Hope Tech was a bit shy with their usual collection of lustworthy super trick prototypes, but they did have plenty of functional updates and improvements to a host of items.
Starting with the brakes, their new Hope Tech 3 master cylinder will replace the Evo unit. The new design is cleaner and more streamlined and offers better lever ergonomics. It’s also designed to clean up cockpit placement and help it play nicer with shifters, drop post remotes and other items that typically bump shoulders.
The new master cylinder uses a cam and roller system to push the piston, so it’s just as smooth as ever, and it’s compatible with all of their existing brake calipers. In fact, it bumps power 5% compared to the Tech Evo lever. The new clamp is directly compatible with Shimano I-Spec, and a SRAM Matchmaker direct mount is available.
UPDATE: The M4 caliper becomes the M4 Enduro brake. They’ve moved the banjo to the backside of the caliper, facing the spokes, and the pads get a larger surface area. That doesn’t necessarily provide more power, just better wear.
Not exactly new, but worth showing off is their dual layer rotor. It’s only for use with their V4 calipers since it’s 3mm thick, but it’s a true vented design, letting hot air and gasses escape between the braking surface much like a race car’s rotor. Sick!
Their all-new BMX hubs are finally giving the people what they want. It’s an adapted version of their Pro 2 hubs to fit the narrower BMX axle spacing but with a few tricks of its own. It uses a new 40-tooth ratchet with four offset pawls, engaging only two at a time for 80 engagement points. Those internals were put into two different hubs: A standard version with a 9-tooth sprocket machined directly into the end cap, and a dual drive version with a direct-mounted sprocket using a standard 6-bolt brake rotor mounting pattern on one side and a similar sprocket on a freewheel on the other. That gives you both fixed and freewheel options on the same hub in a very clever design.
For mountain bikers, the Pro 2 hubs also get upgraded with the new 40-tooth engagement ring, up from 24 teeth (40% increase). They also added axle options so your hubs will work with all current standards. The Fatsno hubs also get new axle options: 142×15 front and 190mm rear.
Their new PressFit BB provides options for pressfit frames and 30mm or 24mm spindles. The design uses two cups that thread together on the center tube for a tight, flex-and-squeak-free fit. It uses a special shop tool (which they sell separately) to install, which then reverses to press the bearings into the cups.
Last but not least is the new R1 Light. It fits between existing models, providing a wider beam than the entry level 1LED model but cheaper than the 1000 lumen R4. Using existing battery packs from their line (2600mAh or 5200mAh), it’ll pump out 500 lumens for a minimum of 2.5 hours. And they say that’s measured lumens, actual output is more than 600 lumens. Weight is as little as 250g depending on mounting system, of which three are included: handlebar, helmet and head.
