The Lapierre E-Zesty was the original mid-power trail/enduro bike – a pioneering model that saw the potential of a lightweight chassis and minimal assistance. Back then, it was in a class of one. Now, four years on, and the competition is fierce. So has it still got what it takes to be one of the best lightweight e-bikes on the market?

Lapierre E-Zesty AM 9.4 need to know

• Trail/enduro e-bike with Fazua Ride 60 (Nm) motor and 430Wh internal battery – the best combination of power and range on the market
• RockShox Lyrik/Super Deluxe Select+ suspension
• Full carbon frame, 29in wheels and 140mm rear travel with 150mm fork.
• Shimano XT drivetrain and Shimano brakes
• 19.2kg without pedals is average for the price point

The latest Lapierre EZesty cuts a low-profile thanks to that slimline Fazua motor.

Intro

Wind back 20 years and Lapierre was one of the brands ruling the roost in the UK. Its Zesty and Spicy were wildly popular, and the French firm had a great reputation built on racing success under riders like famously fastidious techno-nerd, and multiple World Champion, Nico Vouilloz.

Nico Vouilloz seeks some marginal gains by swapping shocks between stages in the early days of the EWS enduro series.

Nico ended up helping design its mountain bikes through some innovative concepts like Ai, the way-ahead-of-its-time electronically controlled suspension that’s a lot like RockShox’s Flight Attendant. The project presumably taught engineers a chunk about integrating electronics, and as e-bikes began surging in popularity on the continent (much earlier than the UK), Lapierre was an early and successful adopter.

Lapierre’s Zesty and Spicy were huge hits in the late noughties/early 2010s.

Being early to the game led to developing some of the lightest and most advanced e-bikes ,that eventually won almost every race under Nico once EWS-E legitimised racing the clock with a motor bolted in your bike. So why haven’t we been hearing about Lapierre in UK recently?

The 2020 Lapierre eZesty: A pioneering package that ushered in a whole new segment of e-bikes.

One theory is the brand’s various UK distribution set ups reduced marketing, followed by stock levels during the Covid demand surge, until eventually fading out of the mainstream. Well, if this latest lightweight E-Zesty is anything to go by, the brand clearly hasn’t lost any appetite for innovation. Full carbon, and with looks that are as modern as any rivals, it represents the second generation of what Lapierre calls its ‘Light Assist’ e-bikes, meaning the brand has a solid head start on those currently rushing into the lightweight e-bike segment.

The Fazua motor remains on the latest Lapierre EZesty, but it gets more power and range.

Motor and battery

We tested the first generation electric Zesty that’s already four years old now back in Spring 2021. That bike came with a unique trick up its down tube in how the Fazua Ride 50 drive unit and battery was fully removable to convert it into a sub 16kg enduro machine.

The Ring Controller is the on/off switch and power selector. It’s intuitive to use but feels fragile.

Just over 19kg with sensible parts, this new E-Zesty AM 9.4 is not a multi-mode transformer any more, because the battery is not removable, but still blurs boundaries by using the latest Fazua Ride 60 motor, with a natural response that rides more like a regular rig than long travel e-bike.

Advancements in Fazua’s motor and battery technology mean massively upped E-Zesty range and power, and it’s all packaged extremely cleanly into a carbon frame built around 29in wheels and 140mm rear travel.

Top tube display reveals power mode and battery status, but the multi-colour LEDs introduce some guesswork into range management.

With the drive unit’s small form factor and a 2.3kg battery, Porsche-owned Fazua’s electronics are very cleanly integrated, to the extent with a neat top tube display (with USB-C update port) and subtle bar-mounted controller, you might not guess this is even an e-bike if you weren’t bang up to speed with the latest tech.

A Horst Link defines the EZesty as a true four-bar linkage.

Frame and geometry

Looking more like a regular bike is partly due to less chassis material in the first place with the 430Wh battery considerably thinner than bigger cells inside full power e-bikes. Like most equivalents, Lapierre’s down tube is skinnier and sleeker too, with an overall flex characteristic more like a regular enduro bike. What I mean by the flex part is – whether brands like it or not – full-fat eebs almost always become overly stiff and solid with a huge internal battery that cannot distort during hard riding. So the massive frame tubes can be excessively punishing.

To save extra weight, and optimise the lay-up, both this 9.4 model and even lighter ‘LTD’ version (with a 140mm Pike fork) use Lapierre’s top-tier SLI carbon construction. This is shared with its road bike technology ,and uses a solid polypropylene mandrel rather than blow up ‘bags’ during construction. Pivot and others do the same, and the solid mould compresses carbon plies together better from the inside for extra strength and consistency, in turn requiring less material, so frame weights can be reduced.

The pierced seat tube shock placement reduces dropper post insertion depth and puts the lower shock bushing right in the firing line of back wheel muck.

Fazua’s motor is cradled neatly at the base of the down tube, below Lapierre’s familiar linkage design where a RockShox Super Deluxe pierces the seat tube. With Ride 60’s smaller volume, the design allows for short chainstays (for an e-bike) that range from 435mm on the two smaller sizes, through to 440mm on this Large and 445mm on the XL.

The main pivot sits almost directly above the centre of the motor (roughly in line with a 32t chainring) and there is a Horst Link pivot on the chainstay, which sits marginally higher than the rear axle. The lower shock eyelet bolts directly into elevated chainstay tips through a flip chip that can adjust chassis height to run a 27.5in or 29in rear wheel.

That’s as low as we could get the dropper post on our EZesty.

One design compromise is the pierced seat tube doesn’t afford as much dropper insertion depth. In the pictures, you can see the lowest position for the cable-actuated 170mm post (while retaining smooth operation) leaves around 8cm sticking up. This seriously compromises standover clearance when riding, and while a shallower insertion post like OneUp would help, my best guess is you’ll struggle to get any longer travel dropper fully slammed and out of the way.

Headset routed cables flew under the radar during our test period.

Another potential bugbear is the cable routing through an Acros headset. Hoses and wires disappearing cleanly and quietly inside like this seem to get a lot of folk hot under the collar, but I’ve got to say, the more I’ve used the design, the less I have a problem with it. Even with a fairly low profile rubberised chainstay protector (that came a bit unglued), the E-Zesty doesn’t have any rattle from cables, motor or anything else; something not all e-bikes can boast.

A couple of smaller frame details are that the upper seat stay/rocker link junction’s cleanly hidden hardware and a plastic mudguard keeping the shock body protected from spray. There’s not a massive amount of mud clearance in this zone behind the bottom bracket, but I had no issues clogging in foul weather with the stock 2.4in tyre, and there will obviously be a load more clearance when set up mullet.

Four E-Zesty sizes range from a dinky Small with 430mm reach, up to just shy of 500mm in the XL size. The frame’s low BB makes it feel roomy enough, but it’s definitely not massive, considering plenty of brands are getting into the 510s(mm) on their biggest sizes. The Large’s 63.5º head angle (almost a degree slacker than advertised) is paired with 475mm reach for a 1,262mm wheelbase with 440mm chainstays, which is slightly towards the more compact end for a modern 140/150mm trail/enduro bike.

High and low speed damping adjustment on the Lapierre’s RockShox Lyrik Select+ fork.

Suspension

After riding the E-Zesty for weeks before checking any vital stats, I was pretty surprised to read it ‘only’ advertises 140mm rear travel. There’s definitely a sense of more depth and cushioning – I’d have guessed at least 150mm from ride feel and impact absorption. The Super Deluxe Select+ shock damping the back end is the same tier as the front Lyrik and both units perform well.

Suck it up: No Buttercups on this level Lyrik.

The 3-way adjustable Lyrik has the same Charger 3 damper RockShox launched last year, but no Buttercups or increased bushing overlap like the most expensive Ultimates. Don’t let this put you off though, as my experience has been that Select+ (not Select) has great control and often offers greater sensitivity from the start with the shorter bushings.

One way RockShox’s fork isn’t quite perfect though, is occasionally bouncing back harshly on severe bottom outs until rebound damping ‘catches up’ and stabilises the chassis. It doesn’t happen often, but you can see the front tyre struggle for grip landing big drops to flat, or dropping down ledges on steeper trails.

A flip-chip gives geometry correction if you want to run a 27.5in back wheel.

The Super Deluxe doesn’t seem sensitive to exact rebound settings, but I ended up running more pressure than most air shocks to keep the Lapierre from riding a little too deep – that meant just over 25% sag (it’s really hard to see exactly how much with the shock hidden in a tunnel behind the mud guard). Even with less sag, the E-Zesty is still very supple with good tracking under braking, so there’s a nicely planted feel at the rear tyre and minimal skidding and skipping, even if you really slam the anchors on.

With 10mm more than the back, the 150mm Lyrik fork has good sensitivity and support, but (like the rear) feels smoothest and offers maximum grip with rebound closer to wide open. Being right at the end of the range doesn’t exactly seem right with my current 85kg weight, and running rebound open might also contribute to the sensation mentioned above where the fork can fire back at you momentarily.

The Max Terra compound Assegai provided ample and appropriate grip for a trail bike…

Components

If one Zesty component rang alarm bells, it was Lapierre’s eAM+ wheels with 28 bladed spokes on straight pull hubs. They looked a little too ‘trail’ for an (albeit light) e-bike, but I actually had zero issues with spokes coming loose, denting or buckling, and with very good tension, they don’t feel too flexy laterally either.

… but the dual compound, Exo carcass Minion DHR II is a cost-cutting exercise that compromises the performance.

Seated in Lapierre’s tough rims is a Maxxis tyre package that clearly makes some compromises to save cash. The front Assegai (EXO+ Maxx Terra) is just about perfect, but the bog-standard Maxxis EXO single-ply rear lacks casing support or toughness to resist punctures, and worst of all, lacks grip, which caught me out a few times during winter riding and on slimy exposed roots at BikePark Wales.

I already mentioned the major flaw of not sinking deep enough, but the own-brand dropper’s action is also slightly sticky with a slow movement that’s less positive than more expensive posts.

Our SLX brakes needed a bleed, but then worked without fault.

There’s little wrong with Lapierre’s wide handlebar shape and 45mm stem, the headset cable routing keeps the cockpit tidy, which also doesn’t have any screens and gadgets cluttering up the bar like plenty e-bikes. Fazua’s minimal Ring Controller turns the bike on and cycles settings, but the action is vague and the controller’s overlapping rings can get contaminated with crud easily and occasionally jump between modes or lock in ‘boost’, draining battery when you don’t want it to.

Shimano SLX four-piston brake levers and an SLX shifter for the XT 12-speed rear mech finish the cockpit set up and both worked fine once the rear brake was bled to save it from the dreaded Shimano wandering bite point issue.

Rubber frame protection and a rattle-free motor kept the Lapierre nice and silent.

Driving Fazua’s motor, Rotor’s E-Kapic cranks work without fuss to the extent I didn’t even think about them once until filling out the spec sheet. 170mm is a bit long for an e-bike, but how this E-Zesty delivers power makes you ride it closer to a regular bike, rather than permanently sitting on your backside and twiddling, so it’s less of a big deal. A final thing that’s not exactly a big deal either, but still a bit annoying, is the bike automatically powering off if you chat at the top of climbs for a few minutes, so you sometimes set off sprinting and it’s gone to sleep.

The Lapierre EZesty could be wrapped around a bucket turn like a blanket.

Performance

Climbing

One word to sum up the E-Zesty’s climbing character is natural. Whatever mode (of three) you’re in, like I said in my gear of the year that included Fazua’s motor the system is impressive, and Lapierre’s shape, steering and seated riding position are all sorted. There is tons of traction and minimal wheelspin climbing, even with the plastic-ey Maxxis rear tread.

Fazua’s assistance is all about boosting natural pedal inputs, rather than twiddling legs to access easy power. Ride 60 doesn’t have that surge under light pedalling or sustained overrun once you stop cycling, like most full power motors, so it’s more a case of the more you press, the more it gives back. This feels more like a regular bike where you can sense ‘tension’ in the chain driving rider and bike forwards and uphill, just one that also makes you magically feel 20kg lighter and with the leg power of an XC athlete.

The 2.3kg, 430Wh battery can hold its own in terms of range, and doesn’t tail off too fast on the last bar like Shimano’s system. Compared to mid-power equivalents like TQ, the Ride 60 has plenty of grunt, with the middle ‘River’ mode and some leg power providing more than enough juice for any of the steep climbs near me, and if you’re flagging, Fazua’s motor has another hidden trick.

An extra ‘over-boost’ mode is accessed by holding the ring controller forwards for 2 seconds, giving 12 seconds of 450W peak power boost. It’s great for cresting the steepest summits (or repeatedly pressing if you’re knackered and know you’ve got sufficient battery). Go easy on the magic button though or you’ll burn through cells much quicker. Over multiple rides, I’ve found being careful conserving energy can consistently get you around 1,500m of climbing with the app set to a lower acceleration (ramp up) and mostly a mixture of the two lower power modes, which is a really great result for a mid-power e-bike.

There are not many e-bikes you’d think about taking through a line of dirt jumps.

Descending

The best thing about the E-Zesty is how much it rides like a normal bike. By that I mean you can chuck it about a bit, and also get chucked about a bit yourself (but not too much) by whatever terrain is doing under the wheels. Really engaging and natural, it steers, and connects with bumps and features in a way that will feel familiar to riders of the best non-motorised rigs. The lump of ballast at its core makes it more grounded and more like an enduro bike than the 140/150mm travel numbers suggest though. Which sounds like the opposite to the Fazua-equipped Haibike Lyke that Danny tested last year.

In the same way a sorted regular bike tracks the ground without numbing all feedback, the Zesty can loft off little bumps and rises and react sharply to rider inputs. It’s not too hectic or fidgety, and easier to pick up and bunnyhop over little roots and stumps and quickly change direction, especially compared to the heavier full-fat models – like the Whyte E-160 RSX I’ve been riding a lot, which carries an additional 7kg of ballast.

Since first starting riding e-bikes, them being glued-to-the-floor and harder to deflect always reminded me of downhill bikes from around 20 years ago. The latest generation full-fats with massive batteries are now a fair bit heavier though, and with longer wheelbases and less dynamic direction changes, the E-Zesty differs in a good way.

Popping like a roll of bubble wrap. The EZesty is always up for a party.

With a much lower overall weight, it retains more of the positives of the DH bike effect, like the prized ability to flick around corners and trail kinks and pop and pump dips and lips. And, obviously, no 2003 Iron Horse Sunday would give you a burst of acceleration like you’d taken more performance enhancing drugs than the TDF peloton.

Lapierre’s suspension is supple, but one aspect you do give up to the best full-fat e-bikes is that grip levels aren’t quite as ridiculous and Velcro-like when tracing repeated hits and off-cambers in slop. But, again, for me, this is offset by moving around on the ground a touch and being quicker to turn, feeling more exciting and natural than being totally isolated from impacts and steamrolling through anything.

Something that really highlighted this difference was two consecutive trips to BikePark Wales – first on the the Lapierre, and then the latest Nukeproof Megawatt. Following the same mate on his ‘normal’ Santa Cruz Megatower (who I ride with a lot), the E-Zesty could mimic the moves and maintain pace on red and blue trails like Hot Stepper and Willy Waver just fine. Whereas riding the exact same trails and hitting some of the same bigger jumps aboard the new carbon Nukeproof Megawatt bike certain passages of trail didn’t feel the same.

Nosing in the perfectly balanced EZesty.

The Nukeproof rides great, but at just over 24kg there’s a noticeable difference generating speed on flatter sections. Where the E-Zesty can pump for extra speed through little complicated trail passages (where it’s not possible to pedal due to uneven terrain), my mate could pull away by metres from the Megawatt. Like a normal bike, the E-Zesty can catch downslopes and little backsides of root webs, bunnyhop into little compressions and load up and fire out of tight bucket turns. It converts more energy from pushing down into the tyres into forward motion in a way you heavier e-bikes can’t. And actually seem to absorb more rider energy from inputs than they give back.

In a nutshell, this is the beauty of lighter mid-power e-bikes, and is linked in with a little more liveliness in the chassis to add comfort compared to super-stiff and heavier machines too. Lapierre’s E-Zesty isn’t just any old mid-power e-bike though, it’s a really dialled package for a chunk less cash than something like Santa Cruz’s Heckler SL or equivalently specced Specialized Levo SL.

All was going beautifully until the motor conked out.

Before this review, because I love the puzzle of finding extra speed in techy little passages and enjoy a lighter bike being more reactive and nimble, I wouldn’t have ever had an e-bike as my only bike. I’ve got to admit, the E-Zesty is seriously tempting though; minus the seatpost insertion issue and with a better rear tyre, I’d only be missing a range extender for longer rides in the Lakes (due in 2024 from Fazua apparently), for it to be a serious one-bike-only contender.

And then my dreams were shattered when the motor stopped working. The battery had charge, and the bike would turn on, but nothing would spark the motor to life. It was a crushing disappointment after such a positive experience. Fazua now has warranty support in the UK through Upgrade, so it’s the sort of issue that should be covered. When we contacted Fazua about the problem, it said is isn’t aware of any widespread issues with the Ride 60 motor and promised to get back to us with an update when it knows what caused the motor to fail.