Parlee Z5i and Parlee Z5 SLi

Materials: Multi-modulus unidirectional carbon fiber with carbon dropouts and BB30 bottom bracket shell. Geometry: Stock Parlee road geometry w/multiple headtube lengths per top tube length. Price Category: Frameset w/fork and headset: $3500-$4500. Built bikes from $4700+ Components: Factory Spec or Fit Werx Rider Matched.

Who is it for? The Parlee Z5i offers one of the widest fit windows of any production bike due to well thought out geometry that offers two head tube length/stack options per size. This makes the Parlee Z5i one of the most versatile fitting stock bikes available. The Parlee Z5i is for the performance rider who is looking for a carbon bike with the character and personality that only a specialty builder like Parlee can offer at a price that competes well with what the more generic mass manufacturers are offering.

Noteworthy: Not just super light, the Parlee Z5i and Parlee Z5SLi stick to their roots by offering the crisp and smooth ride that defines a Parlee. The cleanest fabrication we have seen on a bike not built in the U.S..

Bottom Line: The Parlee Z5i is designed to highlight all that modern cycling technology and design can offer. The goal of the Parlee Z5i was to maintain the signature Parlee ride and build quality, while also building up as light as possible without sacrificing strength and durability and keeping the price competitive with mainstream top end bikes from the likes of Specialized and Trek. The Parlee Z5i features full carbon molded dropouts, BB30, a monocoque construction seat junction, light twin stay seat stays (like the Z1 and Z-Zero), a lightly tapered 1.125″-1.25″ over sized fork, and some other minor details to shave about 300 grams of weight from its predecessor the Parlee Z4 (which was a light frame to begin with!). Impressive indeed. And the Parlee Z5SLi does all of the above, but is about 100 grams lighter due to a change in fork spec and further enhancements to the carbon fiber fabrication and hardware… Parlee Z5i frames weigh under 900 grams for average sizes and the Parlee Z5SLi weighs under 800 grams.

• About the Author

About Jim

After almost thirty years as an attorney, Jim became the service manager at Fit Werx in Vermont. He held this post for almost ten years. Having retired in 2019, Jim still likes riding, working on and writing about bikes and bike equipment.