Skip to main content

Hope Tech 35W-Pro 4 wheels


A damn near indestructible rim and hub, plus top customer service from their Lancashire factory, make these Hope hoops fantastic long-term value. The 35W rims are heavy but, at 34mm wide, they’ll handle any tyre up to 3.0in happily. You’ll have to buy tape and valves separately, which is a pain, but once fitted they air up OK and seal securely. They’ll take a battering without denting or losing shape too, although the ride feel is solidly damped rather than dynamic. The Pro 4 hubs have a faster pick-up and aren’t quite as noisy as older Hopes. All fitment standards are available and there’s a straight-pull spoke option too. Top-quality spoke tape and spare spokes are supplied. Hope’s reputation for sorting out any issue on any component, no matter how long you’ve had it, is legendary.

Weight 1,020g+1,120g= 2,140g
Width 34mm/39mm
Freehub lag 8°
Sizes 650b

Price $570


Labels

Popular posts from this blog

KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

READ MORE >>

Nukeproof Vector AM Comp Cro-Mo saddle

The Vector AM is pretty race focused, with minimal padding. There’s a deep (if narrow) pressurerelief channel to keep the blood flowing where it’s meant to. Used with bib shorts, we found it pretty comfortable for shorter rides and suffered no pain or discomfort in the central region. On steep climbs the slightly downturned nose provides a reasonable forward perch, while the svelte profile and smooth edges make it particularly unobtrusive when moving about on the descents. It’s quite stiff though, and can feel harsh on long rides or bumpy ground. We definitely wouldn’t want to spend much time on it without a chamois. It’s heavier than we’d expect for such a lightly padded perch too. There’s a lighter Pro version with titanium rails for $105, but at 241g it’s only 10g lighter. Weight 251g Price $67

READ MORE >>

GT Zaskar Evolution

While some bike models last just a couple of years, others change with the times to stay at the top of riders’ wishlists. In the second part of this series looking at the evolution of bikes that enjoy enduring popularity with UK riders, we turn to the GT Zaskar – a bike that was at the forefront of our sport for a long time and still has plenty of appeal today.

READ MORE >>

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.

READ MORE >>

Merida Big Seven 100

We've rolled up to our local woods, with a meandering blue trail, some natural wooded tracks and a bit of fire road chucked into the mix to see how the Big Seven 100 tackles trails that entry-level riders are likely to cut their teeth on.

READ MORE >>