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I'm a late 90's/early 00's mountain biker that's just getting back in to the game. The last bike I had was an Orange hardtail and in 2004ish I gave it a pair of the latest and greatest Hope Mono M4s front and rear. They got 6 months use then they got parked for over a decade. For the last year or so I've been back on that bike while I decide if I want to invest in a new bike and I've decided I do.
Recommissioning my old hardtail meant I had to fully strip and rebuilt my Mono M4s and since giving them fresh seals, pistons etc etc they've been working perfectly, if a little over powered for the bike.
My question is - if I put together a new full sus, ~140mm build that's got something like, say, SRAM Guide R's on it, am I gaining anything over my old but perfectly functional M4s? I can still buy pads and parts for them, and I know they might be a little heavier and a little less adjustable, but ultimately it's a hydraulic disc brake and it seems to be doing the job.
Can anyone give me a really good reason to bin them and go for something brand spanking?
Cheers.
Not much, tbh. Brakes have got lighter and some have got more reliable, and in general they're better at balancing power and feel which used to be more or less a choice you made. But, frinstance, I've never used a modern brake that I like as much as my old Formula The Ones that I have on everything. Brakes aren't complicated, really, so they got really good really quick.
It depends what brakes you are comparing them to I suppose. I’ve not used Hope M4’s - my only experiences of Hope brakes are C2’s and the early mono mini.
I’m now on guide r’s and they are a lot better. However not long ago I had some slightly older Deore (m535 I think) and they were significantly down on power compared to the Guides, and I suspect the mono mini had more power back in the day.
If the M4 feels overpowered already and you are going to buy a frame and components separately then you may as well try your hopes and see how they go.
If you’re buying a decent spec 140mm fs bike it’ll probably come with good brakes and there’s probably not a lot to be gained putting the hope on. I like my match maker clamp on the fs bike - the guide and the gx shifter run off one bar clamp - and Shimano can do the same with ispec (although there seem to be a lot of ispec variations that aren’t compatible with each other).
FWIW I have- and still run- a set of Mono M4's purchaced 2003 ish (possibly before- if not at the point they came out, not sure when they were released)- I recently sent the rear one off to Hope for a service and three days later I had a brake that is IDENTICAL in function to the the new E4 on the front of the bike. Genuinely worth considering doing imo.
Thanks for all your input. I think it's probably worth taking a punt on them for now and maybe trying some newer brakes on other bikes as and when I get the chance. The latest Guide Rs are only about 100g lighter at each end and I could make up that difference elsewhere so I'd potentially rather keep the £400 in my pocket.