Cyclist
Lapierre updates the Pulsium endurance bike with tech from the new Xelius
Lapierre has launched a new fourth generation of its Pulsium endurance road bike. It features a more aero seatstay design based on the new Xelius lightweight/aero race bike, which Lapierre says helps reduce the frame weight by 100g. The front end is also closer to the Xelius and together with the new seatpost cluster Lapierre says that this saves 6.1 watts at 50kmh.
While previous generations of the Pulsium incorporated an elastomer insert in the seatstays, this is absent from the new frame. Nevertheless, Lapierre claims it has increased frame compliance and ride comfort.
The new Pulsium will be available at four spec levels, with UK prices ranging from £2,899 to £5,699.
Lighter seatpost cluster design
Lapierre says that the new Pulsium frameset weighs 992g for a raw size M frame, which is 100g lighter than the previous design.
Much of the weight loss comes from the redesigned seatstays, which are also more aero. Some specs of the previous generation Pulsium included an SAT elastomer block, which sat in the space between the seat tube and where the seatstays met the top tube to add compliance. But the new Pulsium’s seatstays use a variation of the 3D Tubular seatstay design seen in the new Xelius, which was launched in October 2024.
The seatstays now join to the top tube, bypassing the seat tube, which Lapierre says improves compliance and ride comfort. While the Xelius’s stays are straight, those in the Pulsium have a kink towards their top, which the brand claims helps to reduce the transmission of 50Hz vibrations from the road to the rider.
The round seat tube and seatpost, as well as flex zones in the stays, are also claimed to contribute to ride comfort.
Faster frameset
Lapierre has also adapted the front end tube profiles from the Xelius to improve aerodynamics.
When it wind-tunnel-tested the new Pulsium, it found a 6.1 watt energy saving at 50kmh, or 2.1 watts at 35kmh. It says that these figures equate to an effective time saving of four seconds over 10km at 50kmh or five seconds per 10km at 35kmh.
Lapierre has also extended the Pulsium’s reach and lowered the stack, with a 20mm shorter head tube and 0.5° steeper seat tube, for a more aggressive geometry and ride position. There’s a sixth XXL frame size added to the bike, which is sized for riders over 195cm tall.
The 415mm chainstay length allows you to fit 38mm tyres, as well as mudguards. As with the new Xelius, Lapierre doesn’t take full advantage of the extra space for wider tyres though, fitting 32mm tyres to the Pulsium, although that’s an increase from the previous generation’s 28mm fitted tyres.
Although there’s no internal frame storage like many new bikes in this genre, Lapierre provides top tube bag mounting points to add to its endurance bike credentials.
Lapierre Pulsium UK range and prices
UK buyers can choose from the entire Pulsium range, with the exception of a SRAM Rival AXS version of the Pulsium 6.0.
All except the lowest spec Pulsium 5.0 include Shimano groupsets with electronic shifting and the majority of specs have DT Swiss wheelsets, alloy in all but the top spec Pulsium 8.0.
The 8.0 has DT Swiss ERC 1600 carbon wheels, a Lapierre exclusive also seen on the Xelius DRS 7.0. It’s also equipped with carbon aero section bars in place of alloy.
Lapierre Pulsium 5.0
- Frame/fork: Carbon UD SL
- Drivetrain: Shimano 105, 50/34t, 11-34t
- Bars: Lapierre alloy
- Stem: Lapierre alloy semi-integrated
- Saddle: Selle Italia Model X Superflow
- Wheels: Lapierre alloy
- Tyres: Continental Ultra Sport III 32mm
- Claimed weight: Not specified
- Price: £2,899
Lapierre Pulsium 6.0
- Frame/fork: Carbon UD SL
- Drivetrain: Shimano 105 Di2, 50/34t, 11-34t
- Bars: Lapierre alloy
- Stem: Lapierre alloy semi-integrated
- Saddle: Fizik Aliante R5
- Wheels: DT Swiss E1800 Spline alloy
- Tyres: Schwalbe One Perf 32mm
- Claimed weight: 8.8kg
- Price: £3,599
Lapierre Pulsium 7.0
- Frame/fork: Carbon UD SL
- Drivetrain: Shimano Ultegra Di2, 50/34t, 11-34t
- Bars: Lapierre alloy
- Stem: Lapierre alloy semi-integrated
- Saddle: Fizik Aliante R5
- Wheels: DT Swiss E1800 Spline alloy
- Tyres: Schwalbe One Perf 32mm
- Claimed weight: 8.5kg
- Price: £4,399
Lapierre Pulsium 7.0
- Frame/fork: Carbon UD SL
- Drivetrain: Shimano Ultegra Di2, 50/34t, 11-34t
- Bars: Lapierre Carbon Aero
- Stem: Lapierre alloy semi-integrated
- Saddle: Fizik Aliante R3
- Wheels: DT Swiss ERC 1600 Spline carbon
- Tyres: Continental GP5000S TR 32mm
- Claimed weight: 8.3kg
- Price: £5,699
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