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.
I can see this thread going well for pace
I think Trout had a nightmare with Pace, but can't remember which model frame
geordiepaul - MemberI 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.
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.
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".
After a long hiatus, im back on here, and can confirm i still have an RC303 intact, nevermind a 305....
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!
For what it's worth I have sent Pace an email.
Should be good for a laugh.
good luck!
You might be able to get it welded 😀
touch wood - my RC303 is still just about in one piece.
Weighs up chance of precipitating a jinx
Pace, customer service, well built product. Ha!
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
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.
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!?
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
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.
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.
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
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.
I loved my 303 - great handling frame, except for the minor snapping problem 😉
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.
My experience of Hope is that their stuff breaks [b]occasionally[/b], but they'll fix it for you FOC. My experience of Pace stuff is that it breaks [b]frequently[/b], and they'll tell you to eff off.
FTFY
funny how Pace seems to to have fallen from grace since the early 90's
was it because the people in charge changed?
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
was it because the people in charge changed?
No change, Same ownership
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.)
Yes, come get your £5
No change, Same ownership
didn't the techie, designer guy jump ship many moons ago to go back to doing motorbike trials stuff?
geordiepaul - MemberSmaller 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.
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.
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.
Just to add some balance. My 305 cracked at the seat tube about 1 month outside of the two year warranty and Pace replaced it with a 325.5.
I did have to wait for a few months for the replacement, but after all the horror stories I'd read I was pleased to get it in the end.
I still haven't built it up yet.... it could be a single speed project for the winter..... anyone got any forks they want to sell me?
I've also still got the old 305 which only has a hardly visable hairline crack, can these be re welded?
Dude, like totally anything can be re-welded.
See this guy: http://www.vernonbarkercycles.co.uk/
He is da' bomb.
My 2 1/2 year old 305 is still in one piece but will be checking it over later. Any ideas if this affects any other Pace frames I've also got a 405?
geordiepaul did you get in contact with Pace and get any reply?
Unfortunately my frame is also cracking and out of warranty, just curious if it's worth getting in contact with them.
Cheers
Rich
Yes I did.
They did offer a 50% discount off a new frame. However as I wasn't the original owner they told me to **** off.
They were reasonably prompt in replying for a change (within 7 days) so credit where credit it due.
However it doesn't solve that fact that as far as I'm concerned the frame wasn't fit for purpose given it seem nearly every frame fails this way. Frame do break but when they all break the same way then something isn't right.
Hmm I had been seriously thinking about buying a 405 as I fancied a bit more travel than my current 100mm FS and wanted something at least designed in the UK [ oh and yes I don't like Orange 5s]
These posts have rather put me off but are there any 405 owners out there to reassure me?
I'm sure if you started a thread about any frame with faults you will have at least 3 replies from people who have also broken one or know someone who has broken one.
Go try one, speak to people who own them and make up your own mind. I have 2 pace bikes and a surly.
I have broken:
1 pace
1 orange
2 commencals
1 trek
1 iron horse
In the cases where it wasn't my fault I have got replacements without any issues, probaly because i'm not a d!ck who doesn't expect the moon on a stick.
(not saying anyone is in this thread)
Hmm I had been seriously thinking about buying a 405 as I fancied a bit more travel than my current 100mm FS and wanted something at least designed in the UK [ oh and yes I don't like Orange 5s]
These posts have rather put me off but are there any 405 owners out there to reassure me?
At the risk of jinxing it, my 405's done a fair , mostly Peaks, mileage over the last three years or so, frame - touch wood - is still intact. It's been through just one set of linkage bearings, they seem pretty well sealed. The Peak kills bearings, but the o-ring / cover system seems to work.
Also replaced about six or seven sets of shock bushings, but that's no big deal, and killed one DWT Swiss EX200 shock along the way. Oh, and broke one mech hanger thing. Pace have always been very helpful when I've spoken to them about spare parts, bearing sizes etc.
Shep; I have built up another brand of UK frame...I won't post it on here out of sympathy.I went from Braemar to Blair Atholl on it today and it is ace... May have to source drops mind..
Badlywireddog - what shock are you running now?
My HVR200 died and i got a monarch instead which just isnt the same.
With regard to the 405 frame it did develop a crack at one of the welds on the front triangle (shock pivot) and PACE swapped no problem. It was only a year old though.
I really like the bike as it climbs well and suits me well as i sit somewhere between xc/all day riding and this so called all mountain stuff.
Shep; I have built up another brand of UK frame...I won't post it on here out of sympathy.I went from Braemar to Blair Atholl on it today and it is ace... May have to source drops mind..
Come on get some pics up..
2010 RC405 here with the DT M210 shock, have done 3500 or so miles on it and it's only just in need of some shock bushings so pretty good I reckon.
Badlywireddog - what shock are you running now?
My HVR200 died and i got a monarch instead which just isnt the same.
Back with an EX200, which was the HVR200 in a previous life... I ran an RP23 with a Push tune for a while, but I actually think it rides better with the DT Swiss, though it feels more floaty and less damped, if that makes any sense.
It also has a 2? slacker angleset type thing and a 150mm Sektor coil U-Turn with a dual flow rebound damper in it...
Simwit - how do you find the m210 shock on the 405?
Is the set compression/platform ok ?
When I had a hvr200 on mine ( before the monarch) I found it didn't really any platform dialled in and bob was minimal
Ta
Will
I have always had the seatpost inserted well below the minimum.
However as I wasn't the original owner they told me to **** off.
How can you be sure the previous owner didn't? There is good reason why warranty is for the original owner. If you buy second hand you get a saving over buying new but with that you have the risk of no warranty. Usually this works out well, as second hand prices are around half of new so if it breaks buy another.
Not very fair shagging a brands reputation for an out of warranty second hand frame??
rootes1 - MemberNo change, Same ownership
didn't the techie, designer guy jump ship many moons ago to go back to doing motorbike trials stuff?
I heard he didn't jump but was pushed, along with most of the other people that'd work there for years and it's the reason they don't make their own stuff any more (frames, forks, etc).
No saying what I was told is correct but I trust the source.
How can you be sure the previous owner didn't? There is good reason why warranty is for the original owner. If you buy second hand you get a saving over buying new but with that you have the risk of no warranty. Usually this works out well, as second hand prices are around half of new so if it breaks buy another.Not very fair shagging a brands reputation for an out of warranty second hand frame??
I think Pace's reputation was being shagged as you put it, before I posted. The frame was unused when I got it as it was too large for the original owner. So even if it had been used the seat post would have been well in the frame. Anyway that's by the by. Had this been any other crack I wouldn't have expected anything. But its clear to see this frame has a unsuitable design and one would hope that the manufacturer would treat the customer better.
But its clear to see this frame has a unsuitable design and one would hope that the manufacturer would treat the customer better.
You're not their customer?
Oh you're right. We'll all have to accept sub standard products then. Sorry to bother everyone!