Robert Foster

I got my new frame assembled and home Sunday afternoon. I was planning on going for a short ride but things came up and the weather didn’t co-operate so today was its first dry run. I showed up at the group ride and took the usual good natured ribbing ribbing over a new bike everyone gets. Spent about 20 minutes trying to set my computer and finally took off on a 40 mile ride on a cool overcast day.
The frame they replaced was made of scandium and the new one is Carbon fiber. The weight is within a few grams of each other but the set up of the CF bike is just a bit more “plush” than the older Scandium. I was looking forward to comparing the two rides.
The CF bike is indeed smoother than the Scandium Lapierre Xlite 300 and doesn’t send as many of the road vibrations to the rider. They seem to have found a way to make the frame both stiff enough to allow plenty of forward drive for sprints and compliant enough to provide for some rider comfort. I am still tinkering with the riding position. Right now it tends to be slightly more upright than I used to be but I am still stretched out a bit more when I drop onto the hoods. But the drops feel a lot better.
The CF accelerates about as quickly as I did on the Scandium but it doesn’t seem to change direction quite as quickly. That could be because I have had a different bike for a month in-between the two rides but the CF tracks a lot better than the Scandium did. But to be fair I have a different CF fork on the new bike. I had a straight CF fork on the Scandium bike.
Climbing so far is on par with the Scandium bike but I didn’t have any long climbs to compare and I wasn’t riding the short climbs with our A group. But the seat of the pants says I can climb as well on the new CF bike.
It may be because the bike shop adjusted all my components as part of their service but the shifting is far more precise and I get full use out of almost every gear on my Force 11-28.
My impression is that the Lapierre Sensium 400 will be a more comfortable bike over all for club rides and an occasional citizen race. I know I will enjoy my next century a lot more on this bike than I did on the other one. I still need to get a CF seat post and Stem but that part is a never ending quest for just the right parts.

RonH

Great looking bike. I hope you'll enjoy many happy and safe miles on it.

stapfam

Am I not seeing things or would that bike be hard to pedal? More pics needed to show detail.

First CF bike I had- and it was peer pressure that pushed me into it- and initially I was not happy with it.----Except for the hill climbing ability. I know it was down to the wheels but it was very skittish at speed on rough roads. But that hill climbing- Stayed in higher gears for longer and not as tiring after the climb either (Or perhaps I just don't push hard enough).

I did find that the ride position was different to my normal ride. TT length was the same and even same reach on the Stem. But like every bike- They are all different. Bars were raised a fraction-Stem replaced with one 5mm shorter and I even ran through the crank length and found a set of 172.5's in place of the 170's I normally use. I swear it does not make any difference but the longer cranks just feel right. And it still climbs hills. It has stopped being skittish but was with a different set of wheels.

It finally handles the way I want it to and it is a good bike. But I had a good few months where it nearly went back to the shop.


Edit----Great looking bike and I am certain you will get the "Few" niggles" out of it- but Can't wait till you have used it a bit and the sun has bleached the bar tape down a tone. It clashes with your ride strip so Either get a new strip- or change clubs.

rumrunn6

fantastic!

George

Good looking ride Robert, have fun.

Robert Foster

You can’t see the egg beaters so I guess I need some more pictures. I have ordered new bar tape but the yellow was the best I could do at the time. It looks better in person with the yellow tires. But they don’t reflect like the tape does. I guess you could say they are more subdued. Because I have the camera and take the club pictures there are very few of me and this was the only one on our last ride. When the new tape gets here and I switch it out I’ll take some close-ups.
I have to replace my seat tube because the one on the Xlite was too big and I had to use a spare aluminum one I had on the Jamis, a 27.2. I may lower the bars about another 5 or 10mm but the stretch is pretty comfortable for now. I have started saving for some American Classic Sprinters that I would like to get before the end of the year. But with the new forks, and having to see about getting a CF seat post and stem I might have to wait till almost Christmas.
My next event outside of club rides is another century in April and something tells me this will be a more comfortable ride.

The cranks and Chainring are Ultegra and the Shifters and derailleur are SRAM Force as is the Cassette.

billydonn

Nice bike.... but we do indeed need more detailed pics to fully appreciate and savor! Perhaps pics of both old and new?

And wait! Weren't there going to be pics "as the build progresses"?

HAMMER MAN

sweet looking ride, enjoy

oilman_15106

Looks great but what is with the winter kit in SoCal?