The Lapierre Overvolt FS 900 is a light weight full suspension eMountain bike designed for cross country (XC) and moderate downhill style riding. With 140mm of suspension travel on the front fork and rear swing arm you get comfort and performance. I’m a fan of the 27.5″ 650B wheels which provide improved traction and momentum over standard 26″ but aren’t so large that you clip your toes or interfere with suspension travel (as might be the case with a 29er). While Lapierre also offers a hardtail Overvolt 900 series electric bike, I love the comfort the FS model delivers navigating more rugged terrain. It doesn’t cost much more and is one of only a few mid-drive bikes available right now in a full suspension design.
In Europe, Lapierre has released one other full suspension electric Overvolt model (simply called the Overvolt FS) that relies on a European specced 250 watt Bosch System. The new FS 900 shown in this review (available in the US for Q4 2014) will get an upgraded 2nd generation Bosch 350 watt Centerdrive. In my experience it delivers great power, isn’t too loud and keeps weight low and center on the frame for improved balance vs. a hub motor. There’s no twist throttle or regenerative braking at work here but the range on this bike is still quite impressive with upwards of 50 miles in Eco mode.
In addition to Eco mode you can choose from Tour, Sport or Turbo for maximum power. The Overvolt FS 900 is a capable climber and I’ve had no problem ascending even the steepest trails without stressing my knees and leg muscles. Riding rigorous terrain becomes a test of balance instead of just stamina and brute force. The battery pack powering this bike offers 36 volts of power and 11 amp hours of capacity. This is slightly above average in terms of size and the the drive system really rations power in the Eco and Tour mode. The battery chemistry is Lithium Manganese Cobalt (akin to that used in electric cars) which is incredibly light, stable and durable. I love that you can easily take the battery off for charging and safe storage away from the bike. This reduces the overall weight by ~5.5 pounds which is handy when transporting it on car racks.
The display unit on the Overvolt FS 900 is large and easy to use. The screen is backlit for use in low light or night riding conditions and shows speed, distance and assist level. Just like all of the Bosch Intuvia systems this one has an external button pad that’s easy to reach when pedaling. You don’t have to take your hand off the left grip to change assist levels or check your range (very handy when riding through rough potentially hazardous terrain). The display itself is large and beautiful but also easily removable so you can limit tampering and vandalism. Overall, the cockpit of this bike is clean, intuitive and easy to use (physically speaking). The hydraulic disc brake levers are easy to reach, as are the trigger shifters. One area for potential improvement is a remote lockout for the front suspension fork, the model I tried had the standard cap lever on the right side of the fork. The rear suspension also features a little lever for adjusting rebound.
Lapierre bicycles are new to me but I was really impressed with the overall quality and light weight of the FS 900. It looks beautiful, performs well and is priced in line with similar full suspension Bosch powered electric bikes like the Haibike XDURO FS 27.5″. Having had limited experience with this company (and frequently mispronouncing the company name in the video review) I was excited to meet a member of the actual Lapierre family at a recent press event in New Jersey named Stephane. He and I talked about the history of the company and their goals with this bike, you can see the video interview here. I’m sure more companies will be hopping onto the Bosch bandwagon but one thing Lapierre has as a member of the Accell group is distribution and support to US markets through Currie Technologies. These guys have a dedicated customer service team and years of experience selling ebikes. Ultimately, this is a well engineered bike that takes advantage of high end components to deliver a new type of riding experience. I love mountain biking but have been limited by a knee injury and this type of setup brings back the energy and excitement without the pain.
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