Has anyone tried one or experience with a zesty. how are they on the climbs compared to 120mm. do you really notice the extra 20mm travel on the climbs?

I can’t comment on how it differs from a 120mm bike but mine climbs really well particularly on tech climbs. I moved from a hard tail to it and was doubtful about the climbing ability but was very pleasantly suprised.

I have a 214 and i feel it climbs just as well as my previous 100 mm bikes.

Doesn’t seem to slow me down, I can keep up with my brother on his Anthem.

Love mine (a 214). Any failure to climb properly is entirely down to me and not the bike…

I run a 2011 314 Zesty and it climbs very well – it finds traction where there really shouldn’t be any

The one thing i wished i done was to have bought the 514 instead – the extra £500 gets you a bolt through axle and much better wheels

I have a 2010 zesty 514, it’s pretty quick no matter which direction you point it, still makes me smile whenever I ride it. I’ve made a few upgrades, Easton haven stem and bars, reverb seat post, other than that it’s as lapierre spec’d, pretty amazing bike, well worth a demo.

I have to say that my other halfs anthem climbs better than my 514. In fact the anthem is cracking all round bike, still rather have the extra travel for the more challenging downs though.

For a 140mm bike the Zesty is an excellent climber, i owned a 214 and even without Pro pedal it climbed really well. I have a Trek Fuel EX 9 and I struggle to keep up with my riding buddy on his 514 (probably a lot to do with his fitness and wanting to hold on to his Strava KOM titles)

But the Zesty is a great bike and climbs better than it has any right to

enjoy.

I went from a 100mm Marin to a Zesty and the Zesty climbs better

even without Pro pedal it climbed really well

I was worried about the lack of pro pedal on mine but it barely bobs at all. I’m probably not the best person to listen to on this as I was a hardtail luddite before the Zesty.

The bike climbs well and I’ve seen them do reasonable sized drops and jumps no problem, it’s a great all rounder and the bike I recommended to my mate.

even without Pro pedal it climbed really well

I was worried about the lack of pro pedal on mine

Assuming you have the standard Float R, YOU HAVE BLOODY PRO PEDAL! You just can’t turn it on and off. Look on the shock, it will say Pro Pedal and next to it have a marker detailing what level it is fixed at. Should be 1 out of 3 on a Zesty if it is the same as my 2009 was.

Float R = Fixed Pro Pedal
RP2 = Fixed level of Pro Pedal but switchable on/off
RP23 = Three different levels of Pro Pedal or it can be turned off

my 314 weighs bang on 30lbs with a 125mm dropper post and nobby nics, and it feels as light on the climbs as my 24lb hardtail. On the descents… incomparable.

I agree with the above comment – I’d spend the extra, especially this year, to the 514 – full carbon frame, bolt through front axel and decent wheels as standard. Yes no f140’s, but revelations which are just as decent.