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Hope EVO cranks chisel away weight & get easier to install, Fortus rims get wider

new Hope EVO cranks are lighter and easier to install with standard tools
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Hope Tech’s EVO cranks switch to a new design that not only saves weight and gets stiffer, but they also drastically improve the installation process. The cranks now use a self-extracting bolt that makes installation much easier…no more special proprietary tool required to mount them to your bike. And their Fortus rims get more widths and updated designs, and will now be coming pre-built as complete wheelsets in more markets. Let’s start with the cranks…

new Hope EVO cranks are lighter and easier to install with standard tools

The original design, shown on left in orange, required three proprietary tools to install. First you had to press the drive side crank onto the spindle, then remove that tool, then use another tool to install the expansion bolt, then thread in the nut to expand that bolt and lock everything into place. Not only was it a cumbersome installation process, but removal could be a pain, too. The new version replaces all that mess with a normal self extracting bolt and uses normal tools to install. Perfect.

new Hope EVO cranks are lighter and easier to install with standard tools

Note the slimmer edges and material reduction on the underside of the arms around the spindle.

new Hope EVO cranks are lighter and easier to install with standard tools

The profiles of the arms a little different now, too. They’re still a forged-then-machined 7150 piece, but they say the new shape is about 15% stiffer. Weight dropped a little thanks to extra machining, coming in about 560g (170mm arms) for the set without a chainring. Retail is $325 / £235, available in red, blue, orange, silver, purple and black.

new Hope EVO cranks are lighter and easier to install with standard tools
The scalloped groove on the backside is much larger now, too, removing a lot of material.

Their cranks are a universal design in that they say they’re strong enough for downhill, but low profile and light enough to fit in on an XC bike. The 30mm spindle can be pressed out and replaced, and they have four different widths to fit anything from standard mountain bikes, Boost, DH and even fat bikes.

Chainrings come in about 65g, give or take depending on size, and are available in all the usual tooth counts and come in standard and boost, round or oval, also in all the colors.

2019 Hope Tech Fortus rims get wider

new Hope Fortus rims get wider and add more size options

On their wheels, they’ve changed the rim profiles, going wider to match trends. Four options will give you internal widths of 23, 26, 30 and 35 millimeters, all extruded from 6061 alloy with welded construction. They’re rebranded as Fortus, and will only come with 32-hole drillings. The complete wheels are built 3-cross, using standard spokes with eyelets in the rims to improve durability and ease of building.

new Hope Fortus rim cutaway profile views

The 30mm rim is the standout, getting internal reinforcement ribs, aiming more at the downhill and park crowd by offering something that’s bombproof. Pro rider Adam Brayton (check out his new Nukeproof/Hope race bike) has been running the same wheelset for nearly five months and hasn’t broken them, so chances are you won’t either. As such, both the 26 and 30 widths will be offered in 26″ diameters alongside the 27.5″ and 29″ sizes that all four widths come in. Weights range from 420g up to 610g depending on size and width, retail is £90 per rim…but complete wheelsets with their hubs are just £425. (USD pricing TBD)

They’re available on their own, or as part of a complete wheel. The rims are one of the only products they don’t actually make in-house, but they are their own design. In the U.S., QBP will have complete wheels with these new rims by summer, at which time they’ll probably be shipping them with tubeless tape/valve stem kits, too. They’ll also have aftermarket decal kits that will match the colors of hubs, but the rims themselves are only available in black.

HopeTech.com

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Bmx
Bmx
5 years ago

The spindle does not seem to expand like the old ones so , the expanding spindle is a very good design despit the lengthy installation process. But really anybody that rides hope parts probably loves working on bikes and doesn’t mind this. The new design is not expanding so the tollerances on that spindle will gradually wear in a nd and you’ll have creaking and arm rock after a while . Even with profile cranks that are much harder material cromo 4130 this is an issue. The profile elite crank went for an expansion bolt to counter this. Another design was pinch bolts but this has it own issues with weakening the arms.

Andrew Fleming
Andrew Fleming
5 years ago

180mm cranks available?

Tyler Benedict
Tyler Benedict
5 years ago
Reply to  Andrew Fleming

Andrew, no, sorry, I meant to add that to the article. They come in 165/170/175 mm lengths.

robertaxle142
robertaxle142
5 years ago

Well played Hope. Releases all new line of aluminum rims the day after Enve’s implosion on Pinkbike.

Nigel Horwood
Nigel Horwood
4 years ago

Anyone had issues with the version 1 cranks? My drive side one fell off today … the expanding spline part of the spindle had 2 sections broken off …. now gotta speak to shop and Hope to find out how we sort this mess out

Quadra
Quadra
3 years ago
Reply to  Nigel Horwood

Mine sheared straight off on the run up to a feature, outcome could have been far messier. Expected better for such an expensive BB/crankset.

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