The Race EVO X2 is the lightest brake in the Lancashire-lathed Hope arsenal, and it packs a trail-weight punch into a race-weight package.
The minimalist Race lever only has Allen key reach adjust, but it feels good with one or two fingers and is drilled for extra grip for when you're wearing filthy gloves. The slightly altered pivot position means it pumps more power out of the X2 calliper than the Tech 3 lever.
Modulation is still good in sketchy conditions, and the reduced lever pressure needed to get the same stop as the competition leaves your arms less pumped on long descents with skinny tyres.
This also means you can use a smaller, lighter rotor without people outbraking you into corners. Hope even makes a special thinner rotor to shave more weight out of the fully titanium-bolted setup.
The brake is sold separately for £155/AU$254.95 so you can choose from single-piece, floating or extra light rotor options, or use your old hardware.
Improved sintered pads as standard mean a long and weatherproof life. Hope’s factory-direct backup and event support goes above and beyond the call of duty, although we’ve not had a single issue with a Hope brake in years of longterm use.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
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