Hope Tech Enduro 35W Front Wheel: Rider Review

The world of wheels can be a really tricky thing to navigate and all wheels have their benefits that can be hard to understand. That said, wheel reviews are a necessity when upgrading or replacing wheels. Our friend Dan grabbed himself an Enduro 35W Front wheel and just had to tell everyone, check it out below!

Why Hope Tech?

I bought the Hope Tech Enduro 35W Front Wheel to match the Hope rear wheel I bought a few months ago. My purchase was based mostly on the excellent experience I've had with this rear wheel being completely bulletproof and functioning flawlessly since I've owned it.

On Trail

After riding the front wheel for a month or so I am happy to report this wheel is just as durable as the rear. I've been riding a lot lately in snowy, muddy, sloppy conditions and the Hope hoops just keep on rolling. I haven't had to do so much as tighten a spoke and am very impressed with the durability of the finish, showing zero signs of wear. The Hope Tech Enduro 35W wheels are awesome and spin for days! The bearings are silky smooth even after the excessive moisture they've been exposed to over the last month riding in snowy wet conditions and having been constantly washed off after being covered in mud.

The rim feels very stiff and supportive out on the trail without beating you up with too much feedback. It is much stiffer than the specialized rim that I had on the bike previously. I don't really do any huge drops or jumps but they do take some punishment on various smaller drops and constant pounding on the root filled trails here in New England. My previous wheels made various ticks, creaks, and pops on my average ride but the Hope's have remained silent and soak up whatever I throw at them.

Tire Setup

I'm running a 2.8 minion DHF down at about 15 psi tubeless and have had no issues with burping or bottoming the rim. Setting them up to run tubeless was easy. A quick layer of Stans tape and a valve and they were ready to roll in under 5 minutes. This has allowed me to gain super traction on the slippery snow-covered trails. The rims aren't the lightest out there but I will gladly sacrifice a little weight for the durability they provide.

Final Thoughts

Overall I have to say I am a big Hope fan and will seriously consider buying their other products in the future based on the quality and top-notch engineering that is apparent in their wheels.