Steve, I'm curious how this bike would compare in some regards to some of the smoother more subtle bikes you ride. Bikes that you say are almost like riding a full suspension. Curious because it sounds like this bike could fool you into thinking it was a hard tail.
@Pinkbike Just one question: You said that the bike has am XT drivetrain but the cassette looks like a deore one (seems to have steel sprockets only) so is this only on your Testbike or do customer bikes come with a deore cassette as well? And nice video again!!!
IMO a cracked down tube from a kicked up rock should be a HUGE fail. Ya i get that they’re trying to save weight, etc, but by not putting at least some kind of protection there, is the 100 gram savings, or whatever the weight would be, worth it to risk that?
I rode for some time on the actual cannondale scalpel Himod and it has a very similar suspension layout. I had the same feel you had with this bike until i let it sag significantly more, around 30% which is not an usual value on such XC bike. Below those value the layout has a tendency to exacerbate the initial excess of stiffness of (low volume) air shock. Then you should have a shock with high volume air can to avoid that initial steep ramp and make sure to have enough volume spacer to counter the fact you need a low pressure to get into sag while preventing excessive bottoming. Checking shock oil level is good too. In the end i sold the cannondale and got back to my upsized third gen spark with latest rockshox nude shock and 120mm rocker/shock travel. My feeling with the cannondale which i guess is very similar to the lapierre is the "open" position on those bike when correctly tuned is somewhere between the "open" and "short travel" position of Scott Spark so it remains a bit to stiff and lacking in traction.
Super firm top end kinda ruins the whole idea of ful sus XC/DC bike. Just get a hardtail at that point if you are not getting extra traction from the rear suspension.
id say its more that its too close to an xc bike and thus no real point for most people. might as well get an xc bike proper. its really a small niche that want this xc "+" that isnt very downcountry either
Any chance there was a volume spacer in the shock? Seems completely unnecessary on a progressive short travel bike ...but who knows how stuff comes from the factory.
That, or I was wondering if the “lockout” was set up improperly. When I got my ‘20 top fuel, it seemed really firm even in “open” mode, and it came down to the tuning of the lockout.
If you are in the USA, stay away from Lapierre. VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. I need horstlink bolts and other spares bolts and they weren’t willing to help me. But still searching for them
No compren Lapierre MTBs, servicio al cliente es una mierda, yo necesito unos tornillos para el cuadro y totalmente nunca me ayudaron. CORRAN LEJOS DE ESA COMPAÑÍA.
I always appreciate when a reviewer isn't afraid to highlight the cons of a bike. This is an extremely helpful review.
Why are you watching XC bike reviews @hardtail party? LOL😉
Steve, I'm curious how this bike would compare in some regards to some of the smoother more subtle bikes you ride. Bikes that you say are almost like riding a full suspension. Curious because it sounds like this bike could fool you into thinking it was a hard tail.
@@edlorenz1552 I learn a lot from watching reviews, even if it's not a model I'm interested in owning.
A full suspension Hardtail. What will they think of next 😮
Rear triangle has already cracked as well as the hole in the down tube! Hahaha, Lapierre will never change.
@Pinkbike Just one question: You said that the bike has am XT drivetrain but the cassette looks like a deore one (seems to have steel sprockets only) so is this only on your Testbike or do customer bikes come with a deore cassette as well? And nice video again!!!
IMO a cracked down tube from a kicked up rock should be a HUGE fail. Ya i get that they’re trying to save weight, etc, but by not putting at least some kind of protection there, is the 100 gram savings, or whatever the weight would be, worth it to risk that?
I rode for some time on the actual cannondale scalpel Himod and it has a very similar suspension layout. I had the same feel you had with this bike until i let it sag significantly more, around 30% which is not an usual value on such XC bike. Below those value the layout has a tendency to exacerbate the initial excess of stiffness of (low volume) air shock. Then you should have a shock with high volume air can to avoid that initial steep ramp and make sure to have enough volume spacer to counter the fact you need a low pressure to get into sag while preventing excessive bottoming. Checking shock oil level is good too. In the end i sold the cannondale and got back to my upsized third gen spark with latest rockshox nude shock and 120mm rocker/shock travel.
My feeling with the cannondale which i guess is very similar to the lapierre is the "open" position on those bike when correctly tuned is somewhere between the "open" and "short travel" position of Scott Spark so it remains a bit to stiff and lacking in traction.
I wonder if shock tune would help with harshness or is it a frame design flaw.
Super firm top end kinda ruins the whole idea of ful sus XC/DC bike. Just get a hardtail at that point if you are not getting extra traction from the rear suspension.
id say its more that its too close to an xc bike and thus no real point for most people. might as well get an xc bike proper. its really a small niche that want this xc "+" that isnt very downcountry either
Ah yes, immediately getting a hole in the downtube of your ~5k frame. It is what it iiisss
Seems like this bike is the roughest yet but not even the most efficient or fastest bike. Not sure who would buy this versus the others.
Sounds like a slightly heavier and much more expensive hardtail then, got it.
So, it looks like an XC hardtail would be a cheaper option for the same performance.
XC Hardtails rock if setup right
Looks like a clone of the Orbea Oiz, with messed up suspension?
Any chance there was a volume spacer in the shock? Seems completely unnecessary on a progressive short travel bike ...but who knows how stuff comes from the factory.
That, or I was wondering if the “lockout” was set up improperly. When I got my ‘20 top fuel, it seemed really firm even in “open” mode, and it came down to the tuning of the lockout.
A super expensive race bike with an absolute boat anchor of the Deore cassette on there. 600+g or something crazy like that.
This field test is missing all down country bikes, it’s all xc bikes. Where’s the tallboy, the ripley, epic evo, pivot 429, etc.
Sounds like a flat handlebar gravel bike.
Stop calling it "efficient" just because it feels firm. It's "efficient feeling". It's not the same thing, not by a long shot.
Hey guy's what where your timed courses, up and down?
Nice 600 gram cassette
A broken frame from a PEBBLE !
Lies! The Evil has frame protection 😊
If you are in the USA, stay away from Lapierre. VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. I need horstlink bolts and other spares bolts and they weren’t willing to help me. But still searching for them
Just get a hardtail ffs. So many bikes on the market nowadays serve such little purpose.
I would never buy a complete bike with SRAM kit.
No compren Lapierre MTBs, servicio al cliente es una mierda, yo necesito unos tornillos para el cuadro y totalmente nunca me ayudaron. CORRAN LEJOS DE ESA COMPAÑÍA.
Mallet DHs on a XC bike 😂
Who cares. Just on there to test, not their personal bikes set up properly. Makes literally no difference.
Come back to US Lapierre 😢