I searched long and hard for a 6in-travel, do-it-all mountain bike and finally settled on the Lapierre Zesty/Spicy platformJames Huang / Immediate Media
Lapierre’s Zesty and Spicy frames are actually identical, differing only in the build kits. The complete Spicy model that I really wanted wasn’t available so instead, I bought a complete Zesty and then customized it from thereJames Huang / Immediate Media
One of my requirements was a suspension system that I knew would work well on its own without the need for complex shock valving – which I often feel muddles a bike’s ride qualities. Lapierre’s true four-bar OST system is about as neutral as it gets with just enough anti-squat built into the kinematics to keep the pedaling efficient and spunky even without a platform-equipped shockJames Huang / Immediate Media
The stock Lapierre Zesty AM 927 came with RockShox’s e:i electronic rear shock system but I was after something more straightforward that didn’t do any thinking on its own. The electronic bits were quickly replaced by a RockShox Monarch Plus but these days the frame wears the absolutely awesome Cane Creek DBAir Inline CS. It’s supple on little stuff, fantastically controlled on bigger impacts, and sports a tremendously broad tuning rangeJames Huang / Immediate Media
The ultra-wide carbon seatstays are a known issue for riders with big feet or who pedal with their toes angled outward. My feet thankfully point straight fore-and-aft so heel rub hasn’t been an issue. The stoutness of those huge stays, however, has proven to be a boon on fast, technical terrainJames Huang / Immediate Media
I was so impressed with the Industry Nine Enduro 27.5 wheelset that I reviewed several months ago that I ended up buying them. They’re not quite as wide as I might ideally prefer but their incredible stiffness is a great match for the Lapierre frame – and it doesn’t hurt that the red anodized aluminum spokes match the rest of the bikeJames Huang / Immediate Media
The near-instant three-degree engagement speed of Industry Nine’s Torch rear hub has utterly ruined me. Nearly everything else now feels intolerably slowJames Huang / Immediate Media
Most of the Zesty’s life has been spent with RockShox’s fantastic 160mm-travel Pike RCT3 fork. I wanted to try something a little burlier, though, so it was recently swapped out for a Fox 36James Huang / Immediate Media
Doubt all you want whether the stiffness benefits of a 35mm-diameter bar and stem are noticeable but there was no questioning the difference in handling precision after installing the Race Face SixC and Atlas 35 cockpit – particularly on rough sections of trail where I’m really muscling the front end around. The stock 800mm bar was a bit much for my narrow shoulders so I hacked it down to a more reasonable 760mmJames Huang / Immediate Media
The collet-type pivot hardware has helped keep the Lapierre (mostly) creak-free. After nearly a year of regular riding (and far too little maintenance), all I’ve had to do is remove and relube the main pivot axle once to keep things quiet. And yes, I’m also a staunch believer in using flush cutters for zip-ties!James Huang / Immediate Media
Much as I love the performance of the RockShox Reverb dropper post, I’m not a fan of the semi-regular bleeding it requires. I eventually bought an Elite Covert dropper from Thomson. I do wish that it topped out with more of an audible clunk but it’s been 100 percent trouble-free since installation and that’s been the most important trait for my busy scheduleJames Huang / Immediate Media