Lapierre’s up to date XR cross-country bike is lighter and extra progressive

As elite cross-country programs evolve in technicality and toughness, cross-country bikes have developed to deal with them. The Lapierre XR, and its XC- marathon-ready sibling the Lapierre XRM, have been redesigned from scratch with new geometry, new suspension and new carbon layup to supply the trendy XC athlete with the fitting device for the job. Solely time will inform whether or not the third technology of Lapierre’s XC bike is a medal winner or earns a spot on our finest down-country MTB checklist. 

Have to know: 

• New UD SLI carbon layup & manufacturing course of reduces weight
• New suspension system
• ‘Flex Keep’ seat stays complement and improve suspension efficiency
• Steeper seat tube & slacker head angle
• 29’’ wheels with increase spacing
• Distant suspension management

The XR fashions provide 100mm suspension journey entrance and rear, whereas the XRM – ‘M’ standing for Marathon – has 120mm entrance and 110mm rear journey. In the event you’re eager, it’s also possible to try our evaluation of the Lapierre XR 529, the earlier technology of the XR, for comparability functions. 

New carbon layup means critical weight financial savings

Lapierre has developed a brand new carbon layup system for the XR and XRM, which it calls Carbon UD SLI. Every bike is constructed from over 300 separate items of carbon, assembled over a inflexible polypropylene mandrel which supplies each better stability within the layup course of and higher compression throughout the mould. The result’s higher distribution of resin all through the carbon fibres, plus the removing of extra extra resin, which in flip means a stronger body with a decrease weight. 

Unidirectional carbon fibres are additionally used, which once more helps engineer power and suppleness into the areas of the bike the place it’s wanted. Within the vary topping XR 9.9 mannequin, Torayca VHM (the product identify of an America carbon producer’s carbon fibre) affords better effectivity and reactivity for a decrease weight, based on Lapierre. 

Claimed weight financial savings are important, with a 110g weight discount on the usual XR body (with out shock) over the second technology body. On the XR 9.9, this jumps to a whopping 307g body weight discount on the earlier body, with out affecting efficiency or rising susceptibility to influence, Lapierre claims. 

Up to date suspension

Suspension has additionally been redesigned, and with seasoned skilled and a number of Downhill World Champion Nicolas Vouilloz on the helm of suspension kinematics and design, some critical work has been accomplished. 

Integral to the system are the ‘flex keep’ seat stays, with – you guessed it – a level of flex engineered in through the design and carbon layup, which has allowed the removing of the rear pivot. The seat stays are designed to sit down in a impartial place with the bike at 26% sag. The thought behind this method is that originally of the stroke they produce a degressive impact on the leverage curve, which then turns into progressive in direction of the tip of the compression stroke. 

In fact, any flex in a path apart from the designed one means inefficiency within the system. Lapierre claims that its UD SLI carbon layup ends in lower than half the deformation of rival methods. 

The suspension has additionally been optimised for 32t to 36t chainrings, designed to cancel pedal kickback throughout compression with out having an influence on chain pressure, the higher to supply a steady and environment friendly pedalling platform. 

And like nearly all of efficiency cross-country bikes, Lapierre even have bar-mounted suspension controls that permit the rider to flick between open, platform and closed (relying on mannequin) on the flick of a swap. 

Geometry that’s prepared for the trendy XC course

With a view to adapt to more and more technical cross-country programs, geometry needed to change, and like its down-country brethren, the brand new Lapierre XR is slacker on the entrance, and steeper and shorter on the again. 

Chain stays are 8mm shorter than the second technology Lapierre XR, coming in at 435mm. The seat tube has steepened by between 0.5 to 1 diploma to 74.5 on the XRM and 75 on the XR whereas the pinnacle angle is 2 to 2.5 levels slacker, to 66 on the XRM and 66.5 on the XR. 

The XR and XRM can be found in 4 sizes – S, M, L and XL – with high tube and attain progressively longer for every dimension. 

Extra options

Elsewhere there are extra clues to the XR and XRMs aggressive and technical using objectives, with 2.4-inch tyres on these 29er tyres with increase spacing, room for 2 water bottles throughout the body, distant suspension management and the power to take a 30t to 38t chainring, although bikes within the vary are presently specc’d with 32t or 34t chainrings. 

Concessions to the wants of endurance riders embody a dropper seatpost on XRM fashions, although with their rising recognition within the elite cross-country scene, we speculate that they may make an look there too. 

Lapierre XR and XRM vary and costs

Lapierre XR 5.9

• Value: £3,499
• Body: Carbon UD SLI 
• Fork: Fox Rhythm 32 100mm 
• Shock: Fox Float DPS 
• Groupset: SRAM SS Eagle 32T/GX Eagle 12spd
• Wheels: Roues alu LP Increase TLR

Lapierre XR 7.9

• Value: £4,399
• Body: Carbon UD SLI
• Fork: Fox 32 SC Perf 100mm
• Shock: Fox Float DPS
• Groupset: SRAM GX Eagle Lunar 34t / SRAM X01 Eagle 12spd
• Wheels: DT Swiss X1900 XSpline TLR

Lapierre XR 9.9

• Value: £6,499
• Body: Carbon UD SLI Staff
• Fork: RockShox SID Final Cost 100mm
• Shock: RockShox SID Luxe Final
• Groupset: SRAM X1 Carbon 34t / SRAM XX1 Eagle 12spd
• Wheels: New LP Carbon XC SL 29’’

Lapierre XRM 6.9

• Value: £3,799 
• Body: Carbon UD SLI
• Fork: RockShox SID Choose Charger RL 120mm
• Shock: RockShox SID Luxe Choose
• Groupset: SRAM GX Lunar 32t / SRAM GX Lunar 12spd
• Wheels: Mavic XC 425 / Lapierre Increase

Lapierre XRM 8.9

• Value: £4,899
• Body:  Carbon UD SLI
• Fork: Fox 34 SC Manufacturing unit Sequence Float 120mm
• Shock: Fox Float DPS Manufacturing unit Sequence
• Groupset: Shimano Deore XT 32t / Shimano Deore XT 12spd
• Wheels: DT Swiss XM 1700 Spline Increase Microspline