Hope Tech 4 V4 Brakes

I’m very picky about my brakes. My day job as a cook can roach my hands, so death-gripping brake levers would torch my otherwise joyous riding time. I want DH-worthy power combined with a very light lever feel. The arms race of powerful brakes has been steadily ratcheting up over the past few years, with a few large players falling far behind.

Cam and I have endlessly gushed over the near-flawless Hope Tech 4 E4 brakes. The opportunity to clamp my grimy fingers around the Hope Tech 4 V4 finally arrived. The V4 sits as top dog of power, modulation, and technical features amongst the many brakes offered from Hope's hallowed Barnoldswick, UK machine shop. Let me...slow down for a few minutes to tell you what they're all about.

Hope Tech 4 V4 Lever

The Tech 4 V4 lever appears industrial yet extraordinarily elegant, reminiscent of Swiss watch internals. There’s nary a cheap looking fitting or fastener, even the hose olive couples to a brass washer under the contoured hose shroud - damn! The lever blade is long, to increase the mechanical braking advantage. Speed holes (okay, dimples) are machined into the front of the lever blade for finger grip. Roller bearings at the pivot give a silky-smooth lever feel, and a soft return spring lends to an ultra-light lever feel. Two low-profile yet robust knurled dials live close to the pivot of the lever blade, labeled BPC (bite point control) and reach, to customize your optimal lever position. These controls work independently, so dialing in the bite point first then adjusting reach is advised as the actuation point changes.

I like running my levers as close to the bar as I dare, with minimal throw. This ensures my index finger is nearly wrapped around the bar, instead of being outstretched causing hand fatigue. Finding my preferred lever position took mere seconds, though you can wind the lever far out with maximum throw too, if you’re into that kind of thing.

The Tech 4 lever shifter/dropper integration isn’t quite as dialed as SRAM Matchmaker or Shimano I-spec EV, but Hope does offer mounts to keep your bar surface tidy. I’m comfy with the dropper position, though my SRAM shifter is a touch too far inbound due to my lever location preference - not a big deal though since my thumb doesn't feel wrenched.

Tech 4 V4 Caliper and V4 Vented Rotor

The V4 caliper is huge, milled from a singular piece of alloy. The surface has milled grooves to improve surface area, acting as cooling fins. Two large pistons are followed by two slightly smaller pistons, made of stainless steel with a phenolic resin insert to further reduce heat buildup. The caliper can accommodate rotors all the way up to 3.3mm thick.

You may be thinking, who the hell makes a 3.3mm thick rotor? Hope does, and it’s specifically designed to interface with with the V4 caliper. Most rotors are 1.8mm - 2.3mm thick. I prefer the thick bois as they are less prone to warping, shrug off impacts from shitty line choices, and manage heat better.

The V4 vented rotor is an impressive piece of tech. Available only in a 6-bolt mounting pattern, an alloy spider is riveted to a giant 3.3mm thick braking surface, a visibly vented sandwich of stainless/alloy/stainless with an open outer edge offering a peek at the internal fins. The name of the game here is maximum heat dissipation. The rivets allow a single degree of float, and so far have stayed silent without any noticeable fore-aft play. Hope touts their floating rotor as "their highest performing disc, for the harshest operating conditions." At 252g a piece, they are not light, though I’m not fussed about trying to optimize my brakes for power, modulation, and minimal lever throw.

At $240 apiece, my eyes nearly water typing the dollar value of the V4 vented rotor. Plain Jane rotors of the 200-220mm size cost around $100, and premium rotors such as the Shimano Saint and Galfer Shark range from $125-$200. Time may indicate the V4 rotors are worth the scratch, especially if they outlive other rotors two-fold.

Bleed Process & Setup

The V4 arrives pre-bled with full-length brake lines at both ends, in the event that you run a MX-style lever configuration. I trimmed the front line down significantly, and routed the rear line through the frame.

Cam McRae has thoroughly outlined the Hope Tech 4 bleed process here, akin to a Shimano bleed, so I’ll spare the step-by-step details. More machined Hope goodness, the $45 Hope Easy Brake Bleed Kit, literally bolts into the lever reservoir, in the form of a cup and plunger. A drain tube fits onto the caliper bleed port, emptying into your choice of waste bin. Achieving a quality bleed off the bat is relatively simple and quick.

Centering the caliper pistons is crucial for the best lever feel. Using a flat-bladed screwdriver, I was able to finely advance and retract the pistons so they clamped the rotor evenly.

The V4 bed-in process with factory installed green racing pads is quick, but not as fast as my experience with the E4. This is due to a few reasons, but mostly because I didn’t dedicate the time to source a uniform slope to complete the task. Riding in the late winter affords less steep terrain than what’s open in the summer. The vented rotors come into play here too, coming up to temperature takes more time - as intended!

Hope also includes two other organic pad compounds in the V4 box: red rated for all conditions, and purple for e-bikes. I'll likely try them out when the green set wears past an acceptable level. I'd also be keen to try the Hope yellow metallic pads, and see if they offer more initial bite.

Ride Feel

It's said that comparison is a thief of joy, but considering the E4 and V4 are siblings, I'll bite. The V4 provides a similar degree of power to the E4, sharing the same lever and insanely light lever feel. The V4 feels more spongy. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I’m finally experiencing a gigantic range of modulation, with enough power to feel safe. I have to focus on reaching the point where lock-up occurs, but my hands don’t feel fatigue with maximum braking effort. Front brake modulation is intuitive, but panic-braking with the rear brake doesn't instantly initiate a skid - again, a new sensation. Everyone would be lying if they said they don't occasionally like skidding (only on an appropriate surface though, Jerry!) so maybe I'm saving the trails more? Probably more like my rear tire.

It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that modulation and power are now equal, which contradicts my experience with every set of brakes to date, where I’d defer to staying close to wheel lock-up zone - so I wouldn’t die!

Judging by the current spring weather hampering access to sustained steeps where I now live, I don't feel the need for more brake power - yet. When I get a chance to swing back to The Shore for gratuitous shuttling, or bike park days, I’m interested in bolting a 220mm rotor up front to feel the maximum power of the V4.

V4 vs. E4

NRG (Hope’s Canadian Distributor) sent 203mm rotors. It’s generally accepted that stepping up a rotor size increases brake power by 10%. My wonky mental math says a 203mm front rotor plus the increased power of the V4 should theoretically provide the same power as my E4/220mm rotor. Power delivery feels on par with one another in the current configuration. The V4 has far more modulation.

A snippet below from Hope Design Engineer Sam Gibbs (via Cam McRae’s E4 review) explains the difference in feel and power between the V4 and E4.

Cam: Can you tell me about the differences riders would feel between the V4 and the E4 (how much difference in power etc.) and how the products' design influences these differences?

Sam: The V4 brakes are significantly more powerful, (more than 10%) but compromise a little on weight. The E4 brakes are lighter and smaller packaged which may be a consideration on some frames and forks depending on what rotor size you want to run. You will also notice a slightly firmer lever feel on the E4 due to the smaller brake ratio, which may be desirable depending on personal preferences. The softer bite point on the V4 brake helps modulate the extra power.

The Verdict

The Hope V4 harbours an incredible amount of power, which isn't surprising. My aha! moment came when I felt the huge amount of modulation. Those in search of a high-caliber brake should put the V4 on their short list.

I've thrown the idea at Cam to compare the Hope V4 against the new SRAM Maven. Swapping brakes would be laborious, so perhaps we'll swap bikes instead.

I'm also intent on trying a 220mm rotor when summer weather arrives. If this comes to fruition, I'll provide an update.

Hope Tech 4 V4 - 440 CAD / wheel

Hope V4 Vented rotor - 240 CAD / wheel