Hi all, especially zesty owners. It looks like I won't be able to get a demo on a Zesty. All the info I have praise their descent capabilities, but what are they like up and along? My recent demo Meta 5 seemed to be towing a tractor tyre up hill, but was good in the twisty descents. Anyone riding their Zesty long distances?

Cheers

I've done a couple of Merida Marathons on mine, goes well (I was slow but that was a rider fitness issue :p ). If all I was doing was XC/marathons then I might look for something lighter (assuming you're not looking at the 914) otherwise for a trail centre bike that you can race on OK to I'd recommend it.
I'd be careful with the sizing if buying one without a demo, they have pretty long top tubes so if you're normally between sizes I'd go for the smaller size (I'm 5'11" and have a medium if that helps)

Just traded my 08 stumpjumper FSR for a Zesty, as you said downhilling is chalk and cheese with the Zesty giving me way more confidence and control (although the stumpy was still a good bike).
Uphills and effort stuff, I would rate the stumpy as marginally more sprightly but its certainly not a big difference, its well worth the trade off.

Have a day at Dalby / Keilder and book yourself a test ride from Purple Mountain. Keswick isn't that far away

Tom,

Think that they have a demo bike at biketreks as well, its only down the road from you.

I have a Zesty 514 which is great not found it that slow up hill, if anything I'm the slow part of the equation. For riding round the lakes its great lets me get away with murder.

hope this is of some help 🙂

Cheers all!
IamSam, I saw on the lapierre site that Biketreks are a dealer, but no mention of lapierre on the bike treks web site. I'll have to pop in……

igm, day out to Dalby is a fine idea, thanks for the tip, didn't know they had a large zesty on demo.

Tom

Ring'em to check and also to book – they certainly had the Spicy ('cos I had a play – not bad for a 160mm bike) and they were getting a Zesty I think – but they are popular demo bikes

Ask nicely and someone might show you the 8 foot (rollable, honest, but I'll be walking) rock drop too.

Purple Mountain definately have Zesty 314s to demo. Call them and book a ride – I was on the demo weekend a couple of weeks ago and fell in love with the 314.

If you're going to demo one then you'll know. I found it a little sluggish up hill, but didn't have time to set it up properly.

man i love their bikes.i hope i can afford one,one day!!!