2023 Lapierre

E-Zesty AM LTD

The Lapierre E-Zesty was the original mid-power trail/enduro bike – a pioneering model that saw the potential of a lightweight chassis and minimal assistance. Back then, it was in a class of one. Now, four years on, and the competition is fierce. So has it still got what it takes to be one of the best lightweight e-bikes on the market? Lapierre E-Zesty AM 9.4 need to know Trail/enduro e-bike with Fazua Ride 60 (Nm) motor and 430Wh internal battery – the best combination of power and range on the market RockShox Lyrik/Super Deluxe Select+ suspension Full carbon frame, 29in wheels and 140mm rear travel with 150mm fork. Shimano XT drivetrain and Shimano brakes 19.2kg without pedals is average for the price point Intro Wind back 20 years and Lapierre was one of the brands ruling the roost in the UK. Its Zesty and Spicy were wildly popular, and the French firm had a great reputation built on racing success under riders like famously fastidious techno-nerd, and multiple World Champion, Nico Vouilloz. Nico ended up helping design its mountain bikes through some innovative concepts like Ai, the way-ahead-of-its-time electronically controlled suspension that’s a lot like RockShox’s Flight Attendant. The project presumably taught engineers a chunk about integrating electronics, and as e-bikes began surging in popularity on the continent (much earlier than the UK), Lapierre was an early and successful adopter. Being early to the game led to developing some of the lightest and most advanced e-bikes ,that eventually won almost every race under Nico once EWS-E legitimised racing the clock with a motor bolted in your bike. So why haven’t we been hearing about Lapierre in UK recently? One theory is the brand’s various UK distribution set ups reduced marketing, followed by stock levels during the Covid demand surge, until eventually fading out of the mainstream. Well, if this latest lightweight E-Zesty is anything to go by, the brand clearly hasn’t lost any appetite for innovation. Full carbon, and with looks that are as modern as any rivals, it represents the second generation of what Lapierre calls its ‘Light Assist’ e-bikes, meaning the brand has a solid head start on those currently rushing into the lightweight e-bike segment. Motor and battery We tested the first generation electric Zesty that’s already four years old now back in Spring 2021. That bike came with a unique trick up its down tube in how the Fazua Ride 50 drive unit and battery was fully removable to convert it into a sub 16kg enduro machine. Just over 19kg with sensible parts, this new E-Zesty AM 9.4 is not a multi-mode transformer any more, because the battery is not removable, but still blurs boundaries by using the latest Fazua Ride 60 motor, with a natural response that rides more like a regular rig than long travel e-bike. Advancements in Fazua’s motor and battery technology mean massively upped E-Zesty range and power, and it’s all packaged extremely cleanly into a carbon frame built around 29in wheels …Continue reading »

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