Lapierre has added the brand new X-Flow to its range for 2012, a cross-country race bike that borrows the suspension platform from the company’s downhill bike.
At the heart of the new X-Flow, which we think looks stunning, is Lapierre’s Pendbox suspension platform, a floating bottom bracket system first found on the company’s longer travel bikes a couple of years ago.
It’s been tamed compared to those big rigs however, with 120mm on tap that is said to isolate the negative effects of pedalling and weight shifts. Pendbox was initially developed with Nicolouz Vouilloz.
The Pendbox is a floating bottom bracket with the aim to make pedalling as efficient as possible. In the sag position the bottom bracket is at its rearmost position, and moves forward as the suspension compresses. Movement is only a small amount, about 5mm, but it’s enough to keep the chain tension constant, allowing the bike to pedal well no matter how far into the suspension travel you are.
This then means the Lapierre designers can work on the suspension performance, for which they’ve designed a single pivot with a linkage driven shock, separately from concerns about pedalling performance.
Several models will be available with four aluminium frames and three full carbon options. More details on specs and prices soon.
More about the Pendbox here.
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