You mightn't see too many Parlee bikes out on the road but the frames you do see are always aesthetically pleasing. We were recently invited to photograph a beautiful new Parlee Z5i belonging to a fellow Melbournian who travelled with us to the Spring Classics last year.

Bob Parlee started Parlee Cycles in 1999 with the aim of creating nothing less than “the world’s best performing race bikes”. But with every serious bike manufacturer now building carbon bikes, it’s hard to stand out from the crowd. Bob Parlee’s strategy: the efficient use of materials to avoid unnecessary styling and therefore weight. “I am not a stylist. I am a designer and builder of fast, light, durable and comfortable race bikes.”

The 2013 Z5i Parlee frame we photographed is designed to fit either mechanical or electronic (Campagnolo EPS and Shimano Di2) groupsets.

This frame was fitted with a Thomson seat post and stem with an Edge 68 tubular wheelset (the last model before they became Enve) and a SRAM Red 2013 groupset, including the integrated Quark power meter in the crank. Enjoy!



