Hope E-Bike cranks spin out for main mfgs, plus eMTB chainrings and Fortus 30 w/steel hubs

Written by Jessie-May Morgan Mar 04, 2020 2:22 p.m. ET

Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

After initially offering a single E-Bike crank to suit ISUS axles, Hope Technology have stepped up their game, now offering Hope E-Bike cranks for Bosch, Specialized, Shimano STEPS & Brose/Yamaha. Also new from Hope, specifically for the E-Bike segment, are direct mount narrow wide chainrings and a Fortus 30 wheelset built up to steel Pro4 hubs.

Hope E-Bike Cranks

Due to the unique stresses that come along with eMTBs, shorter cranks are a must. While other crank manufacturers have taken literal shortcuts, taking 175mm cranks and drilling the pedal mount further up the crank, it’s just not how they do things at Hope Technology. Hope have taken the forgings used in their normal MTB bike cranks as a starting point. As they machine their components in house, they can ensure their 165mm e-bike cranks offer a true advantage by machining any excess material from the end of these shorter cranks.

Hope have also selected material specifically for stiffness and durability in this high stress area. The end result is a crank with all the stiffness, strength and reliability that Hope is known for, but one that is truly optimised for E-Bike usage. The Hope eMTB cranks have a self extracting system for easy fitting and removal. Arms are available in black, orange, purple, silver, red and blue. A set will cost you $175/€225/$220.

Hope E-Bike direct mount chainrings

Available in March 2020 are Hope’s E-Bike direct mount chainrings, specifically designed to withstand the rigours of e-bike riding. Versions are available for Bosch, Shimano and Specialized Systems. The E-Bike chainrings are designed to give a 52mm chainline to suit 148 Boost frames. They are CNC machined in 1 piece from billet. These narrow wide chainrings will only be available in 34T, initially, but may also be available in 38T later on, depending on demand.

Hope Fortus 30 Wheelset for E-MTB

Hope have reimagined the Fortus 30 wheelset for e-MTB. It is the same triple cavity construction, making it strong enough for e-bike riding. The internal rim width of 30mm should also be more than enough to deal with the extra weight that comes with a motor. For e-Bikes, Hope have laced the alloy rim to a steel shimano compatible Pro4 hub which should be durable and strong under the additional torque that an e-bike drive brings. The hub has a 4 pawl ratchet system with 44 tooth engagement (8.2 degrees). 32 Sapim Race double butted steel spokes connect the rim to the hub, which is itself available in Black, Silver, Blue, Orange, Purple and Red.

Front and rear wheels are sold separately at £160 ($200) and £265 ($335), respectively. You can also purchase the pair for £425 ($535).

HopeTech.com

Jessie-May Morgan

1,362 articles

Jessie-May Morgan is the UK & Ireland Tech Editor of Bikerumor. She has been writing about Mountain Bike Riding and Racing, and all its weird and wonderful technology for 4 years. Prior to that, she was an Intern at the Mountain Bike Center of Scotland, and a Mountain Bike Coach and Leader in the Tweed Valley.

Based in Innerleithen, Scotland, Jessie-May can often be seen riding the Glentress Trail Center, and its neighboring Enduro and Downhill Tracks. She regularly competes in Enduro at a national level, and has recently competed on the World Stage at a handful of Enduro World Series events.

For Bikerumor, Jessie-May is testing the latest mountain bikes, equipment and kit, letting readers know what’s hot and what’s not.

For context, she weighs 60kg and stands at 5ft 4″ tall (163cm).

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

13 Comments

Oldest

Newest Most Voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Justin White

4 years ago

“Due to the unique stresses that come along with eMTBs, shorter cranks are a must.”

What unique stresses would be put on a crank? There is no extra power or torque going through the crank. And why shorter, what does that have to do with e-bike or not?

blahblah1233445

4 years ago

Reply to Justin White

The whole industry is all about “e-bike specific stuff”, even though most of it is BS. I can understand chainrings, cassettes/freehubs, chains and tires, cause those are the parts exposed to much higher torque, but once I saw e-bike specific brake rotor (not kidding, check Shimano’s RT-EM910), I totally lost it…
EBikes are at most 8-10kg heavier than normal ones (cyclists have more difference in weight) and can’t achieve higher speeds than a normal bike – most of them are blocked at 25km/h and even when talking about those that go higher – so can non-ebikes (50-60km/h in both road and MTB is nothing special). The only difference is the torque on the drivetrain and friction between tire and terrain. So think about it – do You seriously need ebike specific wheels, brakes, cranks,… ?

-1

bmx

4 years ago

Reply to blahblah1233445

The emtb riders I meet on the trail are older and more established than normal mtb riders. they have more cash to blow on their rides so the bike industry should take full advantage of this. never mind the engineering this is just good marketing

Joe

4 years ago

Reply to bmx

It’s simple if you think about it. Shorter cranks make sense for a few reasons – you don’t need the leverage for torque, the motor does that. From that, the drive unit is heavy so an e-bike is better with a lower BB height and shorter cranks aid that. Plus, you’re going to keep pedalling up rooty or rocky climbs further than you might on a non-assisted bike.
165mm is hardly short, I’d argue for shorter options still, ie a 150-165mm range to cover the 165-175 range on non-E bikes.

Nick

4 years ago

Reply to blahblah1233445

Shimano’s specific ebike rotor has a built in magnet for their speed sensor.
So, that’s not just marketing.

Bart

4 years ago

Reply to Justin White

Like a track bike where cadence is king, shorter cranks make spinning easier and more efficient which means you can maximize the efficiency of the motor and ride further.

4 years ago

It is really stupid to consider that because it’a an e-bike you need shorter crank. Crank length is based on morphology to have the best efficiency/comfort.
I’am tall and I use an ebike to go to work, I’m looking for a 175/180mm crank to replace my 170mm on a bosch. If someone know where to find it…

-1

Dockboy

4 years ago

Reply to SF

There’s scant evidence that crank size correlates to morphological factors.

Joe

4 years ago

Reply to SF

Efficiency, when the bike puts out most of the power? It’s not irrelevant to ergonomics but it’s way less influential than on say a road race bike. And even there crank length is no more about height as it is muscle type, cadence, riding style, bike fit detail etc.

RentalRide

4 years ago

I’d like to see ebike crank lengths shrink like riser bars did on fixed gears back in the 2000s.
“160mm bro? The morphological force on those is huge! I’m rocking 60mm!”

Gavin

4 years ago

some quality Dunning Kruger going on here

Ben Haskell

4 years ago

Might want to check the sources here, according to Hope themselves they do have plans to make eBike chainrings but “have no time scale for when they will be available”. Bit disappointing as the article suggests they’ll be out this month!

Christopher Ogley

3 years ago

It’s total bs…I ride 40 quid FSA ..175 ml cranks..I’m old and skint. Old school..I’ve gone from 170s up to 175s..I ride a XL xduro 7 and.if anyone’s bitching about your pedal strikes…I’m calling you out on your skills…BB is no lower than any bikes I’ve ever ridden…get some v12s and you slide off anyway….it’s all mtb…just cos it’s E…just act normal. Aahhhbb

-1