British brand announces release of all-new levers

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Hope has announced the release of its all-new Tech 4 brake levers. Drawing on the brand’s more than 25 years of experience, the new disc brakes feature increased power and improved modulation compared to the outgoing Tech 3 brake systems.

Hope says the Tech 4 lever has “an increased hydraulic and mechanical ratio”. This improved ratio provides a linear relationship between the pressure of the brake and lever force, making it more intuitive to modulate.

Improvements have also been made to the seals, which Hope says are all new for the purposes of reducing friction.

The lever blade pivot also spins on roller bearings, allowing for a reduced master cylinder piston return spring rate, which translates to a lighter lever action, reducing rider fatigue.

Combining these improvements, Hope claims there is a 30 per cent braking pressure increase over the Tech 3 for any given lever force.

The Tech 4 uses a hinged clamp to reduce weight, as we saw with the XCR launched last summer, making brake-lever removal easier and quicker, and improving ergonomics. The reservoir’s surface area has been increased to lower its height.

If you bleed the brakes using Hope’s bleed kit, the bleed cup will attach to a bleed-specific reservoir lid. With the change in shape, Hope says the bleed kit will remain the same but there will be a revised reservoir lid to support the Tech 4.

Shifter integration with the latest Shimano or SRAM shifters is also said to have been improved, now offering 30 degrees of angle adjustment. The Tech 4 retains the tool-free bite point and reach-adjust of the Tech 3.

All parts (other than pads and hoses) continue to be manufactured in Hope’s Barnoldswick-based facility.

The Tech 4 is compatible with Hope’s X2, E4, V4 and Trial Zone calipers, all of which are CNC machined as a single piece.

Both 4-piston calipers (the E4 and V4) have been updated and utilise hybrid-style stainless steel pistons with a phenolic insert. Hope says the advantage of this is smoother movement and less maintenance, while still being able to handle the high temperatures without additional heat transfer during extreme use.

Hope Tech 4 brakes are supplied with new racing compound brake pads. The brand says they have been designed to offer impressive performance straight out of the box with little bedding in required, and are more resistant to brake fade than standard organic pads.

All brakes in left or right configuration are supplied with rear 1.6mm hydraulic hoses fitted as standard. The complete brake is available in black and silver with the option of blue, red, purple or orange highlights.

The brakes are available now. Hope advises Australian availability from April, with pricing to be confirmed.

Oscar Huckle is a technical writer at BikeRadar. He has been an avid cyclist since his teenage years, initially catching the road cycling bug and riding for a local club. He’s since been indoctrinated into gravel riding and more recently has taken to the dark art of mountain biking. His favourite rides are epic road or gravel routes, and he has also caught the bikepacking bug hard after completing the King Alfred’s Way. Oscar has close to a decade of cycling industry experience, initially working in a variety of roles at Evans Cycles before joining Carbon Bike Repair. He is particularly fond of workshop tool exotica and is a proponent of Campagnolo groupsets. Oscar prefers lightweight road and gravel frames with simple tube shapes, rather than the latest trend for aerodynamics and full integration. He is obsessed with keeping up to date with all the latest tech, is fixated with the smallest details and is known for his unique opinions.

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