In 1946, Gaston LAPIERRE started a small bicycle business in Dijon, France (Côte-d’Or region), quickly finding success in an industry that was experiencing rapid growth in general. The management was passed on to his son, Jacky LAPIERRE in 1960.
In 1972, a new factory was constructed in the industrial zone of Dijon to accommodate increased production numbers. In addition to the production plant, a new building was also dedicated to spare parts sales, complete with a new showroom for the bike collection. The LAPIERRE™ brand begins thriving and becomes a reference among bike specialists.
The highest levels of road and mountain bikes
In 2001 , LAPIERRE™ took a huge stride in its road racing activities by signing with the professional team Française des Jeux. LAPIERRE™ could now be seen in Elite competitions, including the prestigious Tour de France.
As if to reinforce the technological advancements of the company, the results of LAPIERRE’s athletes continued to be impressive in all disciplines. The Française des Jeux was the only team to win all four jerseys in 2003’s Tour de France, and they finished in green thanks to an aggressive sprint by Baden Cooke in the final stage.
Although the cycling world often seems to be dominated by men, LAPIERRE™ has supported a female triathlon team for many years. The performances of Audrey Cleau were exceptional in 2003, which included a second place finish at the long distance World Championships and a victory at the famous Nice Triathlon.
2004 : the collection of ‘maillots’ was completed during the 2004 Giro d’Italia, when Bradley McGee took the pink jersey after an impressive prologue. LAPIERRE’s top cross country athlete, Jean-Christophe Péraud was ranked 4th overall in the 2004 World Cup after the seventh race in Livigno, Italy. His consistent performances earned him a spot on the French Olympic team, and he finished a respectable 11th place at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens
2007 : LAPIERRE™ introduced their latest advancement in rear suspension in 2007, the OST suspension platform, especially tailored to long-travel bikes. Two mountain bikes using this technology were introduced, the Zesty and the Spicy. The goal of OST was to create the ultimate all-mountain bike with the perfect lightweight blend of versatility, performance, and optimized geometries, for total riding pleasure.
Sandy Casar’s efforts, (Française des Jeux) were finally rewarded since he won one of the famous Tour de France stages.
2008: after 2 years of Research and Development, LAPIERRE™ has rethought its road range and launched its brand new X-Lite II carbon monocoque frame, the epitome of lightness and technology.
2009 : LAPIERRE™, who produced a mere 6,000 bikes per year 50 years ago, now produces more than 90,000 bikes a year at their three French production sites. Dijon, the city where it all started, still remains the heart of technological development, where other challenges and projects are already underway.