All Arround MTB

While some bike models last just a couple of years, others change with the times to stay at the top of riders' wishlists. In this new series we're looking at the evolution of three bikes that enjoy enduring popularity with UK riders, each from a different genre of mountain biking. Kicking things off is the Lapierre Zesty, a full-suspension rig that's come a long way since it was launched in 2007 (on sale in 2008).

A French bike dialled for British riding perfection…

Enduro courses in europe, the land where this bike calls home, make most U.S. courses seem smooth. So the Spicy 527’s 6-inch-travel aluminum frame is beefy as hell, along with its component spec, including the 160-millimeter RockShox Pike and Michelin’s Advanced Reinforced Gum-X and Magi-X rubber–some of the burliest tires on the market.

With all the fuss over 650b wheels being the next big thing, it took me a while to get going with this big-wheeled French trail bike – but a few tweaks on, I’m loving it. As you might expect of a sturdy full-suspension 29er for just over two grand, there’s a fair amount of metal mass here. The big, smooth-rolling Spank wheels set up tubeless with WTB’s chunky Vigilante front and slick-but-quick Nine Line rear tyres mean I only ever really notice the weight when I have to heave it over something or drag it out of the car.