Measuring a ping or running a trace route has nothing to do with the provider. The route taken to get to the web server is different for everyone that does it and is not under the control of the provider. Trace routes run from one end of the overall route are virtually meaningless. You mentioned a single bad hop? what could that possibly have to do with the hosting company unless it was within their private network and would have an effect on latency for their customers?
If you want a good measure of the performance look at sites that are running there. If they have a 30 day money back guearantee then grab a site and copy your code to it and hammer on it for awhile.
Please remember one thing though, at 7 dollars a month for a site that will allow a UBB of any size at all consider yourself lucky.
