation in all situations.
    The rating is for the brakes and doesn't take into account the set up bother as I don't believe it is the brake manufacturers fault that this bike needs a longer hose.
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Kelly W a Weekend Warrior from Sydney, Australia
    Date Reviewed: July 5, 2002
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Price Paid: $250.00
    Purchased At:www.chainreactioncycles.com
    Strengths:Good Looker, built to last, and good parts availability.
    Weaknesses:It was leaking when I got them, rather weak on the first ride, coudn't even skid.
    Similar Products Used:Hayes Mechanical discs.
    Bike Setup:DMR Sidekick, hayes mech disc on front, M4 on D321 at the rear end.
    Bottom Line:well, they were leaking when I got them, so I had to rebleed them, and made sure that the seal was properly sealed. It didn't come with the brake fluid since it was prebleed, so I had to supply my own. The lever feel was VERY mushy, but it might be because of my bad bleeding. As a consequence, I couldn't even lock the wheels. It looks beefy though, and hopefully after my next bleed and some more bedding, it'll be as powerful as all those other reviews says it was.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:3

    Submitted by wakestar a from yorkshire
    Date Reviewed: July 3, 2002
    Favoriate Trail:adel/chevin/ilkley
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Price Paid: $120.00
    Purchased At:stif
    Strengths:power, modulation, excellant lever feel, look cool, mini lever is only hope lever i like, feel much better than c2's.
    Weaknesses:none so far, maybe occasional squealing that can be easily sorted.
    Similar Products Used:c2's, mechanical disks, mini's.
    Bike Setup:planet x easton rad, shivers 02's, m4 disc, single ring, xt, 24/7 bar/stem, bulb/521,
    Bottom Line:soo good!
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Dr Mike a Weekend Warrior from Ulverston,Cumbria,England
    Date Reviewed: June 25, 2002
    Favoriate Trail:Birkrigg Common,Ulverston
    Duration Product Used:6 months
    Price Paid: $250.00
    Purchased At:leisure Lakes, Preston
    Strengths:I weight 235 Lbs and my bike weighs 30.5Lbs and these babies stop me so well I nearly loose my teeth!

    They also look well trick.

    They work really well in the rain and mud which is essential in the Lake District.

    Low maintainance=more time riding=very good!
    Weaknesses:A bit noisy,but at least the ramblers get out of your way well in advance!
    Similar Products Used:Magura Julies(I actually prefered the HS33`s on my old bike to these)
    Bike Setup:2002 Marin Wolf Ridge(UK spec)with Z1 Fr`s,Hope Enduro 4`s, Mavic D321`s and Panracer Fire xcPro 2.1 rear tyre
    Bottom Line:Stop me like I weight as much as an Xc rider(and I don`t!).

    Excellent modulation,no pump(they`re an open system)and did I mention thet they look well trick?

    Buy some now and never worry about stopping again!!!
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Tony a Downhiller from London
    Date Reviewed: June 19, 2002
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Purchased At:Cycle centre
    Strengths:Looks, easy to set up, instant working, unbeliveable power
    Weaknesses:squeal sometimes
    Similar Products Used:V`s, Magura Louise, C2`s
    Bike Setup:Cortina DH8, Shiver DC, Hope hubs, D321`s, M4`s
    Bottom Line:This is a review for the M4`s. They are very easy to set up and works almost instantly. The power is awsome and they do look good, the machineing of the brakes is a work of art. I highly recommend thay you spend the cash, suits dh bikes better.
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Mad luke Mad a Downhiller from kent
    Date Reviewed: June 3, 2002
    Favoriate Trail:pensherst or cliff face near me
    Duration Product Used:6 months
    Price Paid: $123.00
    Purchased At:chainreaction
    Strengths:very powerfull need to be very carefull when first tried fliped me first time. good modulation no pump which is wicked for long downhill runs. easy to top up with oil and pritty easy to chang the pads.built like a brick nothing cold crack thease they would proberly crack your frame if its a s**t frame. leaver fell is good as well and did i say power!!!!!! also work better in wet work excellent in dry but even better in wet!!
    Weaknesses:squeal when break which is irritating when in town but not downhill cous u cant here it and it also tells you if your stopping if you got your eyes closed.if they do squeal just spray water on them that works.
    Similar Products Used:grimeca(dont buy only if u are retarded)c2's b2's
    Bike Setup:kona stab 99 monster t's hope e4 twentyfourseven roox xlight mavic 521 gold tec
    Bottom Line:very good no problem with them except when first brought had to send back caus front break was leaking but hope fixed it free of charge but do take long to send back. if you are in to extream free ride and dh like me thease beasts are for you.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Per a Cross Country Rider from Sweden
    Date R