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Hope Tech V-Twin Cyclocross Hydraulic Disc Brakes Converter Now Shipping

Hope Tech V-Twin cyclocross mechanical to hydraulic disc brake converter now shipping
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Hope Tech V-Twin cyclocross mechanical to hydraulic disc brake converter now shippingWe saw an almost final prototype of Hope Tech’s V-Twin mechanical-to-hydraulic disc brake converter at Eurobike this year, and now the units are through production, on their website and shipping.

All parts are CNC’d from aluminum in their Barnoldswick, England, facility. The V-Twin, named for it’s resemblance to a V8 motor’s angle flanks of pistons, uses a dual piston design that uses standard road brake levers of your choosing and converts their cable pull into piston pushing, caliper squeezing disc brake action.

Where it differentiates from TRP’s Parabox is that the cables run directly through the master cylinder and pull the piston directly rather than moving a lever.

The V-Twin is mated to their one-piece X2 caliper for what Hope Tech claims is a stiff, lightweight system. We’ll update with pricing as soon as we get it.

UPDATE: here’s the word directly from Hope on pricing for us Yanks: “The V-Twin is indeed shipping now. They will retail in the U.S. for $335 and Hope USA have begun shipping to dealers already. They will also be available to dealers through QBP.”

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Euan
Euan
12 years ago

Its named the V Twin, because it looks like a V Twin engine.

Gillis
Gillis
12 years ago

The funny thing about these converters is that I remember early disc setups that did the same basic thing. Except it was usually all done down at the caliper, not in between. Needless to say those didn’t work well.

Given that cable actuated disc brakes actually work pretty well and at least 2 of the big 3 are working on hydro systems for cx/road, it seems pointless to invest in this.

Matt
Matt
12 years ago

@Gillis

That all depends on what you’re needing and when. This system is as light or lighter than a set of BB7s and will work better too. We don’t even know if SRAM for sure is coming out with hydraulic on their systems for 2013, and even then who knows how good it will be. Plus it’s on SRAM Red, which means the pricepoint will be at least $700 for shifters alone; probably $1000+ for shifters and brakes.

I’m leary of waiting too much on what will one day be available. The bike industry seems to be full of various promises, many of which never see the light of day.

While obviously a compromise. This system can give you the best of both worlds:
1. Compatibility with your currently existing shifters.
2. A weight that’s as light or lighter than existing systems.

When you look at it that way, a $200 or so (likely) premium over mechanical brakes isn’t such a waste afterall…even if it is just for one year’s worth of advantage.

Gillis
Gillis
12 years ago

@Matt: You probably bought Zap or Mektronic too, huh?

$200? are you kidding? The TRP system retails for over $400. And I’ve never known of a cheap Hope product. And, whether it be $200 or $500, its money better spent on something that won’t become junk when you do finally upgrade.

You have no basis for claiming its lighter or better. Few have been ridden let alone a side-by-side comparison. I can say that cable systems work pretty well because I have ridden them. They are also relatively cheap and are compatible without upgrading levers. And you can get them right now.

All I’m saying is that the cost/benefit isn’t there and that most are better off going with a cable system or waiting for a full hydro system, not a patch.

“I’m leary of waiting too much on what will one day be available.” That makes no sense. That’s like saying “I’m apprehensive of the future”. You’re worried about something you can’t control. Not much of a way to live, imo. (and its leery, not leary).

Chipollini
12 years ago

Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! I’m excited, for disc breaks for CX and Road – y’all both have good points, but its time that’ll show what comes to market, and experience that’ll prove comparisons. It’s the future, and we’re on the edge.

Matt
Matt
12 years ago

@Gillis
Price:
$200, no I’m not kidding. The hope system is mechanically simpler than the TRP system and involves fewer materials (so it might be say $50 cheaper). A set of BB7s lists for $150 a pair. Claiming that the Hope V-Twin would be in the $350 range is not an unreasonable assumption; particularly considering that the Hope X2 Evos are also about $350 a pair.

Weight:
The weight of a set of BB7s is 335g or so each.
The Hope X2 Evo (on which the V-Twin is based) weighs 340g. (This also includes the levers which are not in the V-Twin system)
But the way the BB7s are weighed excludes the weight of cable housing and cabling; therefore the full system likely will give the Hope V-Twin a slight advantage.

Actual affordable integrated hydraulic systems are still potentially years out. It’s not like this is some crazy technology, this is just a cable pulling an existing hydraulic cylinder. I get that this isn’t your bag, but this is a valid system that gives people looking to go to disc brakes an option that has all the benefits of a hydraulic system, with easy reverse compatibility with existing components, a weight that is equal to or less than the best mechanical brakes on the market, and has a relatively small price premium, and is available today instead of 8+ months if not a number of years down the road.

craigsj
craigsj
12 years ago

“All I’m saying is that the cost/benefit isn’t there and that most are better off going with a cable system or waiting for a full hydro system, not a patch.”

How would you know, Gillis, when you yourself acknowledge that “few have been ridden let alone a side-by-side comparison”? How do you know the answers without experience when no one else can?

This system is a “patch” only because you say so. It has the advantage of self-adjustment that mechanical doesn’t, plus it uses proven calipers from a respected manufacturer. A “full hydro system”, whatever that means, from SRAM still has the downside of being an SRAM hydro brake, just at outrageous cost.

JoeKing
JoeKing
12 years ago

Someone please explain to a non-cyclocrosser why straight mnt. bike bars can’t be used w/tradional hydraulics.

Tom
Tom
12 years ago

UCI doesn’t allow straight bars in CX events.

kcr
kcr
12 years ago

@Gillis Those cable actuated hydraulic brakes that didn’t work so well came out over 15 years ago, and I’m pretty sure they stopped better than cantilever brakes did, (which is what cx bikes STILL use). Disc brakes were in their infancy at this time. I think a system like this or TRP’s will work better because the master cylinder isn’t right by/built into the caliper where all the heat is.

Also, Hope doesn’t make crap stuff. I’d be willing to bet that these are legit.

LOL @craigsj and the SRAM hydro brake comment. I’d bet that Hope’s system works better than whatever SRAM comes out with in ’13.

Scooby
12 years ago

First things first. You need to have a disc compatible frame to start all this with and that’s a alot more than the brake systems cost. A lot of peeps are going to be running out and getting a frame just to have a “disc” cross bike (for what? to have the latest and greatest? it’s ok!). Then there’s a new disc wheelset to buy or new disc hubs to be laced to your current tubulars. Switching to disc on a cross bike is costly. Don’t hate on someone for wanting the “new stuff” even if it won’t be worth much in a year or so. Consumers that DO go out and buy stuff like this keep companies striving to be on the cutting edge of technology and provide them with the capital to do so.

PS: @Gillis never ever crticize someone’s spelling unless you have a Phd! We all misspell words sometimes. When you do so people percieve you as being a pompous a** and you’re probably not, maybe.

and last ….. Bikerumor works hard to bring us the latest news from the cycling world we love so much. Unless you have a comment that’s meritorious I would say (IMHO) that the reading public doesn’t appreciate threads that contain non-productive useless feedback. Step’n off the soap box now…

Clubber
Clubber
12 years ago

Here in the uk, we’ve heard an rrp of £250 which is pretty reasonable – cheaper than a pair of X2 brakes iirc and almost certainly a lot cheaper than the Red/dura-ace/ultegra(maybe) versions will be by my reckoning.

I’ll admit I’m still not 100% convinced though -my bb7s work very well and the cables seem to hold up even in nasty conditions, maybe because they have nice, straight cable runs compared to gears or v-brakes.

Raouligan
12 years ago

The USE system is about the tidiest thing I’ve seen so far.

I’d really like to see a light weight cable disk offered, I’m yet to have any success with hydraulic brakes having tried Avid Juicy, Hope Mini, Hope Mono M4’s and Shimano XT.

I stor bikes due to space concerns with the wheels out and hung from the rear dropouts over the winter this always seems to have led to some sort of pooling of hydraulic brakes with a bleed being required in the spring.

A guy I ride with who stores in the same way has exactly the same problem.

I’m guessing the chances of this happening with CX bikes put away from a season of racing is just as possible.

I’d like to be able to pull a bike out of storage and just stick wheels in and ride cable disks let me do this, so I’m really hoping for a super light set of BB7, sure they’re not as powerful as hydraulic brakes but they’re ready to go whenever I need them.

Fingers crossed for BB Ultimates?

Clubber
Clubber
12 years ago

you can easily solve that storage issue by leaving the brakes held ‘on’ while stored. I use livestrong type bands for this but any elastic band will do or even zip ties if it’s only a once a year thing. If you take the wheels out just get a spacer of similar thickness to a disc to clamp onto instead.

B-machine
B-machine
11 years ago

I agree with #Joeking: So you mean that all this time CX riders could have had disc, but they had to wait til the UCI “decided” it was ok to use them? If all that was needed was a simple rule change, then why not petition for CX racing to be done on 29er rigid mtb’s instead? Better handling with flat bars and since its not a road race, mtb gearing is all you need anyway. It never made since to race CX on a modified road bike since we invented something called mountain bikes back in the late 70’s.

I’ve seen plenty of Youtube videos of CX races, and I’ve watched racers crash over simple little things that would make a mtb rider laugh. It really would make more sense to do that kind of race on a basic mtb and you’d still have more fun and stay upright longer.

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