Anyone got one, ridden one? Looking around for a XC racing full suss and the 729 seems to fit the bill in terms of price/kit. Marmite looks but I like it. I rode an Epic earlier this year and maybe it wasnt setup right but it felt pretty slow and bobbed like no-ones business. Cant find ANY reviews for the 2014 kit and the 2013 gets average reviews at best. I wont be looking at the EI as its more money and sounds like something else to go wrong.

Here’s mine:

It comes in just under 23lbs and I’ve done around 1500 miles on it this year and still really like it. I’d say it’s sweet spot is somewhere around rougher short XC tracks, marathons and general trail riding. As it is effectively a linkage driven single pivot, it feels more active than dw-link/vpp/maestro bikes under pedalling, however the EI system should help with that (or CTD in my case).

The bike really is at its best with the shock in open mode and descending, the rear end feels perfect and I would definitely like to try some longer travel forks out at some point. Even on hard compound Ralphs I absolutely trounce the times that I set on trail centre DH sections on my old Cotic BFE running Minions…

Thanks looks great! Ill be looking at the CTD version as well so good to know its more than capable without all the electronic bells and whistles. Have you upgraded/changed anything since buying or is that stock?

Here is a review which seems to like it to some extent but mentions a fair amount of bobbing which is hardly ideal for a bike at the XC race end of the spectrum.

I think the main issue these frames have never really taken off is that they are quite heavy (relatively speaking) for a comparatively expensive frame/ bike with pretty unsophisticated suspension. You can easily make gains relative to the XR in weight, price/ value and suspension performance (some frames all 3!).

Cannondale Scalpel, Trek Top Fuel, Rocky Mountain Element, Merida Big Ninety-Nine, Orbe Oiz, Mondraker Lithium, Scott Spark, Cayon Lux CF 29, Santa Cruz Blur XC, even Santa Cruz Superlight… etc, etc all offer more than the Lapierre in some way. This is my feelings when in the market for an XC bike anyway (went with the Scalpel) 😀

Dan – Quite the opposite, the frame is very light, hence mine being a light bike with sensible components. The stock weight of the cheapest model is only 11.5kg (2014 model a bit heavier) and you can take a full kilo off that with just a wheel upgrade.

With the rear shock in trail mode I don’t find mine bobs too much at all, when XC racing I haven’t felt the need to lock the rear out but I have used descend mode (at Eastridge for example where there was a single long and bumpy descent). The chain length grows as the rear suspension compresses to dial out pedal feedback.

I’ve changed the wheels, bars, seat, stem, chainring and rear mech on mine to date.

My opinion having tested and investigated several options (including test riding the XR) was that there wasn’t any really logical reason to buy the XR. If you have your heart set on it and end up buying it then I am sure you would be happy. Not many people buy a new bike and aren’t happy, there are rarely bad bikes nowadays. However nothing made me love it and there were just too many other better value, better performing, lighter, better looking alternatives and nothing about the XR grabbed me (as you can probably tell 😀 ).

In the end I decided for the best value full bike the Canyon Lux CF 29 was hard to beat (1.8kg frame, excellent value components but not very inspiring or interesting). If I was more set on something a little more unusual then I would have gone for the Orbea Oiz which isn’t fantastic value but rides really well and you are unlikely to see another. The Scalpel might not be the most unusual bike either but I just clicked with it and got a great deal on a frame from which to put a super light and great value custom build together. For some reason the Epic and Spark didn’t do anything for me on test rides and there was just something that didn’t click for me.

Just my random musing anyway, I am sure the XR wouldn’t disappoint if you did own it 😀

Thanks guys, I’ve been looking at the Lux as well, very tempting, great spec for the money as always but the lack of finance may make it unaffordable tbh.

Was looking at Scalpels but am slightly put off by the lefty kit and the price, the carbon team coming in at £6500! I’m going to arrange a test ride once the worst of the winter weather has passed but info on the Lapierre just appears harder to come by, never seen one out at races or on the trails which fuels my curiosity and makes me want one more!