The new Hope Pro 5 hub range supersedes the Pro 4, offering improved weather sealing, less drag, improved durability and faster pickup.
Well known for their simplicity and reliability, Hope’s Pro hubs have been a favoured choice among wheel builders for robust mountain bike wheels.
The Pro 5 hub will be available in 24, 28, 32 and 36-hole options and, most importantly, will be offered in a range of colours including red, orange, black, purple, silver and blue.
A front hub will retail for £95 and the rear £220. Hope will also be offering wheel builds featuring the new hub, with front wheels starting from £190 and rear from £310. International pricing is to be confirmed.
The hubs will be available from March.
The devil is in the detail
Hope says it has worked extensively on reducing the drag in the hub’s drive mechanism. The hubs use a new zero-drag labyrinth seal, as well as an improved ratchet and pawl system, with new springs.
Labyrinth seals are designed to prevent contaminants entering, which should improve bearing longevity.
Hope has also increased the points of engagement in the freehub from 44 to 108t. It has achieved this by using an offset six-pawl freehub design, where three pawls are engaged at any one time. For comparison, the Pro 4 used four pawls.
The brand claims this translates to a speedy feel on the trails, while keeping pedal kickback to an acceptable level.
Hope says the pawls are wire cut from hardened steel for improved strength and the spring is wider for stability and improved durability.
The hub shell has also had an aesthetic makeover and the profile is said to enable the use of bigger bearings to fit the latest freehub standards.
Like Hope’s other products, the Pro 5 is fully serviceable and rebuildable. The brand says you can also easily change your freehub.
In addition to 6-bolt, the Pro 5 is available with a Center Lock disc rotor mount. There’s also a hub specifically for electric bikes, with a stainless steel freehub to withstand the additional forces.
