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| 2014 Lapierre 27.5 (650B) Zesty AM |
At 5'5" and 135lbs the medium demo Zesty I grabbed from the shop today is technically a bit big for my frame but with a friend riding my trusty Norco Sight today I decided to take the plunge and see how all the hype surrounding this euro bike and E:i technology really fared on our terrain here with a loop in the Soquel Demonstration Forest followed by a fast fire-road descent into Aptos. Thanks Dave @ Shuttle Smith for the ride up!
First the bike:
As a demo bike for a shop with few demos to speak of we wanted to choose something that would compliment the bike designers and the technology they employ without breaking the proverbial bank ($4299). We opted for the Zesty AM 427 in a medium (options for s-xl) which is comprised of an alloy frame, 27.5 (650B) wheels, Lapierres own OST+ suspension design, RockShox Stealth Reverb, and sporting a 150mm travel Fox Float CTD Evolution fork with a Rockshox Monarch RT3 E:i shock. The kit on this bike is a mix of XT (shadow plus rear derailleur), SLX shifters, RaceFace Turbine 36/22 crank, and Avid Elixir 5 brakes... a bit of a mongrel from the parts perspective but everything measured solidly mid-level with an err towards stout rather than light. That being said the bike was a respectable 30.5lbs with pedals!
The Linkage:
Lapierre uses a proprietary suspension desgin called OST+. In short this is a virtual pivot design that uses chain tension to deflect pedal bob without sacrificing the neutral suspension. In designing OST+ Lapierre assumes a shock will not have a climbing platform or "Pro Pedal". By developing the climbing traits into the virtual pivot placement and chain line each pedal stroke causes the chain to pull the rear triangle into the perfect force balance position and when in that position there is no negative pedal feedback and rear tire grip is optimized. OST+ isn't just tuned for climbing though, the ratio curve is progressive with a plush initial feel for better grip and more comfort ramping up at the end of travel for better control and bottom out prevention.
The Suspension Setup:
Admittedly this is a machine you will want to spend a few minutes getting to know before hitting the trail. There is a lot going on with this beyond just a simple setting of sag and rebound before you rip your local singletrack. The E:i needs an understanding rider or at least a well-mannered shop guy to interview you about your preferred trail and riding style and set up the auto mode properly before you blast outta there. The heart of the E:i and what makes it a great addition to this bike is the auto mode. The entire system works off three sensors: two accelerometers one on the fork leg, one in the handlebar mounted computer unit, and a cadence sensor build into the bottom bracket. The sensors detect the speed of the bike, size of the bump, and whether the rider is still pedaling before computing. Based on the sensor feedback the shock moves into one of three modes: "Open" = full plush, "Platform" = medium compression settings, or "Blocked" = lockout or a pedaling platform. The E:i auto mode is tunable and can be prioritized for a given riders style with 5 levels of engagement. Level 5 prioritizes pedaling efficiency only moving to platform or open when the fork is taking big hits and there little to no pedaling going on while level 1 prioritizes plushness and will move to open with smaller fork hits and some pedaling. Most of us will thrive somewhere in the middle but with the option to change levels on the trail the tune-ability is literally at your fingertips. With changes only taking .01 seconds to take reach the shock that translates to a possibility of more than 20 shock adjustments per minute. That would be damn hard to do even with a cable actuated remote for your shock (not to mention the focus it takes to make a remote adjustment even several times a minute, which inevitably leaves you less tuned in to whats coming up on the trail). A note about SAG - setting sag is an important part of initial suspension setup and Lapierre did us a solid by putting an indicator line that you can see while on the saddle.
If you're not one for brains built into your bike (no offense Spcz'd) then you can still get by on this demo as the Open, Platform, and Blocked settings are reachable on the fly through the remote, just bypass the auto mode in the menu and you're back in control.
The Ride:
Now that we've spent the time to dial in the suspension, set tire pressure, and adjusted the height on the Reverb we're ready to hit the trail. The 67 degree head tube angle, 434mm reach, and 150mm suspension set this bike solidly in the All-Mountain category. Descent and Ascent were considered equally when Lapierre designed this bike and it showed when we took this bike up to the Demonstration Forest in Nisene Marks. The climbs are fast and efficient but not so efficient that technical rooty/rocky sections were compromised, the suspension got moving even under heavy chain tension to smooth out the terrain and keep the rear tire firmly in touch with the trail. The geometry suited climbing well and I found myself moving forward on the saddle less often than other recent demos in order to balance my weight for the steep sections. The front end stayed planted and fairly steady on the climbs with a very slight propensity to wander if I stopped paying attention. The short chainstays make this a lively and fun ride, very capable in tight sections, and paired with the slack head angle the steep sections and braking bumps are a breeze. The bike handled surprising well on the bigger trails soaking up mid-sized hits with the right amount of platform to leave you feeling stable, and certainly not feeling like you're blowing through the travel. Boost the Zesty, land hard and you'll feel the progressiveness of the suspension curve kick in but it still handled predictably and never felt harsh. One issue I found a bit annoying was heel strike on the over sized seat-stays which might be solved with a lower profile shoe or a clipless pedal (I used flats with Five Ten's), on the other hand the stiffness offered by these same bulky chainstays in berms and off cambered sections almost makes up for their inconvenience.
In summary:
An all day rider that tames the tricky ascents, is lively and flickable, and still handles the big features of some of our finest trails with charm. This envy-enducing machine will make you want to get out and ride harder and longer than you already do.
Don't take my word for it though, come by and take out our demo bike and see for yourself!
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