After the release of the updated Zesty a few months ago, Lapierre has released a new version of the Spicy with more travel and tweaked geometry.

Key Points

• Lapierre Spicy beefed up to 160/165mm travel
• New geometry with input from Nico Vouilloz
• Space added for a bottle cage
• ei: Auto Shock compatible

That looks, erm, different

Yeah, we think that Lapierre has gone for function over form with this one, it certainly won’t be winning any beauty pageants any time soon… That’s not to say it won’t be any good though.

So, what’s new?

The biggest change is an increase in travel. The 2015 Spicy was 160mm front and rear, the new Zesty will remain 160mm at the front but gain an extra 5mm travel in the rear. This bucks the current trend of bikes having more travel at the front than the rear and we’re interested to see how that feels on the trail.

The Zesty also has a slightly tweaked, more enduro-focussed geometry. The changes have been made following input from Nico Vouilloz, who currently plies his trade on the EWS circuit, so they should be an improvement.

The head angle has been slackened, the seat tube shortened and the reach made longer. Lapierre is also providing the Spicy with a 45mm stem and 780mm bar which it is hoping will create a more stable cockpit.

What else is there to know?

Well although the frame may not be a looker, it does give extra room for a bottle cage. The resurgence in bottle cages may seem like a throwback to the nineties, but many pro enduro riders actually prefer it because it means you don’t have to wear a backpack so you can move around on your bike far easier.

The Spicy will be available from October with three models costing between EUR 3,200 (£2,333) and EUR 6,999 (£5,111)

For more information click here