lapierre

jay158
jay158 Posts: 8
edited May 2011 in MTB buying advice
hello everyone.
i am looking for some advice please. i am going to purchase my first full sus ride (current is a hard tail mongoose) and can't decide which. i have narrowed my choice down to spesh stuntjumper fsr elite, cube stereo race or lapierre zesty 514. having read a few bad things about lapierres frame strength i am wondering how many people have suffered failures with their zestys? i realise that people normally only post about negative experiences but i am hoping to get an honest view of all three so any comments good or bad would be vety helpfull.
cheers :D

Comments

  • Mccraque
    Mccraque Posts: 819
    I own a 514. Paranoid about it breaking due to the horror stories....but the thing has been absolutely brilliant.

    It climbs like a mountain goat, it descends faster than anything I have ever ridden and I would not swap it for the world. Brilliant bike...
  • Mccraque
    Mccraque Posts: 819
    That said...those Cubes are amazing looking bikes....I spent the winter in a ski resort, looking at a stereo race for a few months every day and wondering what it would be like on the thawed slopes...
  • rhialto
    rhialto Posts: 277
    From what I have read and been told by my LBS, the frame cracking was a manufacturing issue with some carbon bits during a particular period of time.

    I don't believe you are going to get a fair and balanced view on the incidence of Zesty frame failures by asking this forum. You would get a better perspective by talking to a retailer who sells a decent quantity of Lapierres. For example, you can speak with these guys: http://www.welovelapierre.com/contactus.php

    Having said that, all frames can crack. Due to the nature of materials, no one frame is identical to another. There was a recent post here of a Trek frame failure. It doesn't mean that there is a fundamental flaw with Trek frames.

    I am currently living in France. I see a lot of Lapierres. This issue has never come up amongst my riding buddies (I ride in a club of over 60 members). It seems to be an issue that is resurrected every so often. I guess it makes for a good tabloid-style headline. Kind of like the evening news; if it bleeds it leads.

    Not that I am unsympathetic to those who have suffered through a cracked frame. I wouldn't wish that on anyone! I am just hoping for some objectivity as opposed to the anecdotal evidence that you are going to get on forums. (I predict that someone will post that they have had 4 cracked frames in a year and tell me I'm full of it)
  • jay158
    jay158 Posts: 8
    Cheers for the comments. I know that this may not be the best place for a balanced view as you say, but I don't see very many lapierres at all round here to ask the owners. The cube is a stunning bike but I wonder if it's all mouth and no trousers! The rear suss set up is a bit different from the norm, not that that's neccessarily a bad thing!
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    Zesty, end of! Mate rides a 314, probably harder than most, and he's had absolutely no issues with it and it's a wonderful bike. If I didn't have a Yeti.............
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • finnj6
    finnj6 Posts: 45
    I know a lot of people with Lapierre bikes and own one myself, everyone loves them. There's nothing to worry about with the frames, they all come with 5 year warranty on the frame now and their warranty return is excellent if something does go wrong.
    Lappiere X-Control 210
    Columbus X-Wing
    Fuji track
    Treck 1500 with Campag
    Soon to be Colnago Masters
  • rhialto
    rhialto Posts: 277
    I guess I should have provided full disclosure. I own a 2008 Zesty 514 and I have hammered it over the last 3 years with no frame issues. I took it to the Alps last summer and rode with some boys who were on tractors. My relatively light Zesty wasn't the limiting factor, it was me. Once I let go and let it roll, it was susprisingly robust, even on the hair-raising, rock-strewn descents.
  • Eranu
    Eranu Posts: 712
    To add a bit of balance, I tried the Zesty and hated it. I wouldn't worry about the frame, they will replace it cracks.

    I like my Stereo, others won't like it. I've had no issues with it blowing through the travel as per the WMB review but Singletrack and others haven't mentioned this issue so maybe WMB just has a duff bike.

    If I were you I'd go and try them both and also some other bikes and chose what you like the feel of.
  • jay158
    jay158 Posts: 8
    Thanks everyone. I have found two lbs' relatively near to me who stock all three between them so the next chance I get I will try them all out. :D

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