2013 Lapierre Zesty 214 On Review, Lapierre’s Zesty on United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland shores many years agone created quite many riders stay awaken and mark. the mixture of lots of travel, trail-friendly pure mathematics and competitive valuation presently created it a favorite for riders within the recognize. 2013’s entry-level 214 options many gentle pure mathematics tweaks, however basically offers a lot of of a similar standard ingredients. Is it still a winner?
Ride & handling: Blisteringly smart comprehensive performance
What sequential generations of Lapierre Zesty Zesty have perpetually managed to try and do is walk the fine line between cross-country potency and on-tap roguery. That’s a astonishingly troublesome factor to induce right, on condition that economical pedalling and downhill handling don’t perpetually go hand in hand. however the Zesty has well-tried, time and once more, that it’s attainable to possess your cake and eat it.
Lapierre’s minor tweaks haven’t modified this example abundant – and that’s an honest factor. The 142x12mm rear shaft adds an additional dose of torsional rigidity to what was already associate imposingly stable arse.
The Zesty’s short chainstays and chunky pivots mix with a rear triangle that’s compact overall, to deliver twist and shudder-free trailing in each path situation you’ll be able to throw at it – everything from flat-out pedalling effort to surprising rockery amentia.
This unmitigable accuracy is protected by a fork that swallows everything in its path, though if something – and this can be speech communication one thing for Fox’s 15mm through-axle, that could be a tight entertainer – the fork is a lot of simply phased within the very rough stuff than the arse.
Low-speed, pedally stuff is handled even as expeditiously. the mixture of Horst-inspired chainstay pivot setup and Fox’s clever CTD damping makes it simple to line up the shock anyplace from firm – for sprints and climbs – to plush. Most of the time we tend to left it on path and easily forgot regarding it, content to go away the arse to patter through no matter barmy line selection we’d pointed the fork at while not grievance.
Watch out for the filler tho’ – our ‘medium’ take a look at bike felt a small indefinite amount short. If pillar on the miles is your factor, you would possibly need to research a bigger size.
Frame & equipment: Competitive value doesn’t sacrifice necessary elements
The most obvious amendment for 2013 over previous Zesty incarnations is that the 142x12mm rear shaft set-up – a stiffness-adding upgrade that’s a no brainer for a motorbike giving 140mm (5.5in) travel at the rear and 150mm (5.9in) up front.
Larger frame sizes have somewhat a lot of cockpit area too, the chainstays and distance area unit somewhat longer, and also the head angle’s a small bit loafer. None of those changes area unit radical however, frankly, the Zesty wasn’t broken, therefore it didn’t add up to ‘fix’ it.
Subtly snaky, hydformed tubes form up the front, anchoring the tapered head tube up front and also the kinked seat tube at the rear. The seat tube sits before rock bottom bracket and rakes back to present a standard effective prime tube length whereas providing various area for the rear suspension to try and do its factor.
There area unit bolt-on cable guides for an overseas pipette post upgrade and a series of mysterious-looking holes on the down tube. These give routing and anchor points for the varied sensors related to Lapierre and RockShox’s electronically-controlled EI rear shock system – though, disappointingly, it’s not on the market as associate possibility on the 214. You’ll need to stump up £2,750 for the EI version of the 314, that has a similar frame because the 214.
The arse is normal Zesty fare. Assymetric chainstays bolt to straight seatstays via Horst-esque pivots, whereas the shock is driven via a neat rocker mounted before the seat tube.
Despite jactitation the bottom tag of this batch of take a look at bikes, Lapierre’s product managers have managed to shoehorn in each a Shimano Deore and SLX-based transmission and Fox CTD shocks each front and rear.
Lapierre Zesty 214
Avid’s entry level Elixir one hydraulic disc brakes aren’t, it’s truthful to mention, our favorite hydraulic stoppers, however they’re given a hop-up because of the smart call to run 180mm rotors at each ends.
Finishing kit from Easton and SDG rounds out a specification list that’s an honest mix valuable and performance. For the cash, it’d be churlish to gripe.
Like different 140mm (5.5in) travel bikes at this value, the Zesty won’t win any awards for low weight, and it in all probability wouldn’t be our 1st selection for lining up at the beginning of a cross-country race either. except for sheer comprehensive skillfulness with handling that’ll blandish any talent level, it’s a troublesome act to follow
Reference : bikeradar
