Born in large part from the desire of the sprinters of the Groupama – FDJ team to have the fastest possible bike, the Lapierre Aircode DRS is a bike oriented towards speed and designed to win races. But what about the user who is looking for a minimum of versatility on all terrains and who does not necessarily plan to pin a bib on a race? Corollary of this question, how can this bike behave in montagwhen you have to ride with low power on small gears and therefore stress the frame less sharply? Answer with version 6.0 of this family of frames, a model that limits its price to €5299.
Text: Olivier Dulaurent – Photos: ©Lapierre, ©3bikes.fr
In the ranges of many brands on the market and concerning the most efficient bikes, two philosophies clash : first of all the brands which schematically have a bike for the montagand another bike for speed on the flat. And the others who try to have a versatile bike, able to perform on all terrains. Lapierre is in the first category and there is therefore a real distinction between the xelius for climbers and the Aircode that interests us here, rather designed for sprinters. On this subject, and following a long collaboration with the professionals of Groupama – FDJ which ended at the end of 2023, it is at the request of the riders oriented towards the Classics and sprints with Arnaud Démare in the lead that this bike was developed. From then on, it is easy to imagine that The research revolved around an aero and rigid bike, two characteristics that will beforehand against versatility and climbing ability.
The Aircode DRS was released in 2021 and Lapierre thus offered a third iteration of its aero-oriented model, already validated by Arnaud Démare the previous year on a few notable races.
The shapes of the tubes are derived from NACA profiles (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) and to follow a general trend, Tire clearance allows use of 28mm sections even if in the context of the test, it was 25 mm in Tubeless which were testes.
The DRS also plans to address two issues commonly associated with road bikes. route aerodynamics: weight and comfort. In terms of weight – even taking into account the increased shape of the aerodynamic tubes – Lapierre has managed to reduce the weight of the frame by more than 80 g, bringing it down to around 900 g.
As for comfort, a carbon fiber configuration and material selection have improved rear-end compliance by 12%.
In terms of geometry, The manoeuvrable and responsive side is rather highlighted with a relatively short wheelbase and chainstays measuring only 405 mm., a rare measurement with modern drivetrains and disc brakes.
On the aerodynamic side, The original hanger is designed to allow for the attachment of aerodynamic extensions. (included with the bike), which potentially transform the bike into a Time Trial machine (with the reservations related to the geometry of the frame) or even with the idea of competing in a duathlon or a triathlon.
The seat tube is "isolated" from the rest of the frame and this theoretically allows it some bending since it is not attached to the shrouds. These connect here into the top tube rather than connecting to the seat tube. This is an original alternative among modern production in front of the now classic lowered seat stays.
On route
The bike testé is a frame in size XL, the highest available. Note that with the saddle extended to the maximum (limit visible on the seat post), the saddle height is around 84,5 cm. While this will obviously be sufficient for the vast majority of cyclists, it can be a hindrance for larger riders. Moreover, the XXL size is no longer available. In terms of geometry, compared to the standards for this size the bike is within the standard length question (today we prefer to use the measure Reach rather than the top tube length) but rather low (measure now determined with the Stack (Height) rather than the length of the head tube). Furthermore, with 73,5° in size XL, the saddle angle is relatively straight for this size, while it is within the standards for intermediate and smaller sizes (73,5° and 74° respectively).
From the first pedal strokes, stiffness is present but not excessive. The bike as a whole does not flex but it does not seem inert for all thatt and this is a real good surprise insofar as its orientation towards speed and its capacity to satisfy a rider like Arnaud Démare made us fear the "worst" regarding the accessible side of the behavior. Its rigidity also seems very homogeneous and perfectly distributed between the front part (socket) and the middle/rear part (especially the bottom bracket and the bases). This homogeneity makes it very pleasant and ultimately rather easy to take even when riding at endurance pace. This aspect is compared to other bikes like the Cervélo R5 testé testand last year whose very rigid socket almost stood out against the rigidity at the level of the box and even required an adapted gesture when getting up from the saddle. Here, on the contrary, it is not necessary to modify one's gesture by getting into a dancing position.
The 42 mm high "house" wheels are an extension of this behavior by proving versatile and sufficiently flexible under stress.. For a more performance-oriented use, especially racing, an even stiffer and higher wheelset would be a very good addition.
Its rigidity also seems very homogeneous and perfectly distributed between the front part (socket) and the middle/rear part (especially the case and bases).
One aspect can be disturbing during the first outings, or even beyond depending on your preferences: the choice of gears. The test bike is thus mounted with a combination of 48/35 chainrings and a 10/36 cassette. If the development range is ideal for the high montagno, on less steep terrain, the breaks in cadence when moving from one pinion to another are sometimes disturbing when you approach your own physical limits. You then have to choose between a gear that is “too small” and one that is “too big”.
Comfort is definitely there, despite the presence of tires with a 25 mm section "only" for today's standards.. However the width of the rims would almost make them pass for 28 mm. Their grip also proved to be imperial., whether on dry or wet. Note two punctures (one for each wheel) during the very last outing for this test. Only the first one could be sealed with the preventative liquid contained inside the tire. For the second one, the hole was too big to be plugged but the proximity to the house (1 km) and the remaining pressure allowed us to return without any problems.
On the descent, the Lapierre Aircode benefits from a good compromise between stability and handling, well helped by precise wheels and little sensitive to side winds probably thanks to the width of the rims as well as their profile well chosen precisely between aero/rigidity and side wind sensitivity/handling. The bike positions itself perfectly in tight turns and flirting with 80 km/h is no problem either.
When the slope becomes negative, there is only the braking from the Sram Rival group that does not meet expectations: with a rather spongy brake lever stroke, part of which is "dead", small slowdowns as well as heavy braking are difficult to control. The user knows that it can brake weakly or strongly but he has difficulty predicting the two actions. For a constant pressure on the lever, the slowdown itself is not constant. Another example, in a peloton where small corrections are sometimes sufficient but necessary, the long travel of the lever makes the process a little disturbing. And When the bike is asked to brake as hard as possible over a short distance, typically before a hairpin bend, the spongy feel does not consistently reproduce the best possible decelerations. For the rest, and although it is hierarchically only the third group of the American manufacturer, the Sram Rival only brings satisfaction with fast and precise gear changes, whether for the sprockets or the chainrings.
Ultimately, The excellent performance of the Lapierre Aircode DRS 6.0 (versatility, speed, comfort) must be compared to its public price set at €5299.. While this is still a significant sum, the frame used here is the same as the one still used by the Groupama – FDJ riders in 2023 and still used by the girls of the FDJ – Suez team for the current year. And even if the Sram Rival groupset is not among the most prestigious on the market, it allows the price of the bike to be kept at a third of most bikes competing in the World Tour. The overall behavior of the bike was a pleasant surprise compared to its supposed characteristics. Indeed, given the positioning of the bike, it was possible to expect a pure competition machine, inflexible under constraint. However, the Lapierre Aircode DRS also accommodates perfectly to outings carried out at a slow pace or with climbs where small gears are required. In short, successful versatility.
Le Lapierre Aircode DRS 6.0 in short… The pros: well-balanced rigidity, versatility, stability/handling ratio, sufficient comfort, pleasant wheels to ride, fast and precise gear changes, reasonable price Frame : Aircode DRS disc thru Axle UD Superlight Carbon – Fork: Aerostorm DRS Disc thru axle UD Superlight carbon – Hanger: Lapierre Aero UD carbon, width: 400 mm (XS,S), 420 mm (M,L,XL), Drop: 130 mm, Reach: 80 mm – Gallows: Lapierre, -5,7°, Ø: 31,8 mm, L: 90 mm (XS,S), 100 mm (M), 110 mm (L), 120 mm (XL) – Complete wheels: Lapierre Road Disc Carbon 700x21c, 42 mm height, XDR driver, Tubeless Ready – Tires: Schwalbe ONE Performance TLE 25-622 – Saddle: Prologo Dimension STN rails – Seat post: Lapierre Aero Carbon, 0 mm offset – Brakes: Sram Rival hydraulic 160/140 mm – Der. Before: Sram Rival AXS 12v – Rear Der.: Sram Rival AXS 12v – Levers: Sram Rival AXS 12v – Cassette: Sram Rival 10-36 - Chain : Sram Rival AXS 12v – Pedals: Sram Rival AXS 12v 48-33 170mm (XS/S) / 172,5mm (M/L) / 175mm (XL) – Number of sizes: 5 - Price : €5299
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