After a Zesty this year. They used to all go crack and then Lapierre were a pain in the arse to get them to fix.

Also does anyone know if Evans are still doing Lapierre. Their website seems very hard to navigate these days and no 2014 models online.

Don’t know about the cracking but Evans has them including 2014… http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/bikes/mountain-bikes/f/lapierre#!

Can’t remember having any aluminium ones returned for quite a while, had a fair few carbon fibre ones returned though.

Friends of mine had the older (2011?) models crack, but they were always replaced very quickly under warrenty. Don’t know about the new ones.

I certainly wouldn’t write them off because there have been numerous ones that have cracked – I have a 2013 carbon zesty and it’s aweeessome. I’d hoped that any frame issues back in 2011 and ’12 had been rectified by 13 models.

I have a Cube in the shop at the moment getting the frame replaced on warranty (hairline crack – chainstay) going to take 8 weeks!

No matter what you buy there’s a chance of a crack!

I think it was mainly a dodgy batch of 2011/12 carbon models.

Should all be good now.

My 2012 carbon hasn’t cracked. (yet)

Had a look at one the other week, nice bikes but the rear end(seat/chain stays)would appear to be rather wide. This may cause problems with heel contact. Yet to arrange a test ride to check.

the rear end(seat/chain stays)would appear to be rather wide. This may cause problems with heel contact.

It will have been a pre production test model, apparently the wide rears have been slimmed down for the bikes you actually buy.

I had the first(general public issue) 2012 714 in the Uk, way back in Oct ’11. It cracked after about 10months riding. Replaced by an early ’13 714 without quibble by Lapierre. So far, no signs of issue with this one (about 13months riding so far, and it’s been in 160mm travel mode for about 11 of those months)

With the right mods, they are effortlessly fast bikes imo 😉

PS. I’ve got big feet and have no issues with the seat stay width. I have helitaped them, and that tape is scuffed, so my heals must occasionally touch, but i’ve never actually felt/noticed that happening when riding tbh. Total non issue.

2010 zesty best bike I’ve ever had, relentlessly fast

Three Zesty’s later Ahem… crap service from Hotlines.
Firstly a new 2011 514, cracked chain stay behind the granny ring 7 also cracked on the welds at the shock mount on the down tube, months later i got a new frame & one side of the seat stay was damaged, re built & sold it.

Bought a new 314 Zesty for my lad, stripped the threads in the rear triangle, just removing the pivots for cleaning, as i removed the pivot the threads just ripped out of the frame, re built it & sold it.

You’d think i’d of had enough but Oh No… bought a brand new 2013 Zesty 914 the full fat version, amazing fast agile bike loved it until 4 months in yep you guessed it, cracked chain stay right where the old 514 cracked & also around the BB another crack, rebuilt in a new frame & sold it even though i love the way Zesty’s ride & feel.

So it was over to good old USA for a bronson & fantastic, love it though the turn of speed the Zesty had was fantasic.
Hotlines Crap Crap Crap really need to up there game to keep customers happy.

PS The reason for many 2009 10 & 11’s cracking around the BB was incorrect machining of the BB shell undersize, pressift BB in and the stresses raidially cracked the frames around the BB.

It will have been a pre production test model, apparently the wide rears have been slimmed down for the bikes you actually buy.

The 2014 rear chain/seat stays have been heli-taped to apparently cure this problem rather than redesigning the rear end, and the 2013 model as maxtorque owns above is significantly narrower so it’s not comparable to the 2014.

From my point of view (sat on one in the shop and clipped in) i could not ride one clipped in to my spds without striking the rear stays with my heels on every pedal stroke, it may be different if you ride flats.

The inboard rear brake calliper mount/fixture is a good idea (apart for pad replacement or adjustment) from an engineering stress viewpoint but along with other design considerations leads to a rear end that is 40mm wider than the previous years model.

Also worth mentioning that the rear pivot bolts on the latest models may well shear if they’re tightened to their recommended torque, use a bit of common sense instead of a torque wrench, and they’ll be fine.

@somafunk, from a review in MBR

In fact, my only complaint was that the back end was a little wide, possibly to accommodate the inboard location of the rear brake caliper, so my shoes rubbed on the stays. Lapierre have since assured us that the rear end will be 10mm narrower for production.

Why on earth would you consider buying an expensive frame with such a poor reliability record ?

tomhoward – Member

@somafunk, from a review in MBR

In fact, my only complaint was that the back end was a little wide, possibly to accommodate the inboard location of the rear brake caliper, so my shoes rubbed on the stays. Lapierre have since assured us that the rear end will be 10mm narrower for production.
POSTED 39 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
Edric 64 – Member
Why on earth would you consider buying an expensive frame with such a poor reliability record ?

POSTED 38 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

The next bike I buy is likely to be my last. Whether it is this year or next year I therefore need to choose wisely 💡

My Zesty 314 2011 frame cracked last year, right across the welds where the rear shock is mounted to the down tube.

There was no disputing it was a manufacturing failure BUT the warranty replacement with evans was a shambles and took about 14 weeks of them pissing me about! It also cost me an entire summers worth of riding, so needless to say I was far from impressed.

Only consolation is I got a brand new 2013 414 frame out of it, which so far has been solid. Also can’t fault the guy at Evans who took over my claim in the end. I’d still be waiting if it wasn’t for him….

To be fair to the importers (hotlines) they have been fantastic in dealing with any warranty work our shop has dealt with, very prompt return on frames and quite often upgraded if the original was no longer available so i wouldn’t let the “cracking” issues above play a part in any decision – any delays or issues have prob been down to the individual shop rather than the importers.

I don’t ride a FS, hard tail rider only and nae desire to ever own a fs, there’s no point for the type of riding i prefer to do so it’s a fad that i’m quite happy to allow to pass me by and i will not ride with a camelbak, i’m a retro grouch bottle user so my riding style and heel position is prob different to most riders. Try one and see if your heels rub on the stays.

Never heard FS called a FAD before ……. & if youre spending say 4 to 5k on a car ou’d dam well expect it to be safe & fit for purpose & not fobbed of with Oh well that’l take 5 weeks to get here, if you look on the old lapierre forum it’s mind boggling the amount of cracked frames let alone the massive cable rub issues where the back end & BB area rub right through the carbon & try getting a warranty frame out of them then…… not a chance, Official response, oh that’s how theyre designed sir, lastly SRAM XO 2×10 Zesty 914, due to the design the chain hangs ridiculously slack & no amount of adjusting will give you all 20 gears, if you take a link out of the chain you run the risk of either snapping the chain under suspension compression & possibly inducing frame damage, lappy sent me a direct email from france, The cycle is not designed for all the gears to be used only 16 ratios are available, so you check out a XTR 714 and bingo all ratios useable with the chain under tension,

My mates 2011 carbon rear end one is still working and my 2013 314 is still in one piece. Since I am the original buyer I’m not too worried about it snapping. Second hand would be a different matter.

My Zesty 514 2011, (bought 27/12/10 from Evans in Birmingham) has cracked in the downtube at the shock mount. I called the store today and they weren’t sure on the warranty period, said they’d get back in touch after speaking to hotlines and asked if I could email over a photo. I’m hoping this doesn’t take too long to resolve!
Will update with progress for others future reference.

had mine since 2010 – brilliant bike no issues

Love zestys, great bikes cracked a Carbon one now have an alloy one, stressing about rock strikes and cracks stopped me enjoying the ride, obviously alloy frames still crack but I’ve been thrashing my 2013 414 for 10 months and bar a ibis mojo hd or a yt Capra bring forced upon me for free!!! I don’t think I will change it for years to come

2011 alloy 214 – no cracking on mine. Great bike.

2013 Zesty 314 – clocked up 2000 miles on her and she’s not cracked yet (I don’t think!)