Pendbox trickles down from the DH bike for 2012. Click to zoom
X-Flow
The X-Flow is Lapierre’s new 120mm travel trail bike, using a re-engineered version of its Pendbox suspension system. There are six models in the range, of which the frame material is split evenly between full carbon and aluminium.
Pendbox is Lapierre’s floating drivetrain suspension system, introduced for 2011 on its DH bike. Unsurprisingly, it chases the Holy Grail of suspension efficiency and pedalling prowess, and like its long travel sibling it aims to do this by manipulating the movement of the bottom bracket in relation to both the front triangle and the swingarm. But while the theory is the same, the execution is completely different.
Far from being a scaled down version of the DH Team and DH 720 bikes, the X-Flow’s Pendbox uses a very traditional looking frame, with front and rear triangles and a shock mounted in-line with the seat tube, and actuated by a particularly neat little rocker link. Only upon close inspection does the Pendbox reveal itself; hidden cleverly behind the chainset.
We don’t have the space here to really go into detail about how Pendbox works and what it feels like in X-Flow guise — you’ll have to wait for our upcoming First Ride for that — but the important things to note are that the bottom bracket always moves forward from the sag position as the suspension compresses, and the total amount of movement is only 5mm.
Angle Finder
Sizes: 41, 46, 51, 56cm
Head angle: 69
Seat Angle: 72.5
Bottom drop: 0mm
Chainstay length: 423mm
Wheelbase:
Top tube: 590mm (46cm frame)