Only the second bike to leave the Hope Tech factory in Barnoldswick, England is the HB.130. We’ve had the pleasure of riding this very capable 130mm carbon trail bike in both the Scottish Highlands and Tuscany, Italy – you can check out Zach’s first ride review here. For this model year Hope have left the modern trail geometry untouched. Major changes include a boost rear end, the option to run mullet with a revised rocker, and a fancy Factory Racing paint job with updated specs. Here’s an overview of the 2021 Hope HB.130.
2021 Hope HB.130
That new paint job is very, very Hope. Striking green blocks complement the green anodised pivot bolt and bottom bracket caps. It replicates the quality finish seen on the Hope Tech team bikes. The Factory Racing finish comes with an updated parts list including an Ohlins TTX Coil Shock and 140mm travel RXF M2 Fork.
While the geometry remains unchanged, Hope have taken the decision to switch from the previous HB specific 130mm x 17mm hub spacing to the industry standard 148mm x 12mm boost spacing. This is great news from a consumer point of view. Why? Because it gives you way more options for wheel upgrades and if your rear wheel blows up on a trip, you’ll not have any bother finding a replacement quickly.
An exciting update is the option to run the 2021 Hope HB.130 mullet-style, switching out the 29″ rear wheel for a 27.5″. Hope offer a conversion kit which includes a revised rocker, a 27.5″ Hope Fortus 26 rear wheel and a Maxxis High Roller tire. Hope say the Mullet Kit allows the rider more control and maneuverability on tight and twisty trails while keeping the pedaling position the same.
Pricing & Availability
Hope are offering the 2021 HB.130 in two builds. The Factory Racing model will set you back £7299.99. It gets the aforementioned Ohlins suspension, SRAM X01 group with carbon cranks, 2021 Fox Transfer dropper post and Hope Tech E3 Factory Racing stoppers with anodised green pistons.
The 2021 Hope HB.130 non-Factory Racing build will set you back £6299.99. It gets a new 140mm travel Fox 36 Factory fork with GRIP2 damper and DPX Factory shock. Further updates to the spec list include a 2021 Fox Transfer Factory dropper post, SRAM X01 group with carbon cranks and DMR Deathgrips.
Each HB.130 is built to order and usually takes around 4-5 weeks to deliver. The 2021 bikes are now available to pre-order with the first bikes delivered early November.
