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Submitted by
Trey
a Racer
from Orange, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | The Path bike shop | | Strengths: | VERY strong, VERY reliable, great feel zero fading | | Weaknesses: | Heavy by current standards, the newer models are lighter | | Bike Setup: | Ellsworth ID, full XTR, Race Face cranks, Bomber MCR, Chris King/custom wheels | | Bottom Line: | I looked though the reviews and saw most posts were from a few months of experience. I just wanted to post that I have been running the Hope Enduro 4 brakes for over three years now and have had ZERO problems.. I posted $400 for the price, I believe that was for both the front and rear. These things are amazing! they don’t fade at all, and have great modulation. Even after three years, and thousands of miles, they are still in top condition. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin G
a
from Edgewater
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Avalon | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | From a friend | | Strengths: | Like hitting a brick wall. They stop in all conditions, and i'm 240 lbs. | | Weaknesses: | I had a piston shear off in the front caliper. However Hope quickly remedied this problem with no hassle the swapped my caliper with a cosmetically marred caliper for $30. They also ate the shipping and gave me a great deal on new pads. The calipers were also already a couple of years old with very hard riding | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes, Avid | | Bike Setup: | Schwinn Homegrownn 4-Banger with a z.1Bam | | Bottom Line: | I will never settle for anything less than Hope again for hydraulic brakes | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
top jimmy
a Weekend Warrior
from new england
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | bumpy and muddy | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Strengths: | Simple to install. | | Weaknesses: | minor adjustment needed once in while | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano mechs---eh. | | Bottom Line: | If you do you own bike work, then these are not too difficult to install. Use the business card trick and you should be all set. Stops before a dime and get in all conditions. A noticeble upgrade from mech. discs. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jeffrey
a Weekend Warrior
from powell ,tennessee ,usa
Date Reviewed: May 15, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | haw ridge | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Bottom Line: | k old guys im 15 and set these brakes up by my self (with a lil help from my dad) .They dont make noise .they brake awsome .they stop me .and tip for those of u who squeel get help .keep it up hope ur brakes are awsomenot like formula mechanicals .never buy formula mechanicals .never | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Welford
a Weekend Warrior
from worcester england
Date Reviewed: February 11, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | these brakes are the mutts nutts | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | v's, cable discs, maguras | | Bike Setup: | slalom/street/trials | | Bottom Line: | the best brakes money can buy. PERIOD
wayyy better than sh*tty maguras
pro lever feels nicer than old sport version. prefer the closed system so i can adjust the lever feel to how i like it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Winno
a Cross Country Rider
from Auckland, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | local outdoor shop | | Strengths: | work when wet, light weight compared to other discs, very good power and control. | | Weaknesses: | Very pricey compared to some others especially when I had to get new wheels too in my upgrade from Maggie rims, take some time to bed in. | | Similar Products Used: | Hope C2, various Hayes | | Bike Setup: | 1997 Marin Quake 9.0 frs mono, XTR drive train, Bombers, Hope/Mavic wheels | | Bottom Line: | I wanted to get brakes that would work in the wet as I'd had some scarey moments with my Maggie HS33's in the rain. The Maggies were fantastic in good conditions and better than my XT and XTR V's in all conditions.
I also didn't want to have to replace rims every so often when they wore out. I just wanted something that I could put on, it would work well all the time and be fuss and maintenance free.
I had had a Hope Ti bottom bracket for some years that didn't have one problem with it and so I decided to look at Maggie and then Hope discs.
I went for the Hopes even though they were more costly as they have fantastic hubs and do a short axle kit for the rear Big'un hub due to me having to use a Hope rear disc adaptor kit for my frame due to no disc bosses.
The machining is also top class.
They took a month or so of light use to get them bedded in and now I have immense control of my braking.
The Hayes I tried had a firm stop to them but I felt that I didn't have the modulation that I have with the Hopes.
I'm very happy with them. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rich
a
from Nottingham, England
Date Reviewed: November 12, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | local cycle shop | | Strengths: | This is how brakes should be, smooth & powerful (Hope Mini) | | Weaknesses: | Can't think of anything | | Similar Products Used: | 'V' brakes, tested deore cable brakes | | Bike Setup: | Zaskar,XT, Hope hubs, mavic x317 rims | | Bottom Line: | I have tested these brakes in the worst conditions, and they work consistantly every time, no more rim grind from the 'V' brakes, or changing the cables every few months. Also Hope must have fixed the pads on the mini brake, because mine only make a slight hum at speed (holes in the disk?) altogether a excelent brake system. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kace
a Cross Country Rider
from Bristol, UK
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Strengths: | Stopping your bike | | Weaknesses: | Bedding-in period | | Similar Products Used: | V's, mech disk | | Bike Setup: | Fast hardtail XC | | Bottom Line: | I'm reading various reviews here about it being hard to set up and squeaky in use. Maybe I'm lucky (or maybe I'm good!) but it took me just under 1 hour in my office with an Allen key and pair of pliers. This includes removing the old brake and completely replacing the front wheel. This done it runs in silence and stops me on a postage stamp, at all times looking and feeling very sweet. OK I've not had it long but I can definitely comment on fitting and early performance.
It's expensive of course, very sharp edged rotor (mind your paint and fingers), and most importantly takes quite a bit of bedding in- don't ride any hills in the first few outings! But to be honest you get what you pay for, and for GBP 110-120 the Hope Mini stops MTBs very very well.
PS Hope hubs cost about the same as XT and are superior in weight, freewheeling and ease-of-service, no competition. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jaap Dr. Paaj
a Cross Country Rider
from Geleen the Netherlands
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | all over the world | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$192.00 | | Purchased At: | www.rob-akkermans.nl | | Strengths: | pure brakingpower. No weak feeling in the handles. More than only xc use braking. The weight 380gr | | Weaknesses: | squiking but thats the only one... | | Similar Products Used: | xt(disc) magura(sucks) hayes and hope(both superr hope the best) | | Bike Setup: | Jeckyll 3000sl xtr hope mini(165mmf+r) | | Bottom Line: | The mini's have much more braking power than all others in compare with xc racing brakes..... But the first feel is very strong when you touch the brake handle you make a nosewheely before you noticed..... This brake can be used for XCracing-freeriding-dual and maybe DH(with lagrer rotors 185mm r+f)
They squeek very nice like singing, but i don't care...... One of the best brake ever... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
matt-o
a Racer
from colorado
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | how can you pick just one??? | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$159.00 | | Purchased At: | jenson | | Strengths: | Small levels (not motorcycle style), good manuals, tech support, stopping ability once "bedded in". | | Weaknesses: | Weight (when compared to cantis), very sharp rotors, can't build real light wheels, had to call tech for additional parts, 5.1 brake fluid vs. Shimano's mineral oil, drag | | Similar Products Used: | cantis, avid discs | | Bike Setup: | Anvil Hammer (3.4 STEEL FOCO tubed bike!) -- race face, king, hugi hubs, use post, conti tires, Xfly, Salsa stuff, easton stuff | | Bottom Line: | These brakes (HOPE MINIS) are nice but they do have their drawbacks. Stopping power is better than cantis once broken in, but not leaps and bounds better. Setting up is a pain. Numerous tiny washers, messy fluids and wrong parts caused me increased set up time and losing out on a trip to Moab. The rotors are VERY sharp on the edges, due to a lack of machining, and they will chip and peel the paint off your chainstays real quick when putting the rear wheel into the dropouts. Plus out of the box, one of the pistons stuck (would not expand or contract). The guy at HOPE helped with that problem though, wd40 and a screwdriver did the trick.
I have struggled with getting the pad rub out of the calipers by using the washers provided (and extras) to space them properly, but to no avail some drag still exsists. I have been a bike mechanic for ten plus years, plus I have maintain all of the disc brake systems on my motocross bikes, so let me say that it is not a case of a feeble mechanic spinning the wreches that has caused difficulties in set-up.
If you get ANY disc set up that is hydraulic, plan on tinkering time.
As far as the performance, they do stop quicker than cantis. No need to worry about heating your rims either (a concern here in Colorado with loooong descents). But it seems that you use your brakes more too. My race times/descent times are not any faster with them. They look pretty trick with the wavy style rotor and they have just a touch of squeal but no worse than misalighned VEES.
Should you get em? Well gotta ask yourself acouple of questions. Do you ride in mucky conditions? Are you willing to slap extra weight on your bike? Are you willing to trash out your current wheelset for a more expensive, heavier one? Are you willing to mess with fulids and parts that are only available from specialized dealers?
If you answered NO to any of these, stick to canti (Vee) brakes. Otherwise you will experience my dissappointment. Sorry. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jay
a Cross Country Rider
from London
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | (open 2 pro levers) Simple, reliable,powerful,good modulation, no fade or pump up and mine never squealed. | | Weaknesses: | Yeah right | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bottom Line: | I like them loads. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
PaulC
a Cross Country Rider
from Penicuik, Scotland
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | Glentress | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Chain Reaction | | Strengths: | (HOPE Mini 165mm on the front)Light setup and very powerful with excellent moculation. No lock up | | Weaknesses: | AHHHHHHHH my ears, better than a horn though | | Similar Products Used: | HOPE Mini | | Bike Setup: | Rockhopper A1 FS PRO with XT Rockshox Judy's. Hope XC hub on Mavic 321 Disc rim. | | Bottom Line: | In Scotland rims get munched by the crappy weather. These discs are ace and are much better than any rim brake. The lever supplied is neat and works well.
They are easy to set up and required little tweaking. Whoever said that only Downhillers need discs obviously have not tried these out, as a front disc for cross country / downhilling they are great.
The only problem is they are a bit loud, a minor gripe though. So buy them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steven Shanks
a Downhiller
from Scotland
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | The Fungle road - Oh yea!! | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | Christys Cycles, Brechin | | Strengths: | (Hope O2 Sport) - They are easy to install, quick to bed in and the power and modulation is amazing, they are not bothered by heat, dirt, mud, cold, buckled rims. Easy maintainence. Exelent customer support (UK anyway) | | Weaknesses: | None at all. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT 4 pots (not impressed), Magura loiese, claras, grimaca hydros, (all no where near as good as hope) | | Bike Setup: | 2001 saracen havoc, hope disks, zokes elite 5" forks, mavic D521 XT drivetrain | | Bottom Line: | Iv tried loads of other breaks and nothin beats the Hope o2. Brilliant breaks and great value only 120 pounds sterling per brake (caliper, hoses, lever, Disk) Good for DH, Open system isn't effected by heat build up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim
a
from UK
Date Reviewed: August 17, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Weaknesses: | See below | | Bottom Line: | Me again.
Just one thing I forgot to mention in my review below.
The stock bolts that came to hold the discs on were total junk. The heads were way too shallow, and the allen key (a brand-new quality allen key before anyone comments) rounded out the hex head (and before anyone mentions ham-handedness, I tightened them with appropriate torque).
I ended up buying a box of 50 A4 stainless allen bolts from RS. Paid a premium for them, but !DAMN! they are nice. By far the best quality bolts on my entire bike. I wish all bike bits came with bolts of this standard!
Only problem was they were M5x10, and the stock bolts are M5x8. Ended up grinding them down on a bench grinder. Fit perfectly now and look far better than the stock bolts.
Still brilliant brakes though, just need better bolts for the discs.
Still 5 by 5 though, coz their performance and value just can't be argued with! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim
a
from UK
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Power, modulation, number of options available, perfect match to the amazing Bulb hubs, big + beefy Sport level (I prefer the larger Sport lever over the Pro lever) | | Weaknesses: | New braided hosing (I got the older black hosing). Rear brake used to squeal (until I sorted it - see below). My rear disc aint very flat (front seems near flat, but the back is all over the place (has been since new)). | | Similar Products Used: | Various V-brakes (LX, XT, XTR), Magura HS-33, lots of old canti designs | | Bottom Line: | Great brakes. The real reason for this post is to help (hopefully) some people out with the squeal from their brakes.
I found the following worked well, but I dunno if it will work for other ppl (dont see why not though):
For UK folks, go to Halfords and buy a tub of Copper Grease (Halfords own brand). This is also an anti-seize, so it's all-round useful stuff!
Take out pads and apply a very thin layer of copper grease to the backs of the pads. Make sure you dont get any on the front or sides of the pads (for obvious reasons).
Re-fit pads and brake in silence.
Like I said, it worked on my back brake (front has never squealed - go figure...). I cant promise it will work for everyone.
Lastly, I also got some EBC red pads, and the power of the brakes went up A LOT! Only downer is that modulation is affected, but just need to learn to be lighter with the lever. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Blackburn
a Cross Country Rider
from Echt (you know it makes sense)
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | The Fungle | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | chain reaction | | Strengths: | Hope Mini Disc Brake
Great power | | Weaknesses: | Squeak like crazy/ | | Similar Products Used: | Hope C2 - quiet as a mouse. | | Bike Setup: | Marin Rift Zone. Manitou SX R / FOX air vanilla. | | Bottom Line: | Great brakes, but can someone please let me know how you turn the volume down? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
William Millard
a Cross Country Rider
from Grenoble, France
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | william@shustoke.com | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | Merlin Cycles (UK) | | Strengths: | Fantastic stopping power, fairly light, look very cool | | Weaknesses: | None found yet. | | Similar Products Used: | XT V brakes, LX V's and Avids. | | Bike Setup: | Marin Rift Zone + goodies | | Bottom Line: | These brakes are fantastic, i am currently living in Grenoble in the heart of the French Alpes and loving it. The avid Vs were stock and rubbish. These are a little heavier than Vs, but my god they are nothing like V power. i don't believe it is possible to do anything like this with rim brakes. After a long steep down they get rather hot and you have to adjust the lever (i am riding closed 2 pot system)Not problem though as that was at the bottom of the cable car. (Lazy)
Buy them, they're british and fantasticly engineerd. Look great with the blus Hope hubs too. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick Baker
a Downhiller
from Shrewsbury, shropshire, UK
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | from uk Hope dealers | | Strengths: | Everything. Well designed, well excecuted, and damned powerful. With excellent controllability. | | Weaknesses: | Not Applicable.
I am unaware of any weaknesses. | | Similar Products Used: | Tried and tested all other disks, shimano, and other inferior products (rst cable opperated... ha ha ha) | | Bike Setup: | used many different sets, and now on my 14" dual bike. currently on 'open' system with pro levers, with 185mm at front and 165m at back. | | Bottom Line: | Unbelievably good. British engineering at it's best. quality machining, and no poncy cast bits.
People can winge all they want about performance and stuff like that, but the truth is, if you set them up badly, they won't work as well as they could (though the will still outperform all of the competition).
Spend time and effort setting them up, and you'll have no problems, and the best set of brakes in the world, whatever the model, and whatever they're on.
(If these brakes can stop a tandem with two people on it from 50 mph, there's no way that people can complain about performance. You try that with any formula RST or Heyes disk)
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Neil
a Weekend Warrior
from UK
Date Reviewed: June 26, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | cyclexpress.co.uk | | Strengths: | Light
Relatively cheap
Power, Modulation | | Weaknesses: | Can squeal | | Similar Products Used: | Only v-brakes | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Enduro, Psylo XC, Mavic 317 with Hope XC hubs | | Bottom Line: | This review is for Hope Mini
Price is for front brake only.
Took a while to bed in and a squealed a lot from new. Now they are more powerful and the squealing has stopped - I don't know whether that is due to them bedding in or the dryer weather. I understand that a new pad is being developed to cure the problem completely. They are plenty powerful enough for my 150lbs and I will be getting the rear aswell once the summer is over.
I would say the open system is the way to go, I don't miss the lack of adjustability on reach and I have seen too many people halfway down a steep hill emptying their water bottles over their closed brakes to cool them down.
Here in the UK they are also the cheapest of the "quality" hydraulic discs - it's nice for us Brits to have something cheaper than the Americans for a change.
All-in-all this is probably the best value brake on the market at the moment. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brett
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco, CA
Date Reviewed: May 21, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | Pauley Creek, Downieville | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | www.speedgoat.com | | Strengths: | HOPE MINI - Good modulation & power | | Weaknesses: | HOPE MINI - Crappy pads that squeal, squeak and cause the whole damn bike to resonate | | Similar Products Used: | HOPE MINI - XT Discs, Hayes | | Bike Setup: | Ventana El Saltamontes, Z1 Xfly, King hubs & headset, Phil Wood BB, Raceface LP cranks, bar, seatpost, XT disc brakes, XTR drivetrain, Time Carbon, 317 wheels, Kore Elite stem, LP carbon barends, Koobi Tri saddle | | Bottom Line: | This is for the HOPE MINI -> Bottom line is that these are great brakes, as much power as my XT discs (with EBC greens) with much better modulation. BUT I have some issues.
1) The pads that come with this are pieces of crap, you can hear me coming down a hill a mile away. I don't like riding my bike right now because of the noise. Hope's fixes only last for a mile on the trail then the wailing begins anew. Hope has been communicative and recognizes the fact that they buggered the pads, but I still have to wait 4 weeks for a fix. Maybe they should have figured it out on the front end.
2) The bleed valve wasn't set properly from the factory, lost some fluid. I know you should check... but these are one of the most expensive brakes on the market... quality control goes beyond the machining of the product if you get my drift.
All in all I am happy with my purchase but have to knock them down a bit for poor product development processes and price. If I didn't have these problems, I'd give it 5 stars no problem. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Guy
a Downhiller
from Matlock, Derbyshire
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | Any Dirt Jumps | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Stanley Fearns ,Matlock | | Strengths: | (THIS REVIEW IS ON THE PRO C2 DISC'S)
Excellent Brakes, Makes you stop dead. | | Weaknesses: | Only one thats the squeel. | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes 8" | | Bike Setup: | Orange Patriot, Psylos, XT, | | Bottom Line: | great brakes no fault,If you are a serious Downhiller get the DH4's the c2's can pump out I have done it and its not a good postion to be in trust me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Crazy Bit#$
a Weekend Warrior
from Upstate NY
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | Plattekill | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: | Review is for the Hope O2/Mini:
-Brain-dead simple and well-thought-out setup(unlike Hayes)
-Awesome modulation(unlike Hayes)
-LOOKS SOOO STYLIE!!
-No overheating or fade(unlike the closed-system Hopes--this feature makes the Minis way more predictable)
-Well-designed lever
-Not too heavy
-No squeal(again unlike Hayes,which squeal like a stuck pig) | | Weaknesses: | -Doesn't have as much power as Hayes..
-Price--$200 a wheel,NOT INCLUDING THE COST OF HOPE'S EXPENSIVE(yet awesome)HUBS | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes Hydro(the Hopes are WAY better from a shop rat's point of view) | | Bike Setup: | These brakes were on my friend's Kona Stinky | | Bottom Line: | AWESOME,absolutely awesome.So well-designed and so much better than the totally overrated Hayes discs!
I helped my friend set up these brakes and hubs on his Kona.I had already installed Hayes before,and I thought these things were going to be a bi$ch to set up,just like the Hayes.
Wrong.I installed,bled,aligned etc. both brakes IN ONE FREAKING HOUR!!
What's even more amazing is how they perform.HOT DAMN!Now THIS is modulation!THIS is stopping power!And they don't squeal,fade,leak,etc..Hats off to the Brits on these KICKASS brakes!They have totally outdone Hayes!
These brakes are the best hi-performance bolt-on you can give to your bike!Sure they are WICKED pricey(especially when you factor in hub price),but they are the BEST.I highly recommend Hope discs and hubs!5 smokin' habaneros!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary White
a Cross Country Rider
from LONDON, UK
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | Lots | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle Surgery, London, UK | | Strengths: | Simplicity of set up, quick bedding in; great stopping power; lack of fade; on the fly adjustability; light (for a hydraulic brake) | | Weaknesses: | Slight pumping out on punishing downhills | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes | | Bike Setup: | Trek Y-Bike, Marzocchi X-Fly 2001 100mm travel, Float RC rear shock Hope hubs and brakes, Mavix x618 rims; XTR shifters and mechs, Race Face crankset and rings; XTR 11-34 cassette. | | Bottom Line: | Referring to the Hope C2 (closed system 2), 2000 spec model with pro spec lever.
An excellent product, not least of all for its full adjustability - you can adjust the reach of the lever independently of the brake travel and adjust the brake travel and bite in the hoof, using the lever mounted adjuster and as the pad wears. A very good compromise between stopping power, weight and performance in the wet.
Come on you MTBers in the USA - these British brakes are the best you can get - a real undiscovered secret on your side of the Atlantic. Ask about them now!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
øyvind gjermshus
a Cross Country Rider
from oslo. norway
Date Reviewed: March 23, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | differetn trails in nordmarka | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Great stopping power. Little maintainance. Good feel at the lever. Allways reliable and gives great confidence. | | Weaknesses: | Can be a bit fiddly to set the correct "reach" at times | | Similar Products Used: | various shimano v-brakes and cantilevers | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Heckler with judy 100, xt and race face parts | | Bottom Line: | Hope disc brakes are the be all end all brake system. Easy to work on, and very reliable.
I run the old lever on my open system,and place the shifter pod outside of the brake levers. This works great.
I would by Hope brakes again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CAT
a Weekend Warrior
from Cornwall..UK
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$230.00 | | Strengths: | Sheer stopping power, Silent operation, Simplicity. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Cable Disks, | | Bike Setup: | Giant | | Bottom Line: | These are all you need brakewise, never screeeched once no matter how wet and always worked 100% in all conditions. Im by no means a Pro downhiller but i cant imagine anyone needing more braking power than these can deliver. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Evans
a Cross Country Rider
from Swansea,Wales
Date Reviewed: December 15, 2000 | | Favoriate Trail: | All of them | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$280.00 | | Strengths: | Excellent stopping,good looking(so i'm a biketart),reliable,easy to set up. | | Weaknesses: | My wheels are heavier than I need(a pair of Big uns on Mavic 519's)but I had the full set 2nd hand so I cant complain. | | Similar Products Used: | Avid Arch Rival 50s,Magura Racelines on my Tandem,various other ineffective canti brakes | | Bike Setup: | Orange P7,Pace RC36 evo2,middlburn XC7 cranks and various other bits that serve their purpose. | | Bottom Line: | After riding the Karrimor trail in November on a day when It didnt stop raining and I had V brakes,i lusted after these brakes.Having got them and ridden 9feet.com at Afan Argoed in the same conditions I can only say good things.They stopped me everytime and I was able to brake later,so I was faster.Given the price I paid they were excellent value but I would have paid full price if I hadnt been offered these. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Roberts
a Downhiller
from U.K.
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2000 | | Favoriate Trail: | Avalanche Cup course Morzie, FR | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$180.00 | | Purchased At: | Nothern Exposure | | Strengths: | Massively powerfull, really smooth take up, totally dependable, reliable. | | Weaknesses: | Old sport lever doesn't fit around Shimano rapid fire pods very well. On long DH's like 1000m drop runs where your on the brakes for long periods of time they pump up. This means the brake comes on sooner in the lever travel. Fortunately Hope forsaw this and an adjuster on top of the lever lets you dial out some travel. This can be a scary experience if your doing Mach 2 down steep stuff. | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox cable pull, feet out either side of the bike. | | Bike Setup: | Kona Sinky Dee Lux + bomb proof bits | | Bottom Line: | These are the best brakes money can buy. Don't waste you money on anything else because you'll have a go on your mates bike equipped with Hopes and realise how sh1te your brakes are and then have to buy the Hopes. So, save yourself the hassle and buy the Hopes NOW.
Don't buy any of that cold forged, cast, mass produced rubbish from the competion. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Oliver Butcher
a Cross Country Rider
from Wiltshire
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2000 | | Favoriate Trail: | Shearwater | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Loads of power. Great modulation. Keeps a strong wheel. Looks great. absolutly no hasstle to mantain. | | Weaknesses: | Need a couple of rides to bed in. | | Similar Products Used: | Avid v's, XT/XTR v's Magura louise. | | Bike Setup: | C2 pro system on Bulb hubs front and rear. SID's,XT PMP | | Bottom Line: | These are the best upgrade you can make to a bike. It completely transformed the way I ride, I could never go back to V's. There is just so much power there, that is controlable, not like the Louise's I tried. Whatever the whether thse are great, and set up is a one off job that is pretty easy to do anyway.
Like Tony the Tiger says...They're Great!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James Mcc
a Cross Country Rider
from NewZealand
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2000 | | Favoriate Trail: | Good Single track | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Great Modulation, Great power, Great looks, Cheaper than Hayes Hydro(in NZ), Fully adjustable!!!! Stop, Wet or dry!! | | Weaknesses: | Hmmm??? none so far tend to sqeak a bit when really soaking wet | | Similar Products Used: | Demo'ed Hayes only, V's on my old bike-something cheap with no name | | Bike Setup: | Giant Xtc Ds2 Stock except; these brakes Frount and rear, XT rear dr | | Bottom Line: | These Brakes are truely wonderful. Stop Excellent in the dry and just as good in the wet (I went riding especially, in the rain, to test this) One finger operation is excellent. Perhaps price could be better, but then you get what you pay for. In New Zealand they are cheaper than the Hayes by about NZD$100-$200 (USD$50-$100) per end!! I was Originally going to go with the Open system that Hope has but that wasnt available anywhere in NZ at the time I purchased the Closed and now Im glad I got the Closed as I like the on-the-fly adjustability of these. Also I like not having too much lever travel before the brakes engage. With the open system you can only really adjust the distance from the bar you have to reach, not the travel the levers have.
All round a good setup well worth the extra weight over the V's.
Havent raced with these yet but will be in the near future
5 flammin hot chillies for value because the lower price over the hayes of the same type and 5 overall because of the ability of the rider to adjust the travel on-the-fly. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard
a
from Vancouver, BC
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Great stopping power, excellent modulation, easy set-up and adjustment, no squeal. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | None. | | Bike Setup: | I have front and rear 1998 model Hope disk brakes on our road tandem. The front brake is the largest rotor (180mm, I believe), and the rear brake rotor is about 140mm. | | Bottom Line: | These things are powerful enough to stop a tandem travelling downhill at more than 80 km/h (50 mph). My wife and I weigh 290 pounds combined, plus another 50 pounds or so for the bike and gear. If these brakes can stop that kind of weight at that kind of speed, they can stop anything. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Heikki Hall
a Racer
from Lake Placid, N.Y., USA
Date Reviewed: July 19, 2000 | | Favoriate Trail: | #24 at Whiteface | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Weaknesses: | I have Hopes on my bike. They are not the four pistons but they did come on my
downhill bike and can not hold up to any downhill conditions. I am not saying that
the four pistons are not any good, I have not tried them but I will suggest that you get
some good riding time in on them before you buy them. The reason that I say that
Hope brakes are garbage is because I do not consider myself an extreamly
agressive rider but I have blown out my brakes three times this season. One time I
was out on a X-C ride and the next thing I knew I had no brakes. The second time I
blew out the brake was in training at Mount Snow I was at the very top when again I
noticed I had no brakes, and to top it all off they have no mechanical support at
races. I had to bug a Technician to help me out with finding the new parts that I
needed to fix my brakes. Hope should have been at that race in the first place. The
third time that I blew out my brakes was in one of my race runs at Plattekill. In the
middle of the course I noticed again that I was out of a rear brake. Riding Plattekill
at full speed without a rear brake is extreamly dangerouse and it almost killed me.
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$ 300.00
