Just found your channel this morning and have to say, so far, great content. Have to say, excellent break down on these, have watched a few "talking point" videos on them when first released and no one mentioned that center lock is completely different to 6 bolt. Absolutely 100% agree on Hope hubs, they change stuff when it really needs changing, not just to sell more crap and when they do change things, those changes have been tested for years. I've got 5 sets from Pro2 to Pro4 and I will be getting a set of Pro5s next time I'm looking.
Great vid, especially calling out the subtle differences between the CL and 6 bolt. Got a pair of these when they came out. They have been absolutely bombproof and they are a breeze to service. Perfect balance between engagement, serviceability, and function. Highly recommended.
Excellent video, with lots of useful technical detail and compatibility data. I have many Pro2/EVO/Pro 4 hubs and the two main strengths are, as you say, serviceability and flexibility of parts/freehubs etc. They aren't perfect though and DT are arguably a step ahead these days (I have a few of these too). It'll be interesting to see if Hope can narrow this gap with the Pro5
Love the hubs. But dissapointing sound. Got my mate at bike shop to clean some of the grease out & bend the springs a bit. Didn't make much difference. Need them louder.
I would love to see a deepdive on Chris King's current hubs. I know they're not super new, but they're still quite interesting. I'd like to hear your thoughts on their drive mechanism, sealing, and overall build quality. I love mine, but is Chris King really as premium as everyone says?
I noticed on the centerlock hubs, the bearings are exposed where the endcaps go in? Wouldn’t the bearings wear down a lot quicker? Is this a design flaw as it looks like it’s fully enclosed on the 6bolt hubs
Yes, the 6-bolt hubs use a contact seal on that side of the hub whereas the center lock do not. This *probably* means the 6-bolt hubs will have longer bearing life (especially as they use bigger bearings) but the driveside bearings don't have a contact seal and they last pretty well so this might be a 'in theory yes, in practice no' situation. Time will tell! -Tristan
Huge fan of hope. Question: is the only different between the ebike version and the standard version the freehub body/driver ? Or is there a difference in the hub shell and axle ?
Based on experience with the Pro4 I can't see any issues with using the center lock hub and the aluminium freehub body. If (and it's a big "if") you have freehub issues then you can always fit the steel freehub body. Center lock rotors have proven themselves to work really well so no issues there. I generally think it comes down to which brake / rotor you're using. If it's a Shimano brake then you have better rotor options with center lock. If it's a Sram then they tend to focus on 6-bolt. -TT
6-bolt Pro5 is essentially the same as the Pro4. The Pro5 CL is slightly narrower than the 6-bolt. See www.hopetech.com/_repository/1/documents/Pro5_PCD_J_Bend2(1).pdf
I like my hope 4 just fine. Serious question, is engagement better than 8 degrees that much better? Or even 10 and under? Never ridden anything with less than 8. But my old crank bros hub was terrible at 17. Going to the hope pro 4 was much needed
Certainly diminishing returns! On a mountain bike I find the DT Swiss 18 and 36 to be terrible but a hub with beyond 72 doesn't really make much difference. If you ride really slow tech trails then you'll want slightly more engagement points, if you're riding is fast flow trails then basically anything will feel the same. -Tristan
Having bought these hubs I’m wondering how can a plastic labyrinth seal rubbing against hard aluminium on both sides have any longevity especially in a dirty gritty environment
You missed the fact that the pro five has a narrower drive ring which means its even weaker than pro four i have stripped 3 pro 4 rear hubs in 2 years and i,m not trials rider more a hardcore xc rider with some serious watts. I love the hubs but the thread on the drive ring is just not deep enough ok if you think 200 watts is alot so the new pro 5 even weaker sorry hope get some test riders with some power not just downhillers .
It's slightly narrower but larger diameter so it should be pretty similar in strength. Honestly - we have seen a few damaged drive rings on Hope hubs but never one which has stripped out
HOPEL-ESS would be a better name. They are heavy, and the design / engineering is poor by modern standards. I've serviced several hundred for customers, and they just don't have the right fitment clearance for bearings... too tight which is an issue. The front hub bearings are poorly supported in thru-axle configurations allowing angular loading and premature wear. They were good in the 1990's but have failed to keep up with DT and many others. They should have bought the American Classic designs which would still be best of breed.
My experience of Hope was, they were prone to cracking and the spoke holes on the rear hub was misaligned, front bearing fit was loose. In or around 2015 , quality improved dramatically American Classic, I understand were eventually manufactured by Novatec. Spoke bracing angle / flange to flange measurement, wasn't wide enough for conventional / shallow rims.
