Lapierre DH720 Review

The DH720's frame, which is the exact same as used on the higher end DH920, is very impressive in person. While beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, everyone who's seen the bike up close has raved about its great looks. Hydroformed tubes and an awesome racey color scheme certainly set it apart from the crowd, especially here in B.C. where we don't see many of these French exotics. Starting up front, you'll find a short 1 1/8th head tube that uses a low stack height, integrated headset. Just aft of the the head tube you'll be able to spot the first of a few of the neat details on the DH720's frame: built in fork bumpers. While certainly not the first or only company to use these, it's nice to see them on the bike as they are a no nonsense way of protecting your frame and you know that they'll always be in the correct position. This is also the point at which the shift and brake lines enter the frame if you plan on routing them internally, not something you see on many DH bikes. One other interesting feature on the frame is the protective rear disc guard that is bolted to the non-drive side chainstay. It's a sturdy aluminum thing that covers an 8" disc, but is removable if you feel you don't need it.



The Lapierre is the first DH bike that I've seen that uses the relatively new press fit bottom bracket system - BB30. While it certainly makes for clean lines and possibly a better sealed and longer lasting bottom bracket, this was my first experience with this system and I was eager to see how it held up throughout a wet B.C. Spring season. The chain guide mounts via the now common ISCG-05 pattern. All of the pivot hardware (minus the shock mounting bolts) are anodized aluminum that not only look great, but also shaves a few grams over steel bolts. It's also nice to see an aluminum 12 x 150 mm axle as opposed to a heavy steel unit. The low slung shock is protected from trail debris by a bolt on carbon guard that manages to look factory while also doing its job.



The DH720 uses Lapierre's FPS2 suspension system that is comprised of two short links and an enclosed rear triangle that create a virtual pivot point out in space. There are quite a few virtual pivot point bikes that all resemble each other, but a lot of them work on different principles and therefore have their own ride characteristic that set them apart from one another. It is important to remember this before making any sweeping statements about one design being the same as another simply due to it bearing a resemblance. As the FPS2 goes through it's travel and the top link compresses the shock, the virtual pivot point actually moves up and reward. Have a look at how FPS2 works on the Lapierre site. Uniquely, the lower shock mount is actually bolted to the downtube, as opposed to welded. I could only imagine that this simplifies the manufacturing process quite a bit, but it also makes access to the cable exit point a bit easier.

---

Lapierre DH720 geometry, size small:

Head angle	65 degrees
EFF Seat Angle	69 degrees
EFF Top Tube	585 mm
Chainstay	445 mm
Bottom Bracket	364 mm
Actual Frame Size (seatube length)	420 mm
Wheelbase	1140 mm

Lapierre offers the DH720 in only two sizes, the small that you see above, and a large size with a 600 mm top tube length. Have a look at the geometry to see if one of the two sizes will work for you,

---

The Build
The DH720 is the less expensive option of the two complete DH bikes that Lapierre offers (they also have the Bos Stoy equipped frame kit). The build is well thought out with a mix of affordable, but strong and reliable parts that most riders will find more than worthy of long days in the bike park or Sundays on the race course. Front suspension is handled by RockShox with their Boxxer Race. The Race fork uses the same 35 mm stanchion platform as its more expensive siblings, minus some of the fancy internal bits. Adjustments include external rebound speed and external compression damping. The rear of the bike is suspended by a coil sprung Fox RC2 damper that lacks the boost valve adjustment of the RC4, but still lets you tinker with both rebound and compression settings.

Specifications
Release Date	2010
Price	$5299
Travel	200 mm
Rear Shock	Fox DHX RC2 (241mm x 76mm)
Fork	Rockshox Boxxer Race
Headset	Semi-Integrated Cartridge
Cassette	Shimano HG61 9S 11X28
Crankarms	Gravity Moto X DH, 170mm with 38T ring
Chainguide	e.13
Bottom Bracket	BB 30
Pedals	None
Chain	Shimano HG
Rear Derailleur	SRAM X-9
Front Derailleur	N/A
Shifter Pods	SRAM X-9
Handlebar	Syncros FR31 20x740
Stem	Syncros Bolt On 50mm
Grips	Lapierre
Brakes	Formula RX 203 mm rotors
Hubs	Lapierre
Rim	Alex FR32 32 holes
Tires	Hutchinson Barracuda MRC Med/Low 26x2.50
Seat	Syncros FL Crmo White
Seatpost	Lapierre AL-6061 31.6 mm

While the DH720's spec is put together to be competitive, but also retail for a reasonable price, Lapierre also offers the higher end DH920. Using the same frame, the DH920 is outfitted with a mix of Shimano Saint components, Mavic Deemax wheels, as well as higher end and more adjustable suspension.

---

Riding Impressions

The DH-720's rear suspension was impressive on every sort of terrain that I rode it on. From rooty and rocky tech sections that would make any rider pause, to high speed and rough tracks at Whistler, the rear of the bike felt forgiving and versatile. I was very impressed with how well the bike rolled over rough terrain at speed, it certainly felt as if it's FPS2 suspension held an incredible amount of momentum when crossing chundery bits of trail that I know from experience have slowed down other bikes much more. With the stock 350 lb spring fitted on the Fox RC2 rear shock I sat into just over 30% of the stroke, not an incredible amount of negative travel, but the French bike felt just as forgiving as bikes that require more sag to feel comfortable. The stout rear end and short stiff links of the FPS2 system tie together a chassis that is as stiff as any rider could ever hope for and it never once had that soft feeling that some wimpier bikes can be prone to. Pedaling wasn't as much of a chore as on some bikes and it accelerated quite well out of blown corners and while sprinting for mock finish lines. Although braking felt mostly neutral, there was some slight stiffening that could be felt, but not enough to cause any concern.




The geometry of the French bike is a slightly askew of normal, although the numbers may appeal to riders who know what they are looking for. The head angle of 65 degrees is tucked in a touch steeper than is popular among many riders these days, but I never found that to be a hinderance at any point, even when the trail turned steep and gnarly. It is very easy to get caught up in the 'slacker is better' forum banter and find yourself convinced that you need a chopper bike like the pro's, but the reality is that you have to be going at quite a pace to have those relaxed numbers work well for you. The number that does standout from the rest is the wheelbase - just under 45". Having come off a number of bikes with longer stances, I struggled to get comfortable on the DH-720 when speeds picked up. I could feel that the bike's FPS2 suspension working well and egging me on to go faster, but the short length of the bike gave me an unattached feeling over rough terrain and it had a tendency to feel nervous when things got hairy. It is too bad because the suspension on the bike is topnotch, even with the OEM level Fox RC2 shock that lacks some of the tuning options. The possible upside to the bike's unique handling will be for shorter riders who don't have the leverage to manhandle a limo length DH bike, and I could also obviously see the bike doing well on tighter and slower tracks. The rear wheel feels like it is tucked in close under the rider which made the bike very manageable at slow speeds in technical sections that would be a handful on most other DH bikes, but on faster rough sections I found myself wishing for a longer bike that would have felt more planted. While the larger size shares the same 445 mm (17.5") chainstays, it does gain an extra half inch of length in the top tube that allows for a more forward biased riding position that should make the rear end feel a bit more stretched out. I wish more companies altered their bike's chainstay lengths according to sizes in order to fine tune the handling.




A note on the Lapierre's sizing...

Lapierre's DH bikes are only available in two sizes that are labeled small and large, but if you are thinking about picking up your own DH-920 or DH-720 you'll want to spend a few extra minutes looking over the geometry before deciding on which size you'll be best on. At 5'9" I can ride either size, but having spent a lot of time on our small test bike I'd recommend a large for any rider who is my height or taller. The Lapierre is a very compact DH bike with a wheelbase of only 1140 mm (44.8") and this is very evident when riding it at speed.

The Parts

• I was impressed with the Hutchinson Barracuda tires that the DH-720 came with. No flats and great predictable traction in all conditions. They are showing a bit more wear than I would have expected, but that's the price you have to pay for tires that perform this great.

• The Formula RX brakes have plenty of power and a firm feel, but lack modulation and feel quite wooden at the lever. They were not popular with any rider that jumped on the DH-720.

• The Syncros FR31 bar was not a favorite with anyone who sat on the Lapierre. The given geometry numbers of the bar are not anything out of the ordinary, but it felt awkward and unnatural. It was swapped out with something more familiar for the duration of the test.

• The Alex FR32 rims are not the most interesting hoops out there, but they took a beating during my time on the DH-720 and held up great. They should be on your short list if you are looking for some relatively inexpensive rims that are still reliable.

• The Boxxer Race fork that is used on the front of the DH-720 proves how far along suspension has come over the last few years. I can remember many years ago when this entry level fork used far more primitive damping and could be a handful, but this 2010 model does well to dispel any of those negative feelings. It was reliable, the adjustments worked well, and it did a very good job of handling anything that we threw at it.

---

The Lapierre DH-720 is a rare and exotic bike in our neck of the woods and its ride proved to be just as unique. Its rear suspension tames rough terrain as good as any design and the the bike accelerates quite well. The DH-720's most positive attribute is it's ability to carry an incredible amount of momentum over rough and lurching terrain that will have other bikes losing speed. The compact wheelbase may put off some riders, and they may be right, as in some places the short machine felt a touch overwhelmed, but I can certainly see this French bike shining in many places regardless.


For 2011 Lapierre has introduced an entirely new DH bike that uses their PendBox suspension system. The new bike also features revised geometry that includes not only a slacker head angle and longer top tube, but also a longer wheelbase as a result. I've had a chance to spend two days on the new bike in the Chatel bike park and came away very impressed. Stay tuned for a more in-depth review down the road.

Visit Lapierre's website to see their entire range of bikes.

Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Reviews DH Bikes Lapierre Bikes Lapierre Dh 720