The bike manufacturer Lapierre, based in Dijon, France, was able to use the X control established a good position in the league of full-suspension XC bikes in recent years. This year the bike comes in a revised version on the medium-sized 650B wheels, in a total of four versions. The engineers at the company, which belongs to the Accell Group, want to meet the wishes of those drivers who want better rollover behavior from the previous X-Control 29 inchbikes do not offer enough agility - Lapierre offers the latter variant with the X control also on.
//Furnishing
Our test model, the Lapierre X Control 627, not only makes a good first impression in terms of its design, but also comes with solid equipment. The frame made of aluminum is equipped with a tapered head tube at the front, which is now standard. The hydroformed top tube has a bridge at the height of the seat tube, which should guarantee more rigidity in this area. The cables routed along the down tube ensure a tidy look.
Lapierre is also no slouch when it comes to the components. If you consider the price of just under 2.300,00 euros, you can definitely rate the selected components as coherent. The French use a mix of Shimano for the drive Deore SLX (shifter and front derailleur) and Deore xt (Rear derailleur and crank) components, but it leaves a good impression right from the start. The rear derailleur moves smoothly over the cassette, which is spread wide enough for everyday cyclists. The front derailleur isn't a problem either.
The formulas, on the other hand, require some time to get used to RX-Stopper. During our test, they only became snappy and controllable at an advanced stage. Different the Nobby Nick from swallow. The all-round tires offer good control on loose surfaces and inspire confidence. In conjunction with Mavics XM319-wheels you don't necessarily get the lightest package here, but one that you can rely on.
While Lapierre uses components from the EA50-series from Easton, you mount a 720 millimeter wide handlebar from in-house production. The width is adapted to the purpose of the bike and offers a safe level of control, especially on descents.
However, the heart of the bike is not the equipment, but its suspension travel system. Here the French combine a Rock Shox Reba with 120 millimeters of spring travel and a 15 millimeter thru-axle with a damper specially made for the bike that has 100 millimeters of spring travel. According to Lapierre, the so-called SPF2-System to minimize the influence of the pedals on the suspension behavior of the bike and thus keep it agile. The system uses the chain tension as a guide for the spring behavior. In contrast to the 26-inch predecessor models of the X control this system seems to work much better in connection with the slightly larger wheels. Setbacks, even on technically demanding climbs, are hardly noticeable. The bike also looks more grown-up on descents, and the spring behavior is more predictable.
The seating position also guarantees driving pleasure. This is relatively upright. This gives you nice control over the descents X Control 627. But it is also advantageous on steep uphill sections. In combination with the relatively short chainstays, the bike also remains relatively agile. Due to the length of the struts of 435 millimeters, it almost feels like a 26-incher when accelerating, but it has significantly better driving stability.
//Conclusion
Lapierre goes with his X Control 627 a step in the right direction. If you compare the driving behavior with the classics of the series, the current model looks much more mature. Thanks to its solid equipment, the visually beautiful XC-Fully can be described as a robust and sporty trail friend, with which you can sometimes go a little harder.
//Product highlights
- reliable and good value for money mix of components
- Driving stability and agility
- harmonious design
//price and web
- 2.299,00 Euros
- www.bikes-lapierre.de