The Prorace sees a significant reduction in weight over its predecessor, thanks to the brand’s new UD SLI (Unidirectional Superlight Innovation) carbon construction. This first debuted on the brand’s XR and XRM full-suspension cross-country mountain bikes launched in March 2022.

There are two tiers of carbon frame, with this frame using the lighter ‘UD SLI Team’ carbon layup. Lapierre claims an 845g frame weight in a size medium, with the second-tier frames said to be 970g in an equivalent size.

Lapierre says it has used new unidirectional Torayca carbon fibres. The brand is remaining coy on what exactly is used, although it notes T1000 carbon fibre features mainly on the top-tier frames.

Lapierre also claims it has been able to expel excess resin from a new polypropylene rigid mandrel it has developed (what the fibres are wrapped around in the manufacturing process). The brand also says it has reduced the wall thickness of the tubes to save weight.

The hardtail inherits the 3D Tubular concept the brand has used on its road bikes since 2015, such as the Xelius SL 9.0.

What is effectively a triple-triangle design sees the seatstays separated from the seat tube, which Lapierre claims improves their flexibility and disperses vibrations and other shocks via the top tube.

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The geometry has also been revised, heading down the longer, lower and slacker route. All sizes feature a 68-degree head tube angle and 74-degree seat tube angle, with the reach 455mm on a size large.

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A lightweight race spec

At £5,999/€6,799, the Prorace CF 9.9 we have in for testing sits at the top of the range.

For carbon-framed models, the range starts at £1,999/€2,299 for the Prorace CF 5.9 and there’s even an aluminium 4.9 model at £1,499/€1,499.

RockShox is on suspension duty on the Prorace CF 9.9 with its SID SL Ultimate Charger Race Day fork.

The bike is decked out with a SRAM X01 Eagle AXS drivetrain, the only deviation being an X1 carbon crankset. Lapierre opts for a 34t chainring, with the crankset spinning on a PF92 bottom bracket.

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SRAM’s Level TLM disc brakes bring you to a stop and Lapierre specs a 180mm SRAM Centerline rotor up-front and a smaller-diameter 160mm out back.

Oscar Huckle / Our Media

Lapierre provides its own XC CL 29 carbon mountain bike wheels with an asymmetric rim. The wheels feature a 27mm internal rim width and are wrapped with Maxxis’ Rekon Race mountain bike tyres in a 29×2.35in flavour. The Rekons feature Maxxis’ 3C MaxxTerra triple compound with a 120 TPI casing.

Oscar Huckle / Our Media

A 740mm-wide FSA SL-K carbon handlebar in 740mm width is paired with Lapierre’s own 7050 Alloy forged stem. The brand also provides its own lock-on grips and alloy 27.2mm-diameter seatpost, with a Fizik Taiga saddle.

Our size-large test bike weighs in at 9.79kg without pedals.

The Prorace is part of a cross-country bikes group test, so stay tuned for senior technical editor Tom Marvin’s verdict.

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