Are there any Pace RC305's still in one piece?

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Are there any Pace RC305's still in one piece?

54 posts & 31 voices | Started 8 months ago by geordiepaul | Latest reply from geordiepaul

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geordiepaul - Member

My Pace RC305 has just gone the way of what seems to the common death of these frames, with a crack just above the top tube to seat tube brace. Seems that this can only be down to poor design. I have always had the seatpost inserted well below the minimum.

Unfortunately I'm out of warranty and I don't expect much of Pace given I have had nothing but appalling customer service since I got the frame.

Does anyone have one of these frame still functional?

I don't even know whether it's worth contacting Pace. I do feel like taking it up with the small claims court as the frame is clearly not fit for purpose.

Posted 8 months ago #
z1ppy - Member

I can see this thread going well for pace

Posted 8 months ago #
dawson - Member

I think Trout had a nightmare with Pace, but can't remember which model frame

Posted 8 months ago #
Northwind - Member

geordiepaul - Member

I don't even know whether it's worth contacting Pace

At the very least, you're likely to get a funny story out of it.

Posted 8 months ago #
trout - Member

you can try but dont hold your breath.

mine was only a few months oit of warranty and they offered £175 off a new frame despitenthe fact there were stories and pics of frames breaking in the same place all over the net.

Posted 8 months ago #
Onzadog - Member

My 305 is still in one piece but I do run several bikes. Clearly a design flaw but I have to agree, their customer service is non existent and the drop outs are made of cheese.

I don't think "if mine breaks" but "when mine breaks".

Posted 8 months ago #
Swiftacular - Member

After a long hiatus, im back on here, and can confirm i still have an RC303 intact, nevermind a 305....

Posted 8 months ago #
richmtb - Member

I thought the RC305 had a slightly tweaked desing in light of this being a common fault on the RC303?

Anyway I won't worry about I just sold my RC305!

Posted 8 months ago #
geordiepaul - Member

For what it's worth I have sent Pace an email.

Posted 8 months ago #
Onzadog - Member

Should be good for a laugh.

Posted 8 months ago #
toons - Member

good luck!

Posted 8 months ago #
younggeoff - Member

You might be able to get it welded

Posted 8 months ago #
crispedwheel - Member

touch wood - my RC303 is still just about in one piece.

Posted 8 months ago #
rkk01 - Member

Weighs up chance of precipitating a jinx

Posted 8 months ago #
mt - Member

Pace, customer service, well built product. Ha!

Posted 8 months ago #
binners - Member

My RC305 is still in one piece. I do mean one piece though. Its presently stripped down and sat in the loft. That may explain things. I was just contemplating building it up. Ho hum

Posted 8 months ago #
clubber - Member

My 303 broke in the usual way. To be fair to Pace there was no quibble on the warranty replacement.

Unfortunately this isn't just Pace's attitude. Some time ago, my Kona broke in the same place that loads of them broke but because it was out of warranty, they (or actually the distributor - Paligap IIRC) wouldn't help.

Posted 8 months ago #
geordiepaul - Member

I get that bikes have warranties and out of that it's at the manufacturers discretion to do anything about it. Smaller manufacturers like Pace obviously find it difficult to give stuff out at reduced cost/free.

However when a product clearly has a common flaw/fault/problem that has affects so many bikes a company should rectify the problem.

Compare and contrast Hope and Pace.
Few have good things to say about Pace
Few have bad things to say about Hope
Which is the most successful!?

Posted 8 months ago #
richmtb - Member

Compare and contrast Hope and Pace.
Few have good things to say about Pace
Few have bad things to say about Hope
Which is the most successful!?

A very good point. I have a old hope HID light and the pins on the battery broke. I phoned up Hope and told them what happened they said "Oh it must be an old one we used brass pins in the first batches now we use stainless send it back and we'll fix it". Think the light was three years old at the time but they fixed it FOC it would have been well out of warranty.

To be fair to Pace they did recently fix the brake mounts on my RC305 and didn't ask me any questions about the warranty maybe they are getting better

Posted 8 months ago #
sheepshifter - Member

Also my 305 broke in the same place "due to a ovaled thomson pillar " frame raplaced under good will with a 325.5 , which dare i had this broke same placed . Replaced under good will not warrenty said didnt want to hear of me again.Best of look i should try pis.... in the wind.

Posted 8 months ago #
billyboy - Member

My 303 was one of the first batch....2006??? It's still used a lot for normal XC stuff, Lakes, Highlands, everywhere, and it's still going. It was fairly poor build quality but I wasn't as versed in the bicycle arts at the time of buying as I am now.

I bought a 2nd hand 305 frame from someone on here but it's still sat in the loft, unbuilt, as is a new 325.5 frame.

I'll let everyone know when they break on me...but so far the 303's my favourite bike ever.

Posted 8 months ago #
binners - Member

I have to say, having ridden the 305 through last winter that they are bloody good fun. Like a Chameleon* with some of the harshness bred out of them.

* and there's no higher compliment than that IMHO

Posted 8 months ago #
Singlespeed_Shep - Member

Compare and contrast Hope and Pace.
Few have good things to say about Pace
Few have bad things to say about Hope
Which is the most successful!?

I can sort of see your point, BUT Hope do make parts that are more widely sourced after, brakes, hubs, lights etc.. Stuff that you can put on any bike. Pace are pretty much just a small frame and bike manufacturer. Frames just don't have the mass appeal that the parts Hope make regardless of brand.

Posted 8 months ago #
clubber - Member

I loved my 303 - great handling frame, except for the minor snapping problem

Posted 8 months ago #
ransos - Member

My experience of Hope is that their stuff breaks, but they'll fix it for you FOC. My experience of Pace stuff is that it breaks, and they'll tell you to eff off.

Posted 8 months ago #
Onzadog - Member

My experience of Hope is that their stuff breaks occasionally, but they'll fix it for you FOC. My experience of Pace stuff is that it breaks frequently, and they'll tell you to eff off.

FTFY

Posted 8 months ago #
rootes1 - Member

funny how Pace seems to to have fallen from grace since the early 90's

was it because the people in charge changed?

Posted 8 months ago #
rkk01 - Member

I've got a 305. Love the handling, and it does encourage me to ride stuff faster and harder than my previous more xc builds...

... but it is still a light bike, and I do try to bear that in mind

Despite the fun handling, it's not built as a beefy jump orientated bike

Posted 8 months ago #
Singlespeed_Shep - Member

was it because the people in charge changed?

No change, Same ownership

Posted 8 months ago #
ransos - Member

FTFY

Are you mystic meg or something? I was talking about my direct experience, not offering an opinion on the general reliability of the two brands. (As it happens, my Pace products have been more reliable than my Hope products.)

Posted 8 months ago #
Onzadog - Member

Yes, come get your £5

Posted 8 months ago #
rootes1 - Member

No change, Same ownership

didn't the techie, designer guy jump ship many moons ago to go back to doing motorbike trials stuff?

Posted 8 months ago #
Northwind - Member

geordiepaul - Member

Smaller manufacturers like Pace obviously find it difficult to give stuff out at reduced cost/free.

Other small manufacturers manage... Cotic's unwarranty support is amazing frinstance (I'm the second owner of my frame so getting free replacement parts express couriered to you 24 hours after you break a part dicking around on the fort william dh course with your 120mm trailbike, is not normal.)

As for Hope, there are an awful lot of good warranty stories on the net for Hope, which tells you 2 things really.

Posted 8 months ago #
geordiepaul - Member

I didn't necessarily mean it was the norm. However I was trying to be realistic when it comes to non-warranty stuff. Yes some manufacturers excel like Hope and as you say Cotic.

Posted 8 months ago #
no_eyed_deer - Member

As for Hope, there are an awful lot of good warranty stories on the net for Hope, which tells you 2 things really*

.
.
.
.
.
* 1) A shite-load of people have been using Hope products for many, many years.

Posted 8 months ago #

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