Pace RC 31 Fork

An all time favourite that needs little introduction The RC 31 weighs 695 grams all thanks to its hollowfoam CNC’d machined crown, magnesium safety dropouts, sexy carbon legs and aluminum steerer tube. Measurement from dropout to crown is similar to most 63mm travel suspension fork for the 2003 models. In 2004, Pace decided to extend the carbon legs by another 20mm as most new frames are corrected for 80mm travel up front.

RC 31 comes standard with ISO disc mounts. Optional bolt on v-brakes mounts are available separately. Personally, if I own one, I will definitely not bolt on the v-brake mounts and risk scratches on those carbon fork legs. Too bad we are not allow to bring the fork for a spin. So our comments are pretty much limited to the reviews that we have read.

Since its launch, the RC 31 has received rave reviews by a couple of international mountain bike magazines. Pace was praise for exploiting the full potential of carbon by designing this fork to be stiff sideways and torsionally, yet resilient fore and aft to take the rough edge off the ride. A side effect of such compliance is a small amount of noticeable flex under hard braking, but it is not as distracting as you would have thought. Other than comfort, the RC 31 is also being recommended for its lightweight, excellent steering control and low maintenance (as compared to suspension fork). The only thumb down for the fork is definitely the cost, which we have come to expect from carbon products.

Overall, the RC 31 will be the choice for you if you are looking for something light, comfortable and sexy. This is definitely a piece of quality product that most will be proud to own. However, if you are looking for something that can withstand your 5ft drop, then may I suggest you look elsewhere? The RC 31 might be built strong, but still, it is not design for hardcore pounding.