The Lapierre Sensium 300 is part of the French firm’s ‘performance’ range – designed with the sportive market in mind.
The Sensium range is made up of five bikes, from the entry-level Sensium 100 to the class-topping Sensium 500. Within the range, two frames are used, with the 100-300 models using a new-for-2013 frame developed with Koga, while the 400 and 500 models use Lapierre’s own design that features a polymer insert in the seatstays for increased vibration absorption.
The difference between the Sensium 100, 200 and 300, then, is the spec, and the Sensium 300 comes with a full SRAM Apex groupset, Mavic Aksium hoops shod with the French wheelbuilder’s Aksion tyres, aluminium Ritchey finishing kit (stem, handlebar and seatpost) and a Selle San Marco Ponza Power saddle for a £1,649.99 price tag.
The Sensium 300’s frame includes many of the features we now take for granted on more expensive carbon fibre models, including a full carbon fork, a new asymmetric headtube which tapers from 1-1/8″ to 1-1/4″, a PressFit bottom bracket and very neat internal cable routing which is also Di2-compatible.
The frame comes in five sizes and our large model has a 55cm seattube, 56.5cm toptube, 73 and 72.5 head and seattube angles, and a 180mm headtube. That’s slightly more relaxed than an out-and-out race bike, reflecting the Sensium 300’s target market of sportive riders, but by no means is the geometry sit-up-and-beg. The equivalent size in Lapierre’s Xelius race-ready frame, by way of comparison, adds just 5mm to the toptube and loses 10mm from the headtube.
Another clue to the Sensium 300’s intended battleground is the combination of the compact SRAM Apex chainset and 32t cassette, which should provide more than enough gears to climb the toughest hills on any sportive route, although our previous experience with this setup is that it results in some fairly large gaps between gears as you move down the cassette.
The white frame has a splash of electric blue on the underbelly of the downtube, as well as on the chainstays, fork legs and headtube. That SRAM Apex groupset comes in its optional white finish, which means white shifter paddles, white hoods and white derailleurs, matched with, you guessed it, white handlebar bar.
All that’s left to mention is the weight – a claimed 7.9kg. On the face of it the Sensium 300 looks like a well-specced machine, which a smart and upgradeable frame, which sits at a competitive price point. We’ll find out if that’s the case.
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
Price: £1,649.99
Website: Lapierre
UK distributor: Hotlines
