Hope Fortus 30 SC Pro 5 mountain bike wheelset review

Hope’s Fortus 30 SC Pro 5 wheels are a lighter version of the Fortus 30, with SC standing for ‘single cavity’.

While this design is claimed to shed weight, the wheels are still intended for trail and enduro riding, not losing out on durability.

Built on to the brand’s newest Pro 5 hubs, these up the engagement points and improve sealing over the Pro 4.

Available in 29in and 27.5in diameters, my 29in test set weighed 2,220g and cost £500.

On the trail, the Pro 5’s quick engagement and slick sound is evident from the get-go.

The wheels feel muted and damped on trail chatter, insulating vibrations from the rider.

However, combined with their weight, they don’t feel poppy or playful; instead, they have a distinctly robust ride.

Heavier or harder riders will appreciate their performance, but those looking to save weight might want to consider other options.

Hope Fortus 30 SC Pro 5 wheelset details and specifications

The Pro 5 hub sees many improvements over the Pro 4. Improved sealing, dubbed ‘Labyrinth’, is claimed to have zero drag and reduces dirt ingress.

The freehub’s six pawls and springs have been redesigned and their engagement points upped to 108 from 44 on the Pro 4 by using a 54t ratchet.

End caps can be swapped out to change the hub’s spacing, and Microspline, XD and HG freehubs are all available.

Each wheel includes 32 Sapim Race stainless steel double-butted spokes and silver brass nipples.

At 29mm wide and 10mm deep internally (measured), the 6061 T6 aluminium Fortus 30 SC rims are designed for tyres between 2.4in and 2.8in wide.

The single-cavity design forgoes reinforcing bridges within the rim, helping to shave weight, and employs a traditional hooked sidewall design.

They’re tubeless-compatible, and rim tape and valves are supplied, but the tape isn’t installed.

Both 29in and 27.5in diameters are available. My set of 29in Boost 110 and 148 hub spacing, XD driver, six-bolt disc wheels weighed 2,220g (1,040g for the front, 1,180g for the rear).

Hope Fortus 30 SC Pro 5 wheelset performance

Setup and tubeless inflation

Tyres are easy to fit to the Fortus 30 rims even without tyre levers. The bead needs to be roughly centralised, but less care is needed compared to other mountain bike wheels.

Using a high-volume track pump, tubeless tyres seated and sealed at 15psi.

How airtight the rims are depends entirely on your rim-tape application skills. Although they’re tubeless-compatible, you’ll have to fit the rim tape yourself. While easy in theory – and plenty of tape is supplied – getting an airtight seal is tricky.

The rim tape isn’t especially malleable, and once the sticky side or the rim cavity have been touched, it loses some of its adhesion.

Several solutions to stop air leaking through the rim’s bed exist:

• Take your time installing the tape, ensuring to remove any bubbles, and stick it down very carefully
• Take the wheels to a bike shop and pay for the tape to be fitted
• Use plenty of sealant to plug any holes – I ended up with 400ml in each wheel
• Use Gorilla Tape instead – I had the most success getting a perfect seal with this method

In my eyes, a set of wheels that cost £500 should come pre-taped.

On-trail feel

Emitting a pleasantly hushed buzz when freewheeling, the Pro 5 is also quick to engage, especially compared to the agricultural-feeling Pro 4.

Opportunistic, well-timed cranks provide instant drive, upping speed and control on techy ascents.

Thanks to the 29mm (measured) internal width, tyres blow up round. There’s great predictable transitional grip as the bike is leant over, their edges not squared off by a rim that’s too wide.

The tyre’s bead and rim’s hook connect securely.

Very little carcass deformation or flex happen even in high-load corners. It’s possible to deliberately burp the tyre, but in general use air loss is highly unlikely.

Rattling down a trail, the wheels feel reassuringly solid.

They steer accurately with no unwanted flex or vagueness; the connection from stem to hub is commendable.

Although solid, they’re also smooth with a damped and muted feel on even the choppiest terrain.

Loading them up in a turn results in plenty of grip and composure; they don’t spring or twang unpredictably.

There’s no spoke noise when they cycle in and out of tension, and neither do they bang or dong on hard impacts.

But their weight and damped feel reduce agility and sprightliness; they’re neither poppy nor playful, feeling numb.

While great for heavier, harder riders, or those looking for enduro wheels, they feel over-engineered for general trail riding.

How do the Hope Fortus 30 SC Pro 5 wheels compare to the Just Riding Along Ravine and Mavic Crossmax XL 29?

As the most damped and robust-feeling of the three, the Fortus 30 SC wheels are better suited to being hammered on an enduro bike than they are on a lighter-weight trail bike.

However, heavier or harder trail riders will love their feel and that damped quality will also benefit lighter riders looking for grip and control – especially compared to Mavic’s springy Crossmax XL (2,010g).

JRA’s Ravine (1,790) wheels are quite a bit lighter and seemingly no less robust than the Hopes – and £40 cheaper.

However, the Pro 5 hub feels leagues ahead of JRA and Mavic’s offerings at this price range, potentially swaying people towards the bulkier Fortus 30.

Hope Fortus 30 SC Pro 5 wheelset bottom line

Lighter and more technologically advanced than the old Fortus 30 Pro 4 wheels, the newest single-cavity versions feel no less robust.

The Pro 5 hub’s build quality is the star of the show, amplified by the wheel’s damped, muted and controlled feel.

Having to install rim tape yourself is a bugbear, but it’s not a deal breaker, especially if you’re in the market for reliable hoops.