Hope Pro RS4 Rear Hub
The Hope Pro RS4 is Hope's road and cyclocross hub, machined from forged 2014 T6 aluminum billet in Barnoldswick, England: a light shell with larger flanges for a stiffer wheel, a two-pawl 44-tooth ratchet for 8.2 degrees of engagement, sealed stainless cartridge bearings, and Shimano, Campagnolo and SRAM XDR freehub options, at about 262 grams for a 32-hole rear. It comes in rim-brake and disc versions, 6-bolt or centerlock, J-bend or straight-pull, in 16 through 36 hole and Hope's colors. This page covers the Hope Pro RS4 Rear Hub.
The RS4 is built to order here. Choose the rim, spokes and nipples in the configurator; the wheel leaves Georgia laced, tensioned and trued.
Design and construction
The Pro RS4 is machined from forged 2014 T6 aluminum billet in Barnoldswick rather than from plain bar, which is what lets Hope run larger flanges on a light road shell: the forging gives the material a grain structure the flange can be cut into without adding weight back. The freehub is a two-pawl 44-tooth ratchet at 8.2 degrees - slower to pick up than the Pro 5, and deliberately so for a road hub, where pedalling is continuous and drag matters more than instant engagement.
Hope machines everything in-house in Barnoldswick and stocks spares for hubs it stopped making years ago, which is why a Pro RS4 is worth rebuilding rather than replacing.
How it rides
An RS4 is light, quiet for a Hope and quick enough for cyclocross starts and gravel climbs. The forged shell and large flanges make a stiff road wheel, the bearings roll for years, and the hub comes in colors nobody else offers on a road hub. It is the Hope hub for road, gravel and cross wheels; for mountain bikes the Pro 5 is the choice.
Specifications
| Position | Rear |
|---|---|
| Axle options | QR 5x130mm Rear, QR 5x135mm Rear |
| Driver bodies | Shimano HG 8,9,10,11 & Road 12spd, Shimano HG 8,9,10,11 & Road 12spd (Steel) (This will come with 4 pawls instead of 2 pawls), SRAM XD 10,11 & MTB 12spd (This will come with 4 pawls instead of 2 pawls) |
| Drillings | 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h |
| Spoke head | J-bend |
| Brake | rim-brake |
| Left flange diameter | 47 mm |
| Right flange diameter | 57 mm |
| Spoke hole diameter | 2.6 mm |
| Weight | 262g |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Finishes | black, blue, orange, purple, red, silver |
Which version this is
Version notes. Rim-brake rotor mount, QR 5x130mm, QR 5x135mm, 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, 36h, about 262g, in black, blue, orange, purple, red, silver. If your frame or fork uses a different standard, the other versions of the RS4 on this site cover it.
This is the rim-brake RS4, with no rotor mount at all: a lighter, simpler shell for road, track and classic frames that stop on the rim. It builds into the lightest wheel the model can make and it is the version to choose for a rim-brake bike; the disc versions of the same hub have their own listings.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Hope Pro RS4 Rear Hub comes in the drillings listed on this page with the axle, brake and driver options shown in the configurator: rim brake or disc, quick release or 12mm thru-axle, Shimano, Campagnolo or XDR. J-bend spokes in any gauge on the J-bend version; we build most RS4 wheels with Sapim CX-Ray, Laser or Race spokes or DT Aerolite and Competition and brass or alloy nipples.
It pairs naturally with the HED Belgium R and G, DT Swiss RR and GR, Velocity Aileron, Boyd Altamont, Nox Citico and ENVE G-Series rims. Pick road, gravel or cyclocross as your bike type in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Build a wheel around it
Offered for road rim brake and touring builds in our Custom Wheel Program. Start with the Hope Pro Rs4 Rear Hub and the configurator pins it for you, then checks each choice you make against it.
Hope's testing and certifications
Hope Technology states that since 1989 it has been "designing, testing and manufacturing virtually all products in-house at the factory in Barnoldswick, United Kingdom", and that "Virtually everything we do is developed, prototyped, machined, anodized and assembled on site." Pro 5 hub shells are "Machined from forged 2014 T6 Aluminum billet" with "Sealed stainless Steel cartridge bearings throughout", and every hub is "Fully serviceable and rebuildable with simple tools." Hope's About page cites almost 100 staff and 55 CNC machines; a June 2025 factory report counted 80 CNC machines and about 140 employees and stated "Random components are plucked from production and tested in the company's in-house fatigue and destructive testing facilities." A Renishaw case study quotes Hope's operations manager: "We take components off the line on a regular basis for sample measurement on the CMM", with output of 70,000 wheel hubs a year. Hope publishes no ISO 4210 or salt-spray figures.
Warranty and service: "Hope Technology components (excluding the frame and bearings) are warrantied for a period of 2 years from purchase, to the original customer"; improper use, accidental damage or modification invalidates it. Hope states "Each and every part is replaceable - no matter how small" and still holds spares for everything it has made.
Hope's videos
Inside the Hope shop
Certifications
- Made in UK (Barnoldswick, Lancashire) — Hope states virtually all products are designed, tested and manufactured in-house at Hope Mill, Barnoldswick; "virtually all Hope products are designed and manufactured in the UK" (Ian Weatherill, 2024) (source)
- 2-year component warranty — Components (excluding bearings) warrantied 2 years from purchase to the original customer (source)
Sources on Hope's site:
- Hope Tech - Made in Barnoldswick, England (home)
- Hope Technology - About us
- Hope Technology - Sustainability
- Hope Technology - The all New Pro 5 Hub
- Hope Pro 5 100mm Front hub (product page)
Hope publishes those results; ProWheelBuilder builds the hub into a wheel and does not test it in a lab.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Hope makes the RS4; ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia and not the manufacturer. The build is the same every time: measured ERD, spokes cut to the half millimeter, staged tensioning with a gauge, stress relief, a final true, and tubeless tape and a valve on request.
The configurator shows only rims and spokes that fit the RS4 drilling, strikes through combinations that are not made, and prices the wheel live.
Warranty
Manufacturer's warranty. Hope warrants this product against defects in materials and workmanship. The duration, conditions and claim process are set by Hope and can change without notice, so ask us and we will confirm the current terms before you buy.
ProWheelBuilder. If we lace this into a wheel for you, that wheel also carries ProWheelBuilder's own one-year warranty, which covers broken spokes regardless of cause and all wheel-related labor, including truing and rebuilding, for a year from purchase. Where a rim or hub is covered by its maker, we make the manufacturer's claim for you and coordinate it; where it is not, we offer an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off current retail. Shipping to and from us is the customer's. This cover does not extend to wheels built from components you supply yourself.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Pro RS4 Rear Hub questions
Can I use this hub with disc brakes?
No - this is the rim-brake version and it has no rotor mount at all, which is exactly why it is lighter and simpler. It is the one for a rim-brake road, track or classic frame. A disc frame needs one of the disc versions of this hub, which are listed separately.
RS4 or Pro 5?
RS4 for road, gravel and cyclocross where it is lighter and quieter; Pro 5 for mountain bikes and e-bikes where its 108-point engagement and heavier-duty build matter.
Which freehub bodies fit the RS4?
Shimano HG, Campagnolo and SRAM XDR, selectable in the configurator.
Is the RS4 available for rim brakes?
Yes. It comes in rim-brake and disc versions; check the name on this page.
Is the RS4 made in England?
Yes. Hope machines every hub in Barnoldswick, Lancashire.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Hope Pro RS4 Rear Hub?
We are not. Hope manufactures the hub; ProWheelBuilder's part is the wheel: measuring, lacing, tensioning and truing it here in Georgia.
Which axle spacing does it fit?
QR 5x130mm Rear or QR 5x135mm Rear. Measure between the inside faces of your dropouts if you are unsure, or text us.
Not sure? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.
