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New 27.5″ Lapierre Electric MTB Bike Models – The Overvolt

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Lapierre Overvolt Hardtail MTBIf you’ve ever taken a friend on their first mountain biking ride, you know how physically daunting climbing  can seem to a new rider. Gilles Lappiere, the managing director of Lappierre bikes, set out to find a way to make mountain biking more accessible for the average outdoor enthusiast.

With the new line of electric Overvolt bikes, the company has created a compromise-free bike to help open the sport to new riders. Head past the break to learn how they did it.

Lapierre Overvolt Electric System
A built in USB port also lets you charge other devices while riding

The Overvolt is powered by a Bosh motor placed low in the frame for a better COG, while still providing good ground clearance. A 400 watt battery powers the bicycle for between 2-3 hours or 30-90 km. A bar mounted computer shows speed, distance traveled, battery charge, and allows you to select between different levels of assistance.

The motor automatically kicks in when riding and self adjusts to match the cyclists performance level, which is determined by sensors capturing force, cadence, and speed. The motor stops providing additional assistance when the maximum speed possible is reached.

Lapierre Overvolt FULL SUSPENSION MTB

Two versions of the bike will be available – A  (20.2kg/44.53lbs) 120mm hard tail and a (21.8 kg/48lbs) 140mm travel full suspension . No official geometry spec has surfaced but the bikes are said to have longer CSs for increased stability and a rearward riding position to lessen the impact of the additional weight from the electronics.

We’ve reached out to Lapierre for more details regarding pricing, availability, battery tech, and more. We’ll update as soon as we hear back! For more, visit Lapierre

 

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Dan
Dan
10 years ago

I hate to sound like an jerk, but the last thing I want to see is some chubby dude on a $5000 e-bike riding up my ass on the local climb. E-bikes in the city, I get it. E-bikes out “shredding” on the trails? Fine, just keep them on trails that already allow for moto’s and 4wd trucks…they shouldn’t be on human powered trails that we already delicately share with other users like hikers and equestrians.

Speedy
Speedy
10 years ago

why does it feel like Zach Overholt should have posted this? HAHA!

Seriously though – I am with @Dan on this one.

Zach Overholt
Admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Speedy

@Speedy, when I saw the title I just read Overholt. Totally thought it was a joke!

m
m
10 years ago

What the heck? When did this become E-rumor.

Al
Al
10 years ago

Hey, Dan why pick on the chubby guys? At 5′ 10″ 230 lbs, I may be chubby but I still put in 4 to 8 hours a week on the MTB and routinely outclimb a lot of skinny guys. Chubby does not nessarily equal weak.

satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
10 years ago

@Dan- could be the same chubby dude i see on his $10k s-works stumpy walkin his bike.

Alchemy
Alchemy
10 years ago

Being a traditional roadie, I first look at this as an abomination. However, now that I live in a super hilly town, I can see where electric-assist bikes have their place in the market. Commuters want to ride to work, get a bit of a workout in, but not be drenched with sweat when they arrive at the office. Additionally, sometimes the hills are unavoidable obstacles that even a seasoned rider would have a difficult time getting over, depending on the gearing used. Why not have that little extra “kick” for those times? And what really is wrong with a chubby rider climbing up the mountain-side with some assistance? Is it your ego that takes a hit? Cycling is a sport and form of RECREATION. If they are having fun and getting outdoors but only by utilizing technology, so be it. Eventually, maybe they will become as amazing as you are on the bike! 🙂

Evan
10 years ago

Being a traditional roadie, I first look at this as an abomination. However, now that I live in a super hilly town, I can see where electric-assist bikes have their place in the market. Commuters want to ride to work, get a bit of a workout in, but not be drenched with sweat when they arrive at the office. Additionally, sometimes the hills are unavoidable obstacles that even a seasoned rider would have a difficult time getting over, depending on the gearing used. Why not have that little extra “kick” for those times? And what really is wrong with a chubby rider climbing up the mountain-side with some assistance? Is it your ego that takes a hit? Cycling is a sport and form of RECREATION. If they are having fun and getting outdoors but only by utilizing technology, so be it. Eventually, maybe they will become as amazing as you are on the bike!

Dan
Dan
10 years ago

Not my ego at all.

I ride trails that are delicately shared with other users that are inherently skeptical of mtb’s in the first place. Remember, we’re the newcomers to the vast majority of the world’s trails, and in many places, we’re very lucky to have gained legitimate access in recent years. Putting people with rookie technical skills on bikes that can get them up to expert level speeds on trails shared by these other users? Great idea. E-bikes for everyone. Hooray for technology and inclusiveness.

I think it’s a terrible idea.

MMyers
MMyers
10 years ago

Can’t we just call these motorcycles.

Since they are.

Nick S
Nick S
10 years ago

I agree with most every poster here so far.

I hate to be negative, but this is a terrible idea from a trail access perspective, completely leaving the ‘fitness’ part out of the equation. I already live in an area where mountain bike accessible trails are few and far between. Bikes like this will be one more arrow for hikers and equestrians quiver to use when trail issues arise (even if bikes like this aren’t at issue). Many trails I ride are “no motor” but will riders of these bikes obey that? If not, I’ll be mad if I lose access to trails because of these bikes. In fact, I’d go so far to say I’ll never look at a Lapierre bike because of this (maybe hyperbole…) Bikerumor (or anybody else) what’s IMBA’s take on MTBs like this?

Looking at the fitness component… my wife (who’s not a super fit mountain biker, but enjoys it to go with me for an hour or so) had a great point/question: if you’re not fit enough to climb on a mountain bike, will be you fit enough to handle a HEAVY bike like this on single track? I’ve walked my butt up many a hill when I wasn’t fit enough (or when I was in awesome shape). Why is walking a bike so bad? I mentally place bikes like this in the same category as riders who take our trail elements because they’re “too hard.”

Pete
Pete
10 years ago

It’d be difficult to stop someone from using an e-bike offroad. People gonna do what they do.

My objection is that this site is not entitled “E-Bike Rumor”. Enough with the e-bike articles already!

hoser
hoser
10 years ago

Wow. Yeah I think that I, too, would want a motor if I were riding a friggin’ 45lb. hardtail.

MMyers
MMyers
10 years ago

Can the staff of BR please stop posting these press releases?

This does zero for the cycling community, and might in fact end up limiting access to trails.

Thanks.

Rob
Rob
10 years ago

Seriously, if I slapped a crankset on a moto-x bike, you can bet I wouldn’t be allowed on MTB trails anywhere. But if we slap a motor (petrol OR electric, it matters not) on a mountain bike, it is somehow exempt from the same sanctions?

Engineer
Engineer
10 years ago

,
Lol cranks on a mountain bike…. its coming next.
This is ridiculous though, when Nick S talked about his wife, for a second I thought, well ya maybe it would make it easier for girls to ride on tough trails… but when you have to maneuver that heavy thing downhill… retarded. Ebikes need to be kept for commuting only as they offer some form of sweat free transportation to work if thats in your needs. Otherwise they don’t need to be out on trails… or this site as others have mentioned.

Rob
Rob
10 years ago

You guys need to take a pill! Some of us still like riding but have physical reasons why we can,t go where we used to or want to, a little assistance is all we need to enjoy biking again, this is a great way of getting or keeping people involved. It’s not a rocket ship like some of the electrics it’s just a smart assist.

JimmyZ
JimmyZ
10 years ago

Hey, Rob, I hear ya, but universal accessibility and challenging, true MTB trails are almost completely separate. I could see an accessible trail on the same mountain as directional singletrack, but it’s like how there are hiking only trails that intersect with hike, bike, and horse trails. Mark them as such, and stop people from misusing them.
Personally, I would like to see non lift accessed MTB trails to have an uphill access trail that allowed for use of removable front hub motors. You get two front hub motor wheels, and take your regular unpowered wheel on your back in a wheel bag. Use one motorized wheel to get up to the top, swap it out and leave the motorized wheel locked to a tree. Ride down unassisted, and swap out for the second hub motor to climb back up and retrieve the other motorized wheel. Don’t use the motorized wheel on the technical descent, because it would only slow you down and cramp your steez.
An access trail or fire road is fine for electric assisted bikes, in my opinion, since those trails are made for motorized vehicles anyway.
So Rob, would you be willing to go downhill without electric assistance? I want you to be able to enjoy this sport, too. Just please recognize that what makes it fun can constrain access sometimes.

Sardinian Rider
Sardinian Rider
10 years ago

[deleted]. Generation X is getting old but even so we will never give up our passion for the outdoors and we will always have the money to afford our toys. But we are getting old. Go ahead and show me how at 80 you will be able to pedal trails for 50kms.
See you in 40 years on the trails with my electric powered mtb. By then the motor will be so small the bike will weight like a today’s XC race bike. And solar powered too.

Maxwell
Maxwell
10 years ago

I shouldn’t have to think about how my actions could affect others on the trail and our future access, ‘MERICA!!!

Mortimer
Mortimer
10 years ago

Next week on ebikerumor.com …

NASH
NASH
10 years ago

The reason for disliking this is simple: Men ride out to the woods to escape the fairer sex, this allows them to follow and still have breath to talk.

Eddiecycle
Eddiecycle
10 years ago

I agree with the concerns about people using these bikes as if they are non-motorized bikes. That being said, I would ride the hell out of something like this as an alternative to a dualsport motorcycle. I ride a motorcycle to work most days since 18 miles each way with a 10-hour shift is a lot. A bike like this would cut the ride time almost in half without killing myself and let me cut through the many gravel roads and 4-wheeler trails to change the ride up. Pretty sweet, but not a bicycle.

As far as Bikerumor.com posting things like this, I think it’s fair game for them to post anything major companies are doing. When Specialized and Lapierre are making electric bikes, the bicycle media should cover it.

Rumoroid
Rumoroid
10 years ago

Im 68yrs old, on my fourth e-bike, gone from lead acid to lithium poly, i,m riding a cheap Chinese shopper and a full suss Haibike at present. Without these bikes I wouldn’t be going anywhere for medical reasons, did you think only fit young people rode off road, forget it, I’m a raw foodist, I take good care of myself, if I choose to throw myself of mountain tops, and I do, it’s my business. I’m not alone in my persuit, my mate, same age, has been a long distance walker for thirty years and bodybuilder, I boxed for ten years at county level, worked as a joiner before the days of power tools, that’s why guys like me need a little assistance. Erosion is taking place on the trails, it’s not just us, horses, motorbikes, lots of different pursuits take place, a new leisure industry is springing to life, the damage will be repaired, I’ve no dought.

Nigel
Nigel
10 years ago

To the negative posters re e bikes , how many of you have tried one ?
If you have tried one then your comments are justified . If you haven’t tried one then your comments mean nothing! As you don’t have full knowledge of what your talking about.

I have extensively tested quite a few , and down hill a pile of crap ,in my opinion based on actually riding some .

No real gun ho downhiller would choose one until tech improves.

Riding up hill however is another issue, what’s the fun in crawling at 4 mph uphill on a normal bike ?

What’s the fun in cruising uphill on the same hypothetical track without peddling on a motor assist e bike at 8 mph , NONE ! Unless that is , (for whatever reason )thats all your physically capable of. THEN THATS COOL!

THEN FOR SOME OF US ON THE VERY SAME TRAIL .For those of us who WANT TO BUST A GUT AND TURN AN 4 mph uphill slog into a 25 mph uphill blood sweat and tears uphill attack, whilst finding hits and burns – NOW THAT IS F”‘@!-/… AWESOME FUN!!!!!
ISN’T THAT WHAT IT’S ALL SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT ?

Trust me in 10 years we will be laughing at the guys without the e assist !

Ps I am available for test riding any e mountain bikes 😉

Colin
Colin
10 years ago

I had a feeling that this bike would generate a lot of negative comment but e-bikes are fab. I’ve ridden half a dozen different types now and they are great fun. Don’t get me wrong I love my zesty and won’t be parting with it anytime soon but as I’m nearly sixty I can see the day coming when a little bit of assistance will keep me riding. Also great for non biking spouses. I rented one for my wife in Austria and she left me standing on the climbs. So horses for courses guys; embrace the technology there’s room for everyone out there.

Ken
Ken
8 years ago

I own an Overvolt 900 FS. My regular ride is a Yeti SB66c. I find myself riding the Overvolt almost exclusively. One reason is that I can travel the 5 miles on the road to my local trailhead without ever throwing the bike on the rack. The bike flies up the hill, but I am polite when passing other riders. I wish the Strava-obsessed Lycra clad riders would have shown me half as much courtesy as I show other riders. Trail access is all about courtesy. Plus, Iam going faster than a typical rider, but not 20 mph uphill. You really can’t ride that fast on a technical trail, 9 mph is more like it. The naysayers hated full suspension as well when it was first introduced… Try a real e-mountain bike before you form an opinion. Some of the early versions are lousy. The Overvolt rides like a real mountain bike. It will put a smile on your face and you will find yourself riding more often.

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