Man, man, man, e-bike development is really racing at a pig's gallop! Just five years ago, there was still a heated debate as to whether batteries really belonged in the down tube, as they made for stiffer and lighter frames when clamped onto the top tube. But hardly anyone asked themselves whether an e-bike needed a weak motor and a small battery. Except perhaps Lapierre. From today's perspective, it was absolutely pioneering work when the French launched the E-Zesty in 2018: The first fully with the Fazua Ride 50 in the down tube. The midget drive with 250 Wh battery could be swapped for a plastic sleeve with a flick of the wrist, which is why the German motor manufacturer liked to advertise it with the 2-in-1 advantage.
There were a few sceptical looks at the presentation, including from us in the EMTB editorial team. Because I had already been riding and loving a hardtail with the mini motor in an endurance test for some time (Focus Raven), I wanted to get to the bottom of this strange concept. And that's what I did. After an extensive test ride, the saddle was ruined, the carbon rim on the rear wheel was broken and my enthusiasm for the Light-E-MTB concept was still 100 per cent. Even though the Lapierre E-Zesty suffered from a rear triangle that dipped, a seat angle that was too slack and a severely limited range, the basic idea was absolutely convincing for me. Extending your own action radius with sporty self-demand and discreet support and then enjoying an almost classic bike feeling on the descents - that seemed right.
"Does the Lapierre E-Zesty perhaps establish a new e-bike category?" was my provocative key question at the time. Today, the answer is a resounding yes. Light e-MTBs have been on everyone's lips since 2020 at the latest, and almost every manufacturer now has one in their range. And Lapierre? Has renovated its E-Zesty. Again with a Fazua motor, but everything else has been changed down to the last screw. And the Ride 60 no longer has much in common with its predecessor. Progress at a pig's gallop.
How the new Lapierre E-Zesty AM LTD rides
"Wow, that's so light!" This exclamation is heard almost more often on the Lapierre today than it was five years ago. Back then, fully-fledged e-bikes with their external 500 watt-hour batteries could weigh as little as 21 kilos. The Lapierre E-Zesty with its 18 kilos was not such an extreme difference. Today, the average weight of the big brothers has levelled off at almost 25 kilos. The fat batteries take their toll. The change to the seven-kilo lighter Lapierre is now correspondingly extreme.
Everything feels a whole lot lighter, more agile and more natural as soon as you start rolling. However, everything on the Lapierre E-Zesty AM LTD is also trimmed to be very light. According to the manufacturer, the frame should weigh just 2630 grams in size M. This is also made possible by the permanently installed battery in the classically closed down tube. In addition, carbon wheels, carbon handlebars and the lightweight Rockshox Pike Ultimate fork with 140 millimetres of travel. The result is the lightest E-Fully with Fazua Ride 60 motor that we have ever had in the EMTB test lab. And thanks to this drive, it is also one of the quietest e-bikes you can ride. The Munich drive hums discreetly, audibly under full load, but never annoyingly.
Fazua Ride 60: Motor with plenty of bang
Measured in terms of volume, it is also extremely powerful. Especially in medium mode, it has a very good balance of gentle, very natural support and plenty of bang. It doesn't deliver the brute force of a classic Bosch CX-style power motor, but the thrust is sufficient even on steep climbs to get uphill easily with a manageable amount of power. And thanks to the larger battery, the new E-Zesty also goes significantly further than its predecessor. The range is above average for a light bike. The suspension of the Lapierres provides very good uphill support. The rear suspension of the new E-Zesty is very stable and smooth in its stroke. The lockout lever was never needed. The riding position is balanced and the front wheel climbs late. The growing chainstays - 435 mm for sizes S and M, 441 and 445 mm for sizes L and XL - ensure that the good uphill behaviour is maintained across all frame sizes.
This also maintains the balanced and agile handling downhill and on flat terrain. The E-Zesty is a guarantee of fun, especially on flowing trails. It accelerates quickly and reacts with a good pop when pushing off roots and rock edges. The geometry, which is not too extreme, ensures neutral steering behaviour in fast and slower bends.
Trail bike for flowing terrain
Where the bike loses ground compared to its predecessor, and also compared to some of its current competitors, is when riding fast downhill on rough terrain. Here, the unusually firm Pike Ultimate significantly limits the riding performance. Despite some extra effort during setup, we were unable to get the full travel out of the fork. Steep sections with steps quickly became tiring and the ride felt nervous. The Lapierre is not quite ideal for use in alpine terrain. It shines more as a firm trail bike for flowing, not too extreme terrain. The rattling cables in the frame were an additional downer on the descents. Second minus point: the in-house seat post cannot be fully lowered into the frame. This means that the saddle remains quite far above the short seat tube on the downhill and restricts freedom of movement. If you have shorter legs, there is no getting round the costly installation of a shorter seatpost. The predecessor already had this design flaw. It's a shame that Lapierre didn't find a more elegant solution here.
Conclusion on the Lapierre E-Zesty AM Ltd. by Christian Schleker, EMTB tester:
I told you so! I don't like to hear that saying myself and prefer never to say it. But in 2018, I was still an exotic figure in the EMTB editorial team with my enthusiasm for light e-bikes with their low motor power. Today, nobody looks at me funny when I celebrate a bike like the Lapierre E-Zesty AM LTD. And there are many reasons for this: the agile handling, the fantastic motor and the great performance values, for example. As an overall package, it beats its predecessor by worlds. The downsides of the 2023 model are the rather stiff fork and the limited saddle adjustability. But there must be room for further progress. Therefore: See you in four years!
Lapierre E-Zesty: the differences between 2018 and 2023
Same motor manufacturer, same basic concept. Five years of development make the old E-Zesty... well, pretty old. But the 2023 model isn't perfect either.
The motor
2018: 2-in-1 concept: 250 Wh mini battery and 50 Nm motor, as a unit that can be removed with a flick of the wrist. As innovative as the Minimal Assist approach was, the idea of a bike that can be ridden with and without a motor-battery unit did not catch on.
2023: State of the art: Fazua Ride 60 with integrated 430 Wh battery and 60 Newton metres. Just as quiet as its predecessor, but with significantly more power and endurance, it now also propels the Lapierre E-Zesty AM LTD up high mountains. The fact that the weight has remained the same emphasises the progress once again. However, the frame had to be designed with a permanently integrated battery.
The handlebar remote
2018: Remote type Lego brick: Five years ago, the somewhat clunky handlebar unit was regarded as progressively discreet.
2023: Slim Fit: The mini-remote on the handlebars in conjunction with the LED display in the top tube is ergonomically sophisticated and perfectly integrated visually. However, the feel still leaves room for improvement. A USB port is also hidden in the top tube.
The seat post
2018: Problem area: The dropper post of the Lapierre 2018 had little travel (and a fragile saddle). The fact that the dropper post is still a problem area today is due to progress in terms of travel, as dropper posts are now longer overall. This does not harmonise with the split down tube, which creates space for the shock. Lapierre has remained true to this design.
2023: Problem area reloaded: The in-house seat post cannot be lowered further into the frame than can be seen in the picture. This makes the bike unsuitable for shorter people, even if the reach would fit. A conversion to a 140 mm seat post would have been mandatory for the 172 cm tall tester. An enormous conversion effort.
The wheels
2018: Fixed: Five years ago, many e-bikes came onto the market with 27.5-inch wheels at the front and rear. At the time, it wasn't entirely clear whether the smaller wheel also had advantages at the front. Today, 29-inch wheels are the standard, at least at the front. It's a different story at the rear, and Lapierre will give you the choice in 2023.
2023: Flipchip: 29 inches are standard on the 2023 model. But a smaller rear wheel for more agile handling is possible.
Technical data and review of the Lapierre E-Zesty AM Ltd. 2023
- Price: 8699 Euro
- Weight: 18.15 kilos
- Front/rear suspension travel: 140 mm / 140 mm
- Motor: Fazua Ride 60 (max. 60 Nm torque, 450 watts peak power)
- Battery: Fazua, 430 Wh, permanently installed, 2255 grams (EMTB measured value)
- Remote: Fazua Ring Control and coloured LED display (+ USB-C) in the top tube
- Suspension fork. Rockshox Pike Ultimate Charger 3 RC2
- Shock: Rockshox Deluxe Ultimate
- Tyre size: 29 inch
Strengths:
- Quiet, yet powerful motor
- Low total weight
- Balanced geometry, agile handling
- Rear triangle is stable in the stroke
- Successful design with good system integration
Weaknesses:
- Tight fork limits downhill performance
- Rattling in the head tube area
- Limited seat post retractability
- XT brake levers do not harmonise ideally with remote
- Battery not removable
