Review: Hope Union TC Pedals
Hope stepped into the clipless pedal world last year with three new models, the Union RC, TC, and GC. Those initials indicate the intended usage, which corresponds to the platform size. The Race Clip is for the XC crowd, the Trail Clip reviewed here is the all-rounder, and the Gravity Clip is for riders looking for as much of a platform underfoot as possible.
The usable portion of the TC's platform measures 92 x 70mm, similar dimensions to those of Shimano's trail pedals. There are four removable pins on each side, and Hope supplies small washers to fine tune the height. I ended up leaving the pins out of the front holes, and then adjusted the rear pins so that they just barely contacted the bottom of my shoes for a little extra retention.
The usable portion of the TC's platform measures 92 x 70mm, similar dimensions to those of Shimano's trail pedals. There are four removable pins on each side, and Hope supplies small washers to fine tune the height. I ended up leaving the pins out of the front holes, and then adjusted the rear pins so that they just barely contacted the bottom of my shoes for a little extra retention.
Union TC Details
• 4 replaceable pins on each side
• Includes two different cleat options
• Adjustable release tension
• Chromoly axle (titanium upgrade available)
• Internals: 3 cartridge bearings + bushing
• 6 color choices
• Weight: 445 grams
• Price:$190 USD
• More info: hopetech.com
• 4 replaceable pins on each side
• Includes two different cleat options
• Adjustable release tension
• Chromoly axle (titanium upgrade available)
• Internals: 3 cartridge bearings + bushing
• 6 color choices
• Weight: 445 grams
• Price:$190 USD
• More info: hopetech.com
The stainless steel clip-in mechanism is spring-loaded on both sides, rather than having a fixed toe bar. According to Hope, this was done to reduce the force needed to clip in, and to make it easier to enter the pedals from different angles. The retention is adjustable with an Allen key, and the pedals come with two different stainless steel cleats that offer either 4 or 5 degrees of float that correspond with either a 12- or 13-degree release angle. Keep in mind that those cleats are proprietary to these pedals – only Hope's own cleats will work. The shoes also come with shims to ensure that the cleats and pedals work with different shoe sole dimensions.
ENTRY & EXIT
Getting in and out of the Unions is extremely smooth and intuitive – in fact, I'd say they're a touch easier to get into compared to Shimano's pedals. The entry motion is similar, but the spring-loaded toe bar makes it possible to get in with more of a straight down motion rather than entering toe first (that works too). There's a slightly 'springy' feel when getting in and out compared to Shimano's pedal that results in more of a 'snap' when entering, compared to the 'click' that accompanies stepping into a Shimano pedal.
When it comes to overall retention range, that's almost identical to Shimano's pedals. I put a Hope pedal on one crank and a Shimano on the other and maxed the tension out on both for comparison. The amount of resistance felt very similar, although the pins on the Hope pedals do make it possible to increase the effort needed to disengage even further.
Personally, I don't like using pins for that purpose – relying on metal digging into rubber isn't a very elegant solution for adjusting retention. Still, that option is available, and even without the pins the Union TC's offer a very usable range of adjustment. I ran the pedals in the middle of the range, which worked well for my riding style - I didn't have any unwanted releases or trouble getting out.
CLEATS
I mentioned earlier that the Union TC pedals come with two sets of cleats, marked 4 or 5 to indicate how much float they provide. I tried both cleats and ended up preferring the 5 version, which requires slightly more release effort and has 5-degrees of float versus the 4 provided by the other set. The difference between the two isn't that drastic - it's there, but it's more subtle than substantial. Realistically, I think it'd make more sense if Hope scrapped the 4-degree cleats and just included two sets of the 5-degree, or only included one set and dropped the retail price accordingly.
DURABILITY
The Union TC pedals are well sealed, and there wasn't any water ingress or corrosion to be seen when I pulled them apart - all of the dirt was concentrated around the dust seal, where it should be. The three small cartridge bearings and bushing are all still running smoothly after three months of regular usage, and there's no side-to-side play at all. That doesn't really constitute a true long-term test, but the conditions were pretty grim for a good portion of the time these pedals were used, and they fared very well.
Disassembling the pedals is as simple as using a 6mm hex to unthread the end cap and then using a socket to get to the 8mm nut that threads onto the end of the axle. Out of the box, the pedals do have a little more resistance to rotation compared to some other pedals. It's not anything that's noticeable while pedaling, and they have become easier to spin with more use.
PRICE & WEIGHT
The Union TC's are priced at $190 USD and weigh 445 grams. For comparison, Shimano's XTR Trail pedals are the same price, and weigh 386 grams. A set of Crankbrothers Mallet E pedals weigh 427 grams and are $170 USD. And for one more option, Time's Speciale 8 pedals are 396 grams and $150. For even more pedal weights and prices, this round-up is a handy reference.
Pros
+ Very smooth entry and exit
+ Well sealed against the elements
+ Effective adjustments with pins and spring tension
Cons
- Pricey, especially if you're calculating cost per gram
- Proprietary cleats (but they do come with two sets)
Pinkbike's Take
 | Hope decided to do things their way rather than simply knocking out an SPD-clone, and I'd say those efforts paid off. The Union TC pedals function extremely well, with an entry that requires minimal effort, and a smooth, predictable release. Yes, the proprietary cleat will be a point of contention for some, but the pedals do come with a second set that can be used as spares – the difference in feel between the two options is fairly minimal. They're also available in six different colors, and have adjustable pins that aren't just for show. |
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I crashed so hard I bent my fork axle and ovaled my rear hub. But the pedals stayed true. No proprietary cleats but I would recommend the multi direction release spd cleats.
Time and Crank brothers don't get such a hard time over needing thier own cleats, it's not like the pedals don't come with cleats and they fit all shoes, for most people who have 1 mountainbike it won't be an issue, even if you do have multiple bikes it's likely a different type which you might have different shoes for anyway or if you can afford $190 pedals and have lots of bikes you can probably afford a few sets of pedals, having said that i do have multiple bikes but will be sticking with shimano on all of them purely becuase i'm a tight arse who wouldn't spend that much on pedals reguardless of the cleat situation.
Usually the cleats are easy to find on German web shops but one time on the midweek ride I could suddenly feel that cleats had too much float, so I needed a new pair asap because we planned a bike park trip on weekend. I've checked several bike shops in Ch, Germany and France (I'm living close to the border) with no luck.
I know, it was a mistake not have a spare pair but anyway, with Shimano or CB cleats this would never happen. You can find them anywhere
This was the only reason I went back to CB pedals
Also on the cleat availability issue they wear pretty gradually so its not like you ever NEED new cleats desperatly in a pinch so waiting to order them is fine.
I've also gone that road (z-attack) but returned to Shimano and never looked back again.
I've gor 646,530,520,M8120, and an old pair of 525 and 747 (almost 30year old...older than many over here! Ahahahha)
All still working flawlessly.
Sorry I accidentally downvoted…because of tiny buttons on a tablet.
Your welcome
Looking a bit closer, the clip design on the Hope pedal looks to be almost identical to what Nukeproof uses, just cut for different shaped cleat.
The new offerings from Time though, the Speciale 8 and 12, don't hold up very well at all for me. Actually none of it is constructed well to hold up to the bashing I give it from granite rocks where I ride. Ultimately, the mechanism has bent in contact with rocks and Time doesn't warranty this or provide any way to swap out a part instead of the whole pedal. This has happened on three Speciale 12 pedal pairs. I see this being a common problem for both Time and CB Mallets. Though before the mechanisms broke, the pins - being screwed in from the top - get worn out and are not possible to replace. Also the hardware that holds the pins has been too weak for the ground contact I give them and has been bent and even broken off. The Speciale 8 only has pins in the front and I don't trust it to stand on the pedal well when not clipped in. Now, the bolt/pin that holds the mechanism on one of the pedals has popped out to the side so that the mechanism doesn't hold the cleat in. And I don't know how to pound in the bolt/pin with the spring bending it out of alignment. Even if I fix it, I don't beleive that getting new Time pedals is the right thing for me. I currently use an old set of Time ATAC 8 or 6 I've taken from my commuter bike - it doesn't have a cage for support when not clipped in. But it does have a rounded protection that keeps the bottom front of the mechamism from clipping me out when i hit the bround.
I think I can have higher hopes for these Union pedals from Hope.
I say that but I now collect 10 year old time pedals at 10$ a set. I have a collection that will last the rest of my life.
Plus purple.
So far so good, I’ve got 500 or so miles on a pair including park days, there’s zero side to side or wobble developing.
Personally, I bought another pair of XTR's. I'm planning on them lasting until I'm 100.
Your mileage may vary.
Otherwise, what do you like in a pedal, what pedal do you use now, and how do you think when choosing pedal?
2: Imagine a rider weighs 80kg, so each pedal has to support 40kg. What happens you they hit a hard turn? Or a rock? Or a big bottom out? That weight goes up a lot, and this small, rotating piece of metal has to support all that weight over and over again for years.
UK-made, high quality, top customer service, many athlete sponsorships, small-ish batches and - of course - a bit of aspirational pricing because it's Hope.
Personally I buy their hubs because I know and trust them, but I generally go with other brands for the rest of my bike.
I am also genuinely curious to see if they’ve bettered SPD, nothing has come close in the 25+ years I’ve been riding.
For the riders/situations where clipping in is appropriate, cleats that aren’t regularly available would be an issue.
Also, the limited amount of twist (these have zero true lateral float) means that aggressive cornering can still lead to the inside pedal unclippng. For all the durability issues Crank Brothers pedals have had, their design does allow the rider’s feet to twist further. It’s why pro DH riders prefer them.
Final thought-Shimano tried this design years ago with the 858. It wasn’t as durable/didn’t work as well so they abandoned it. I’ll be curious to see what issues may come up from a longer-term thrashing of these.
Some other designs (the old Speedplay Frogs come to mind) had enough twist alone to improve cornering, these days CB and Time clip-ins are the only ones that allow enough foot movement for more natural cornering through a combination of float and twist.
I should have been more specific in my statement.
"Personally, I don't like using pins for that purpose"
"I ran the pedals in the middle of the [retention] range"
So confused. Doesn't like "pins" (is a socket head really the same as a normal pin?), but uses them anyway to add shoe retention instead of turning up the cleat retention spring...
"because you said you don't like pins for tension, but then used the pins for tension, while there is still tension left on the table in the spring. Why not just tighten the spring and leave out the pins that you don't like to use?"
What's the disconnect for us to understand each other here?