All Arround MTB

Hope’s four-LED all-rounder isn’t the punchiest or lightest, but its all-metal build quality and reliability is exceptional, and Hope’s legendary customer service means you’re investing in a light for life. The small, intricately-machined head twist-fits securely into a rock solid bar mount that positions it over the stem. Three ridable power levels (there are three walking levels too, on a separate menu) are communicated via the colour-change main switch. A ‘traffic light’ battery indicator makes it easy to extend the already generous run times. The price is high for the output, but the calibrated 1,500-lumen beam is softly coloured to avoid eye strain and broadly spread in all directions for twisty trail context. It lacks reach for full-gas pinning though, so it’s best combined with a lid unit like Hope’s R2. Weight 460g Run time 2hrs 35mins Price $345

We weren’t sure whether Hope would ever put their trail/enduro bike project into production, but thankfully they have. The renamed HB.160 (it started life as the HB.211) boasts 160mm of progressive, well-measured travel, alongside some very interesting features. Impressively, nearly every single element of frame production is done in-house in Barnoldswick. The carbon mainframe is mated to a CNC-machined aluminium rear end, with a Horst Link suspension layout and Fox Float X2 shock controlling how it moves through its travel. Interestingly, the chainstay bridge is bonded in place rather than welded. Hope plan on doing the same with the seatstay bridge on production bikes, saying this set-up has performed better in fatigue testing. The rear brake calliper has a radial mount, which means there’s no need to bolt on a funky-shaped adapter when switching between rotor sizes. Instead, Hope provide small, Lego-like blocks to let you make the jump in sizes more easily. As they make pret...

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

IN CHARACTERISTIC STYLE , Hope’s offering is intricately CNC machined, available in a slew of bright colours and beautifully laser etched.

IN A WORLD of mass produced brakes, Hope’s meticulously machined anchors are a standout feature on any bike. Their performance – particularly in the longer term – is equally outstanding too.

HOPE’S METICULOUSLY UK machined cranks are big on long-term durability and security but low on stiffness and dependent on proprietary tools.

Hope Technology has been working its “eternal crank project” for years. Not content with the conventional system of a tapered spindle to hold the crank arm in place, Hope engineers developed an expanding spline axle/arm interface intended to improve longevity and stiffness. Their use of Finite Element Analysis during development claims to ensure long-term durability and minimal weight – our sample weighed 587g with no chainring or bottom bracket versus Shimano M9000 XTR at 472g.

HOPE'S LIGHTEST BRAKE is a proper flyweight unit, but still delivers a useful amount of power. Beautifully machined in their Lancashire factory, the drilled lever, open-diamond bar clamp, minimalist reservoir body and one-piece calliper remove as much weight as possible.

WEIGHING IN AT 130g , this stumpy stem is machined from 2014-T6 aluminium at Hope's Lancashire factory and accepts a 31.8mm diameter handlebar. It's available in 0 and 20-degree rise options, and both 35 and 50mm lengths.

Big things are happening in the sleepy Lancashire town of Barnoldswick, where Hope Technology have been busy working on some major new projects

AFTER GOING THROUGH two SRAM GXP bottom brackets on a test bike we decided it was time to turn to UK based Hope for some properly UK-proof kit.

HOPE'S PENNINE EVOLVED and manufactured Pro 2 EVO hubs are legendary for their sealing quality, easy any-axle versatility and 'above and beyond the call of duty' factory-direct back-up. The latest models have a quieter, faster reacting freehub too.

HOPE KIT HAS always looked the part as well as being some of the best performing gear around, and this new 30mm-reach direct mount downhill stem doesn’t deviate from what we’ve come to expect.

HOPE HAVE CLEARLY worked hard on their latest DH brakes. The big four-piston, single-piece V4 calliper boosts power beyond everything but Shimano’s downhill sets. Heat tolerance and pad life are also improved significantly over the old two-pot V2 without adding weight, although it’s still a hefty system. Drag-free set-up is easy, braided hoses are standard and you can even run Hope’s double-skin vented rotors (203mm only).

HOPE’S NEW, NEATER Tech 3 lever isn’t ambidextrous but it sits against shifters and remotes a lot better than previous Tech levers.