MTB PRODUCT OF THE YEAR - Hope Tech 4 E4 Disc Brakes

After a year of testing the best and the rest, one product really stood out to us: Hope's all-new Tech 4 brake. It combines awesome power with fantastic modulation and a new, lighter lever feel that makes it the worthy recipient of our Product of the Year award for 2022. Well done Hope!

You can check out our full review on our site: https://www.vitalmtb.com/product/guid..., or skim through the synopsis below for more info.

2022 saw Hope introduce the inconspicuously named Tech 4. Hope sought to provide a lighter lever feel and increase the braking power, and in doing so, they have set the new gold standard as far as we are concerned.

Hope claims to have increased the power of the Tech 4 by 30% compared to the Tech 3. The most common complaint levied against the Tech 3 was probably a perceived lack of power compared to some other brakes on the market, so this point definitely caught our attention when we skimmed through the brochure. By using roller bearings for the lever blade pivot points and reducing internal friction, Hope was also able to use lighter master cylinder return springs which translates to a lighter lever action. On the caliper side they’ve moved to stainless steel pistons with phenolic inserts, which they claim will call for less maintenance while still being able to manage the extreme heat generated on long and steep descents.

Mechanically, the Tech 4 lever retains the same, tool-free bite point and reach adjustments as the Tech 3. This is good news as this system provides a great range of adjustments and is very consistent and easy to use. All the adjustments are external to the master cylinder piston area which is good for reliability and system longevity. Shifter integration has also been improved on the Tech 4, with better angles and a sleeker look on offer.

When you give the new brake the first squeeze of the lever, you’ll be surprised. It feels quite different to the Tech 3, with a MUCH lighter lever action and more “flex” in the lever after the bite point. With that we mean that the Tech 4 almost feels spongy compared to a Tech 3 – but that’s only in the workshop. The minute you hit the trail, you come to realize that the 30% increase in power touted by Hope is well and truly present and accounted for – these things will slow you down in a hurry with just minimal pressure on the lever. It doesn’t matter how steep the trail gets, you’ll never run out of power and that is without having to use much force at the lever blade.

It is a lot easier to engage the lever on the Tech 4 compared to the Tech 3, it starts moving with minimal finger pressure and it’s very easy to feel the bite point. But rather than being grabby, the Tech 4 just builds power in a very deliberate yet somehow linear way. Think Shimano feel without any initial grabbiness, and you’re on your way to picturing how the Tech 4 behaves. As for the stopping power we previously alluded to, it’s nothing short of impressive and that bears repeating here. Just squeeze the lever a bit, and you’re dropping anchor with a purpose. It only took our testers a couple of rides to become very familiar with the Tech 4, to the point where they were able to handle them completely intuitively and with perfect control even in very loose conditions. It is this combination of power and control that puts this new brake in a league of its own – several competitors get close, but none tick ALL the boxes in the way that the Tech 4 does.

We’ve had 3 pairs of the new Tech 4 running for well over half the year now, and all 3 are performing flawlessly. That is hardly surprising as Hope brakes have an excellent track record when it comes to reliability - they are also easy to work on and fully rebuildable. One important improvement to note regarding the Tech 4 is the move to stainless steel pistons with phenolic inserts. Hope’s goal here was to combat the “lazy piston” syndrome that could sometimes affect the Tech 3. That issue was generally easy to keep on top of by regularly cleaning the caliper pistons, but the new brake looks to increase the service interval in this respect and that’s great news.

In summary, the Tech 4 takes everything that was good about the Tech 3 and brings it to a new dimension, with significantly more power available and less input required at the lever. The result is a brake that saves rider energy while providing all the control needed to navigate demanding terrain - an intoxicating mix that presents a serious challenge to the rest of the brake market now. A fantastic new product and a worthy POTY winner!

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