Hope Pro4 Hubs: Customer Review

Are you ready to build up your own custom wheels? In this review, Ryan Abbott laces up a pair of DT Swiss XM481 rims on to Hope Pro4 hubs. The Hope Pro4 hubs are lightweight, come in a bunch of different anodized colors to match your bike, and won't break the bank. Read more below to see how Ryan likes his customer wheel build!

Overview

I recently upgraded my stock Giant wheels to a hand built set of DT Swiss XM481 rims laced to red Hope Pro4 hubs. I have a few hundred miles on them now, and this is a review of the hubs.

There were a lot of options when deciding on a hub, and Hope offered what I felt was the best combination of quality and price. I purchased the front and rear hubs several months apart, but the bright red anodizing still matched perfectly. The spoke holes had a slight countersink machined in, which made the spoke heads bed in niceley during the build. One of the things that was important to me in selecting a hub was that it would be easy to service at home. Hope makes it simple, and you only have to pull off the end cap and freehub body to clean and lube it. The seals are designed for the wet and dirty riding in Europe, and I have no doubt that they will do a great job of keeping the internals and bearings in great condition here in the U.S. I also liked that I can easily change axle standards, and even convert to boost spacing with inexpensive adapters. Hope hubs come in a wide range of colors, and while I initially planned on getting black so I could transfer the wheels to any bike, I realized that adding a little color would be so much more fun.

Performance

Out on the trail, they've been great. The bearings are very smooth and roll really well. The rear hub has that signature Hope buzz that I love (bonus - I no longer have to call out to hikers, I just freewheel and it sounds like a pack of rabid cicadas). They are light weight and strong, due to being made from a forging rather than just machined billet. With 44 points of engagement, ratcheting through technical sections and climbs is easy, and power application feels instant with almost no play in the cranks.

Final Thoughts

If you're looking for a light, strong hub that won't break the bank and adds a little bling to your bike, Hope is the way to go, and Worldwide Cyclery is the place to get them!