Hope brakes have a sort of religious following in parts of the mountain bike world. Those devoted riders would never squeeze another brand’s lever, as those other brakes are not worthy of the castings on the Hope factory floor. Owners will pontificate on the power and vast modulation of the Tech 3 E4 to anyone in earshot, and boast their fastest bleed times repeatedly. Naturally, we had to give these 4-piston stoppers a shot.
In the video review below we outline the features and functionality of these venerated brakes, along with a few ergonomic and preferential elements worth considering. We tested the Tech 3 levers with an ordinary, non-braided hose, and the E4 calipers with their four, 16mm pistons that are rated for enduro-style riding. The set tested retails for €/$220 per wheel, while a 180mm rotor sells for €/$55, and a 200mm disc will fetch €/$65.
If you’re in a rush and need to get to the punchline, here it is: The Tech 3 E4 brakes offer the broadest range of modulation we have experienced to date and the simplest bleed process of any DOT fluid system that we’ve come across. Modulation and lever feel are comparable to a SRAM Code RSC or Formula Cura 4, though the Hope brakes do have their own unique way of doling out the power. While the maximum stopping force is slightly lower than that of other gravity brakes we have tested, like a Shimano Saint, for example, that difference is not likely to lose races, nor blow any corners. It’s a nuanced shift that takes a little time to grow accustomed to and then feels great. These well-loved brakes should comfortably scrub speed on any gravity machine you are building or upgrading.
5 Comments
Jan 14, 2021
Jan 14, 2021
Jan 15, 2021
I think where I failed was not being patient enough with moving the pistons, and repeating.
If anyone's interested, this YouTube link is to the official Hope technique. The moving the pistons bit is at 5:30:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btaw2vx0SAQ
One other note is I'm always going to pull the pads out, just not worth the risk of a spill. And yes, the bleed cup is worth the investment!
Jan 31, 2021
As for bleeding any DOT type system, the key to success is degassing the fluid prior to the deed. Leave out that step and trouble is in the future! Use only clean and fresh fluid.
DOT has a couple bad traits that require our attention, moisture is readily absorbed as is air. DOT 4 or 5.1 will serve well. DOT is an excellent fluid without the viscosity issues caused by low temperatures. Clean up after maintenance is plain expensive as hell tap water! Got some on a painted surface? Rinse it off as soon as possible with water... A quality anodized surface will not be affected by DOT.
Installation... Get the mounting tabs faced, period! Just freakin' do it... Then the modulation window will become smaller since the caliper, pads and rotors are in line and can function as a team. This step is what makes any disc system shine, so do not omit it.
I refer to Hope brakes as "Towing Package" brakes with damn good reason, they are just that. For bicycles!
Feb 4, 2021