Help Required For A Newbie

Joshua241996

Hi guys

i am a sort of newbie to mountain biking having previously giving it up due to work, college etc. I have just bought a 2012 lapierre x controll 110. The guy i bought it from bought it new in 2012 intending to use it, use it twice around the local park and left it in the garage and not been used since.

Now the rear shock on the bike is lapierres own shock and im looking to upgrade it to a fox float etc. How do i measure the shock. Do i measure it without any pressure in it from the centre of the mounting point to the centre of the other mojnting point or can i measure it with pressure in it.

Also when looking to upgrade the front forks to air shocks what sort of air shocks are rhe better ones to go for.

Also if anybody has this bike what do they think to it when handling on the trails etc as a few people have told me that lapierre are the lowest of the low in mtb bikes and the bike i have isnt worth anything.

All help appreciated
Josh

cooldad

Why don't you ride it and see?

Then think of upgrading what doesn't work for you.

Nothing really wrong with the spec, not great, but ok, and if you replace the fork and shock at maybe £500, you might have bought the wrong bike.

ps I would ignore what 'people' say. Most are idiots anyway.

The Rookie

Not sure what they use but I very much doubt it is Lapierres own shock, just branded as such (for example the Scott branded ones are made by DT Swiss), why not find out what is fitted first?

mudsucker

As above why would you want to change a perfectly good shock. Just because it doesn't have a Fox sticker on doesn't mean is no good! Also, why buy a bike with a coil fork then want to change it. As Cooldad says, bought the wrong bike?

welshkev

Joshua241996 wrote:

Hi guys


Also if anybody has this bike what do they think to it when handling on the trails etc as a few people have told me that lapierre are the lowest of the low in mtb bikes and the bike i have isnt worth anything.

All help appreciated
Josh

a friend of mine has this bike. he upgraded the forks after a while as they weren't the best. but he rides everything on it.

as said above, ride it first then look at upgrading it. it's not the best bike out there, but it's far from the worst either. I think a lot of people these days get hung up on names and badges and not actually enjoying riding their bike!

The Rookie

mudsucker wrote:

As Cooldad says, bought the wrong bike?

Not here as it was a used buy.....so the saving already made!

mudsucker

OK I meant wrong bike for intended use or knowing not liking the spec but buying anyway. Not really much of a saving if you are going to change major components on it.

Joshua241996

Thanks for the replies guys, the pure and simple fact that I am pushing the shock to its limits at the minute being a big lad I am running at max pressure. Also the other reason I ride with a few family members and one has an orange 5 with hope this and hope that and that every other bike but orange is crap and not worth 50 quid.

Joshua241996

Also I have test rode the bike down some local rough tracks and love the feel and comfort of the bike but would like to adjust when nessecary for better component s.

cooldad

Joshua241996 wrote:

Thanks for the replies guys, the pure and simple fact that I am pushing the shock to its limits at the minute being a big lad I am running at max pressure. Also the other reason I ride with a few family members and one has an orange 5 with hope this and hope that and that every other bike but orange is crap and not worth 50 quid.

Don't worry about that - do a forum search for Orange 5 and you'll see everyone hates them, and their riders.

Joshua241996

cooldad wrote:

Joshua241996 wrote:

Thanks for the replies guys, the pure and simple fact that I am pushing the shock to its limits at the minute being a big lad I am running at max pressure. Also the other reason I ride with a few family members and one has an orange 5 with hope this and hope that and that every other bike but orange is crap and not worth 50 quid.

Don't worry about that - do a forum search for Orange 5 and you'll see everyone hates them, and their riders.

Yh i can see why,