Zesty AM: Model update for the 150-millimetre bike
The carbon main frame remains as it was, but the rear triangle and rocker will also be made of aluminium on the top bikes in 2015. This is unusual in times when almost all manufacturers are focussing on more and more carbon. However, for Lapierre, the 80 gram weight advantage and identical stiffness of the carbon seat stays and the rocker were not in any reasonable proportion to the higher production costs. The bearing of the rocker in the aluminium version should also be more resistant. In return, they want to offer better equipment for the same money. However, Lapierre will only announce the exact prices at Eurobike.
The very good Rock Shox Pike replaces the slightly less powerful Fox 32 of its predecessor on the highest-quality 827 model and the 527 pictured. The rest of the equipment is also more trail-orientated: wider handlebars (750 mm) and shorter stems should give the Zesty AM range better downhill performance. Two carbon and two Supreme 6 aluminium versions in 27.5 inch are planned.
The Zesty Trail is also available in 29 inches with XC and marathon equipment (SID fork) and 120 millimetres of suspension travel. Four variants here too. E:i Auto is available as an option on the more expensive models with RockShox suspension.
Spicy: The Enduro shares the frame with the Zesty AM
One centimetre more travel on the Pike RCT3 (160mm) makes the head angle half a degree slacker (66.5°). With a stable Sram Rail 50 wheelset and reinforced Michelin tyres (WildRock'R 2 at the front and Wildgrip'R at the rear), it weighs 12.8 kilos. The team is only available with E:i Auto. Two other models (527 and 327) with Supreme 6 aluminium frames can also do without the electronic suspension.
DH Team - new downhiller
Emmeline Ragot recently won the World Cup in Fort William with the 27.5 prototype of the new DH bike. The new frame was developed in close collaboration with downhill legend Nicolas Vouilloz. A multi-supported single-link replaces the complex pendulum box system of its predecessor. The lower pivot point ensures better braking traction. The Supra Link kinematics, inspired by motocross sport, combine very fine response behaviour with a highly progressive characteristic curve. At 4.5 kilos, the aluminium frame is almost 200 grams lighter than its predecessor, but should be significantly stiffer - its carbon swingarm had too much flex for heavy riders. There will be two versions: the 727 DH and the DH Team pictured here, a race replica with the same Rock Shox-Sram set-up that the Gravity Republic Team uses in the World Cup.
X-Control: Touring bike with new frame
The new edition of the affordable 100-millimetre full-suspension gets a completely revised tubeset, but retains the dual-link rear triangle (VPP). The French also use their lightweight Supreme 6 aluminium here. The front suspension is a Rock Shox Recon Gold with 120 millimetres of travel. The steering angle has been slackened by 1.5° to 68° compared to the predecessor. The frame is said to be stiffer and have more tyre clearance. The frame is prepared for a telescopic seat post with internal cable routing as well as for the E:i system.
First driving test: Zesty AM 527 with E:i Auto
The electronically controlled damper adjustment is entering its third round. The first two versions were not really elegant with the many cables on the handlebars and the clunky on-board computer. We also often had problems with reliability.
E:i Auto is coming in 2015. Lapierre has simplified the system. A small plastic box on the side of the stem houses the electronics. A cable and the handlebar remote control have been omitted. The battery is smaller and leaves space for a water bottle holder. The system can be adjusted using a single large push button. Three sensitivity levels are available in automatic mode. An LED indicates the status: red for lockout, yellow for trail mode and green for open. These modes can also be selected manually if desired.
Tuning the E:i Auto is intuitive: press and hold the button for four seconds, then the diode shows the selected status. That was it. Two days at the press camp in Les Gets and then two more test rides on local trails gave me the opportunity to get to grips with the electronic suspension. It quickly became clear that the system is superior to any manual damper adjustment. The Zesty 527 AM is firm under acceleration and accelerates very well. No energy is wasted in the suspension and yet the suspension works actively and sensitively when it should. The system reacts constantly and at lightning speed to changing surfaces without you wasting a thought on it. The shock locks after half a turn of the crank on a smooth surface. Depending on the sensitivity, the bumps have to be more or less strong to open the compression stage halfway or fully. At sensitivity levels one and two, small bumps such as a road grating or a manhole cover are sufficient. Level three requires a slightly higher riding speed - this mode was ideal for a sporty riding style. The software has been revised and now reacts at a lower cadence (minimum 35 crank revolutions per minute instead of the previous 55), so that even very slow pedalling uphill blocks the damper.
In this test, the system was in use for ten hours of pure riding time without the battery causing any problems. The charging time was 1.5 hours. There were also no functional failures or incorrect reactions off-road.
Conclusion: In the third evolutionary stage, the electronic suspension seems to have shed its teething troubles. The Zesty AM was very lively and active, but didn't lack any comfort. The components of the system are inconspicuously integrated into the bike and work perfectly. A long-term test will show whether E:i Auto can also convince in the long term.
