We’re quite used to seeing companies update frames from year to year with slight geometry changes. Add a few mm to the reach, steepen the seat tube a bit, slacken the head angle a little, oh and change the colour of course! So it comes as no surprise that the new Pace RC529 hardtail is longer, slacker and has a new colour, but Pace hasn’t added a few mm here and there, they’ve added a few INCHES!
Pace has really shaken up its range of steel hardtails for 2019. Back in September, we reported on the new RC627 which had seen some pretty radical changes, and now it’s the 29er hardtail that has undergone similar geometry updates.
The Yorkshire based brand has really pushed reach numbers on the refreshed version of the RC529 and has sent us a geometry comparison chart showing the differences between the new frame and the 2018 model.
As you can see from the chart above, a size M RC529 from 2018 has a modest reach of just 418mm whereas the 2019 version of the bike grows by 46mm to an impressive 464mm! The large frame gets an even larger increase of 65mm for an overall reach of 483mm while an XL frame is now a stonking 506mm in reach. That’s 70mm more than before.
We wouldn’t generally be all that excited about another LLS (long, low, slack) hardtail, but the RC529 specs are seriously impressive too! It all looks so good.
The chainstays have been shortened to 5mm for a more playful ride and more rear wheel love, and thanks to sliding dropouts and built-in chain tensioners the length can be adjusted to ensure correct chain tension If you decide to run a single speed drivetrain.
In traditional hardcore hardtail fashion, the RC529 uses quality steel tubing, including Reynolds 853 and the slack 65° head angle is designed to accommodate forks with up to 140mm of travel. Although Pace calls the RC529 a 29er, there’s also room in the backend to run plus sized 27.5in wheels with a max tyre width of 2.8in.
The 148 x 12mm Boost backend uses an included DT Swiss bolt-thru axle, while a 31.6mm dropper post is clamped into position with a Pace branded CNC seat post clamp.
Other nice features include external hose guides, stealth dropper post compatibility, ISCG-05 chain guide tabs, rack and mudguard mounts and a 73mm threaded BB shell.
Pace hasn’t shared the frame weight just yet, but they have confirmed that this progressive hardtail will come in sizes M, L and XL in either Stealth Black or Matt Icelandic colours. Pricing is pretty keen too with frames costing just £575.
Head on over to the Pace Cycles website for more info.
Comments (17)
Comments Closed
All that extra reach, and then they’ve gone to a 73 seat angle instead of 76?
Is that a mistake, or have they just gone mad?
@honourablegeorge 73 is the 2018 model
Hmmmm. This or a SolarisMax?
also, new axle standard, 149 x 12… lol
@standi – just the table is wrong then, that makes a lot more sense.
Looks a lovely bike. Cheaper and slacker than a SolarisMax. Any chance of a group test? Maybe chuck in a Stanton while you’re at it?
@honourablegeorge the geo table is correct but confusing, the white figures are for the 2018 model, the darker (harder to read) is for the new model. I agree though a group test would be good.
Would shortening the chainstay while lengthening the front center not make for a less balanced ride, or does the adjustable CS length help you tailor it to how you like?
Pace looks a lot like the Solaris Max, but the Stanton Switchback is significantly shorter. Stanton is prettier though!
https://geometrygeeks.bike/compare/pace-rc529-2019-l,stanton-switchback-631-mk2-2017-16-5-long-1,cotic-solaris-max-140mm-travel-2018-large/
“The chainstays have been shortened to 5mm” – that is going to make the backend pretty twitchy; clearance must surely be an issue?
@bungalistic – Yeah – I now realise that the new bike is 2019, not 2018. So have they actualy steepened the head angle, then? 66 verus 65 for 2018?
Hi guys, Sophie here from Pace! Thought I would answer a couple of these questions 🙂
Yes we have made the RC529 chainstay shorter, bear in mind – the RC529 has our slideout system so that you can adjust the chainstay length up to 13mm (Lengthen it by 13mm over the stated length on the geometry table which is always given with the slideout fully forward).
We have made the head tube angle 66, the reason is, is that we were asked by a lot of customers if they could fit a 120mm travel fork in the previous model. So we have tweaked the frontend geometry to open up the range of fork travel – more to what customers are requesting. This is a sensible request because of the inherent handling characteristics of 29 ers which are more stable in any case than a 27.5″ wheel running the same head tube angle.
We wanted to make the RC529 different to its sister model the RC627 – which is 130mm – 150mm travel with any 27.5″ tyre/wheel from a 2.2 up to a 2.8.
The design envelope of the RC529 is a 29 specific and can take any fork from 120mm-140mm. (We spec with the 140mm fork).
However, if you want to put a 150mm travel fork on the RC529 to increase travel and slacken the headtube angle, then you can because A.) The frame is strong enough to take the extra leverage, B.) The bb height is very low and C.) The seatube angle has been steepened.
Also, clearance will not be an issue as it is significantly wider then its previous model (it has a steeper seatube angle which also creates more clearance)
If anyone has any specific questions that need answering just drop me an email: sophie@pacecycles.com
🙂 Sophie
Looks pretty good,
but “shortened the chainstays”? there goes the front rear balance on larger sizes. Steeper head angle?
Maybe next year, eh
longer +24 reach, slacker 62.5 and 445mm stays please.
THAT would be a great winter bike
moving the right way Pace, to be congratulated for sure
Good post from Sophie, would be better with a 150 fork for sure
Will the Sturmey Archer three speed hub fit this frame?
Will I be able to fit a really really long stem and really really narrow handlebars?
@mudfish as mentioned with shortened chainstays on our RC529 it has our ‘slideout system’ so that you can adjust the chainstay length up to 13mm (Lengthen it by 13mm over the stated length on the geometry table which is always given with the slideout fully forward). So that is an additional 13mm if you want, so it doesnt have to be as ‘short’ as shown in the geometry above.
Also…we have made the seat tube steeper so you can weight the front end even better then its previous model 🙂 It will not effect any of the larger models, only in a positive way 🙂
@Superstar1 That is a question we have not been asked before nor fitted. We have fitted a Roholff hub before on our RC127’s. It will also depend if that that Sturmey Archer is available as a thru axle boosted version and that there is a availability from Stermey Archer a fitting that allows the torq arm to be located onto a chainstay (universale bracket)
Anymore question drop me an email 🙂
For anyone interested i have set up a facebook page for the bike to track peoples builds / experiences…
search Pace RC627 / RC529
Are there any test rides or demo events available to try these new frames out?
Are any other manufacturers using such a steep seat tube angle?
This and the Solaris have the same(ish) reach, but that 76 degree angle compared to 73.4 moves the seat closer to the bars by 27mm on my setup meaning I will need to use a longer stem to keep my ‘position’ the same…