Bob Parlee is part scientist, part artisan and part bike designer. He is at the forefront of custom carbon frame design and has, in a pretty short time, established an impressive reputation in the USA. All Parlee frames are handbuilt and take many hours to create. The finest quality carbon and titanium hardware is used and they really have to be seen in the flesh to appreciate the attention to detail fully. But it's not just the craft, they are renowned as the best combination of lightweight, stiffness and ride compliance on the market - a pretty big claim.
As a one time winner of the Giro and former US Pro states:
"My Z1 is a thrill to ride, especially when I need to stomp over a hill or away from a stop sign in the big ring. It is a light and stiff but very comfy ride for long trips. On descents it has that fantastic balanced take-me-home-with-my-eyes-closed handling that I look for, and I am always ready for more once my time is up. Bravo Bob!"
Andy Hampsten
Winner of the 1988 Giro d'Italia
Impressive stuff then. We ordered a test bike a while back and have only just managed to prise the UK Parlee dealers' fingers off it. It's a very lovely looking frame and the details are superb.
Full bike as shown costs £5500 (the Lightweight wheels are £1800 of this) or as frameset/fork/King Aheadset for £2150. There are also other fork options available. The standard frame comes with decals, this one is painted, which is a custom up-charge, as is custom geometry. First ride was this morning. Wow. A full review in a few weeks.
The complete bike (medium) weighed in at a suitably light weight 16 1/4 lbs. There's loads more information including geometry specs on the Parlee website
Contact:
Advanced Carbon Group on 0207 093 2241 or by e-mail
Parlee Z3 complete bike spec.
Fork: Reynolds Ouzo Pro Lite
Headset: Chris King
Handlebar/Stem: WR Compositi
Grips / Bar Tape: Deda
Saddle: fi'zi:k Arione
Seat Post: WR Compositi
Front Derailleur: Campagnolo Record
Rear Derailleur: Campagnolo Record 10
Shifters: Campagnolo Record 10
Cranks: Stronglight Vulcan
Bottom Bracket: Stronglight
Cassette: Campagnolo Record
Chain: Campagnolo Record
Brakes: Campagnolo Record w. Lightweight pads
Wheelset: Lightweight
Tyres: Tufo tubulars
|
neat carbon details |
Italian made WR parts |
carbon everywhere |
Lightweights |
Record throughout |
Apart from the Stronglight bit |
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