Pace RC506 FM/AM Bike Frame

Strongly Built Bike Frame

It was only three years back Pace has started manufacturing full suspension mountain bike frame. The main focus was to design a full suspension bike frame for singletrack with better suspension design. Adrain Carter of Pace then decided to built Free Floater design to accentuate the short twin link suspension set up. Pace RC506 is a new tested and improved Freeride and All mountain bike frame, which derived its design from earlier Pace RC405 frame. With extra long travel and strongly built frame tubes, it posses certain quality that let the riders enjoy both climbing and downhill. Let see how Pace has achieved such perishable qualities.

Frame Built Quality

Pace RC506 is a budget frame made with Aluminium tubing and enables you to fit 150mm – 160mm travel fork. This mountain bike frame is meant for both Freeride and All Mountain bike riding purpose. The bushes and the bearing used in the frame are of standard size, which are affordable and readily available at any shop. The frame comes with detachable dropouts, IS mount brake type and adjustable chainstay.

The incorporated suspension design in the frame is based on single pivot system bridged with Free-Floater linkage for progressive spring action. This six inch bike frame is available in two different colours such as satin silver anodised and slick grey. The frame made with reinforced strong tubes and twin gusset headset, which gives great stiffness and strong feeling in the front end. Light cable mount on the downtube and crud catcher mudguard are inherited from Pace RC405.

Frame suspension

Normally, it is said that single pivot suspension mechanism would create chain growth and brake jacking. But this type of suspension design has many advantages such as easy to maintain, simple design, budget frame and good for small bump compliance. The real challenge for Pace is to make this single pivot full suspension frame free from compressive brake jack and pedal bob. In order to overcome such difficulty, Pace has implemented this frame with Free-Floater linkage that connects the rear triangle with the rear suspension. A single pivot suspension frame is a commonly designed by all manufacturers and looks similar but what makes it as a unique and efficient design is the location of the shock mounting and pivot points.

Free-Floater Suspension

Pace RC506 has designed its frame with the lower pivot points placed just above the bottom bracket and fixed on the downtube. This significant change in the pivot position from the normal design would give an axle path and increase the efficiency of the rear suspension action. This effective Free-Floater suspension design would perfectly react to the small bump and slow speed downhill. The upper and lower links play a vital role in three course of stroke action such as initial, mid and final. In all these action the links keep the rear wheel towards the frame with more vertical and less rearward axle path, which would drastically reduce the chain growth and pedal feedback.

Better Climbing and Downhill Ability

Pace RC506 bike frame is better in climbing than decent and the adjustable chainstay make the rear wheel more responsive on bold rocky terrain. The detachable dropouts would minimize the noticeable rear end flex, if you want you can go for optional Maxle rear dropouts. With the help of downhill style 66.5 degree head angle, you can push the bike to the extent whenever you need and confidently ride the bike on steep and slow decent without danger. It best suits for cross country rider who likes to try steep climbing and slow downhill.

This 6 inch mountain bike frame is an extension of trial biking with extra long travel, which lets you to hit bigger rocks. The frame is available in small, medium and large size. The medium frame size would be suitable for a person of about 5ft 10in height and you would get good riding comfort with plenty of room to move over the top-tube. This bike frame looks tall with high BB height level but it is not a disadvantage rather it gives good ground clearance and better pedalling stroke.

Pros and Cons

This Pace RC mountain bike frame is not a lightest of XC bikes but it gives you a treat with better climbing ability and lets you to play on the trail with pleasure. Make a choice for lightweight kit when you built the bike and after completion the bike would weigh around 28 lbs. Do not rub the anodized frame during heavy wash because the decals have a little problem sticking with the anodized frame and it comes off. If you have any defects in materials you can claim them during warranty period. This mountain bike frame comes with DT Swiss EX200 rear shock and you can opt for DT Swiss fork or you can go for Rock Shox front fork.

Warranty

Pace RC506 FM/AM bike frame carries full two years of warranty on material and manufacturing defects. Additionally Pace provides ‘crash replacement’ scheme for 3 and 4 years from which the replacement frame will be offered with flat 50% discount.

Our Analysis

When you built Pace RC506 frame with complete components, the bike would look slightly heavy but overall weight is good for what it is meant for. It is surprising to see that this frame is very responsive and quick with pedalling efficiency. It acts like a lightweight XC while climbing and take the abuse while decent with the hope of strongly built frame quality. You would feel strong downhill in the front and lightweight XC in the rear end.