cloverleaf

I'm guessing someone isn't a racer here...

So a little update, despite no longer doing things with Pinkbike as I know people still occasionally come across this review. I first started using these in November 2012. It's now January 2021 and they're still in use on my main bike. In that time they've covered about 15,000km, raced in two Megavalanches (including a top 50), done the Mountain of Hell, raced numerous European enduros on big tracks and a handful of Euro DH races. I've also ridden lots and lots in the usual disgusting Scottish conditions in the Tweed Valley and other places that are much harder on the brakes. In that time they've been bled half a dozen times, max (they went three years of hard riding without being touched at one point), and then last year finally received a full rebuild with new seals and a couple of pistons which I'd damaged replacing pads. The pistons occasionally need lubricated and the pads have been changed on average every 4-8 months depending on whether sintered or organic, winters or summer. I've just started using them with their new E-bike Purple pads and they're awesome. Close to the bite of the organic pads, close to the sintered in life and better than both with heat. The first set of 183mm rotors were replaced last year with a set of 203mm as the trails are getting faster and harder hitting. With all the talk of environmental considerations that is alone enough for me with these brakes, but they're still as much brake as I want despite new brakes on the surface of things being more powerful. These just have so much more control than anything else I've used, they're utterly reliable and the feel is great too. I'm about to replace my bike and no matter what brakes come on it, they'll be getting swapped out for these Hopes that are now coming up for nine years old. SRAM and Shimano would never have lasted this long. In fact last year I pulled a brand new, unused set of SRAM Guide RSC's from my spares box which had sat there for about five years so I could build up an old hardtail. Both had the plastic pistons seized absolutely solid in the levers. Much of the bike industry is plasticised crap designed to fail after a few years - I will always pay more for something which isn't going to be fit for landfill long before its time.

Brilliant video @mikelevy! One of the most honest pieces of MTB journalism I've seen in a long time. Hopefully people actually pay heed to it, they really should...

I feel your pain @fit4racing, I would stress over the subtle nuances in how to phrase something so it came across well and then it would freight trained in editing to make it sound all 'rad' and 'gnarly'. Dude. Same with the clickbait headlines, which I detest with a passion. Very glad not to need to deal with any of that any more!

Haha, in the intervening 7 years since I spec'd the geometry on this bike, how's this comment working out for you @endurocat ? ;) 1205mm wheelbase is short these days, guess I was a bit ahead of the curve! Only reason I came back to this was I couldn't remember the geometry of this bike for another project and thought I'd put a geo table in here. Turns out not. Anyway, Zumbi's Large is now exactly the same geometry as this bike, and most now are longer, lower and slacker.