Hope go CNC crazy at the 2011 Core Bike Show
I couldn’t help noticing news from across the web that Hope have been busy announcing all sorts of products at the 2011 Core Bike Show in Northamptonshire, showing just what can be achieved with CNC technology these days.
One thing’s for sure, their website is soon going to need a substantial update!
Photo credit: BikeMagic
I’ve been in two minds about Hope for a while. Their brakes are superb (I’ve run all sorts over the years, Minis, M4s etc.) and their hubs are becoming a sub-Chris King default choice – look out for my Pro2/Crest review soon. Bottom brackets too have shown themselves to be pretty reliable.
Round the edges of the range though the case is less compelling. Their stems are fine but don’t perform any better than Thomson stems, which I prefer the look of. The Eternity seatpost looks ‘fine’ but I can’t see a desperate need to get one. Again, my Thomson does the job plenty well enough. And don’t get me started on Hope seat clamps either!
Then there’s lights. I used to run a Hope HID before LED technology really came to the fore and liked the way the battery was neatly attached to the stem faceplate. For some time too Hope’s Vision 4 has been a competent if unspectacular high end light, competing against the likes of Exposure’s MaXx-D, Four4th Lights and a whole host of others. But in recent times it’s been considerably outgunned in the output stakes by newer products from the companies mentioned.
This time around, Hope appear to be taking no chances with the unveiling of the Vision 8 LED light which packs a whopping 2500 lumens. I can’t help wondering though if it’s still slightly wide of the mark. Despite coming with 8 LEDs with various spot, flood, infill lenses, and programming which lets the rider choose different outputs and modes it looks pretty clunky to me slapped on the front of the stem. I looks more like a Trout light on steroids. With apologies to Trout!
I haven’t see one for real but to me it misses the point. My Four4th lights are a much better option for the same kind of anticipated price because for that I can put one 1200 lumen flood on the bars and another 1200 lumen spot on my crash helmet where they’re svelte enough for me to barely notice them. Exposure with their Six Pack and a joystick (or a MaXx-D and a couple of joysticks) achieve a similar output. The advantage though in both cases is the fact you have the greater directionality of helmet mounted lights, something I hate to be without off road at night.
So my attitude to the Hope Vision 8 is ‘noted, but unconvinced’.
Photo credit: Bikeradar
A couple of other items worth mentioning are Hope’s chain device and cranks which are at an earlier stage in their development cycle. The chain device looks very bling but again I can’t help thinking a plastic alternative is both lighter and cheaper. As for the cranks, details are too sparse to comment but they certainly look to be state of the art in CNC milling. The upshot of that activity is likely to be Hope chainrings which might provide an alternative to the Middleburn and RaceFace products I currently use.
Plenty of additional information is available on the Hope Vision 8 LED light on Bikemagic and the Hope Vision 8, cranks and chain device on Bikeradar.
About the author
Matt is one of the founding Molefathers of the Muddymoles, and is the designer and main administrator of the website.
Having ridden a 2007 Orange Five for many years then a 2016 YT Industries Jeffsy 29er, he now rocks a Bird Aether 9 and a Pace RC-627.
An early On-One Inbred still lurks in the back of the stable as a reminder of how things have moved on. You can even find him on road bikes - currently a 2019 Cannondale Topstone 105 SE, a much-used 2011 Specialized Secteur and very niche belt drive Trek District 1.
If you've ever wondered how we got into mountain biking and how the MuddyMoles started, well wonder no more.
There are 8 comments on ‘Hope go CNC crazy at the 2011 Core Bike Show’
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James says:
picky picky picky
Hope stuff is perfect for the jobs they are built for. ‘Two minds’ sounds like a theme for your article rather than what you actually think.
If a bike came tricked out with the best Hope stuff you wouldn’t chuck it back would you.
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Posted on February 2, 2011 at 11:31 pm
Matt says:
Hello James, been a long time – school days probably?
Too right I wouldn’t chuck a Hope-tricked bike back but I’ve run a few in my time. I don’t think their stuff is great but it’s good up-with-the-best-of-them clobber, especially the hubs. Most of the time there’s no great reason to switch to them if your current gear does the job.
Having said that, their seat clamp is rubbish! Just swapped to a Salsa on my Orange, now no more squeaks, creaks or slippage.
That’s what I think. And the light is wrong for the market in my view!
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Posted on February 2, 2011 at 11:43 pm
pIJ says:
Tend to agree really. Hubs, brakes and bottom bracket first class. Other stuff slightly a bit below par and can be a bit like USE stuff ; far too clever to do the job in a “fit and forget 100%” kind of way. I have used Thomson for stem and post on some of my bikes, but you do have to watch their bolts for corrosion. I kind of like keeping things in the UK though, so also have USE stuff on my bikes.
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Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:22 am
Tony says:
I tend to agree with you Matt. This is lumens “mine is bigger than yours” going to extremes. With a lumicycle 1200 lumens bar and 1200 lumens head lamp I never feel the need for more light in the dark! Also is it me or does it look massive?
Otherwise I tend to look favorably on Hope (I like to buy UK when I can) and they make some class leaders – hubs / brakes, as well as some also rans – seat clamps (your particular favourite 🙂 not that you’ve mentioned it before or anything).
However there most exciting product, which will great if they can do it, is the combined cassette/freehub that they showed last year, since this could be a massive step forward. It’s ominous that they have gone quiet on that subject – I wonder whether it will happen.
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Posted on February 3, 2011 at 6:34 pm
paul901 says:
Hub Schmub, my rear road Ti had a crack in it!
In all seriousness it was fifteen years old when this was discovered and the hub span effortlessly, I was sad to see it bite the dust.
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Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:29 pm
PIJ says:
The Hope cassette is apparently on the way – but does it need a new hub as well? Can’t remember and I’m too lazy to look.
If we’re talking longevity, the Hope hub on my Orange Clockwork must have done 30,000 miles by now – without a single service, and it still runs fine. Bit wibbly wobbly by today’s standards, but brilliant kit. Given the chance all my wheels are built around their hubs.
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Posted on February 4, 2011 at 1:39 pm
Keith says:
Can’t say the same about Hope hubs here. New Forest sand and grit goes straight past the freehub seal and into the pawl cavity. I’ve also seen plenty of floppy brake levers once the pivots wear.
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Posted on February 17, 2011 at 5:17 pm
pIJ says:
So what hubs do you use instead of Hope then? Chris King always appeals, but the price doesn’t. Brakes always go a bit wibbly at the lever, but personally it takes so long that I’m used to the wibble by then and it’s not an issue.
Good that my bike can’t talk; ” ‘bloomin’ PIJ and his wobbly legs. Why can’t he just get up the hill? And braking! He doesn’t have to do it so much does he? And gosh hasn’t he been eating the pies again this week. Bat fastard.’ “
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Posted on February 18, 2011 at 8:54 am