Recommendations for rotors for Hope Tech 4 Evo GR4 Brakes.

[Singletrackmind]

Please recommend rotors that work best on Hope Tech 4 Evo GR4 Brakes. Understand they can accommodate a rotor width up to 2.3mm.

 

[Hicksy 92]

Please recommend rotors that work best on Hope Tech 4 Evo GR4 Brakes. Understand they can accommodate a rotor width up to 2.3mm.

I’m happy with hopes own rotors

 

[Singletrackmind]

I’m happy with hopes own rotors

Are you using the floating rotors?

 

[Hicksy 92]

Are you using the floating rotors?

Yes ,

Are you using the floating rotors?

yes using the floating rotors , 220mm and 200mm front

 

[Singletrackmind]

Yes ,

yes using the floating rotors , 220mm and 200mm front

Unlike most manufacturers, I read they include 3 different sets up brake pads. I ride mainly dry, dusty trails. Any recommendations on which pad would be best? Are you using same color on both front/rear?

 

[Greg Watts]

Unlike most manufacturers, I read they include 3 different sets up brake pads. I ride mainly dry, dusty trails. Any recommendations on which pad would be best? Are you using same color on both front/r

@Singletrackmind For dry, dusty conditions the green (organic) pads are honestly fantastic - they offer the best initial bite and quietest operation, which you'll appreciate when there's no water or mud washing grit into the system. The downside is they wear faster, but in dry dust that's true of any compound. The purple (sintered) pads last longer and handle heat better on long descents, but they can feel a touch wooden until warmed up and tend to be noisier. The race pads (the other set) are aggressive but eat themselves quickly.

Personally I run green front and rear when conditions stay dry. Some folks like sintered in the rear since that's where you tend to drag the brake more and generate heat, with organic up front for bite - that's a solid compromise if you're doing long alpine descents.

One tip with the GR4s and floating rotors: bed them in properly (20-30 progressive stops from speed without coming to a complete halt) before any big ride. Hope's pads in particular reward a proper bed-in with much better modulation and bite. The Hope floating rotors at 2.0mm pair beautifully with these calipers - I wouldn't bother chasing third-party rotors unless you've got a specific reason to.

 

[NicolasC76]

Yes ,

yes using the floating rotors , 220mm and 200mm front

Hi everyone! I was considering the 2.3mm fixed (non-floating) rotors. I noticed the floating versions are only 1.8mm thick, which is the lower limit for the GR4 brakes. In your experience, are the floating rotors actually superior to the 2.3mm solid ones? Has anyone found the 1.8mm thickness to be an issue regarding lever feel or heat management on a e-MTB?

 

[zizajaun]

They will work fine with any rotor up to 2.3mm. Galfer Sharks are generally considered the best rotors (I think they've just come out with an even better EVO version) but they are spendy unless you get them on sale. I have a Hope 2.3mm rotor on the front currently and that brake is pretty weak, but I'm not sure whether it's due to the rotor or something else. I'll change it to a Shark soon, as I found them cheap on ebay.

With my previous Hope brakes, I found green pads the strongest.

 

[DrDexx]

Unlike most manufacturers, I read they include 3 different sets up brake pads. I ride mainly dry, dusty trails. Any recommendations on which pad would be best? Are you using same color on both front/rear?

Green are the most powerful, but wear very quickly, I've had one set need replacing after a big day in the lakes.

But for all out power, they are the best.

I am heavy and so is my bike so that probably doesn't help!

I've find the purple pads to be a good middle ground, although as Greg says, do need to be "warmed" up.

For the rotors I just use the standard hope non floating ones, easier to true than the floating ones too.

 

[Greg Watts]

Are the floating rotors actually superior to the 2.3mm solid ones? Has anyone found the 1.8mm thickness adequate?

Floating rotors (two-piece construction) are designed primarily for heat management on sustained descents — the outer disc can expand independently without warping the braking surface. On technical trail riding with repeated short applications the advantage over a quality solid rotor is modest. Where you notice it is on long alpine descents with heavy braking. Whether they're "superior" depends on what you're riding.

On the 1.8mm question: yes, it's adequate — it's within the GR4's minimum spec, so no safety concern there.

If the brake is feeling weak, look at pad bedding-in before blaming the rotor. The GR4 responds well to a proper bed-in cycle, and air in the system is the other common culprit. A fresh bleed and a few dedicated bed-in passes will tell you quickly whether it's a setup issue.

 

[Falcon]

I've found TRP R1 2.3mm 220mm front and 203mm rear with my Hope Evo TR4 brakes to work well

 

[Greg Watts]

I've found TRP R1 2.3mm 220mm front and 203mm rear with my Hope Evo TR4 brakes to work well

Good shout, @Falcon. The TRP R1 is a solid choice for anyone running 2.3mm-compatible calipers.

It's a one-piece stainless steel rotor designed specifically for DH and eMTB use, so it's not just a beefed-up XC part - the geometry and thermal properties are intentionally tuned for repeated heavy applications.

TRP claim 47% increased torsional stiffness over standard rotors and 8% better cooling capacity, which is marketing language, but real-world feedback does back up the heat management side.

One consistent observation is they warp significantly less than 1.8mm rotors, with reports of zero rubbing issues after fitting.

The 220mm/203mm sizing combination is a nice touch too - Hope don't offer a 203mm in their floating range, so for anyone wanting that front/rear split without going full Hope fixed rotors, TRP fills the gap neatly.

The one thing worth flagging: TRP spec these for DH-R, DH-R EVO, Trail EVO and eMTB brakes only, so compatibility with Hope calipers isn't something TRP explicitly endorse. Clearly working fine for you, as it does for others, but worth knowing if anything goes sideways under warranty.