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SOC 14: Lapierre Shows off Aircode and Pulsium Road Bikes, Introduced Overvolt MTB

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Lapierre Pulsium Aircode Overvolt (4)

After introducing both the Aircode aero road bike and Pulsium endurance road bike earlier this year, we finally got a chance to see both bikes up close and personal. Of course, one of the biggest things we wanted to check out was the elastomer “suspension” on the Pulsium and find out just how it worked.

While the mountain bike line up will see a few changes to their OST and IE platforms for easier use, the big news on the mountain side is the new Overvolt line. Just what are the Overvolt bikes? Well as a hint it has something to do with volt, and nothing to do with my last name…

Lapierre Pulsium Aircode Overvolt (2)

Lapierre Pulsium Aircode Overvolt (7) Lapierre Pulsium Aircode Overvolt (6)

After talking with the frame experts from Lapierre, they confirmed that the black piece on the Pulsium frame is just an elastomer. There is nothing inside, no support structures, just an elastomer that is captured on each end by carbon fiber. The design offers 3mm of rearward flex at the seat that should take the edge off harsh impacts and road buzz. Since the elastomer is captured in the frame it is not replaceable.

This Pulsium was set up with long reach brake calipers and running the biggest 28mm tires we’ve seen. We had it a bit backwards on the initial post – the frame includes an adapter to run standard reach brakes for the rear as it drops the caliper down closer to the wheel.

Lapierre Pulsium Aircode Overvolt (8)

Lapierre Pulsium Aircode Overvolt (9) Lapierre Pulsium Aircode Overvolt (10)

As the new aero road bike in the line up, this Aircode was equipped with a dual post mount front brake and rear brake mounted on the seat stays instead of the chainstays. There will be a number of trim versions including the FDJ team versions which are all straight off the shelf. Bonus trivia answer – Lapierre and FDJ have the longest relationship as bike-team sponsorship in the pro peloton.

Lapierre Pulsium Aircode Overvolt (1)

Lapierre Pulsium Aircode Overvolt (11)

By introducing the 27.5″ Overvolt line, Lapierre is getting in on the increasing amount of e-bikes in the states. Offered in the 140mm full suspension FS 900 and hard tail HT 900, each bike offers Lapierre’s take on a 400w Bosch Power drive equipped mountain bike. Limited to 20 mph, range will vary between 30-85 miles on a single charge. Each bike will be available around September/October and will retail for $4500 or $5500 for the FS 900.

lapierrebicycles.com

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Ilikeicedtea
Ilikeicedtea
9 years ago

(deleted)

Sardinian Rider
Sardinian Rider
9 years ago

I’m 40,by the time I’ll be 65 and I’ll truly need an E bike my hope is that those fugly engines will be tucked away in the seat tube. Make it solar cell paint for recharge please. And light too,thank you.

Ilikeicedtea
Ilikeicedtea
9 years ago

I’m 42, and I’ll never need an electric motor on my bicycle.

Jorge
Jorge
9 years ago

My dad is 60 and pushing hard on a regular bike, if I see him on a e-bike I’m gonna kick him.

Say NO to e-bikes on cycling sites. Throw them on a motorcycle site.

chasejj
chasejj
9 years ago

Regardless of the hater comments and my first inclination is to join them. I can see in my crystal ball this is the direction we are all going in.

I can see a melding of the offroad moto and MTB community through these E-bikes. They will be a nightmare for the true haters-Environazis because they will be zero emissions and yet powered and self propelled.
This is what true trail liberty looks like in 10 years. Ride what you want powered or not and rip on the trails and bike parks. I am starting to like it.
Anything that pisses off the bitter old silvertails is OK with me.

Paul
Paul
9 years ago

Let’s call them what they are; Mopeds.
As someone who boots around on a motorcycle, races road bikes and enjoys rolling around on a singlespeed. I see these things (and their supporters) as missing whole the point, and beauty of a bicycle.

David
David
9 years ago

Essentially they have made a rigid Pulsium frame and just put on an elastomer part just to say it has suspension. I just can’t see any suspended movement coming from that elastomer piece. The frame is made complete without any degrees of freedom or pivot point.

Ilikeicedtea
Ilikeicedtea
9 years ago

chasejj – you mistyped; it’s “rip up the trails”. I saw one on Pinkbike the other day that had 8hp. AT least they’ll destroy the singletrack in silence :/

Von Kruiser
Von Kruiser
9 years ago

Guys, the best way of looking at ebikes is transportation. Do not think about them as a bike per say. I can drive my car to get somewhere because I do not want to get sweaty or just to save time and not make it a production. If you ride an ebike it does the same thing (pedal assist). Last night I rode to an event I would normally drive but did it on my ebike. It was nice to be outdoors, I was not sweaty and did not put on special clothing… and it was a blast to ride at the extra fast pace w/ minimal effort…. or I could have drove my car. I ride my MTB and road bike for exercise and ripping up the trails and road… but I have to admit it’s nice to use an ebike instead of a car. Again do not think of them as a bike but a fun transportation.

Nick
Nick
9 years ago

Von- I don’t think anybody on here ripping ebikes has an issue with them being thought of as transportation replacing car trips. My personal issue is I’m terrified of MTBers losing access to trails where access can be tenuous, at best, to these motorized bikes at worst. At best, I’m worried about them tearing up the trails.

Von Kruiser
Von Kruiser
9 years ago

Let’s face it… people who would buy an ebike will not ride them offroad. Could you imagine riding an electric bike on single track. It would be weird as hell. Only a beginner (non-enthusiast) or older person would ride an ebike offroad and they would not be on single track. Maybe fire road which is not real offroading. I think the rarity of seeing a MTB causing trail access issues is slim to non. It will be too rare to be an issue. These offroad ebikes will be ridden only on paved roads, camping trips, park riding on dirt roads. If they are caught riding offroad by a ranger they will get a ticket and possibly have it taken away for motorized vehicle on an offroad trail. They will be beginners and not represent the MTB community. No worries people these.

Ilikeicedtea
Ilikeicedtea
9 years ago
Neil
Neil
9 years ago

Its a shame ebikes are involved because as David points out, that elastomer makes no sense. 3mm of movement is exactly what you would expect from a standard seatpost.

Mirwin
Mirwin
9 years ago

Von Kruiser,

“Let’s face it… people who would buy an ebike will not ride them offroad. Could you imagine riding an electric bike on single track. It would be weird as hell. Only a beginner (non-enthusiast) or older person would ride an ebike offroad and they would not be on single track.”

Never, say never.

Antipodean_G
9 years ago

Late 80’s: ‘Oh no! Suspension – bikes don’t need suspension’

Late 90’s: ‘Oh no! Disk brakes. Bikes don’t need disc brakes’

2014: ‘Oh no! E-bikes! Death to e-bikes!’

See the trend here folks? Better get used to the idea, as the powers that be are bigger than you.

also opposed
also opposed
9 years ago

I’m also against e-peds / e-bikes on trails for the same reasons as Nick above (trail damage and access). Think these won’t be ridden much on trails? Seriously? I expect people who want to pretend to be athletic will be all over them. Moto-cross bikes too noisy and prohibited on trails? Hey, let’s go shred some trails (literally) on e-bikes….they’re quieter and we can get away with it! These same people (the pretenders and the e-moto-x crew) will have zero trail preservation sense or concern and nothing good will come of this. Is this old guy resistance to change? Maybe. But it’s also attentive to the likely bad results and a refusal to be ok with it. This will trash the trails. It’s not progress and I won’t “get over it”.

also opposed. . .but
also opposed. . .but
9 years ago

. . .only specifically to seeing e-bikes on the trails. They certainly have a place as actual vehicles for general transportation…i.e. commuting / errand running. . .

wheel-addict
wheel-addict
9 years ago

@Antipodean_G. We get your point, but not all new biking technologies necessarily take off. What happened to 24″ rear wheels, suspension handlebars and posts? Nobody ever claimed suspension bikes or disc-brakes were going to ruin off-road tail access for cyclists. However, e-bikes have a very real potential to do just this. There is a very clear distinction between a pure human-powered activity vs something else. e-bikes clearly cross this line and some of don’t like it!

chasejj
chasejj
9 years ago

Also opposed-Do you have a silver ponytail?

You Ebike haters are fighting the same tech you have been begging for the last decade. Same tech that brings you the Tesla (can’t swing a dead cat around my area and not hit one)The irony is so thick in this argument it is hard to see the forest.
Those of you soooo concerned about trail damage really cannot be serious? The motors are different and very low HP due to limitations in battery capacity. I am certain horse and cow traffic do the majority of any damages I see and I can certainly tolerate them.
You cannot be against a green zero emission vehicle rolling through your area trails?

That is why I can easily see what I saw as initially a silly fringe is now starting to look like it could be REAL fun.
My KTM’s can sit in the garage and I can go out and hit some of my favorite MTB trails with a motor when I want.
That is called liberty my comrades. Embrace it.

'Ol 'Shel
'Ol 'Shel
9 years ago

You’re going to lose access to trails because of people on e-bikes. I promise you.

You’d better get concerned and take action, now.

Ilikeicedtea
Ilikeicedtea
9 years ago

Nah. Let’s promote them on this bicycling website instead!

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
9 years ago

I’m opposed to things that are different than what I use now and what I think other people should be using. You better fear the things I fear, such as what I’ve assumed about the future and what I’ve assumed other people will do.

I suspect the LaPierre elastomer will be much better at vibration damping than functioning as a suspension member, although I do reserve the right to be wrong.

Von Kruiser
Von Kruiser
9 years ago

Living in fear of the unknown… you’ve been watching too much Fox news or MSNBC most likely. Seriously real cyclists who fly on trails will not ride these bikes. The people who ride them will be in your way since they are going slow since they have no skills. They will be nice people enjoying the outdoors on a bike for the first time on trails. They will be not happy on real offroad trails so don’t worry. They will ride dirt roads. You guys are way over thinking this… 99% of these bikes will be ridden only on streets and dirt roads. It will be so rare you see someone “ripping” up single track on a ebike… so who cares when you do. I talked to the MBA guys who have been testing ebikes for their new ebike magazine and they said almost nobody has said or notice they were riding ebikes offroad. They said it was pleasant and that the non-motorize bikes were faster and more agile on the downhills. What does the future hold? Who knows but it will involve a lot more ebikes I’m sure…. just not that much on the trails and if you do, it will be no big deal. If I was a dealer, I’d be selling and pushing all ebikes on top of my regular bike sales. Let’s grow the bike industry not pigeon hole it to some idealistic view point. Now go watch your overly sensational fear mongering news media and leave the ebike people alone… why not go ride one for a long ride and develop a real educated opinion?

dionigi
dionigi
9 years ago

Guys, please don’t call e-bikes ‘zero emission vehicles’.. since in the worst case they’ll will be powered by electricity made by carbon feed centrals! Not to mention the pollution that will result from the disposal of the accumulators.

wheel-addict
wheel-addict
9 years ago

@Psi Squared: I think you’re overstating our opposition to ebikes a bit too much. I would say it’s a strong dislike rather that “fear.” Sort of like how some people don’t like eating shellfish… We’re all entitled to our own opinion. No need to get carried away. I ride bicycles because it is done 100% under my own power all the time. I’m pretty sure that will never change for me, and yet I don’t “fear” electric-motor-bikes. Just not for me.

Sardinian Rider
Sardinian Rider
9 years ago

What a bunch of “narrow minded/can’t think outside the box” group of people we have hear,are you guys Americans ? That must be the reason….

Do you fine folks know that hotels in Las Vegas are already investing milions of dollars in R&D for those who like me will be 70 years old in 30 years ? Do you think I will be able to stand in line at a hotel’s check in for a full hour when I will be 70 ? Given my good genes probably yes as I see my 70 years old mom smashing rocks with a sledgehammer on a daily basis in her garden,but that is just me. And give me another 10 years on top of that 70 and I will be done.
Do you guys know that out generations born in the 70ies is considered the last generation able to afford discretionary spending for travel and leisure and we will never ever give that up because we’re way too accustomed to that ?
Enter the E bikes. See you guys on the trails,hopefully we won’t need riding breaks for insuline shots…

Fattylocks
Fattylocks
9 years ago

The world has gone soft. E-bikes are motor driven . That makes them motor cycles. Not bicycles. A bicycle by definition is a two wheeled vehicle that is propelled by the rider pushing on pedals. Not twisting a throttle. Buy one or buy ten e-bikes who cares, just don’t think it is Ok to ride them on trails that are clearly marked, NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES.

Bike Fact
Bike Fact
9 years ago

First learn your facts! The serious E-Bikes are PEDAL ASSIST!!! They do not do hole shots on the dirt and impact the trail the same as a bicycle! In fact if your so worried about the trails being closed on you then stop riding on them in the rain or in fact yell at A-Holes that ride on trails when they are mud! NO ONE is telling the hard core cyclist to stop pedaling and get on E-Bikes! No one wanted 29ers when they first came out and look at them now. E-Bike category is niche and will not take over the world but it will get a person with expendable income who can’t pedal a bike for 25 miles out on a bike they bought from their local bike shop that now has a new customer!

Out for a Ride
Out for a Ride
9 years ago

Most of the things cyclists say about e-bikes can be said about cyclists by hikers. Do you know who often has bad eggs in their midst, poor etiquette, and destroys nice hiking trails? Mountian bikers.

Kev
Kev
9 years ago

What a sick looking contraption the Overvolt is. Looks like something you’d win at a bingo night. These ugly beasts don’t deserve to be included in the genre “mountain” bikes….La Pierre guys need to up their meds.

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