SundayNiagara

Was looking at their site the other day and they have some real nice looking bikes. What do we know about them? Anyone riding a LaPierre?

Thanks

NormanF

French bike brand based in Dijon, France. They're still French-built high quality bikes.

From the site:

"Lapierre Bicycles was founded in 1946 in Dijon, France by cycling enthusiast Gaston Lapierre. Gaston took his greatest passion and turned it into a career for himself, his family, and his dedicated employees. Little did he know at the time, his legacy would be carried on by the next three generations of Lapierre men: his son Jacky, his grandson Gilles, and his great-grandson Stephan. The family-infused, iconic French bicycle brand became a fixture for the sport of cycling over the decades, both in France and internationally, by harvesting a rich culture and upholding the highest standards for performance. Lapierre’s first bicycles were handcrafted and tested 67 years ago in Dijon where they are still developed today."


More here:

Lapierre Bicycles - Home

Squashednuts

The prices are reasonable here, NZ, they're sold through a nationwide retailer who often discount the price.

SundayNiagara

Thanks, US help is what I'm looking for.

IcySmooth52

I have their Xelius EFi, and am quite satisfied with it. Great all-round racer that has a great 'feel' for the road. Not as strong with dampening effects like some endurance bikes, but I don't mind taking a century on it.

With my engineering studies, I can actually tell what they're doing with the shapes for performance. (Not all about aesthetics like many makers). One thing I really like about it is how they're using different grades, tenacities & modulus of carbon instead of one kind all the way through like many manufacturers! Lower mod carbon can often be better in the stays and top tube.

They already have a name for their mountain bikes here in the US, but they are only just bringing their road bikes to light here more.

quicktrigger

Don't have one personally, but a local dealer has started offering them. Have seen some very nice ones at that shop, and they are top notch as far as I can tell. Also have a good friend that rode on while on vacation, and LOVED it. That friend is very picky, so that he loved it so much says allot to me.

QT

big chainring 

In the bike boom Era we referred to them as G. Laps (Lops). The foil stickers on their downtubes read G. LaPierre. Glad to see them back in stores after 40 plus years.

alcjphil

Lapierre is the biggest bike company in France. They offer a full line of bikes for almost anyone. Their lineup compares favourably to any of the big companies sold in North America. Unfortunately, due to patent issues, some of their mountain bikes will not be sold in the United States. They are the bike sponsor for the FDJ pro cycling team and have been for many years. Lapierre is in turn owned by the ACCEL group which owns many other bike companies. It is a huge conglomerate. Lapierre bikes are very high quality, one thing I have noticed is that they build their road bikes using full component groups, they seldom spec second party brakes and cranks as many other companies do to save money. I work part time for a company which used to distribute Lapierre bikes in Canada. I was very impressed with the quality of the product

decosse

I have a '14 Lapierre Sensium and I am very happy with it. It is their endurance model, and as IcySmooth52 says, their use of varying types and methods with the carbon makes for a fairly comfortable ride. Yet when you want to buckle down and get busy it can come off the line like a racing bike.

And as alcjphil said, they give you the complete groupsets, no cost cutting second party components. All parts are top name, levels depend on model. If your bike is equipped with 105, everything is 105 including brakes. Even their US "entry" level bike is the latest full 10 sp.Tiagra all the way around, including brakes. An entry level Specialized Roubaix comes with Sora and Axis brakes at the same price. That is before the discounts you may get on the Lapierre.

Don't get me wrong, I am partial to Specialized, and my favorite LBS where I bought the Lapierre also sold me my Vita. Because of that I was able to ride them back-to-back, park them side by side and check the spec sheets together. Fit and finish are flawless, the bikes are head turners. Put that with my "good customer" discount, and the choice was made. All that being said, of course they aren't the holy grail, but they are decent, nice riding, high quality, good looking bikes. (Much as I love my Sensium, the Pulsium Ultimate FDJ in team livery is droolworthy)

Reviews are hard to find in English, but I did find this one- the bike is identical to mine and the others sold in the US Lapierre Sensium 100 road bike review | road.cc

Thibaut Pinot and Team FDJ won the Alpe d'Huez TdF stage on I believe a Xelius- the TdF background videos on their FB page are a hoot! (Equipe Cycliste FDJ)

SundayNiagara

Thanks.

IcySmooth52

What made you think about Lapierre?

quicktrigger

Personally, I would love to buy one of their bikes. As I have said, there is now a local dealer, and a great guy at that. BUT, I insist on disc brakes for my next bike after being caught in the rain a couple times with steep hills to face (really didn't enjoy that). Only bikes with disc brakes I found with disc brakes are mountain bikes, which I'm not looking at, and 2014 cyclocross. There are only two options on the Cyclocross, one is much more than I would spend, and I don't like the look of either of them. Hoping they update soon to something that is more fitting to me.

QT

SundayNiagara

To be honest, the looks, as so many bikes out there should be named, Bud Tugly.

IcySmooth52

Looks like the 2016 Sensium will come with discs...
Sensium 500 Disc | Cycles Lapierre

quicktrigger

Thanks for the heads up. Looks nice. I wonder what the (wallet) damage from that would be?

EDIT: Looks like this bike in 2015 was the DI2 version. That is not encouraging on price. Now the link is 105 version vs DI2. But will still guess at least $2500.