Review: Hope HB.916 - Better Late Than Never

Aug 21, 2023
by Seb Stott  
It's been about a year since Hope first unveiled their HB.916 enduro bike. That makes us a bit late to the party with this review. But like Hope themselves, we wanted to take our time and get it right. It also took Hope a long time to find one in our size, apparently due to the sheer number of pre-orders.

Hope has long had ambitions to become a bike maker. But they didn't rush to deliver their first production bike, the HB 160, in 2017. It sported quirky standards and already dated geometry, but it took Hope another five years to sharpen their (HB) pencils and come up with something to replace it.

Hope HB.916 Details

• Intended use: Enduro riding/racing
• Wheel size: 29"or Mullet
• Rear-wheel travel: 160mm
• Fork travel: 170mm
• Head angle: 64 or 63.2-degrees
• Seat angle: 77.7-degrees
• Weight: 15.8 kg / 34.8lb (as tested)
• Price: £6,745 / €8,500 as tested, £6250 W/O drivetrain, frame from £3750
• More info: hopetechhb.com
Now, the HB.916 is not in any way based on the HB 160, but it is also designed with enduro riding/racing in mind and sports 160 mm of rear suspension travel, teamed with a 170 mm fork.

Hope scrapped most of the proprietary standards seen on their first bike and adopted a very voguish mid-high-pivot suspension system with an idler pulley. They also went all-in with long, low and slack geometry teamed with a steep seat tube. It can accommodate either full 29" or mullet wheels thanks to a flip chip that preserves the geometry in either case.

The fact that it's made in-house by Hope - and looks pretty striking too - is sure to have many Hope fans lusting after it. But happily, it's a bloody good bike in its own right.




Contents


bigquotesWhile setup isn't straightforward with the Öhlins air suspension, once you get it in a good place and pointed down a rough and rooty race stage this bike starts to make a lot of sense. Seb Stott



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Frame Details


The whole frame is made at Hope's factory in Barnoldswick, Lancashire. The carbon front triangle is made in one piece, while the chainstay and seatstay feature carbon tubes bonded into machined aluminum lugs. Cables run through the downtube (and not the headset) and are kept quiet by simple rubber sleeves. A door under the bottle cage allows access to a "butty box" for snack storage, and a full-size water bottle fits easily in all frame sizes.

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A flip chip on the seatstay allows the rear wheel size to be changed without affecting the geometry dramatically. I rarely used the sag indicator printed around the rocker pivot as I don't have eyes on my inner thigh, relying instead on the O-ring
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Cables simply run along the bottom of the downtube in rubber sleeves. The door is removed with a simple "push-and-turn" latch.
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A machined seatstay bridge is mated to carbon seatstays. Tire clearance is tightest at this bridge, shown here with a 2.4" Maxxis DHR II. A 2.5" tire is very tight.
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The bridge gets very close to the seat tube when the shock is sat on the bottom-out bumper (as shown), and will just touch if bottomed-out hard.

While Hope moved away from the proprietary axle and brake mounts seen on their first bike in favor of conventional 148 mm rear axle spacing and post brake mount, they do use a slightly unusual T-47 bottom bracket. And while it uses SRAM's Universal Derailleur Hanger standard, the frame isn't compatible with SRAM's T-type Transmission drivetrains.

You can have it in three colors: a carbon clearcoat (as shown), or if you're as mad as a box of frogs you can have it painted "Neutral" for £250 extra or "Chameleon" for £500.



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Geometry & Sizing


At 6'3" or 191 cm tall, I'm on the border between the H3 and H4 sizes according to Hope's geometry chart. My contact at Hope suggested going for the H3 as one of their team riders, Fergus Lamb, seemed to prefer the H3 and is about my height. But I tend to feel most comfortable on bikes with around 500-510 mm reach and 1,300-1,320 mm wheelbase, so opted for the H4. I later spoke to Fergus in person, and he suggested the H4 worked well for him on certain types of track (e.g. Laggan Black) but opted for the H3 for the tighter tracks he prefers, and seems to gel with it. It certainly didn't sound like he found the H4 unrideable, as I'm sure a few Jack Moir fans would have you believe.

The head angle is adjustable via an angled headset from 64 to 63.3-degrees while lengthening the wheelbase by about 8 mm. For the record, I measured the head angle of my test bike at 62.7 degrees in the slack setting (0.5 degrees slacker than advertised) and the wheelbase at 1,320 mm (9 mm longer). I measured the effective seat tube angle at my pedalling height at 77.4-degrees and the bottom bracket height at a pretty low 335 mm.

Because the axle path moves rearwards by around 7 mm at sag (about 5 mm more than a typical non-idler bike), the chainstay length at sag is similar to a non-idler bike with around a 445 mm static chainstay length. It's not a huge difference but that makes the "effective chainstay" on the longer side of average, which helps to put a little more weight on the front wheel.



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Suspension Design

The main pivot sits about 90 mm above the rear axle, which means the axle path arcs back over the first 90 mm of travel, peaking at 9 mm behind the start point, then it starts to curve forward, ending up 4 mm behind the start point at full travel.

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The split rear pivot means the brake calliper is mounted on the seatstay, whose motion is determined by the chainstay and rocker link. This reduces the anti-rise levels when compared to a high single pivot design (e.g. Forbidden Dreadnought), which means the suspension will sit slightly higher under braking, where arguably it can remain more active. But with anti-rise levels that sit around 80%, the HB.916's suspension won't rise up and pitch the bike forward as much as most non-high-pivot bikes do. That's a good thing in my book as the bike remains more stable under heavy braking.

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The leverage ratio drops from 2.9 to 2.15 over the whole travel, with a consistent rate of change. That makes the linkage 26% progressive, which should be plenty to help it resist bottom-out with coil or air shocks, without being extreme.

According to Hope, anti-squat sits at around 100% at sag, without too much change depending on the choice of the rear sprocket or the sag percentage. That should keep the pedalling behaviour fairly neutral and efficient in a wide range of riding situations.



Specifications
Release Date 2022
Price $8563
Travel 160 mm
Rear Shock Ohlins TTX2 Air, 65mm
Fork Ohlins RXF 38 M2, 170 mm
Headset Hope Angleset
Cassette SRAM GX Eagle, 10-50T
Crankarms Hope EVO, 170 mm
Chainguide Hope
Bottom Bracket Hope T47
Pedals N/A
Rear Derailleur SRAM GX Eagle
Chain SRAM GX Eagle
Front Derailleur N/A
Shifter Pods SRAM GX Eagle Mechanical
Handlebar Hope Carbon Bars 800x35mm
Stem Hope, 35 mm length
Grips DMR Death Grips
Brakes Hope Tech 4 V4
Wheelset Hope
Hubs PRO5
Spokes 32
Rim Fortus 30SC
Tires Maxxis Assegai 2.5”,MaxxTerra,EXO / DHR2, 2.4”,MaxxTerra, EXO
Seat SDG Radar
Seatpost OneUp V2 150mm/180mm/210mm


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Hope are most of the way to producing a full bike themselves; making use of their own cranks, cockpit, wheels and powerful V2 brakes (E4s are an option for lighter riders or those who prefer less power). The build is completed with Öhlins suspension, Maxxis rubber and a nice and lengthy OneUp dropper post. There's a choice of mechanical or battery-powered SRAM drivetrains, or if you have one going spare, you can buy it with no drivetrain at all to cut costs and lead times.

You can have the bike with the Öhlins RXF 38 fork and TTX2 air shock (as shown), or with the TTX22M Coil shock. Alternatively, you can choose the Fox 38 fork with Fox's X2 coil or air shock. The choice of suspension doesn't affect the price.







Test Bike Setup

Having ridden Öhlins' RXF 38 fork before, I quickly found a good setting with 110 psi in the main chamber and 230 psi in the ramp-up. This allowed me to use all the travel when required but gave me plenty of support. The rebound was fully open and compression varied depending on the terrain, but generally fairly open. In the shock, there was a lot more back and forth. I ended up with 28% sag with the stock volume spacer. Low-speed compression was set to about halfway open & rebound 0-2 clicks from closed. I toggled the high-speed compression lever depending on the terrain, but more often used the firmer mode (setting 2), helping add support to compliment the fork without too much harshness.

I stuck with the slacker headset setting and only tested with a 29" rear wheel. Tire pressures were 22-23 psi front, with 26-27 psi rear.

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Seb Stott
Location: Tweed Valley, Scotland
Age: 31
Height: 6'3" / 191cm
Inseam: 37" / 93cm
Weight: 189 lbs / 86 kg, kitted
Testing took place in Scotland's Tweed Valley, Comrie Croft, Aberfoyle and Dollar.


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Climbing


You're probably not considering the Hope if climbing is your top priority, but a modern enduro bike is expected to get to the top of the hill without much fuss, and the HB.916 achieves that comfortably. The long reach and (fairly) steep seat tube angle put me in a relaxed position over the pedals. The suspension does a great job of ironing out the bumps under power, so it's a particularly comfortable and traction-rich ride over bumpy climbs.

The suspension doesn't bob much, but it's not the most stable and efficient when putting a lot of power down. I'd prefer an even steeper seat angle when attacking punchy climbs too, as it's not the most spritely when compared to the most efficient enduro bikes (such as the Canyon Strive or Merida One-Sixty). The idler is pretty quiet (as long as the chain is kept well-lubricated) but it certainly doesn't help with efficiency. It probably only robs a handful of watts, but on the steep climb that kicks off most of my rides it definitely feels like a little harder work than on some of the most efficient enduro bikes.

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Descending


This is a particularly easy bike to ride fast on rough terrain. The rear suspension transmits that little bit less feedback when riding over very bumpy ground than most bikes. The H4 size in the slacker setting is super stable and surefooted when tackling steep and rough sections too. The combined effect is a bike that's forgiving of mistakes and easy on your (lower) body even when riding uplifted downhill runs all day. The long front center occasionally takes some effort to keep on top of - in a flat, loose corner I had to consciously put weight on the handlebar - but this could be mitigated by running the steeper headset and/or swapping the 35 mm stem for a 40 mm one (it's surprising how much difference 5 mm makes). I never felt like I should have gone for a smaller size, but for me, the H4 with the slacker headset requires focus to keep on top of the front wheel when negotiating tight, flat corners. Get a bit lazy and the front can run away from you.

The flip side is that when pointed down steep, nasty chutes there is no fear of going over the front or the front wheel tucking under. And of course, the ability to steepen the head angle and reign in the front-centre for flatter courses is a huge plus.

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But while the HB.916 can be easy to ride fast, it's a little finicky to set up the Öhlins air shock for all-around riding. I soon realized I needed to run less than 30% sag to provide enough mid-travel support to match the fork through berms and when climbing, but too much less than 30% sag and it sometimes felt harsh on big landings and steps without using all the travel. It still soaks up brick-sized bumps nicely, but that hint of end-stroke harshness meant I was regularly adjusting air pressure/sag depending on whether the day's riding involved more bermed corners or steep steps and holes. I never found a setting that was a good all-round setup for everywhere.

Fundamentally, the Öhlins air shock doesn't offer much mid-stroke support, whereas the fork is very supportive in the first two-thirds of the travel. This creates some suspension imbalance, which could be part of the reason I occasionally struggled with front wheel grip in flat corners. Simply running less sag (as little as 26%) helped, but this compromised the smooth ride in other areas. Fitting a smaller volume spacer while running around 28% sag and plenty of compression damping offered a better compromise, but I strongly suspect a coil shock would suit the bike best.

The rebound damping tune was a little odd too. If set more than two or three clicks from fully closed, the shock felt too unsettled. It never topped out, but it came too fast towards full extension creating a pitching sensation. Anything more than halfway open was far too springy near the start of the stroke, but fully closed was perfectly useable, especially for long descents with big features. I was able to find a good setting in the 0-2 clicks range, but it's odd for me to be painted into a corner with the rebound almost as slow as it goes - I generally prefer the rebound fast. I think part of the problem is the shock's spring curve, which seems to generate more spring force near the start of the travel than some more linear air shocks, and this makes the rear suspension feel less settled into its travel. Again, a coil shock would solve this problem.

While I'm complaining, the Maxxis EXO+ casing tires wouldn't be my first choice. I never punctured, but the flexible casing still wobbles and pings when pushed hard on the rough terrain where the bike should excel.

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I also tested the HB.916 with the Fox 38 and RockShox Zeb, and preferred how it rode with either. The stock Öhlins fork is pretty firm right from the start of the travel and offers lots of mid-stroke support with a fairly firm damping tune. As the shock lacks support in the middle of the stroke, I found the suspension felt more balanced with the Zeb up front. Its spring curve matched the shock better, so the bike stayed more level and didn't squat as much during hard cornering. On the subject of forks, I've seen Hope's 35 mm carbon handlebar blamed for hand buzz, and while I didn't find this too problematic in either case, I think the Öhlins fork is more likely to cause hand fatigue than the bar.

But while setup isn't straightforward with the Öhlins air suspension, once you get it in a good place (around 28% sag in my case) and pointed down a rough and rooty race stage, this bike starts to make a lot of sense. I'm not sure how much the mid-high pivot takes the sting out of square edge bumps, but it certainly doesn't seem to hurt, especially when you're riding through repeated rock impacts. The drivetrain remains quiet, with minimal chain slap, which feeds into the bike's overall calm and reassuring quality when the trail gets hectic. At the same time, it's easy and intuitive to loft the front wheel or hop trail obstacles and to maintain a balanced weight distribution between the wheels - unlike some (very) high-pivot bikes. It's no jibber's bike, but neither the agility nor the climbing performance are overly compromised for pure descending speed.



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Technical Report

Hope Tech V4 brakes: I was no fan of Hope's previous brakes - they had lackluster power and often suffered with sticky pistons - but the new Tech 4 V4 stoppers have plenty of power combined with a lot of modulation. Usually, I prefer a more positive feel, but the modulation makes it easier to feather the brake when holding the balance point of a manual or negotiating a slippy descent. Getting the brakes to run rub-free is trickier than with Shimano or SRAM, though, and I did have to bleed mine during the test period. This is no big deal given the bleeding procedure is simple and requires no special tools, but it was slightly disappointing given these are Hope's flagship brakes fitted to their own bike.

Downtube door: I had to tighten the nut on the underside of mine to stop it ratting from new, and even then it rattled audibly over rough terrain with a full water bottle installed. I like the extra storage space but this isn't the most refined execution of the concept.

Hope seat clamp: For some reason my seat clamp snapped opposite the securing bolt during a ride. Hope sent a new one that has been fine since.



03.06.21. Pinkbike BikePark Wales Rider Seb Stott. PIC Andy Lloyd www.andylloyd.photography andylloyder
Forbidden Dreadnought
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Canyon Strive

How Does It Compare?

Given both bikes have an idler pulley, a carbon frame and fit squarely in the enduro category, you might think the HB.916 rides a lot like the Forbidden Dreadnought. In fact, the Forbidden's very high pivot suspension, combined with a super long chainstay in the larger sizes, makes for quirky handling. The sprawling rear center requires some recalibration of manual timing, while the high single-pivot suspension hunkers down at the rear while braking. The Hope is much more neutral; the chainstay length is moderate and the axle path is closer to vertical than rearward, so the geometry of the bike doesn't change so much as the suspension cycles. The Hope's split pivot means the brake caliper doesn't pull the swingarm deeper into its travel when braking, so it pitches forwards slightly like most other bikes. As a result, you could almost forget you're riding a high-pivot bike and there's no learning curve if it's your first one. The benefit of the rearward axle path is arguably subtler too when smashing through rocks, but I think there's still a slight advantage in certain situations compared to idler-free bikes.

Speaking of which, I've been riding the Hope back-to-back with the Canyon Strive - one of my favourite enduro bikes. The Hope is ever so slightly quieter and smoother through the feet over the chunkiest terrain, making it perhaps more confidence-inspiring on the roughest downhill tracks. But the benefit is negligible most of the time. And while the front-centre length and head angle are nearly identical, I find the Strive easier to handle in tight, flat corners, which I put down to the more supportive and balanced suspension. I found the Canyon's suspension easier to get into a good place too - though I've twiddled with damping adjusters, sag and volume spacers to try and optimise it, there seems to be a broader range of combinations that work well. If you engage the Strive's "pedal mode", it feels more eager on the climbs too. So if my bike store was on fire, it's the Strive that I'd save.

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Pros

+ Supple rear suspension makes for a smooth and forgiving ride, especially on the roughest descents
+ Stable geometry creates surefooted handling on fast or steep terrain
+ Adjustable headset and mullet compatibility boost tuning potential
+ Hope components have a reputation for serviceability, support and longevity
Cons

- Öhlins air suspension is tricky to set up and can feel imbalanced front to rear
- Not a bad climber, but not the most efficient
- Rattly downtube door and broken seat clamp on my test bike
- Tight rear tire clearance


Pinkbike's Take

bigquotesYou'd be forgiven for thinking Hope started making bikes to cash in on their loyal fanbase - or just to see if they could. But with the HB.916, they've made a top-drawer enduro bike in its own right.

The Öhlins air shock wouldn't be my first choice (I'd recommend going for the coil) as it lacks mid-travel support compared to the fork, occasionally causing an imbalanced cornering feel. But that aside, the suspension deals with mid-sized bumps very nicely, with a smooth and muted feel that soothes lower body fatigue on long runs and forgives mistakes. Combined with the slack and low geometry, this creates buckets of confidence when heading into nasty sections or tackling long descents. It demands an aggressive stance in flat turns, but the steeper setting is there if that's more your riding scene. For a bike with an idler, it climbs well too and won't feel alien if you've never ridden one before. Yes, there are faster climbing enduro bikes out there, but it doesn't feel like you're paying a heavy price for that idler when earning your turns. If your focus is more on descending, the HB.916 would be a fine choice even for people who aren't at all invested in the Barnoldswick brand.
Seb Stott






Author Info:
seb-stott avatar

Member since Dec 29, 2014
297 articles

179 Comments
  • 190 1
 £3750

"The bridge gets very close to the seat tube when the shock is sat on the bottom-out bumper and will just touch if bottomed-out hard"

seriously?
  • 111 0
 Yes, that seems like a much bigger issue than the writeup suggests.
  • 30 0
 Even running my current frame with a longer stroke shock (+20mm rear travel) I don’t have this issue. Crazy that Hope thinks this is ok.
  • 40 1
 From a company that based on the old "Mud Isle" no less.
  • 30 0
 how many hard bottom-outs before one part or the other fails? really not acceptable
  • 10 0
 Maybe we'll see a seatstay bridge delete kit (Hope-branded cutoff wheel for Dremel) just in time for the holiday season!
  • 9 6
 What's the right price for a boutique hand made low volume frame inc. a shock? Maybe I have been desensitised but that price doesn't seem too bad for what it is

(I'm not buying one though as it's still more than I would spend.)
  • 17 1
 Must be a very very early prototype, since nobody would move to production with an issue like that, right?

Seriously, that’s something that shouldn’t happen, even if the contact might be minimal.
  • 10 0
 I thought "the industry" stopped this crap in 2002 after the last catalogue frame stopped eating itself
  • 13 1
 I read this elsewhere, before I took delivery of mine, which I found concerning & was prepared to send it back if it was an issue.

Mine has about the same clearance as the tyre/seatstay bridge with my 90kg jumping on the bike (coil shock, no spring, still taken from a GoPro) - I am pretty sure I couldn’t bottom it out any harder with no spring.

I’ve since tested that a few times with some ugly overshoot bottom outs & can confirm (an H3 at least) does not get that close.

Also, no Ohlins on mine, which sounds like where most of the issues lie. Don’t know why they just don’t put anything else on it.
  • 8 1
 @HuckersNeck: Makes you wonder maybe he had the wrong shock with incorrect stroke and maybe even tune.
  • 11 3
 This is where I stopped reading. No need to know anything else about it
  • 2 0
 @FuzzyL: there was a particular bike check with Yoann Barelli from a few years ago with noticeable seat tube rub on a production frame. That frame has since been updated but it's not just isolated incidents from catalog frames.
  • 12 1
 Rode one for 6 months, never encountered this issue in real world.

Accurate review although I thought it climbs better than average for a 160mm enduro sled…
  • 12 14
 @mashrv1: Nah Orange bikes still produce low volume hand made turds
  • 2 0
 Had mine for a few months now. Not once had a bottom out or tyre clearance issue. Ridden in some mega mud and no problems, clearance seems similar to my old mega tower.
  • 1 0
 @toddball: *available in various anodized colors.
  • 2 0
 @The-Spirit-of-Jazz: I think his point was that at that price, simple things like the rear end not making contact with the front end should have been sorted out.
  • 2 2
 @darkstar66: fair point
  • 1 0
 @rich-2000: test rode one-having got all excited and put an order down. Thought it was amazing on the downhill but an absolute tank on the flats and climbs. Was it the Öhlins - not sure, but i can just remembering pedalling the thing; this is shgtg which was a rarity from a new bike. Couldn’t justify the hype and glad I made this decision as more seem to share this view. If you’re thinking of buying this - test ride it first.
  • 4 0
 No issues with mine. Bought as a frame just over a year ago.

Clearance using a 29x2.4" Big Betty on XM481 was good, when better, obviously, as a mullet... Exactly the same combo but 27.5x2.4". Still loads of clearance with a Kryptotal 27.5x2.4".

And never or noticed any issues with the bridge on either setting, with ohlins coil or Float X.

If I can be arsed tomorrow I'll put the chips back in 29" and measure up the e2e gap without the shock
  • 1 0
 I'd be putting a 62.5mm stroke on it and calling it good.
  • 2 0
 @Dustfarter: Maybe they are assuming a mud bottom out damper between the bridge and seat tube. MBO?
  • 2 8
flag deeeight (Aug 21, 2023 at 20:49) (Below Threshold)
 Yep, cause carbon loves to be impacted together now apparently. Not to mention Maxxis lies about their tire sizes so that very tight 2.5 is likely a Schwalbe 2.35 casing and well, I hope the clearance is better when run with a 27.5 in back. Shame they didn't ACTUALLY provide that information in the frame details. I think, if I were in the market for this price of bike frame, I'd rather just get a Salsa Cassidy Carbon, its $3600USD MSRP, 165mm rear travel, non-idler but also a split-pivot rear end with the main pivot a decent height above the BB center, that will clear 29 x 2.6 or 27.5 x 3.0, uses a flip chip in the shock mount, compatible for 170-180mm forks, 157mm SuperBoost and a 73mm BSA BB shell. Key variable geometry is 432/431mm chainstay length, 63.8/64.1 HA (with 180 fork), 75.7/76.0 SA, 19/15 BB drop. There's even intergrated 3-bolt mount on the downtube, a 2 bolt frame bag mount on the top tube, and a dedicated repair kit space and all the internal routing has sleeved tubes.

www.salsacycles.com/bikes/mountain/Cassidy
  • 1 0
 @dynastar:
Maybe the shock. I only ever rode mine with an Ext storia, which keep you fairly high in travel.

I’ve had an ohlins ttx before and I remember that sat quite low in the travel when climbing.
  • 4 0
 @The-Spirit-of-Jazz: I think the point is that for that price you'd expect it to be better designed than it appears to be.
  • 2 0
 @Dustfarter: It's also the isle that gave us Jaguar Land Rover and the now luckily defunct British Leyland.
  • 1 0
 This is not what we have come to expect from Hope from my years of using there well engineered and built parts. Hope that little detail gets a 2.0 correction.
  • 11 2
 Surprising that the country that came up with Brexit would create something this costly and self-destructive.
  • 4 0
 @BenPea: just remember not to tar as all with the same brush. A certain part of the U.K. is doing carbon, high pivot, bikes just right with Deviate
  • 5 5
 @BenPea: Hell I'll take reduced tyre clearance over police shootings and regular riots in the streets
  • 2 0
 @mashrv1: Damn straight.

@darkstar66: Don't need to have either, buy a better designed British bike like Deviate or Bird.
  • 2 0
 @redrook: can confirm highlander is a shredder! Would recommend highly. Quality is top notch and service is the best
  • 1 2
 @redrook: You misspelled Stanton.
  • 1 0
 @sfarnum: Another option sure, but there's nothing wrong with Dev or Bird.
  • 2 0
 @redrook: Don't forget Starling or Atherton...
  • 4 1
 @mashrv1: Excluding the snapping lower links, the massive amount of stiction in the linkage (which you can spend a lot of money on their ‘low friction’ seal kit for, not be given it) having to actually drill the downtube as they forgot to put drain holes in the frame, chainslap protection not actually covering where you need it (and falling off anyway). Yeah, they are nailing it.

By comparison, the Hope (in my experience) rides better (albeit not with Ohlins), is quieter & better made. I can say I’ve not had any of the issues experienced.

Also for the record, if you are worried about tyre clearance on this (I’m not, I can get a full forefinger between the brace and a 2.4” Michelin) then really don’t look at a Claymore. The inside of the chainstay up by the linkage looks like I had a party with Wolverine Smile
  • 1 2
 @mashrv1: if they made Deviate bikes using Hopes manufacturing that would be a good combo.
  • 2 0
 @darkstar66: I wasn't providing an exhaustive list of UK brands that make decent bikes.
  • 1 0
 @The-Spirit-of-Jazz: Why? Deviate seem to be doing just fine.
  • 1 0
 @redrook: my understanding is they currently make all their carbon frames offshore at the same factories as a lot of other brands.

Deviate said their r&d into alternative materials and processes (e.g the ti bike) is about onshoring manufacturing....so its something they want to do.
  • 1 0
 @The-Spirit-of-Jazz: Ok, but what do Hope do and why would that be better? You said "using Hopes (sic) manufacturing"
  • 1 0
 @redrook: they manufacture high pivot carbon bikes in house in the UK? And they seem like they haven't nailed the design yet?

When you are manufacturing overseas 1) you have to order in large batches (which will be a massive finanical risk to a tiny co like deviate 2) you have to wait 2 months while they ship on the water.

Whatever people's views are about this seat stay bridge, the consistent point across all the reviews of this bike is the manufacturing quality and finish of the carbon. Frame only is also at a similar price point to deviate.

I don't think this is the worst idea to have bren presented in pinkbike comments!
  • 1 0
 @The-Spirit-of-Jazz: Who said it was the worst idea? I asked a straightforward question.

If it's so risky why do Deviate do it? Why don't they do what Hope do?

Maybe you should present your idea to Deviate Wink
  • 1 0
 @redrook: I didn't say anyone said it was the worst idea Smile ....and I did answer your question Smile .

I wouldn't presume to know why Deviate have done what they have done. Hope is is £20m+ turnover business. Deviate I expect are at least one order of magnitude smaller than that.

I am sure if both parties wanted to do it they would have done it already.
  • 1 0
 Glad this is top comment
  • 65 5
 how could they make a bike with terrible tire clearance like that? sorry but thats a MASSIVE fail
  • 8 3
 The H3 I have, has no worse clearance than any other bike with a seatstay bridge I have ridden recently, which is odd - it looks noticeably better than this one, with an ‘actual’ bigger tyre than a 2.4 Maxxis.
  • 2 0
 @HuckersNeck: example of tyre clearance done right
m.pinkbike.com/photo/25411675

That's a Maxxis 2.5 by the way
  • 1 0
 @IllestT: name the bike?
  • 3 0
 @no-good-ideas: Privateer 141
  • 45 5
 It's rare in 2023 to see a new bike so clearly a lemon
  • 7 0
 They do have form on that front. THe HB160 was one too
  • 25 3
 It's a shame the reviewer can't say as much. Stott seems more interested in blaming Ohlin's for the bikes poor performance than draw attention to the manufacturer's obvious failures - frame contacts itself, storage compartment rattles, seat clamp breaks - but somehow this is a "fine choice" for people to drop their cash on.
  • 6 1
 @Lokirides: don't forget the terrible tyre clearance.
Any 1 of those things would be a deal breaker for me, before even considering how the bike actually rides
  • 13 0
 @Lokirides: You dont last long in this field if you are too honest about the products you review. You are effectively part of the marketing department for the industry
  • 4 0
 @chrismac70: Too true. Perfect example is Paul Aston.
  • 2 0
 @millerstone: Ironically, I'm pretty sure he really likes the HB.916
  • 25 0
 That carbon layup with perfect wheft and warp weave is satisfying to the eye, the way it meets perfectly in the centre of the tube. It even looks like they got the resin mix spot on. Which will be nice when you land to flat and punch the bridge through the seat tube. Almost there, someone must have sneezed at the design stage and added a couple of mm somewhere
  • 3 0
 Saw this frame at Eurobike last year and the frame is beautifully laid up. Really incredible. The paint work on the display bike was amazing as well.
  • 1 1
 Perfect until you crack the frame where it knocks together.

Just like a Jaguar or a Range Rover has a perfect interior except it’s at the shop all the time.

Asian carbon frames are also all hand laid-and the clear coated ones are also perfect or close to it.
  • 20 2
 I've been riding the HB 916 in the Sea to Sky area for the past 6 months and my experience with it has been very different than in this review. It feels like an exceptional climber considering the travel and geo (I've been running it as a mullet in the low setting almost exclusively). No issues with bridge or tire clearance at all with a 2.4 DHR II. V4 brakes have been a standout part of the build for me with their power, reliability and modulation.

I do agree with issues setting up the Ohlins suspension. I had the fork revalved as it was too heavily damped for me. Also tried the bike with its original Ohlins coil, and a 2024 Float X2, but was dissatisfied with both and ended up putting on a Push Elevensix I had from a previous bike. Really pleased with that setup!
  • 6 0
 Can attest to this as well. My HB916 has been fantastic. Bike pedals very well for an enduro bike, especially with how well it goes downhill. I also changed out the suspension to to an EXT e-Storia and have been playing with a Manitou Mezzer and EXT era v2 up front. Didn’t try the ohlins 38, and the ttx22m.2 coil was good but I’ve always loved my ext shocks. Hope T4 V4 brakes are unreal too. Having swapped shocks a couple times I don’t remember any clearance issues on the seatstay bridge but I’ll double check it tonight and confirm.
  • 2 0
 How much did you end of paying for this in cad? Those on it seem to be exclusively bike shop peeps with severe discount. Last time I looked prices were insane vs uk (close to 30% more). For what it’s worth I thought it was a poor pedaler but again maybe this was the Öhlins set up!?
  • 5 0
 @dynastar: Looked at buying one, it was 11,999+tx for GX (regular, not axs) and 12,999+tx for XO1(not axs). Where I live in Quebec, with taxes, you're looking at a $15K CAD build. Alloy wheels, no axs, not compatible with new sram transmission. Insane. I also noticed that people riding this bike were exclusively bike shop/distributor people haha.

I was able to try one on pretty mellow trails, seeemed like a good bike, okay pedaler, but just can't justify it at this price. You can buy an Arrival for 11.5k with taxes, and you get the new X01 transmission, Carbon wheels, AXS dropper.
  • 1 2
 Do you absolutely send it? How's that bottom out issue? Without actually seeing it 'just touching' can you actually say it will just touch?
  • 15 0
 I know its a small thing but when showing the suspension movement please can you lift the rear wheel up rather than push down on the seat. I realise thats harder to do but its how the wheel moves not how the seat tube moves that matters. Thanks.
  • 16 0
 “We wanted to take our time with this review, the shock is shit so we rode it with a few different forks”

Top work, detailed stuff…
  • 14 0
 I’m curious as to why Seb tried different forks on the bike but not a different shock. Seems like he was unhappy with the rear of the bike, but went and changed to a fork that matched it to find balance, rather than changing out the shock to match the fork? Maybe he had the forks on hand, but with the pull pinkbike has, seems odd that he wouldn’t be able to get a coil shock to try.
  • 1 0
 Very incurious and untypical.
  • 19 3
 Man it cracks me up how Seb cant seem to get along with any suspension product that isn't Fox.
  • 8 1
 I came here to say exactly that. We get it, Seb likes suspension with no damping, could he perhaps try writing some objective reviews?
  • 9 5
 When he did a head to head review of a 38 v a zeb he gave the win to the zeb…
  • 4 0
 @B-foster: might want to go back and read that review again. He most certainly did not give the win the Zeb.
  • 4 0
 @bbachmei: whoops that was Dan roberts. That’s my bad
  • 2 0
 yeah, I'd love to know how you got to 110/230 as a good number. That ramp up is about 50 psi higher than Ohlins would recommend...
  • 1 0
 But he's mainly comparing the Ohlins to the Zeb here, and the new Zeb is very good.
  • 1 1
 Maybe a coincidence or oversight, but other reviewers (Kaz, Henry, Matt), have a line in their bio about industry affiliations, which for those three say "none". That line is missing from Seb's bio.
  • 1 0
 @TheRamma: yeah, this is really surprising to me too. I have a rxf 38 and 36, if you go that high in the ramp chamber its going to feel crap. Some weird and wonderful suspension setup going on here. I think he’s trying to use to air spring instead of the damping to get the feel he thinks is best??
  • 1 0
 @Monkeyass: yeah, weigh more than seb @ 92kg, ride an rxf36m. 2, and think I am at 110/190. I do use 6-8 clicks of lsc, 1-2 hsc. It's super supportive in corners.

Ohlins doesn't have suggestions on the reviewed bike, yet, but I can't understand that setup.
  • 11 1
 Lmao. A seatstay bridge that will clash with the seat tube during a bottom-out? What year is it... 2004? How this bike made it to production is baffling. To add insult to injury, that near-zero tire clearance was designed by a British company. Then add to all of this a seatclamp that broke (I've been riding 25+ years and never had that happen) and a downtube compartment whose closure rattles, etc. Seb seemed intent on focusing all of the woes on the Ohlins suspension (criticism warranted, no doubt) but the first sentence of this article should have been "Try again, Hope!"
  • 12 1
 how is this not a negative

"The bridge gets very close to the seat tube when the shock is sat on the bottom-out bumper and will just touch if bottomed-out hard"
  • 11 1
 I'm going to ask an obvious question here - why isn't there more tyre clearance?
  • 5 19
flag flattire (Aug 21, 2023 at 9:37) (Below Threshold)
 Heel clearance. Superboost 157 solves this.
  • 4 0
 @flattire: In with Specialized selling an Enduro 29 with a 142x12 back end, 42cm stays and adequate tyre clearance... more than a decade ago now. Switching standards won't solve anything without sufficient attention to detail.
  • 3 8
flag flattire (Aug 21, 2023 at 10:44) (Below Threshold)
 @Fix-the-Spade: Yes and no. You can't argue that 157 does NOT space your crank arms and chainring further outboard, allowing you greater tire clearance. Overall, 157 increases tire clearance, across all manufacturers designs.
  • 6 1
 "The bridge gets very close to the seat tube when the shock is sat on the bottom-out bumper (as shown), and will just touch if bottomed-out hard"
This is a total deal breaker, surely. How it didn't make the con column is beyond me.
  • 9 5
 Seems like both the tire clearance and the bridge hitting the seat tube would both be solved by running it as a mullet?

I wonder if it was designed for that setup and the full 29er was a bodge after later requests from the pro riders?

Awesome to see a properly british bike though, if I had cash to burn & if you could run mineral oil in the brakes instead of DOT it'd be on my shopping cart.
  • 4 0
 Apologies for the downvote - meant to upvote! It's plausible 29" compatibility was an afterthought, as I like to think no designer would otherwise accept such tight clearances.

The heavy criticism being dished out is fully deserved if Hope is going to claim 29" compatibility; would've been better to call it a dedicated mixer and/or make a separate 29" version - which wouldn't be hard to do, since it requires only a couple machined pieces that are made in-house.
  • 3 0
 You can make an E4 caliper work with mineral oil with a little bit of swapping seals I think hehehe. I got a Saint lever/Hope Rx4+ caliper front brake and this winter I would try to upgrade it with new E4 caliper.
The lever feeling is lovely but not for everyone´s taste,lever has little dead travel and power come in a very linear way. Pad engagement is crystal clear,lovely in low speed low grip situations.
With this setup I got 0 problems since last winter,perfect for my enduro bike. But it is totally experimental,my rear brake is out of the box. I would not trust 100% doing both brakes same time from 0 without good testing period.
  • 2 0
 @R-M-R: would be nice to have another review as a mullet with the fox build they offer and see the difference
  • 4 0
 Really interesting that as it relates to high-pivot enduro bikes, Pinkbike loved the Deviate Claymore and gave some mixed review of this Hope, meanwhile, EnduroMTB loved the Hope and gave was 'meh' on the Claymore...

What's a consumer to believe, especially when its so hard to demo these bikes in the states?(!)
  • 3 0
 Honestly I wouldn't trust the enduromtb guys as they have been very inconsistent with their reviews. The even listed the propriatery rear hub standart on the previous bike as a pro.
  • 3 0
 "But with anti-rise levels that sit around 80%, the HB.916's suspension won't rise up and pitch the bike forward as much as most non-high-pivot bikes do."

That's an incorrect generalization. There are plenty of "non-high-pivot" bikes with anti-rise averaging at or above 80%. Most simple-single-pivots (ie: Kona, Evil, Orange) are in this range, if not higher. They are definitely not going to "pitch the bike forward as much as" your hypothetical collection of "non-high-pivot" bikes.
  • 3 0
 Had mine for 4 months, bottomed the living snot out of it several times and no issue with hitting with the bridge. Wonder what is going on here... Ohlins coil on mine has been fantastic. Would confirm everything else in the article, extremely well balanced descending and ok climber which is exactly what I'm after.
  • 7 1
 I rather enjoy nerdy reviews with a lot of detail. Hats off to you sir
  • 9 7
 Thats an expensive bike with no tyre clearance, suspension that is difficult to impossible to set up well and brakes that are not as good as the top notch competitors. You need to be a fanboy to buy it then. Such a shame as those things are easy to sort out, why on earth in a difficult market with lots of choice can you go ahead and launch a product like that.
  • 13 1
 Those brakes are right up there as the most powerful on the market. Just takes a bit more set up to get them feeling perfect. Worth it though.
  • 10 1
 The Hope Tech4 are superior brakes. Braking power and workmanship are insanely good. I drive mine now for 8 months and have not yet had to bleed.
  • 4 0
 @johnlord82: +1 on the hope tech 4s. My previous favorites were the dominion a4's, but I prefer the softer bite of the tech 4s. They still have the power but I find them easier to modulate.

I'm still curious about the TRP DHR evos, but at least in a parking lot test I prefer the tech 4. I've also ridden Shimano XT, code rsc's, and Saints. Magura sounds too on/off for me.
  • 6 0
 @sdurant12: demoed a bike with the DHR evos recently and I would put them below Dominion A4s, but still a really good brake. Less modulation vs. the Hayes (felt more like a Shimano brake).
Of course I also prefer Dominions over Tech 4s, but the Hopes would be my second choice if I couldn't get Dominions for some reason
  • 1 0
 @steezysam: What do you like about the Hayes over the Hopes? If I end up replacing my code ults it's a 3 way battle between Hayes, TRP DHR Evo, and Hope recommendations. I've got severe hand pain and issue with maintaining grip so I'm looking for the lightest thing to activate and hold onto and least arm pump
  • 2 0
 @TeaPunk: disclaimer: I haven't really properly ridden the Hopes, it was more of an extended parking lot test (a few little side hits and messing around) on a friend's bike.
To me the initial bite of the Hayes is stronger, and then the two brakes felt very similar, with an intuitive, linear-feeling ramp up in power with lever stroke.

If you're looking for the most all-out power with least lever stroke it'd probably be Shimano Saints (though I've had very little time on them myself), but shimano brakes feel too easy to lock up to me. The Hayes have great initial bite but then feel easier to modulate through additional power. Your mileage may vary depending on rotors, pads, bleed, terrain, etc. etc.
  • 1 0
 @johnlord82: @johnlord82: Yep; tech3 were very good but had tech4 v4 since december 2022, no bleed since.
I shorten rear brake hose, reconnect it, don't bleed the brake and work fine.
Best brakes and super powerfull
  • 1 0
 @TeaPunk: The Hope Tech4 V4 has more power than a Saint. And you get every screw as a spare part for years, the bleeding is easy and the lever can be adjusted to each hand. And it is insanely good dosage.
  • 1 0
 @TeaPunk: Agreed with steezysam here - the dominions have more initial bite than the tech 4s. Modulation after that initial bite feels similar. I prefer the tech 4's soft start to the power delivery, as I do a fair bit of feathering my brakes when manualing or pulling wheelies. Other than for those two things, I'd be perfectly happy with either.

I've ridden both on the steepest things I ride (my brother has dominions and we swap bikes sometimes). After an adjustment lap, I'm perfectly happy with either option for the steeps, so this isn't just from a parking lot test.

I do prefer the dominion lever blade shape slightly.
  • 6 1
 Lol that's not a very glowing review

You could have condensed it to

"Bit average, really expensive"
  • 2 0
 IT'S SHYTE! innit? - The Queen (probably)
  • 3 1
 For a bike made in the UK that's a disgrace having that little clearance. Mud would soon pack up and take it somewhere like dyfi bike park with sharp slate in the mix, you will get a lot of punctures or slashes in the frame. Really poor
  • 4 0
 I've have an HB916 and it has been the best bike I've ever ridden... climbs like a beast compared to my Bronson V3 and is just a monster on the downs... no regrets!!
  • 2 0
 Typical British "blokes in a shed engineering". Lots of stuff done right, but a few details (rattly downtube hatch, lack of tire clearance, UDH somehow not Transmission compatible, frame parts hitting each other under full compression!) that show this product never went through a proper beta testing phase.

This bike is close to great, but now Hope needs to fix the remaining issues-and that should have been done before releasing the bike.
  • 13 12
 People need to have a look at the top enduro riders in the UK, particulary who just won the national champs overall. Been Hb916s battling it at the top all year. Excellent bike built for racing, I think most of the complaints come from the non-racing crowd. Its always going to be a niche bike, built to order no less, so 'issues' like poor tyre clearance arent really an issue when you consider the bike's positioning in the industry. This is a specialised tool vs more 'generic' enduro bikes from other brands. Just my opinion
  • 2 0
 What makes this more specialist than other brand’s models?
  • 2 1
 Top enduro riders in the UK don't have to sweat if their seatstay bridge cracks their seat tube when it bottoms out. Everyone else does. Same (but less so) when a seatpost clamp on a new bike snaps. What a joke. This bike should have never made it to production with these issues.
  • 1 0
 @mashrv1: It's special, that's why.
  • 1 0
 Pros are pretty much doing well regardless of the Bike. I don't see how the racing crowd prefers rubbing tires and broken seatstay bridge?
  • 2 0
 @fred-frod: Have you seen any rubbing tyres & broken seatstay bridges on this bike then?

Quite a few comments from owners saying it’s a non issue & pretty much everyone else who has reviewed the bike has been overwhelmingly positive.
  • 5 4
 I think the high pivot allure is slowing wearing off. I’d personally go with a simpler design and run an ochain to counteract any chain growth because I’d rather take a few extra degrees of pedal engagement vs sacrifice watts throughout my ride due to an idler.
  • 3 5
 It's for sure wearing off with the non-racing crowd. Possible weirdness when jumping + extra complexity from an idler are hard turn offs, especially when you can just slap an Ochain on your current bike and go.
  • 1 0
 Ochain doesn't really accomplish the same thing as a high pivot . I see the main benefit of high pivot being the rearward axle path, and the increase in stability that comes with that. The idler is simply there to mitigate the chain-growth of a high-pivot. Maybe high pivot with ochain instead of idler has potential though.
  • 4 1
 The tight rear tire clearance is even odder to me since Hope is British. even if you don't want to run a larger tire that bridge doesn't leave a lot of space for mud.
  • 1 0
 Also good luck trying to get this bike or frame if you live in the US. Hope is very slow to respond if you get a response and will direct you to Phil Dean, US rep, but even there good luck. Phil was very hesitant to help or even provide me pricing for the HB.916 stating "It's like pulling teeth to get info out of Hope" Very disappointing customer service, can't imagine the pain youd be in trying to warranty or even get the HB916 seviced
  • 2 1
 Is recommended the H3, then chooses the H4 and complains about not being able to get enough weight over the front end of the bike. Classic symptom of the bikes front center being too long. If front center is too long, then you can't properly weight the front and rear of the bike which might be contributing to the balance issues stated in the review.
  • 1 0
 Built a 916 up from frame only, and sold the Ohlins TTX m2 coil which I replaced with a Fast Fenix Evo coil. I run Conti Kryptotal 2.4 tyres on it, Fox 38 factory fork Never had any issue with tyre clearances. Nor have I ever had the bridge hit or even touch the rear seat tube. Was just at Bike Park Wales couple weekends ago, rode 50 Shades of Black which has a number of large drop compressions and not once had a compression cause the bridge to touch the seat tubing. My local trails are Innerleithen and Golfie so my bike is getting down some brutal trailage, never experienced any of these issues this reviewer is describing. It sounds more like a poorly set up bike overall. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another 916. I cant speak for what it was like with the Ohlins coil out back as I literally sold that and installed a new Fenix Evo which has has been unreal on this bike. I had a 2021 Vitus Sommet CRX which I built from frame only with an X2, riding the same stuff and the Hope has been incredible, and I loved that Sommet - not here just to defend the Hope with rose tinted specs basically, it really has been a great bike to own since I built it in Jan 2023
  • 1 0
 I can confirm that the chainstay bridge clearance on the sea tube is a total non-issue. I’ve been riding my H2 HB916 at various bike parks around the UK and it’s completely awesome. Plenty of bottom outs and hard hits and it’s brushed them all off with ease.

The tyre clearance thing is another non-issue. I’ve been running 2.5WT tyres front and rear in UK slop for months now and there’s absolutely zero tyre clearance issues.

This review, while mainly positive seems like he’s clutching at straws to find negative points.
  • 1 0
 You need to try the bike with the Ohlins coil, it’s sublime. Their early is zero difference in efficiency between this idler pulley and a normal bike, that’s all in your head as the chain barely covers a 3rd of the chainring. This is a sublimely executed modern enduro bike that is durable and made to the highest quality with a ride to match. Oh and nobody that owns one has any issue with tyre clearance so not sure where you get that from? My advice, try the same bike with Ohlins coil and a mullet setup with zero compression on the forks and a fast rebound.
  • 4 0
 Where are the yellow Maxxis logos when you need them
  • 4 0
 "I don't have eyes on my inner thigh". Nice.
  • 5 1
 Wouldn't a "mid-high pivot" simply be a mid pivot?
  • 1 0
 Single pivot, low pivot, high pivot. Low pivot = mid pivot.

Mid-high pivot = all the benefits of a high pivot + the convenience of a low pivot. Or some like that. Sincerely, the Hope marketing department.
  • 1 1
 Ohlins needs to write Brett Rheeder a fat check. Ever since he separated from Fox and did that evaluation and CHOSE Ohlins then won Proving Grounds and Rampage on it.... they've had a MASSIVE surge. As for high pivot bikes... I'm liking the new forbidden.
  • 5 1
 Their surge in popularity probably has a lot more to do with Loic Bruni and Finn Iles tbh.
  • 1 0
 @Glory831Guy: I'm quite sure you're right. Ohlins realized something pretty basic... you win... people notice.
  • 1 0
 Well, some of us had no idea about this until you mentioned it now Big Grin

Overpriced, overdamped and overrated IMO.
  • 2 2
 That headline seems accidentally unkind. Could you just leave the 'article is late' explanation in the first para, and not try to wedge it in to a clever headline? As it is, sounds like you're calling out Hope for a dated design.
  • 1 0
 The last sente in the first para explains: "It also took Hope a long time to find one in our size".
  • 2 1
 I reckon they should sort out the rocker issues and do a cheaper version made from ally with anodising options in the usual hope colours for us carbon haters. You’d get some proper sexy builds.
  • 1 1
 People out here hating on how the Atherton bikes look...Hope took a page right out of the Ellsworth playbook, complete with a basic flat black and raw carbon paint job. Actual issues aside (climbing performance, bridge clearance), hard pass!
  • 1 0
 Got mine Thursday. 1st ride in Surrey the day after in the mud and slop and it was faultless. For me forks were easy to set up and just needed a few tweaks. All in all its an absolute belter of a ride.
  • 4 1
 I hope the bridge doesn't break the frame.
  • 9 9
 Feel like Seb doesnt have a clue, as its some bit of kit and tbh compared to a far east made SC the Hopes a total bargain.

Con - cant fit a 3" gazza in the back, absolute rubbish.
  • 7 2
 At least the SC frames are sorted enough to not have the trap door rattle and the seat stay hit the seat tube...
  • 1 0
 Salty owner?
  • 1 1
 @fred-frod: Salty reviewer?
  • 3 4
 @sebstott awesome review, as always! Thanx!

As a privateer 161 owner, and as I know that you’ve been riding that one for quite some time, I still can’t figure out if I should or need to upgrade to another bike?
A little more playfulness and a little less weight would be nice. But, riding a canyon, that everybody will ride within the next couple of month, kinda puts me off …

Merida has the stupid head angle routing. Transitions are sooo expensive. Raaw is kinda a privateer - so why change. …

Would love your input!
  • 4 0
 I have a 161. Privateer got the geo right with this bike. Don't feel the need to upgrade beyond wanting something new and shiny.
  • 1 0
 Transitions expensive? Did I miss them going up? I always saw their specs as a few thousand less than compared to something from SC/Spec unless you're looking at the ebikes
  • 3 0
 @TeaPunk: They are pretty expensive outside North America. They're basically Yeti money here...
  • 1 0
 @haen: couldn’t agree more. Love the bike!
But I got mine over 3 years ago as a frame only (was on the preorder list of the first batch) and many of the parts that I took from my old bike are crying out loud to be upgraded by now.
As upgrading fork, shock, drivetrain, etc is quite expensive, I’m a little hesitant if it wouldn’t be „better“ to get a whole new and shiny bike instead
  • 1 0
 @TeaPunk: in Europe, they’re awfully expensive. One patrol is pretty much two relatively similar specd 161‘s ….
  • 2 0
 Just so everyone is aware, the correct pronunciation of butty box has no ts in it. Signed, someone also made in Lancashire.
  • 3 0
 May have been better if they never.
  • 3 0
 Has a UDH but is not Transmission compatible? Huh?
  • 2 0
 That takes some serious effort
  • 1 0
 @boozed: for real! It still don’t get what it means exactly
  • 2 1
 I was a phone call away from ordering one last year, had it all lined up. But the dealbreaker for me was now ISCG05 tabs, on a modern enduro bike!
  • 2 0
 Ooh yeah, it's got no bashguard. That seems like something of an oversight.
  • 2 0
 Nice to read 2 reviews on a same bike, paid and not paid version. (Aston did his earlier)
  • 1 0
 How could this bike pass through R&D? In this day and age with all the technology and issues from early 2000’s being taken care of, this seems like a giant fail.
  • 2 0
 the pivot prototype looks a bit like this. nice bike!
  • 3 2
 In my humble opinion this is an ugly bike- nut sure why but the yellow "Ö" don't help.
  • 5 1
 Actually, I think yellow in combination with visible carbon doesn’t look half-bad.

However, a high pivot bike will probably never be good-looking in any traditional sense of the word.
  • 2 1
 Looks beautiful but seems to have some glaring issues. Maybe just stick to making excellent components?
  • 1 0
 If you buy one of these I HOPE you never get a stone buried in some mud stuck on your seattube ....
  • 2 4
 Bummer for Hope. I like them a lot, but this misses the mark by a wide margin.

Odd T47 BB choice
Has UDH but NO Transmission support
High-Pivot that is already dead and mostly hated
No tire clearance
A hard bottom-out will connect the seatstay bridge and seat tube
Hard to setup brakes and suspension (I do think Hope brakes are money, and Ohlins is legit though)
Rattly and broken seatclamp during testing
Using most industry standards now a plus
Around 8K
  • 1 0
 "High-Pivot that is already dead and mostly hated"

Que?
  • 4 3
 I hope i can afford one some day
  • 1 1
 I feel like they trying to experiment, maybe reinvent the wheel, on our back
  • 3 1
 Looks like a slash
  • 1 0
 Units on the vertical axes of the leverage ratio and anti squat graphs?
  • 3 0
 Leverage: Unitless (it's a ratio), or mm/mm, if you insist.

Anti-squat: Percent.
  • 2 2
 Good luck selling one second hand after that review, you'd be better buying a Pace.
  • 1 0
 I snapped a Hope Seat clamp, too! :-)
  • 1 0
 ....is that - I am Groot
  • 1 3
 Does anyone else think that the aesthetics of this bike are ugly AF? C'mon Hope! This whole bike stinks of shoddy, rushed, non-thought-out workmanship. YIKES!
  • 1 0
 No, nobody else does, it’s the best looking enduro bike on the market.
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