Lapierre X Lite 400 FDJ £2599.99 www.lapierre-bikes.co.uk Like a fine tasting French cheese [wot; soft and covered in mould? – ed.]

As a brand Lapierre may go mostly unnoticed, but the firm has actually been making bicycles since 1946 and supplies the Française des Jeux professional racing team. Philippe Gilbert rode his Lapierre to race victory in the Omloop Het Volk last year, so they’re certainly capable enough.

There’s a reason why bike manufacturers supply professional racing teams with fleets of bikes, and it isn’t all about marketing. No, professional cyclists log thousands of miles and unarguably push machinery harder and faster than us mere mortals, so they prove pretty decent real-world testing rigs. Lapierre have drawn on the experience of the Française des Jeux squad and listened to their feedback, which has directly influenced the X Lite 400, the company’s second-tier top-end offering.

What you get, then, is a sub-kilogram frame that is about as stiff as any other leading competitor. The frame is made from uni-directional high modulus carbon fibre using a monocoque approach. Oversized is a word that clearly translates into French, because the downtube is just about as big as we’ve seen on any other bike, with a gorgeous curved shape from head tube to bottom bracket. Combined with a substantial bottom bracket junction and a tapered head tube with a 1.5in lower bearing race, the result is one hell of a stiff structure.

A trip to US-based Easton sourced a custom EC90 Superlite fork (with carbon dropouts) with the required oversized and tapered head tube. It makes a good partner for the frame, providing little weight while being super stiff and tracking like a squirrel on steroids. The rest of the frame is impressively put together: a slender and curved top tube, wishbone seat stays and flared and curved chainstays plus details including carbon dropouts and internal cable routing for the rear brake. A delicious paintjob with subtle yet standout decals finishes one of the nicest looking bikes I think has ever passed through the RCUK office. A smattering of Française des Jeux and sponsor logos also adorns the frame and gives a little of the pro touch.

Dripping off the frame is a full Shimano Ultegra SL groupset with an unusual 52/39 chainset and a close ratio cassette – both a reminder that this is a bike designed principally for fast riding and, preferably, racing. It all worked reliably throughout the test as we’ve come to expect from Shimano. For the stem, handlebars and seatpost Lapierre chose Ritchey items. We’ve been impressed with them on previous test bikes and found no complaint with here. The only thing that needed to be changed before testing could commence was the Selle Italia Filante saddle – it just didn’t suit this tester’s rump, try as he might to get on with it.

The X Lite 400 rolls on a pair of Mavic Ksyrium Equipes fitted with FJD-branded Hutchinson Fusion tyres. The wheels were light and fast and go some way to removing some of the stiff edge from the Lapierre frame and fork package, with just a small degree of noticeable flex when pushed to the limits. My first ride on Hutchinson’s Fusion rubber, a demanding test on the Rutland-Melton race earlier this year, showed them to be both fast rolling and able to withstand being raced on rough gravel roads, with little discernable shred. Their durability on a long-term basis should prove to be anything but disappointing.

Lapierre’s quest to deliver a stiff frame has succeeded; it’s one of the stiffest we’ve tested and this is noticeable all the time. Unfortunately it does impact on ride comfort to a degree, but the upshot is a frame that is undoubtedly amazing on the race circuit. The sheer amount of oversizing, combined with the impressive low weight of the complete bike, makes it a thrill to race, and it excelled on tighter and more demanding circuits. Wherever sharp bursts of speed were required or sudden flicks to change line or really right corners to negotiate, the Lapierre never disappointed.

Some might look at the price and consider the Lapierre a little under-specced, which might be a valid point. But from riding the bike it’s clear the frame offers a ride several notches above many other similarly priced bikes. This was highlighted when swapping between the Lapierre, a Parlee Z4 and a Cervelo R3. The Lapierre shines in such good company and can be considered a top-flight race bike.

As a brand, Lapierre may not be on most people’s radar when looking for a high-end performance bike, but following our time on one I seriously recommend you check them out. Plus you can guarantee you won’t spot another on the roads…

Five sizes are available; the bike pictured is a 55cm.