LaPierre debuted their new Cross Alloy and Cross Carbon bikes today at Raleigh’s dealer gathering. The French brand shares owners with Raleigh, and is making a big push to expand its dealer network in the US.
The 2014 Lapierre Carbon Cross is ready for mud, discs, cantis or Mourey. @ Cyclocross Magazine
The $3000 Ultegra-equipped carbon model can switch between being a disc or canti bike and is available as a complete bike or just frameset, while the alloy model is available as a canti-only complete bike.
The Cross Carbon comes complete with Ultegra 6700 10-speed STI levers and a rear derailleur, our Editors’ Award-winning Shimano CX70 front derailleur and CX70 crankset. Other component highlights include Avid BB7 disc brakes, an Easton EA50 cockpit ad post, and Formula sealed bearing hubs with Alex’s CX26 cyclocross rims. The rims are 26mm deep, and relatively wide at 17mm wide (internal), and can handle rim brakes.
The carbon version is also available as a frameset for $2000, $1000 less than the complete bike. The Cross Carbon is one of the few bikes that we’ve ever come across that offers both canti or disc braking without a fork change (the other being the 2014 Pivot Vault), since the carbon tapered steerer fork is canti- and disc-compatible carbon fork.
The rear triangle has 135mm spacing, which forces frame buyers who are rim brake loyalists to find a 135mm rim brake wheel. Complete bike buyers are in luck though, as the wheels and rims that come on the complete bike will be both rim and disc brake compatible. The Lapierre Cross Carbon comes complete with Shimano Ultegra, Avid BB7 disc brakes, LP Full Carbon CX fork, Formula hubs with Alex rims, East EA50 bars, seatpost and stem, and Selle Italia saddle.
The first look at the Lapierre Cross Alloy model. © Cyclocross Magazine
The alloy model is available as a complete bike only for $1700. It comes stock with Shimano 105 components and SRAM Shorty cantilever brakes, with an LP Carbon fork and Alex rims with Formula hubs. A Ritchey bar, stem and seatpost with a Selle Italia saddle complete the bike. The alloy model comes with the Shimano CX50 crankset, which we reviewed back in Issue 16 (available as a digital download on our new Subscribe page).
The LaPierre Cross Carbon has a fork that can accommodate disc and canti brakes. © Cyclocross Magazine
One little thing that caught our eyes—the frames don’t have a flattened underside of the top tube, and in fact the shape seems a bit pointy (something we’ve seen with other brands of cyclocross bikes, including Pinarello’s CX Cross). Another interesting configuration was top tube cable routing, with a bottom pull CX70 front derailleur with a pulley. We love the top-pull model of the CX70 front derailleur for top tube cable routing as it removes the pulley and any friction.
The chainstays have a sharp top edge for mud clearance, and the frame is painted with the FDJ road team logos.
LaPierre Cross Alloy. © Cyclocross Magazine
LaPierre is well-known as French racer Francis Mourey’s bike of choice. Mourey is French National Champion, and has raced in the US before, taking the win at CrossVegas back in 201o.
LaPierre 2014 Cyclocross Bike Gallery
