The Unicorn
The RC429 isn't a one-trick pony- it's three bikes in one that can ride-it-all
Our new RC429 is a North Yorkshire-bred down country steel hardtail and the rowdy sibling to our RC629 hardcore hardtail. Discover how we’ve redefined what's possible within the short travel hardtail segment hitting a trail riding/ bike-packing sweetspot making it the ultimate do-it-all bike you've been looking for.
The sport of offroad riding continually progresses and our bikes evolve accordingly. Whether or not you want to take the easy or the hard road the RC429 is designed to meet these modern demands. If you’re considering a dropbar- bike packing option of course you could mount these on any kind of bike however the RC429 has these design elements ‘built-in’ making the whole adventure experience so much better.
Reignite your spirit for adventure and tuck in on the drops down a gravel fireroad, fuel a fast-paced XC power hour or punch out a day long trail ride either way the 429 is ready to rise to any occasion and get you away from it all
Design Details
SLACK, PROGRESSIVE GEOMETRY
Riding a short travel bike shouldn’t mean you have to compromise the ride with old skool XC geometry- we blend short travel with progressive slack geometry for confidence in the steeps and at speed
100MM - 130MM TRAVEL
When your out for an adventure just the right amount of travel keeps the bike taught for the journey and fun when you’ve pitched the tent and want an evening ride on some mountain gnarl
BOTH FLAT BAR OR DROP BAR COMPATIBLE
Our progressive geometry blend gives you room for manoeuvre in flat bar trailbike mode but fitted with dropbars a similar cockpit to a gravel bike
SUSPENSION FORK OR RIGID FORK
Spec your RC429 with up to 130 travel and you can harry your mates on their heavy enduro rigs- or spec it with our rigid adventure fork with MTB geo and clearances for an ultra light and reactive ride
29" BOOSTED WHEELS
Give you a stronger and more rigid wheelset- plus we've given the RC429 better tyre clearances- just what you need for bikepacking or trail hacking
REYNOLDS 853 STEEL
Quite simply the best- we've combined legendary Reynolds 853 with Pace chromoly tubes into one elegant frameset for the ultimate in strength, durability and comfort…alloy and carbon eat your heart out
DESIGNED & TESTED IN NORTH YORKSHIRE, MADE IN EUROPE
We’re in our thirty seventh year of designing hardtails and first worked with our European factory twenty eight years ago… be reassured our experience and heritage counts for everything
WIDE RANGE OF MOUNTS
14 mounting points throughout the frame (20 if you include those on our RC33 carbon rigid fork) giving you virtually unlimited loading option whether you’re off on the Silk Road or out for weekend hike
UDH T-TYPE COMPATIBLE
Peace of mind that wherever in the world your RC429 takes you the chances are that the Bolivian or Icelandic bike shop you’ve rocked up to stocks a spare Universal Derailleur Hanger no matter what rear mech your running
Geometry
Built fast for your heart, designed by Pace for your head
Like all Pace designs we draw from decades of experience and knowhow to create this functional, competent and technologically advanced machine
FAQ'S
Find answers to many of your questions by clicking on the button below, but if there's something more specific not on the FAQ page please don’t hesitate and contact a member of our team
Customer Reviews
ANDY W
STAFFORDSHIRE, UK
Ive had the Pace 429 for a year and done a lot of miles on it, including Peaks days out, Chiltern singletrack, bike park blue & red runs and a few long gravel rides.
For the past 20 years ive ridden steel hardtails and this is one of the best in my opinion for a compliant ride yet still feeling direct and zingy.
The current build is with Fox 34 SC 120 forks and hope finishing kit with Fortus 30 wheels, this seems to be a good compromise of weight and reliability.
The quality of welds is good, paint finish hard wearing and the external cable routing is sensible.
Im 5’8” and riding a medium frame with plenty of standover clearance and room for a decent length dropper post. Reach for me is spot on with a 35mm stem.
Above all, Pace are British company with amazing sales and customer service and you are buying into a brand with years of heritage.
ALASDAIR D
SURREY, UK
Coming from aluminium the RC429 seems really comfortable but stiff under power, it really seems to roll along at speed with little effort. Downhill it feels planted and sock enough to cope with technical terrain, overall a great all rounder.
MICHAEL M
ONTARIO, CANADA
Last year I was looking to build a hardtail to complement my full suspension trail bike. I came across the RC429 and ordered the frameset due to a combination of the modern geometry, sleek looks and Reynolds 853 steel construction.
Due to its geometry, the RC429 will feel comfortable for anyone riding a trail bike and it will have the stability that you’re used to. As someone who had previously only rode carbon and aluminum bikes, I was a little surprised by the “spring” in the frame but after spending a lot of time on the bike I now really appreciate the compliance and understand why people like steel frames.
The RC429 is a great “adventure bike” for anyone who covers a lot of ground across XC singletrack, gravel and paved roads.
I’m very happy with my purchase.
DAVID M
SCOTLAND
The Pace RC429 with drop bars + gravel tyres is a perfect fit for mountain bikers looking to tackle longer gravel style/ rough road/ easy single track rides.
Frame design is such you feel you are in the middle of the bike/ center of gravity - this is so much better than road / gravel frames where you are wobbling out on top. I am able to go way faster downhill than chums on "gravel bikes" over the properly rough "gravel" roads/ trails we have in Fife, Scotland, a huge part of that is due to the confidence inspiring frame geometry; and the fact you can easily run 2.1" wide 29er tyres at 25psi which give loads of grip + suspension/ comfort.
Being boost 148 rear axle also makes it a doddle to swap wheels with my mtb's and tackle more adventurous trails for a laugh/ blast of the past 1990s mtb'ing style - makes it so obvious how much better modern frame geometry and disc brakes really are!!!
Taken me years to find a suitable frame I can set drop bars up on and be pain free during long road/ gravel/ easy single track type rides: love my RC429 its perfect for what im using it for + reallty glad I bought it!
KEV B
SCOTLAND
Faster than its weight would suggest and more forgiving than I would have expected. The Pace is perfect for long distance, bike packing and ripping single-track, when paired with the RS SID'S it makes me a lot better than I thought I was.
Versatile and comfortable, the best hardtail I have ridden!
SJOERD
ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
Absolutely love my Pace RC429! I was looking for a do-it-all hardtail that was fun to ride and fast as well.
The directness from the hardtail, combined with the flexibility from the steel frame makes for a great and fast ride. It corners like a machine, super steady and direct feel in the corners gives a lot of confidence. Perfect for the Dutch trails! It's also comfortable enough that I see myself taking up bikepacking adventures with my Pace as well, for which I now use a gravel bike.
I've chosen to build it with specifications between a cross-country and trail bike, choosing the best from both from my own preference. So, a light and short travel fork, a dropper-post for the fun parts of the trail, a handlebar with short rise to make it a bit more race like and clipless instead of flat pedals just to name a few.
The current wheels and brakes are recycled from my full suspension enduro bike so they will be swapped for lighter versions in the near future. Although it doesn't even spoil the ride experience as of now.
TONY P
ESSEX, UK
Already owning and loving an Pace RC529 for trail parks and general mountain biking which requires me to travel, I was looking for a do it all bike for my local riding where a flat bar mountain bike is a slightly too much, and a drop bar gravel bike not enough because of tyre size and mud clearance limitations.
Where I live there is little gravel but there are lots of beaten-up lanes, byways, bridleways and the rideability of these changes with the dry and wet seasons.
Pace introduced the RC429 whilst I was considering the weaknesses of the gravel bike, I bought the frame, forks and cranks, stripped my gravel bike and transferred the kit and other spare parts onto the RC429.
The great things for me, the RC429 allows a 40t chainring and also tyre size options. I started on Specialized Fast Trak 2.1s, really great off-road and I was immediately comfortable tackling technical sections and downhills on the drops, it rolls and flies. I then temporarily put some Continentals 38c hybrid tyres whilst waiting for new Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M 50mm, and it was quick enough to keep up with some roadies (if a bit slippery off road on grass). The Pirellis now on and really great ride on these too, off road and on lanes. Once the wet weather comes, 2.0ish MTB tyres will probably go back on and the RC429 will happily deal with winter and mud.
I am lucky enough to have bikes for road and off-road, these are collecting dust as unless mountain biking on the RC529 the only bike I have wanted to ride is the RC429.
And at coffee stop time when next to the carbon gravel bikes, the RC429 one grabs the attention.
Highly pleased.
ALEX
NORTH YORKSHIRE, UK
The 429 has been a sublime bike to ride. It is planted and assured on the downhills, even with lighter tyres, and climbs with purpose and precision. The ride is so comfortable, supple and pedal efficient. I'm looking forward to many adventures on it.
It's amazing. I've been told to slow down a few times so I'm so pleased I bought it.
REDEFINING SHORT TRAVEL TRAIL RC429 ‘T PACK’ BUILDS
Squeezing every ounce of performance out of a short travel trail bike was our brief- no compromises on spec’, speed or stability and certainly building in lots of attitude and fun.
Combining low and slack geometry with short travel is a revelation and breaks down the boundaries between what’s expected from a short travel bike and what can actually be achieved.
RC429 in a burly trail bike T-Pack Build- One of the many variations of the new RC429...
HARDCORE GRAVEL RC429 ‘G PACK’ BUILDS
When the gravel runs out and the tech begins the RC429 comes into its own…not a gravel bike but a specialist off-road/travel/bikepacking tool that’s as happy cranking in the miles as it is flicking through the singletrack.
Through careful design the cockpit on this dropbar rig mimics that of a modern gravel bike but underneath you the geometry stretches and slackens making it far more capable and confidence inspiring.
With its GRX transmission paired to custom made Hope wheels and crank the 429 ups the speed and stability whether in carbon rigid or short travel MTB suspension spec.
’RC429 with custom Gravel Build- One of the many variations of the new RC429...
