Much more than just a snazzy new carbon version of the ever-popular Lapierre Overvolt AM, Lapierre’s latest sprog features a radical new frame concept and goes by the name of the Overvolt AM Carbon. The Bosch battery sits much lower than regular models, which works to both lower the bike’s centre of gravity and improve the handling. But has all this lowering lowered the tone or raised the bar?
The 600 g weight reduction by opting for a carbon over an aluminium frame wasn’t the only benefit on the French team’s mind when they chose to rely on this material for their new flagship E-MTB bike – in fact, the primary reason was the opportunity that carbon presents, granting a freedom that allowed the designers to carve out this bike in such a distinctive form.
Given that ten-times Downhill World Champion Nicolas Voulliouz had his finger in this metaphorical E-MTB pie, it comes as no surprise to see that Lapierre have created anything but a regular bike. Known in the bike world as the ‘the Alien’, Voulliouz has spent years acquainting himself with E-MTBs and has been a key figure in Lapierre’s bike development team since 2011. When it came to the AM Carbon, the main priority always hung with the centre of gravity – namely, how best to keep it low. The result is an industry first: a wholly unique frame design that sees a regular 500 Wh Bosch battery sit directly above the motor in a much lower position than normal. This repositioning required an overhaul of the whole frame construction, seeing the developers split the downtube and create space for the battery in the ensuing gap. The seattube runs asymmetrically around the battery, meaning you can access it from the left side of the bike.
The details of the Lapierre Overvolt AM Carbon
Before you starting worrying about style over substance, we can put your mind at ease: the Lapierre Overvolt AM Carbon has a lot more to offer than just an eye-catching frame. With 140 mm rear travel and forks giving 150 mm of the good stuff, it’s more than equipped for some gnarly trails. The dropouts can be turned, allowing both 27.5″ as well as 27.5+. Then there are the Boost standard hubs that provide generous tire clearance and stiffer wheels. The internally routed cables are tidy and give it a clean image. Once typical for Lapierre, they’ve got rid of the ‘buckle’ in the toptube and this Overvolt has a satisfyingly linear silhouette.
The geometry of the Lapierre Overvolt AM Carbon
Arguably not designed for purely nipping around the block, the Overvolt AM Carbon’s geometry has a slack 66° head angle to keep it stable on descents, while agility is generated by its moderately long frame with a reach of 437 mm for the size-large frame. However, as none of the geometry figures are wildly extreme, it’s set to be a bike that’ll please a ton of riders. Compared to the well-known Overvolt AM Alu, the chainstays on the carbon reinvention are 5 mm shorter, and the geometry as a whole seems brilliantly well conceived for some serious off-road riding.
| Size | S | M | L |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 420 mm | 440 mm | 480 mm |
| Top tube | 570 mm | 600 mm | 625 mm |
| Head tube | 110 mm | 120 mm | 130 mm |
| Head angle | 66° | 66° | 66° |
| Seat angle | 73° | 73° | 73° |
| Chainstay | 475 mm / 485 mm | 475 mm / 485 mm | 475 mm / 485 mm |
| BB Drop | – 5 mm | – 5 mm | – 5 mm |
| Reach | 387 mm | 387 mm | 387 mm |
The spec of the Lapierre Overvolt AM Carbon
With the same stunning carbon frame as the foundation, the Overvolt AM Carbon will be launched in three build specs, with all three models featuring the ever-reliable Bosch CX Performance motor with a 500 Wh battery. The new RockShox Deluxe RT rear shock is a tour de force at the rear, offering 140 mm rear travel. Moreover, all three are kitted out with a Lapierre dropper post and SRAM’s E-MTB-specific Guide RE brakes.
The three models vary most when it comes to forks, shifting and wheels, with the entry-level AM Carbon 700 relying on SRAM’s price-point 1×11 NX drivetrain, the RockShox Yari RC forks and Mavic wheels. The mid-range 800 model comes with the Shimano XT groupset, RockShox Pike RC forks and Lapierre’s new E-MTB-specific eAM wheels. The Overvolt AM Carbon 900+ is the big deal of the trio, featuring the RockShox Pike RC forks, SRAM’s EX1 E-MTB groupset and, as the name suggests, plus-size wheels and tires.
Lapierre Overvolt AM Carbon 700
Motor: Bosch Performance CX
Battery: 500 Wh
Fork: RockShox Yari RC 150 mm
Rear shock: RockShox Deluxe RT
Brakes: SRAM Guide RE
Seat post: Lapierre dropper post
Drivetrain: SRAM NX
Wheelset: 27,5″ Mavic EX630 (rims)/ Formula D (hubs)
Price: € 5,299
Lapierre Overvolt AM Carbon 800
Motor: Bosch Performance CX
Battery: 500 Wh
Fork: RockShox Pike RC 150 mm
Rear shock: RockShox Deluxe RT
Brakes: SRAM Guide RE
Seat post: Lapierre dropper post
Drivetrain: Shimano XT 1×11
Wheelset: Lapierre eAM
Price: € 5,999
Lapierre Overvolt AM Carbon 900+
Motor: Bosch Performance CX
Battery: 500 Wh
Fork: RockShox Pike RC 150 mm
Rear shock: RockShox Deluxe RT
Brakes: SRAM Guide RE
Seat post: Lapierre dropper post
Drivetrain: SRAM EX1 1×8
Wheelset: 27,5″ Alex MD40 (rims) / Formula D (hubs)
Price: € 6,499
Lapierre Overvolt AM Carbon 70TH ULTIMATE
Details to follow late September / early October
Limited (100 units) 70TH model
Supernova integrated lights (rear / front)
“state-of-the-art” spec
Price: € 6,999
First impressions of the Lapierre Overvolt AM Carbon
Nearby the Lapierre HQ in Dijon, we shook off the theory and headed out on the trails to give our verdict on their new carbon whip. The previous weeks’ virtually continuous rainfall had left the trails in a state but it just added to the fun as we took the entry-level AM Carbon 700 on some loops.
As soon as we hit the first climb, the benefits of the low centre of gravity were tangible. The front wheel willingly lifted over roots and trail debris – a trait that doesn’t come easy to E-MTBs. Once the trails tilted downwards, the bike came to life, inspiring confidence and gambling with us greedily to ride it with some panache. On jumps and drops it was more than capable of taking air, and its front wheel proved more planted than many other E-MTBs on corners. Moreover, the suspension did its job really well, and we were never short of grip.
Not only does the Overvolt AM Carbon ride really well, it also has an extremely well considered spec. While SRAM’s NX shifters have always been on the sidelines, they shift brilliantly and replacing worn out parts won’t hurt your wallet. The new RockShox Deluxe RT rear shock was an eye-opener too: belonging to the new metric length shocks and taking the new style bearing mount, it was super responsive. Lapierre’s own seatpost gave us further reason to cheer, purely by being inconspicuous and effective – this could be a serious alternative for a more leftfield dropper post. On the whole, the spec suits its purpose and didn’t display any notable weaknesses. Obviously it’d be nice if the cheaper model was also available with plus-size wheels, but these can easily be upgraded.
Conclusion
Not only proof that even with familiar Bosch components there’s always room for innovation, the Lapierre Overvolt AM Carbon also testifies to the value of a low centre of gravity. The spec has been wisely chosen to fit the bike’s role as an ambitious E-MTB. Naturally, our rapid test ride at the bike launch didn’t answer all of our questions, but it definitely gave us a pleasing appetizer of what’s to come.
For more information check the Lapierre website!
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Words: Photos: Moritz Dittmar, Damian McArthur
