Dirt

Hope Technology is one the world’s leading brands of bicycle components, offering an extensive range of hubs, brakes, controls, lights, wheels, drivetrain parts, accessories such as seat clamps and quick release levers, and clothing. The majority of the 1,881 components in the Hope range are made at the company’s factory in Barnoldswick, Lancashire.

Hope was founded in 1989 by Ian Weatherill and Simon Sharp as a subcontract machining business making tools and fixtures for the many local aerospace companies. It entered the emerging mountain bike market with disc brakes and a front hub, and in 2000 the decision was made to stop all subcontract work and concentrate purely on bicycle products.

Hope now employs almost 100 people, several of whom have been with the company since the beginning and 90 per cent of whom live within two miles of the factory. The workforce keep 55 CNC machines running 24 hours a day, and also anodise the individual components and hand assemble the finished parts.

Hope sponsors a long list of great riders, including downhillers Adam Brayton and Rachael Walker, enduro riders Sam Flanagan and Simon Sharp, and XC riders Paul Oldham, Mike Thompson, Dan Booth, Dave Collins, Annie Simpson and Adela Carter. It also supports freeriders such as Kelly ‘McGazza’ McGarry, and British trials stars Chris Akrigg and Danny MacAskill.