LONG TERM RIDES
Hope’s UK-built trail bike certainly turns heads
Introducing the first of our 2020 team bikes – read our initial impressions of the rigs we’ll be riding for the next 12 months
I’m the lucky one who gets to ride one of the most lust-worthy bikes to have appeared in recent months – Hope’s carbon fibre, 130mm-travel HB.130 29er. On paper, it should suit me down to the ground. Ask any of my colleagues what kind of bike suits my riding style and they’d undoubtedly choose a mid-travel 29er – ideal for slipping and slapping around the woods, all-day pedals in the hills and annual trips to the Alps to find the most technical tracks I can point my white knuckles down.
I must say though, I’m a touch sceptical about a few aspects of the HB.130. Coming into this year, I need to be convinced of the feel of Hope’s brakes, which I’ve not always found quite to my taste. And the thought of being locked in by their proprietary 130mm rear hub width leaves me puzzled. Sure, Hope can argue the engineering benefits, but standards are standards for a reason, right? One thing I am keen to try is the Öhlins suspension (you can choose this or Fox kit for the same price). I’ve not spent a huge amount of time on the Swedish springs, but this second version of their RXF 36 fork is said to be an improvement over the original.
The HB.130 is most certainly eyecatching. While I’ve ridden the bike just a couple of times, only the bright orange electric cargo bike I’m testing for BikeRadar has attracted more attention from other riders. I could have gone even more bling, because Hope offer the brakes, hubs, finishing kit and frame-bearing caps in their usual range of anodised colours. But I’m a man of simple tastes and I reckon the silver finish looks spoton. The only thing I’ve changed is the crankset – the stock bike comes with carbon SRAM X01 cranks but I figured I might as well try out as much Hope gear as possible, so I’ve opted for their aluminium EVO cranks instead.
I was fortunate to be able to head over to the Hope factory in Lancashire to pick up the bike – an extra treat they offer to all their HB.130 and HB.160 customers. It was a surprise to see just how much of the bike is made in Barnoldswick, and how much everyone there cares about the bikes they make. It’s a company with a family feel to it, which I was really taken by.
You’re dying to know my first impressions right? Well, I think I’m going to like the HB.130. It’s poppy, agile, fun and seemingly supercapable. However, I’m not sold on Hope’s Tech 3 E4 brakes yet, on first inspection I’d like wider rims, and time will tell how well I get on with the fairly flexy back end. www.hopetech.com