How can the same company that makes this admittedly retro but nevertheless beautiful item (the 104)

also make this aesthetically worthless example of metalcraft (the 204)

and it loks even worse side on, on their website here.

Answer me that.

is it because the function is more important than the form?

Function before fashion.

Gets my vote

pace lost it years ago

never touch their stuff again

Isn’t the idea of form following function that in the end you end up with something that does in fact have a sort of beauty to it, examples being say Supermarine Spitfire or BMW GS1100…..? But that 204 is just a dog IMHO.

It looks about as at-peace-with-itself as a mating cat.

Rather have something that works than the beautiful piece of shite they sold me

I actually like it, and if i had the dosh i would buy one for sure. The only bit that looks a bit out of place is the linkage bar, which would maybe look better anodized in black.

Sorry to say that I think the thought that has gone into the frame is brilliant. Looks great

I like the look of the 104.

examples being say Supermarine Spitfire or BMW GS1100

The GS1100 is probably one of the ugliest motorbikes ever – so I’m afraid your reasoning is severely flawed 🙂

Which one of those pics is meant to be the ugly one again?

Those dropouts look like a right dog’s breakfast….. 8)

retro83 – Member
Rather have something that works than the beautiful piece of shite they sold me

Crikey, what happened to you then to make you think that badly of Pace?

Only experience i’ve had is my 405 and that’s working brilliantly (its only 12 months old though).

I thought the one tested in STW a while back with 20mm bolt through forks look great, in medium at least.
Its a personal thing, taste!!

So the only thing that we’re agreed about is that Pace are still trading on a bygone reputation?

i’ve just been sick in my mouth.

“2 year warranty” on their frames is the bit I find most offensive to the eye on that link….. 😥

Looks a bit like a Giant frame of some description. In fact have they just traced the outline of the Trance & copied it, just swapping the swoopy bit of the top tube to the other end??

Worst of all, they haven’t bothered to line up the tyre and rim logos – it’s that lack of attention to detail that really bothers me!

I agree. Looks like a cheaper, less attractive version of the Trance.

The grey Pace frame looks reasonable in the flesh though

This

makes me think of this

I liked my RC303 a lot until it broke.

Interesting that the Giant looks less ugly. Yet is almost the same.
All the little changes Pace have made have basically been aesthetically poor.
Mind you it would look a lot better if they just put on a normal stem, black rims and slightly decent tyres.

They need to think like the anal types who buy and build their own bikes. To me, they needed to start with “we want a black and red bike” and then make sure all the bits are either black or red … if they’d have done that it wouldn’t have a silver linkage, cheap looking silver rims and dubious looking brake paraphernalia.

Obviously there’s more to the bike than colour, but it seems stupid that a bike which might ride well is dressed up like a cross-dresser on its first night out in town.

Mintman – Member
Crikey , what happened to you then to make
you think that badly of Pace?
Only experience i ‘ ve had is my 405 and
that ‘ s working brilliantly ( its only 12 months
old though ) .

Was going to post a stroppy list of what’s wrong, but I’ve changed my mind because they’re a british company and I really do want them to succeed.

I will say that they could improve their communication with customers a bit !

Stick to forks Pace!!

Stick to forks Pace!!

their track record with reliability on those wasn’t brilliant 🙁

Never owned a Pace and I’ve heard bad things about customer service. However every review I’ve read has been very positive, especially of their full-sus frames. I actually like the look of the 204, but surely how it rides is more important? I would even consider their new 29er, but hate the chrome bits as on the 104 above.

For their premium pricing, I’d expect much more than a two year warranty.

Simply being a British design (but manufactured in Taiwan) isn’t enough to tempt me, my Marin is also British designed and Taiwanese built but manages to include a lifetime bearing replacement warranty to sweeten the deal for me.

After a long period where I haven’t kept up with mountain bike developments I have been wondering what happened to Pace too. Still love my RC200F3 but they don’t appear to be quite the same company today.

I could ask the same about so many others from my (bygone) era. Bontrager, Klein, Gary Fisher, GT.

their track record with reliability on those wasn’t brilliant

I’ll +1 that. Had some RC35s like 15 years ago when they were the absolute dog’s chuff. They must’ve been back to the factory about 8 times. Bike eventually stolen so I took the insurance money and never went back.

HOWEVER I do have RC31s on my Litespeed single speed – they are great. Weigh next to nowt and stiff as hell.

Never had a problem with any Pace product or their service. I once even drove from the Midlands up to North Yorkshire just for their factory sale, only me there and had a good chat with Adrian.

I’d love a 104 but need to get rid of some old bits first

Clink – Member
However every review I’ve read has been very positive, especially of their full-sus frames. I actually like the look of the 204, but surely how it rides is more important? I would even consider their new 29er, but hate the chrome bits as on the 104 above.

I’d suggest taking [url=http://www.18bikes.co.uk/cms/236-p116117_pace.pdf]those [/url]reviews with a pinch of salt… 😯

So do we like this one?

I ain’t a trendy Londoner so it’s not for me.

Honestly WGAF what it looks like?

It’s for riding, not posing with.

Get a grip!

I’d never have a Pace item again. Unfortunately stuck with a set of their forks at present.
Warrnty support and general communication is rubbish.
Doesn’t matter what it looked like.

Support was always brilliant for me. Never had a single problem with them. Had one problem with a set of early forks and it was dealt with very quickly and well.

Honestly WGAF what it looks like?

You really don’t GAF what your bike looks like?

No. I buy it to ride, not look at. I care about how it rides.

I even don’t care if I scratch the paint or scuff the stickers!

You crazy. Stickers help the ride surely?

I’ve got an Orange 5, does that answer your question? 🙂

I care what my bike rides like and looks like. I look at it to clean it, fix it, tinker with it etc and if I thought it was totally gopping it would detract somewhat from the pleasures of ownership IMO.

I’ve got an Orange 5, does that answer your question?

Don’t forget the Patriot too.
And the Prius in the driveway.

Ah… 😉