My Lapierre hasn’t been feeling quite right for a little while. It rides ok on the XC stuff. It feels alright in the garage when I am trying to work out what’s wrong – yet it clatters around more than before in the rough. The rougher, the more noticeable. “Clattering” is about the best way I can describe the noise. Similar to once when my cassette was loose.

Everything seems tight. The cassette is locked on, the rear mech tension ok, neoprene chainstay protector on. The pivots seem ok, most of the bearings replaced last year,and shock serviced by Mojo with new bushings recently.

The only thing I can feel is, if holding the rear wheel (forcing it downward) to the ground and pulling the seatpost area, there is a very slight amount of play somewhere. Similar to when a shock bushing has gone (but given they’re brand new bushings, and you have to hold the wheel down to achieve the same sort of knock, I wouldn’t think it’s this?

Help!? Thoughts?

For a minute then I thought somebody had stolen my Zesty and taken it for a ride, as mine has exactly the same problem.

Mine seems to be due to worn bearings in the front wheel (Mavic), however I would have thought it would be fairly obvious if this was the problem on your bike, as there is a huge amount of play evident.

On my 2010 314 I had a “clattering” sound too, I checked everything that you have and when it came to changing the awful cheap headset it came with it all went away.

I was helping a friend try and solve a similar knocking. I narrowed it down to the bushings near the drop-outs on the rear triangle. The plastic top hats had worn away the carbon.
The only real solution is a new real triangle but the same will happen again. Its an awful design really from an engineering point of view.
We did temporarily solve it by cutting some shims from an old milk bottle but they didn’t last long. He just rides it with the knocking now but does complain about it quite often.
Have a Google, Its quite a common complaint.

Andy

Hmmm…..I have the 2009 old fashioned alloy 26″ model. I’ve read about the top hats. Was this an issue on the old ones too?

I have a 2011 zesty. No problems with bushings, but the derailleur rattles like a good-un when the chain is on a small cog at the rear. Could it be that?

Indeed, the design of the seat to chain stay articulation bushes is complete arsehat tbh. There’s hardly any rotation, so they just seem to jam up with dirt/grit, and at that point the frame is softer than the top hats, so it just wears the frame away……

ok…. so I have located the issue – seems to be play at the back of the rear triangle. I have a feeling these are bushings rather than bearings – and that I’ll need a “Rear End” articulation kit. WeLoveLapierre used to do them – alas seem to no longer be around?

Any idea where I can find one of these? It’s for a 2009 Zesty. Can’t see any on Hotlines site….

Thanks

Update – as well as the rear end articulation kit…there’s a big crack in the weld on the chainstay! Back to Evans with the receipt and the chainstay.

Thankfully it’s still in warranty. Fingers crossed they can resolve….

Good luck.
What year Zesty?
Got a photo pls?

there’s a big crack

Opened this thread thinking “bet it’s a crack” sometimes it’s sad to be proved right 🙁

You won’t be the first with a cracked zesty chainstay…

Early zestys were prone to cracks.
2010 on were made a lot stronger..

It’s a 2009 zesty…. Hopefully can still get the parts from
Hotlines under warranty. Bloody annoying more than anything! Will try get a photo posted

Crack!

Hopefully this works…. crack down the weld…

Did Lapierre give 5 year warranties in 2009?

I have a rear triangle from an XL 2008 zesty if your interested, but I’m not sure whether its a straight swap or not.

My Booklet certainly says a full 5 years on both HT and FS rigs.
Thanks @yorkshire89 – I may well take you up on that depending on how I get on with Evans and Hotlines….

What colour would that be, btw?!

Ah you should be good then, although I don’t think they have any spares that far back (they didn’t for 2008 anyway). So I would guess you will get a 2013 frame as a replacement if you are the original owner.

It’s currently just bare aluminium, I stripped the paint off the full frame, but then realised the front triangle was cracked. Drop me a mail if you would like photo’s.

A new frame would be a bonus! I’d envisaged just getting the chainstay.

The front triangle was cracked? Bloody hell….hope I don’t have that coming!

@tenfoot “I have a 2011 zesty. No problems with bushings, but the derailleur rattles like a good-un when the chain is on a small cog at the rear. Could it be that?”

Nah it’ll be the gold bars…………..

Hi, I had a 2009 Zesty 714 with the carbon rear triangle which cracked. The rear triangle got replaced with no fuss. I then cracked the bottom bracket (aluminium front triangle) and got a complete 2012 carbon 914 frame as a replacement. A bit concerned with the reliability but no complaints with their replacement policy.

It was just the BB-shell that was cracked, I couldn’t tell until I stripped the paint. That was fairly common with the 2008 frames.

If they offer you a new frame, and you don’t have to send yours back, I may be interested in the front triangle! 🙂

Update! Fully replaced Chainstay under warranty from Lapierre and refitted by Evans Brighton.

Very happy outcome.