Pace 429 or similar HT?

My other half is looking for a new hardtail frame & I can’t seem to find anything else that ticks all of the boxes, unless we are missing something?

She’s looking for something either steel or Ti, at the more XC end of the trail spectrum that is comfortable, reasonably versatile & reasonably light.

The only other sensible thing I would prefer, for ease across our bikes is a UDH & something suitable for a 120mm fork.

Anything we have missed that I can’t think of?

I have a Fairlight holt for sale?

My mate has a 429 and he loves it. He’s a big lad and it takes his abuse with ease.

If it’s as good as my 627 it’ll be a great bike. Really comfortable, great quality and ace fun to ride.

Not sure if they will be UDH but maybe the pipedream sirius

The 429 intrigues me greatly, bet it’s a good bike. My other suggestion would be the new 4th Gen Stanton Sherpa… not sure if they’re UDH yet, but I did here it’s an imminent option on their bikes.

Stanton Sherpa, Cotic Solaris, Fairlight Holt. I don’t think any have the UDH though. I’d think Holt would be most XC, Sherpa best all round and Solaris at the more progressive end of geometry. The Pace do look good

Im very happy with my 429- paint and welds are good and its got a nice steel feel to it which ime not all steel frames have.

Hi you rc429 owners or owners friends answering here
could it be possible to have a little review about the quality and feel of the frame ? The geometry is what I’m after but I’d like to know a bit more about quality and feel in details if possible and nothing about it yet, or almost
Thanks in advance !

429 owner here and I’m happy with mine. I’m a long term steel hardtail owner having had inbred, handjob, kinesis decade and a gen2 Sherpa. The pace rides really well, feels a bit more poppy than the Sherpa and I’m finding it pretty comfy. Swapped from the Sherpa because of the extra frame mounts so I could ride without a back pack.

Built up with sids, silt wheels, one up carbon bars and a brand x dropper. Only negative is I had trouble getting the seat post clamp tight enough to stop the post slipping but not stop the dropper working but am now using a bit of gripper paste and it seems to be holding.

Hi and thanks ! That was a quick and efficient answer !

How about climbing ability, weight etc ? Can it also be used as an xc fast machine if needed ?

I may press the button but it’s so hard choosing a frame without being able to try it out first..

Ive got mine built with Fox 34 step cast forks, flat carbon bars, 45mm stem, hope fortus 30 sc wheels and a mix of hope and Shimano slx kit.

So far used for mainly local chilterns trails and a few days in the peaks- really happy with the bike. It feels light and agile on my local trails, but still coped with Jacobs ladder and the beast without giving me a beating.

Also had the issue with the seat clamp- tight enough to stop the post slipping was causing the dropper to jam, so had to add paste which has cured it.

Not sure of the weight but I have stopped using my gravel bike for local woodland xc trails as the pace feels just as nippy.

I find it climbs well compared to the Stanton but that might be due to the smaller chainring that I fitted to the pace, but it does seem to grip a bit better at the back some how.

I am not a racer and just use mine for riding 20 to 30 mile loops on my local bridleways in West Yorkshire and trips to the dales.

Have never weighed mine either, it’s a steel 29er so it’s never going to be a super lightweight so I prefer not to know an exact weight and just enjoy riding it.

Thanks a lot for your detailed infos mates, that’s sounds like a nice frame  to ride also then, i guess comfortable for long day rides too.

Has anyone had the chance to compare it with a new solaris ? I’d be super interested to know the differences in ride feeling, my heart is torn between the two of them…

Ps : im getting closer and closer to get one, also curious about what size do you run.

I’m 6″ so just in between size L and X, tempted on the L for the funnier side a smaller frame allows

Perfectbike seems quite happy about it on its review but that’s a super short one and not very detailed for a professional job..

For those of you who rode it, do you share the too flexy (or very flexy) rear leading to loss of precision in the rowdy stuff or with powerful legs job as Kes wrote about it ?

I am 6ft and ride size large. Haven’t noticed the rear end bring very flexible but then i don’t think I am riding anything particularly rowdy.

Can’t say ive noticed a flexible rear end, but not sure I would necessarily notice one…

Thanks, that’s helpful ! As well as for the size, definitely going to get a L then

i may well be a rc429 owner soon and join your team !