[Closed] Looking for 2012 Lapierre Zesty

STOP RIGHT THERE!

2012 carbon models have a fatal design flaw and WILL crack the frame in a very short time. However, this will be covered under the 5 year warranty assuming you have purchased the bike from a reputable source. However, no more 2012 frames exist, so you will get either a 2013 or 2014 frame back, at which point none of your components will fit, and you will then spend absolutely ages chasing Hotlines trying to source replacement parts!

Personally i'd get a 2013 frameset if it were cheap enough, or wait for the 2014 stuff

Hmmm, i've heard a few stories of them cracking. Maybe worth sticking to the alloy frames then. Do you think the 314 @ £1840 is a good deal?
The 2013 314 is £2399.

When does the 2014 stuff get released, is it actually next year or later this year?

If I was to buy second hand, would warranty be transferred to me or is it just for the original purchaser?

I have a spicy 516 for sale in large if your interested

Thanks but im looking for a zesty.

Do you know if warranty is transferable?

No there not

I don't think many bikes do have transferable warrantys, I know lapierre arnt

I paid less than £1800 for my 2012 314 in October last year. I seem to remember some stupid discounts earlier in the year. I'd be chucking in a cheeky £1500 offer for a 2012 model in light of the 2014 stuff coming out.

You don't ask, you don't get.

Cheers, well the cheapest I've found a 2013 314 is for £2,151 on UBYK.
Im going to test a L and XL at dalby to see what i think. I wonder if they will match that price...

The offer idea is definately worth a go though since the 2014's have been announced.

sorry Maxtorque but where do you get that nonsense from.

Ive been selling Lapierre in Leeds since 2003 and havent come across a "design flaw" and have a number of customers on 2012 bikes with no complaints.

if the OP wants to check some Zestys out, we have the demo fleet at Crosstrax in Leeds and we would be happy to let him try a few out and even cut a deal on either ex demo or we have one 314 left in a medium.

Personally I cant wait for the 2014 models, but they wont be available realistically til december

maxtorque - Member
STOP RIGHT THERE!

2012 carbon models have a fatal design flaw and WILL crack the frame in a very short time

Nonsense

Thanks Sancho i wouldn't mind trying some out in L/XL, although I can't really justify anything higher spec than a 314 for the 2013 models. If you have some discounted demo bikes i would be interested. Your not far away either.

I have an very lightly used XL 514 from 2010 for sale if you're interested?

It's the blue and white one that won trail bike of the year at the time.

I was also in the market for a Zesty (314) and found a 2013 one at my LBS (Cookson's, Bury), for £1800! I went in to buy it but they'd sold it only the day before...gutted.

I reckon they'll be some big discounts on 2013 Zestys given that the 650b version is on the way.

To clarify, the critical 2012 flaw is only on carbon bikes. It is due to the chain stay attachment tube being incorrectly bonded to the main frame, and the poor design means it is not well supported. If you look at a 2013 frame you can see the design has changed and the cross tube is now much more integral with the seat tube and supported with smooth webs to spread the load. If you go to the lapierre owners club site, you will see a large number of threads that show 2012 carbon frames broken in this fashion.

If you buy a 2012 carbon bike, and ride it to anything like it's capability it WILL fail in this area. Obviously, if you just ride it down a flat path at 3mph it will last a lot longer. Typically, they seem to fail between 3 months (heavier/harder riders) to 14months (lighter/ less serious) riders.

If you have proof of purchase, LP will replace the frame with a 2013 one under warranty without any quibbling, but as i mentioned, a lot has changed 12-13, so that can leave a bit of phaffing to get the bike back together.

Here's my 8 month old 2012 714:

[URL= http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q137/max_torque_2006/Lapierre%20Zesty%20714/LP2105150_framecrack_chainstay_boss_3_zpsedf8a2de.jp g" target="_blank">http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q137/max_torque_2006/Lapierre%20Zesty%20714/LP2105150_framecrack_chainstay_boss_3_zpsedf8a2de.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

The second issue is cracking of the chain stay itself, on carbon bikes this seems to be a bit of a lottery, with the alloy bearing housing insert coming unbonded from the hollow carbon arm. Possibly quality or process control related in production, but for 2014, all LP bikes now use an all alloy chain stay (even the carbon ones!). On the alloy frames, the swing arm crack appears to be in a slightly different place, and might be related to a tollerance issue, as it seems to occur in a "cross plane" direction (could result from over tightening of the pivot bolt).

Now, i have no idea what percentage of 2012 bikes sold by LP in the UK have actually failed in this fashion, and it will depend to a large degree on the loadings those frames are seeing (people ride very differently, under different conditions) but the owners on the LPOC site seem to suggest it's very very common on hard ridden bikes (and why are you buying a 140/160mm AM bike if not to ride it hard?)

ah
i didnt realise that there was some qualification that you had to be some gnar rider to break them.

then clearly you are a great rider that pushes your kit to its limits and anyone who has a 2012 which isnt broken by now just isnt riding hard enough.

ill check with my customers on how gnar they are.

no worries on trying some bikes, I think there is a large in the demo fleet for sale

Just to back up what maxtorque says : Every single 2012 carbon 514 we have sold (a decent number) has failed in the BB area, whether that has shown as barely perceivable hairline cracks or actual "whoa - look at that!" type cracks but fair dues to Hotlines as they have been very good in sorting out replacement frames for our customers and i'm sure it was as much a pain in the arse for them to deal with all the claims but deal wi them they have without so much as grumble, so it's a big thumbs up for their prompt service.

Apparently Lapierre used a different factory for their 2012 carbon frame run and that led to the problems but as to whether or not that is a "bike shop rumour" or not i don't know.

Our local 7 stanes trails along wi the natural wild stuff does tend to be a good test of a bikes capabilities and longevity, mtb's break all the time but at least Lapierre have a decent warranty to cover you when something does go wrong.

I have a medium 2013 Zesty 914, which I am thinking of selling, as not getting the use out of it, as since building up a 29 er hardtail, am finding this more suited to my local trails.

Only got it in early March, and done less than 500 miles. Also have a spare pair of 2013 crossmax wheels with winter tyres on. Only changes from standard are carbon riser bars, and slightly longer stem at 110mm. I had a 2010 714 before this, and never had any issues with cracks. (May be I just don't ride hard enough !!) Its a stunning looking bike, and flies downhill like nothing I have ridden before.

e-mail in profile if interested.

Cheers

Mates 2012 714 (I think) cracked around BB last week

Based on an un-transferable warranty and a history of failure it doesn't sound sensible to buy a carbon Lapierre s/h at the mo.

It's only the 2012 514 zesty that had problems, we have customers ragging the tit's off their 22010/2011/2013 Zestys without any problems whatsoever bar the very occasional bushing or bearing change.

I'd be happy to buy a 2nd hand Zesty from the above years but like all 2nd hand bikes if you don't know how or where to look for problems then take a mate who does or better still pay a bike shop to give it a check over for you.

Have the 2010 714 best bike I've owned. Was looking to get a 2013 150mm 714 when they get discounted or second hand. Then only because I like the idea of a bit more front end travel.

thomasgeorge thanks for the offer but i need a L/XL and would only really buy alloy frames s/h.

Im just going to keep an eye out and try pick up a good deal on the 2013 bikes.

Hey guys just a question here. What if your 2012 Zesty gets cracked and it is still under warranty, whats the deal now that all the current ones are 650b ? Do they have older models they can replace with or do they give you the 650b which none of your components will fit ?

A mates 2013 714 wore away the rear triangle through a fault with the bearings or bushings?
It was replace replaced within a few weeks with a 2013 914.
I've had a 2010 314 & a 514 and happily buy another one seeing how good their warranties are.

I was thinking the same, not sure if they would just replace the frame or the wheels/forks too?

I did go for the 2012 514 zesty in the end. I saw a lad at sherwood in the DH area on the same bike as me and noticed it was flexing alot from side to side under load. Had a look and the rear traingle and on the driveside chainstay there was a huge crack where the carbon/aluminium joint is just behind the BB. Fair play to him for having another run!

Went back to look at mine and you can see some glue on the joint and what I thought looked like a crack appearing, but its still holding up (for now).

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

I doubt they would. The warrenty is for frame only. I have replaced my wheels and in the process of replacing forks and just wondered if it did happen then would they give a 650b which would be useless with my wheels and fork.

I am sure this is an issue for all manufactures as most have gone 650b now unless they have old stock in which they use

You only get a 1 year warranty on other parts, but if the frame fails in the first year would the forks/wheels still be fit for purpose on a 650b frame?

Nope they wont work different size geometry etc.

Someone must know though. Maybe its not a issue as yet but will be in the coming months and be interesting to see what they do

So, those people who called bull on my "get a carbon 2012 and it will crack" experience, guess what.... 😉

Anyone got a (ecent) picture of where the failure occurs?

I've only ridden my Zesty about 5 times this year other than a week in Morocco, but I'm going to go have a look.

Minne is normally cake in mud, so I probably wouldn't see it anyway!?

I bought a new 2012 carbon Zesty in Nov 2012 and have given it an absolute pounding in trail centres across Wales, FoD and around my local area and the frame is still fine with no signs of cracking.
I'm aware that there have been quite a few issues with this frame (one of my mates had one that cracked) but I'd be very interested in knowing what percentage of these frames had issues from the total number manufactured....a figure we'll never know. I'm sure that, quite rightly, those who have had issues crow a lot louder than those who haven't, making it seem like a high percentage have failed. I just hope mine doesn't crack as I've spent a fortune on it custom building it from the frame up!!
I now do DH too after trying my Zesty out in the Forest of Dean a few times but since bought a proper DH rig as I don't think any carbon frame (even DH specific) would stand that sort of punishment for long.
I love riding my Zesty, it's the best all rounder I've ever ridden, but all frames crack. Over the past 17 years I've have 10 aluminium bikes (4 have cracked), one carbon (Zesty - still going) and one titanium (still going)....so all are vulnerable if they're being ridden hard.

Hi all,

My 2012 914 Zesty has cracked in the usual place by the BB. Hotlines have said they'd supply a replacement frame which will no doubt be a 2013 914. The geometry of the 2013 bikes is different, with slacker head\seat tube angles and longer chain stays. Fitting my 140mm fork compared to a 150mm will result in different geometry to what the bike was designed. Any ideas if this will cause an issue? The effective top tube length will be less too and I don't want to add a longer stem as the 2012 already uses an 80mm version.

Any advice as to what components I should demand to end up with an equivalent bike to my 2012?