Hi All
I would like some opinions and i know that this is the place to come!
I am thinking of buying either a Pace RC405 or RC305 (I know they are completely different!)
I live in Brighton and ride SDW and local singletrack with the odd wales trip and i currently ride a cove stiffee. The new frame will be fitted with some through axle XCAM130 (which were half price on wiggle, bargain at £350!)
Im thinking full suss, but worried about the ride becoming a bit boring and i am a bit of a hardtail fan!!!
Sorry to go on, just want opinions really.
James
Riding a RC405 is anything but boring. It has better traction on the climbs and is nearly as light as most hardtails and is tons of fun. It depends what sort of trails you ride, how you ride them and what you want from your ride.
If you are a conservative rider stick with a hardtail if you don't want the comfort and like the connection of a hardtail. If there's any hooligan in you at all try a RC405 and see how you get on.
I'm too old to carry a hard tail round Cwmcarn riding as fast as I can go wishing secretly I was a downhill god!
Not sure how relevant but I had a 303' & loved it to bits. It was an alloy hardtail so was never going to match my Enduro for comfort. With a carbon seat-post it was a lot comfier than you'd think.
Angle wise the 303 wasn't a comfy ride for long-distance mile-eating. It was more of a 2 hour trail centre bike & at that it was bloody great. I'm being completely honest when I say that it was as quick downhill as my Enduro.
I only sold it due to financial hardship, I'd still have it now otherwise.
If you're a hardtail fan you'll love the 305.
I run a 405 and am a complete hardtail nut, which probably sounds odd, but the 405 sort of rides like a big-forked hardtail with an extra reserve of kick-arse oomph up back. With a quickish, grippy tyre on the back, it doesn't feel like you're losing out on climbs or speed relative to a hardtail version and, funnily enough, you have to ride it a bit like a long-forked hardtail for it to work well - stuff it into things hard. I really, really like it, whereas in the past things like Reigns have bored me senseless with their neutral capableness and dragginess on climbs.
You'd certainly be a bit overbiked on it around Brighton, based on the brief riding I've done down that way, but not necessarily handicapped by the bike, if that makes sense. It depends where else you ride I guess.
Go for the RC405, its very quick and accelerates well due to the stiff frame, climbs very well due to the free-floater system, and would make a comfortable and fun ride for long South Downs epics, whilst also being a riot in the Surrey Hills and Welsh Trail Centres. I should know as thats where I ride on mine! (a 2008 medium in snow white). There are a loads of new colours available for 2009, and the XCAM130's will work perfectly too.
Also check this thread [url] http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/show-me-your-pace-rc405 [/url]