Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
  • What's the difference between RC405 & Fuel EX
  • Ceebug
    Free Member

    Hello STW, I have just come back to MTBing a couple of years ago after a long haitus, and have spent the last couple of years on a very rigid Alu hardtail with 130mm suspension. It's been great, and a big improvement over the bikes I used to ride back in the 80's/90's which didn't have any suspension at all, if you don't count flexstems, which I don't. The thing is that after my last 5 hr ride into the highlands my ars* was not happy to say the least, so I'm going to go for comfort and go full sus. I have tried a lot of bikes (575, Roscoe, Niner, Bionicon, Santa Cruz, Scott Genius, Orange, etc) but the ones that felt best to me were the Pace RC405 & Trek fuel EX. Now, the free-floater design of these bikes seems very similar to me and I was wondering if anyone can tell me

    – What's the difference (apart from price), and what are your general thoughts?
    – How easy (or not) is bearing maintenance on these bikes?

    I would say that all the bad things you hear about Fox reliability on this site is making me err towards the Pace.

    I am 6'4" and weigh about 14 stone, and ride the highlands and trail centers……

    dicky
    Free Member

    Bigger range of sizes in the fuel EX than are available on the 405, which might be important due to your height. I'd imagine an off the peg EX is also better value than getting a 405 custom built.
    I was considering both of them but got offered a really good deal on an EX9 and bought it without getting round to testing the 405. No regrets, the EX is great.

    Ceebug
    Free Member

    Thanks for the answer Dicky……Well, even though I am pretty big I''ve always liked riding a smaller bike. My 21" Rock Lobster feels too big to me! The EX9 (the one I'm looking at) is a lot better value, but I could get the 405 frame & some decent forks for less and swap most of my kit over from the hardtail…. It's a difficult decision, hence my need of STW wisdom!

    cheers_drive
    Full Member

    I tested both a few months ago after my LBS told me the Trek had a similar suspension system to the Pace 405 I was looking at.
    The Trek (I think it was an EX8)suspension felt on the rough stuff and in general it felt very playful on the down. The problem was that despite playing with the pressure it just felt stodgy and slow to get up to speed.
    The Pace was the opposite with amazing acceleration an taughtness yet still good in the rough stuff. Unfortunately the Pace is just to small and I think you'll have the same problem, I'm 6'3" and needed a 110mm stem to get a decent position. I was gutted an even sent Pace an email asking them to make a XL.
    I've now got a Lapierre Zesty which really is rather good.

    ChrisL
    Full Member

    If the sizing for the RC405 is similar to that of the RC303/305 hardtail then I suspect you'd have a very hard time finding a seatpost acceptably long for the Pace. I'm 6'3" and I had a large RC303. I needed a 420mm seatpost and that only just managed to meet the minimum insertion requirement for the frame. Because of the dropped top tube and top tube – seat tube gusset the seat post needs to be inserted pretty deeply into the Pace frames.

    Ceebug
    Free Member

    I did try a large 405 and actually felt very comfortable on it, though I take your point. Coincidentally I am trying a Zesty in a couple of weeks….. Have any of you had to fiddle with the bearings yet?

    TomB
    Full Member

    cheers_drive- what size did you go for in the zesty? I'm also 6'3" and it's on the short list.

    BadlyWiredDog
    Full Member

    Can't comment on the Trek, but I've been riding an RC405 since last autumn, full winter in the Peak, and really rate it. Has proper quickness to it, raced it at Lee Quarry and got top ten with Pikes on the front, so it can't be too sluggish. They are quite short in the top tube though, which I like, but maybe doesn't suit everyone.

    In maintenance terms, the linkage bearings, so far, have been fine. I've been through two sets of the sperical shock mount bushings, but that was in the Peak, ridden lots, over winter and the anodising on the shock shaft is fading a little with use, though functionally it doesn't seem to be an issue so far.

    It took me ages to find a full susser I liked and the Pace is it. Feels like a long travel hardtail on steroids, nice low front end and likes to be stuffed hard into things rather than just rolling over them, which doesn't really work.

    I've not ridden the Trek, so can't really comment, but I'd buy another 405 in a second.

    cheers_drive
    Full Member

    TomB – I went for the large Zesty (50cm I think).

    Ceebug – I've only had it a month so no bearing issues yet. A mates had his 14 months and the bearings are fine.

    Ceebug
    Free Member

    Thanks for the advice guys. It is interesting to see what folk think. I'll see how I get on on the Zesty before coming to any decisions…….

    dicky
    Free Member

    I must admit the new colours on the Pace look good, if that influences your decision at all 🙂

    DeeJay
    Free Member

    I own a 405 and echo all BWD's comments – it is a great bike – however as others have already said sizing might be an issue for you. I have had a Fuel EX8 for a demo weekend last month and would describe it as the 'mondeo' of biking. It did everything very well and remained poised and controlled no matter what it was thrown at. On Saturday I had the Lapierre 314 demo bike (large) from Purple Mountain at Dalby and enjoyed it hugely. It has a real character to it. It is very long and slower to steer than the Pace but very fast across the ground – I got used to the steering quite quickly and even on the slow climbing switchbacks the bike always drove in the direction the wheel was pointing without pushing out. All that length comes into its own when you point it down hill – excellent

    snowpaul
    Free Member

    reckon trek warranty / service would be much better if that is important to you….

    paul

    twiglet_monster
    Free Member

    I test rode a fair few bikes last year, including a high end trek (albeit not the EX but a cousin of it) and the Pace 405.

    I agree with the previous posters (e.g. Deejay) about the character of the Trek. Stable, solid, really very good especially at going quick. Yet slightly soulless and annoyingly good at everything in a quiet, just get on with it don't cause a fuss kind of a way.

    In contrast the Pace is an utter hooligan. It aches for you to push yourself and ride down "that drop". I smile on every ride and it can do everything…

    Depends what you want I guess

    HTH

    TM

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

The topic ‘What's the difference between RC405 & Fuel EX’ is closed to new replies.