The battery emits faint smoke signals. It sizzles and cracks. I don't know what else to do and rip out my bike's power core. Then it's quiet. Einstein is dead. But first things first: The Lapierre Spicy with Egg Shock has been a favourite of mine for some time. Two years ago, the enduro bike impressed me with its sensational handling and innovative, electronically controlled shock set-up. However, it was a bit of a bitch and, with a huge computer on the stem and a Lego battery instead of a water bottle cage, it wasn't the real deal. Generation 2.0 arrived last summer and was a success: Super handling and with a revised, more discreet egg-shock system and a battery suitable for water bottles.
Bring it on! Such a technology carrier as a long-term test harbours risks. After all, I wanted to tackle the 2014 Transprovence and ride the entire 2015 EES series, including the European Championships. These are all events where technical problems are best avoided. But also ideal test conditions, because if the Einstein bike lasts a season like this, it's fair to say that it works. There was hardly anything to be done to the equipment before the first race at the Transprovence. I fitted a chain guide (E13) and a slightly higher handlebar, otherwise everything remained standard.
In the French Alps, the Lapierre did its job without any problems. However, a system hiccup in the morning after a damp night with sub-zero temperatures made me nervous for a moment: Ei-Shock switched wildly back and forth. Sometimes closed, sometimes open. A little prayer later, everything was quiet and everything ran as if nothing had happened. And it stayed that way until the successful conclusion of the Transprovence: the Spicy did a perfect job. It also easily withstood the winter months. However, just before the first EES race in Punta Ala, the Ei-Shock started acting up again: Suddenly the system still responded to pedal input and locked up, but no longer opened when the fork was hit. Remote diagnosis from Lapierre: Defect in the fork sensor. After a week, a parcel arrived with lots of egg-shock cable salad. Too late for the race, but good. The repair was then a challenge, because the completely connected system is routed from the bottom bracket through the down tube. A horror. Afterwards, the electronic damping adjustment worked perfectly again. Until the mud battle of the European Championships. That's when it failed completely. Water had penetrated the battery holder. It stewed away. Total failure. I spared myself another replacement and rode one last race without Egg Shock. Fortunately, the bike works well even without a brain.
ConclusionThe bike is great, but the Ei system is unfortunately only a theoretical advance. Moisture and cable breaks make it (still) too vulnerable for the end customer without team support. What a pity.
PLUS Geo and chassis, egg shock - if it works
MINUS Egg Shock does not work reliably
GENERAL INFORMATION
Distribution www.lapierre.com
Material / Sizes Carbon/aluminium S/M/L
Price / weight without pedals 6599 Euro/13.3 kg
Measurement data
Front/rear suspension travel 160 mm/150 mm
Reach / Stack 425 mm/601 mm
Steering seat tube angle 66,5°/74°
Top tube length / chainstays 601 mm/428 mm
Wheelbase / bottom bracket height 1160 mm/340 mm
Legend to the picture above: FREERIDE tester Chris Schleker, how he likes to blast through his after-work laps: helmet (Specialized Dissident Carbon, € 430), goggle (100% Racecraft, € 90), cotton shirt (Raynec Ants, € 43), shorts (Alpinestar Drop Shorts, € 114), lightweight gloves (Scott Superstitous LF, € 55), knee pads (Scott Grenade Pro 2, € 120). Shoes (Five Ten Freerider VXi Elements, € 125).
