Parlee Z5 Build List (12.4 lbs)

• Frame / Fork: Parlee Z5
• Wheelset: Fairwheel Hand Built
  • Rims: Kinlin 19W
  • Hubs: Tune Mig 70 /Tune Mag 170
  • Spokes: Sapim CX-Ray
  • Skewers: Tune Road
    
  • Tyres: Fortezza TriComp
• Chainset: 170mm Gloss THM Clavicula
• Bottom Bracket: THM PF30, Ceramic Upgrade
• Levers: SRAM Red
• Bars: New Ultimate Evo
  
  • Handlebar Tape: Lizard Skins DSP Race
    
• Stem: New Ultimate Evo
  
  • Headset Spacers: Parts Of Passion
    
  • Top Cap: Parts of Passion
• Saddle: Specialized Ruby
• Seatpost: New Ultimate Evo
  
• Seatpost Clamp: Parlee
  
• Front Mech: SRAM Red
• Rear Mech: SRAM Red
• Chain: KMC X10SL
• Cassette: SRAM Red
• Brakes: EE Cycleworks
• Bottle Cages: New Ultimate
  
• Cable Sets:
  • Shifter: AICAN Bungarus
  • Brake: AICAN Bungarus

Parlee Z5 Image Gallery

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Build List, 6 lbs (2.7 kg)

• Frame: Spin
• Fork: THM Custom
• Wheels:
  • Rims: Ax Lightness Custom
  • Hubs: Dash prototype
  • Spokes: Pillar titanium
  • Tires: Tufo Custom
• Skewers: Tune
• Chainset: Myth prototype
• Pedals: Aerolite
• Bottom Bracket: HSC Full Ceramic
• Chainrings: Fibre Lyte Custom
• Levers: Campag Record custom
• Bars: Schmolke TLO custom
• Stem: NoRa custom
• Saddle/post combo: Custom Tune/Schmolke
• Seatpost clamp: BTP
• Front Mech: Campag Record custom
• Rear Mech: Sram Red custom
• Chain: Kmc X10SL
• Cassette: Recon Alloy
• Brakes: Ax Orion premium
• Cable set: Power Cordz

Light Bike Image Gallery

*Photo Credit: Nick Salazar

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Build List

• Frame / Fork: 2013 Parlee CX
• Rims: Tubular ENVE 45s
• Hubs:
  • Front: Chris King R45
    
  • Rear: Chris King R45
• Spokes: Sapim CX-Ray
• Skewers: ENVE Composites
• Tyres: Vittoria Tubular
• Chainset: Campagnolo Super Record CX
  • Bottom Bracket: Campagnolo Super Record
• Levers: Super Record
• Bars: ENVE Compact
  • Handlebar Tape: Lizard Skins DSP Race Tape
• Stem: ENVE Composites
  • Headset Spacers: Cane Creek AER
• Saddle: Selle SMP Evolution
• Seatpost: ENVE Composites
• Seatpost Clamp: Parlee
• Front Mech: Super Record
• Rear Mech: Super Record
• Chain: Campagnolo Super Record
• Cassette: 12-27 Super Record
• Brakes: Super Record Cantilever
• Bottle Cages: Titanium King Cage
• Cable Set: Super Record
  

Parlee CX Image Gallery

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Nothing tops a handmade frame built by a master. Attempting to keep the magic happening, a few other standout features on here are the forged Praxis Rings on the THM M3 cranks.  The Praxis rings may not topple the weight weenie contenders but they do shift better than any other aftermarket ring set I’ve ridden — on par with the best offerings from Campagnolo and Shimano. This combo with the M3 cranks is a perfect marriage and THM now specs these as their stock chainrings on their cranks. These exotic beauties in the matte finish look great with this frame.

For wheels we laced Enve 3.4 tubulars with CX-Ray spokes on Tune hubs. This makes for a fast configuration that can stay on the bike all the time, without the need for swapping out to something lighter on a long climb or shallower when the wind gets gusty. I have been very impressed with the speeds that result from the aerodynamics of 3.4s along with all the new Smart-designed wheels. And the braking performance of EE brakes and Enve pads is the best setup I’ve ever tried by far, with all the confidence inspired from incredible power and modulation.

Completing the build is a Campagnolo Super Record 11 speed mechanical drivetrain. Of course our differing loyalties can devolve into holy wars over which is the best componentry over all others. But with the SR parts there is a solid identity being established for this bike: as a light and brilliantly-made thing of beauty that is meant to be kept onto for a long time.

Crumpton SL Road Build List

• Frame / Fork: Crumpton Cycles SL Road
• Rims: Smart ENVE Systems 3.4 Tubulars
• Hubs:
  • Front: White Tune Mig 70
  • Rear: White Tune Mag 170
• Spokes: Sapim CX-Ray
• Skewers: White Titanium New Ultimate
• Tyres: Veloflex Carbon Tubluars
• Chainset: THM M3 Matte, 172.5mm, 130 BCD
  • Bottom Bracket: THM BB30, Ceramic Upgrade
  • Chainrings: Praxis 53T/39T
• Levers: Super Record
• Bars: White New Ultimate
  • Handlebar Tape: Lizard Skins DSP Race Tape
• Stem: White New Ultimate
• Saddle: Tune Kom-Vor
• Seatpost: New Ultimate Evo
• Seatpost Clamp: New Ultimate Seatpost
• Front Mech: Super Record
• Rear Mech: Super Record
• Chain: Campagnolo Super Record
• Cassette: Super Record
• Brakes: EE Cycleworks
• Pedals: Look Keo
• Bottle Cages: New Ultimate
• Cable Set: Super Record

Image Gallery

Photo Credit: My Randall

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So I bought this frame set from Jason (madcow) about a year ago and transferred most of the parts and groupset from my Serotta CDA which was already down the WW path at 6.9kgs. Jason also supplied most of the other small parts and upgrades along the way… Basically I wanted a bike that is as light as an 85kg guy can ride everyday, rain or shine without having to spend all my spare time maintaining and fixing the thing. This is the end result. And I’m very, very happy. It’s fast, comfortable, climbs like a rocket, descends like its on rails and has yet to need a cab ride to get me home.

I’d like to thank Sugarkane for sharing this build with us and add our thanks to Marcus, Cameron and Jason at Studio Commercial for the photos.

Build List, 5.28 Kg

• Frame / Fork: 2011 Parlee z5 Medium with custom paint
• Rims: Tubular ENVE Smart 6.7
• Hubs:
  • Front: Alchemy Elf 20h, Ceramic Upgrade
  • Rear: Alchemy ORC 24h, Ceramic Upgrade
• Spokes: Sapim CX-Ray
• Skewers: Tune DC14
• Tyres: Veloflex Carbon Tubluars
• Chainset: THM M3, 170mm, 110 BCD
  • Bottom Bracket: THM BB30, Ceramic Upgrade
  • Chainrings: Praxis semi-compact 52T/36T
• Levers: Super Record
• Bars: 3T ergonova LTDs
  • Handlebar Tape: Lizard Skins DSP Race Tape
• Stem: Extralite OC Road Stem
• Saddle: Berk combo
• Seatpost: Berk combo
• Seatpost Clamp: MCFK, Black Ti
• Front Mech: Super Record tuned with nylon cage bolt and alloy pinch bolts
• Rear Mech: Super Record tuned with Extralite jockey wheels and alloy pinch bolts
• Chain: Campagnolo Super Record
• Cassette: 11-25 Super Record
• Brakes: EE Cycleworks
• Pedals: Speedplay tuned to 142g with ward axles, dulight Ti butterfly kit
• Bottle Cages: Emporelli Dolomiti with Extralite Bottle Cage Bolts
• Cable Set: I-Link with KCNC DLC Cables (Shifter, Brake)

Parlee Z5 Image Gallery

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A look at weight

I have the second-largest size of the Alize called the XL and the bare frame weighs 1099g. Built up on training clinchers with a power meter as shown it’s still a bit under the 6.8kg/14.99lb UCI weight limit. After seeing the photo of my bike I have to concede that it just begs to lose the training wheels in favor of deep aero wheels..

Madcow’s frame is the size small and weighs 1020g. Built up with Enve SES 6.7 clincher wheels it weighs 6.2kg/13.6 lbs complete. With carbon tubulars we are seeing weights in the low 12lb range.

Ride Review

Neilpryde and Ronald

Frames built with narrow and deep airfoil shapes often make trade-offs in ride quality, namely in their lack of long-distance comfort. The aero bike category is where fast trumps all else, for riders willing to ignore all the other qualities or at least grade them on a curve.

I expected some of these tradeoffs, but from the first ride the Alize has been a very pleasant surprise — it is very smooth. Everyone we’ve talked to about the Alize agrees with us on how it soaks up the bumps and rough pavement very well. And we were surprised to discover they have clearance for 28mm tires. So with our experiences of comfortable 8-10 hour rides, the Alize has earned the status of a ‘century bike’.

With the aerodynamic properties, is there a noticeable advantage out on the road? I have had plenty of moments on a familiar section of road where it felt like the bike carried more speed than ever before, and demanded upshifts I had never expected there. And descents feel spicy again — I am a lot more encouraged to tuck in and look for warp speed. Maybe I wouldn’t go as far as saying X number of watts are being saved,  but in any case it makes me anticipate hammering the fast sections of a ride.

Otherwise for a description I’d say the ride is very stable. Having a 73 degree head angle in the 2nd largest frame size, it is relatively slack. This well-planted geometry works well and I like being able to take 1 or both hands off the bars with it tracking straight. I found the handling feels refined and plenty sharp, so it encourages always taking on a little more speed. It felt right at home immediately. (Read more on the Alize Geometry.)

Frame Design

Although Neilpryde is no stranger to carbon fiber, being a market leader in windsurfing, this is still quite a debut for a newcomer to the cycling market. The four frames they currently have designed all appear to be from a much more mature company. With this level of product it’s no surprise to hear that years before launch Neilpryde began amassing R&D and working in collaboration with BMW Design using rapid prototype models to test designs in the wind tunnel and refine its slippery Kamm-tail profiles.

Living with the bike and admiring the form over time, my eye keeps being drawn to attractive details like the strong edges and ribs where the surfaces turn corners. Also the downtube, it has the distinctive tapering flat spoiler that splits the airflow at the lower half of the frame. The 1.5″ tapered fork seems very solid. On a more practical note, I really love the standard BSA bottom bracket. Not kidding — its universal compatibility and creak-free use still may trump all other standards.  The seatpost design is their own unique design and works great. I never had any slipping and it has a very clean look.

Any Draw Backs?

The bike has worked so well I don’t have much here. Just 2 thumbs way up. In fact, if you’re looking for a reasonably light aero bike for racing that will give you a comfortable and stable ride you’ve found the bike.  Also, if you’d like a lighter bike designed as a true climber the Bura SL may be a solid choice once they’re available. However,  the allegedly stiffer Diablo model seems caught in limbo. It’s very close in price and weight to the Alize,  but with a round seatpost and a less aero shape.  Being that the Alize is stiff enough for heavy riders and its compliance is a positive over long rides or bumpy roads, I think it leaves the Diablo without a purpose to fill.

Neilpryde in the News

UHC at the Tour of the Gila

Remember the road bike trials video? It was very amusing that many peoples’ introduction to the Alize was seeing us jumping them off picnic tables.  Both of those bikes are still going strong — Madcow’s is pictured here and Richard’s has since racked up thousands of miles and some wins, and is currently traveling to race L’abitibi with one of our shop-sponsored Juniors. Furthermore these bikes have seen a lot of professional racing success recently in a variety of disciplines. Alberto Blanco won best rookie and 4th on an Alize in the 2011 Race Across America. United Healthcare (link opens with music) continues to win races with sprinter Jake Keough leading the team on the flats and Rory Southerland turning in impressive TTs and contending climbs in races like the Amgen tour of California. Rory also scored GC wins at both the Tour of the Gila and the Tour of the Beauce.  These recent races have been a good chance to spot the upcoming Bura SL frame that is rumored to weigh 715g.

There is a lot to be excited about from this company, and we look forward to posting all-new builds here.

Neil Pryde Alize Image Gallery

The post NeilPryde Alize – our road review appeared first on Fair Wheel Bikes.

New Mexico’s mountainous Gila National Forest is a road climber’s mecca.  Specifically, Silver City is home to one of the hardest stage races in ‘Merica, with roads crossing the continental divide several times.  The steep high altitude climbs force you to put up or shut up, and are followed by hair raising descents that test your mettle.  A customer of ours from the region commissioned us to build this custom Parlee Z5 SLi to handle the rigors of these rides found in her backyard, built around the idea that a lightweight climbing bike shouldn’t sacrifice descending, nor handling capabilities.

An exotic group of parts adorn the bike in a unique configuration to suit our customer.  Black is the new black.  The Clavicula crankset was specifically arranged with a compact spider and super stiff Praxis chainrings.  Tune Mig 45 and Mag 170 hubs were laced to the new Smart Enve System (SES) 3.4 tubular rims, which in this case provide a perfect balance of aerodynamic stability and weight.  The logos on the Enve bar and stem combo were removed, and the frameset itself was custom painted with stars, which are only caught in the right light; a unique design you rarely see on a bike.  The aesthetics as a whole were focused around the look of the Parts of Passion laser logo seatpost, emitting that murdered out, stealth appeal.  The Z5 SLi frameset is specifically designed with wire access for the Shimano Dura Ace Di2 group, leaving out any frivolous cable stops.  Weighed as shown, the bike is right at 13lbs, while our customer’s ultra lightweight Enve 1.25 wheelset drops it another half-pound.

 Black is the New Black Build List (13lbs)

• Frame & Fork: Parlee Z5 SLi custom paint
• Wheels:  Fair Wheel Hand Built
  • Rims:  SES 3.4 Tubular
  • Front Hub:  Tune Mig 45
  • Rear Hub:  Tune Mag 170
  • Spokes:  Sapim CX-Ray
  • Tires:  Vittoria Corsa Evo CX
• Crankset:  THM Clavicula M3 with Compact Spider
  • Chainrings: Praxis Works 50/34
  • Bottom Bracket: THM BB30
• Casette:  Shimano Dura Ace 7900 11-25
• Chain:  KMC X10SL Black DLC
• Brakes:  EE Cycleworks with Enve Brake Pads
• Cables:  Ashima Reaction & Di2 wires
• Handlebar:  Enve Compact Carbon
• Bar Tape:  Lizard Skins DSP Race
• Quick Releases:  Tune DC14
• Seatpost:  Parts of Passion Laser Logo
• Shifters:  Shimano Dura Ace Di2
• Stem:  Enve Carbon
• Bottle Cages:  Tune Carbon
• Front Derailleur:  Shimano Dura Ace Di2
• Front Derailleur Clamp:  Parlee Carbon
• Rear Derailleur:  Shimano Dura Ace Di2

Black is the New Black Photo Gallery

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The Project

The request came in for a “completely unique” build – a single speed that would stand apart with a completely out of the box approach. If possible the bike was to be be single-sided, similar to the GT Super Bike. A unique finish was exceptionally important, so the fact that our customer is a big fan of Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are and the Spike Jonze film adaptation became artistic inspiration. What’s more, the bike needed to function as an everyday rider / commuter for the hills of Seattle, preferably belt-driven for reduced maintenance and increased longevity in the rain.

Implementation

Frame builder Rob English immediately came to mind for the project. We’ve known Rob for years and have enjoyed working with him during every step of the bike-building process. No one we know gets excited quite like Rob for projects like this. We’ve also worked with Geoff McFetridge, the Art Director on the Spike Jonze film. Geoff’s creativity and skill have been an invaluable contribution to recent projects like the 2009 Light Bike and the 3 Speed Fixed Gear. Teaming Rob and Geoff for this project was a natural.

With the frame builder and artist lined up, it was time to pick components. We wanted to go reasonably light while still maintaining the durability needed to be an everyday rider. For some components, items that didn’t need to be completely custom but maintained uniqueness with a good strength to weight ratio were chosen – specifically ENVE Composites rims and handlebar, THM Clavicula cranks and a KCNC Headset. Brakes and hubs got a little complicated – more to come on that.

Rob English, English Cycles

When we talked with Rob about Project Right, his enthusiasm was immediately apparent. With Rob’s custom Di2 integration, aerodynamic builds, and general approach to frame design, thinking outside the box came naturally. He instantly shared our concept for this bike and quickly got back to us with ideas for designing the rear end, and even the unique idea of putting the freewheel for the belt drive on the outside of the single-arm chain stay. English planned on machining a completely custom hub, using an over-sized fixed axle to increase strength, with an eccentric bottom bracket to adjust belt tension.

Rob drew up his ideas, along with calculated strength and weight figures. Did we mention he’s an engineer? One issue that we’d anticipated was brake placement; this was simply solved by using a disc up front and a road brake mounted under the BB for the rear. Rob’s assurance that modifying a disc brake to the right side by re-machining the caliper provided confidence in the brake setup.

With all these elements coming together, we green-lit Rob’s ideas and spec’d a Tune Cannonball hub, EE brake, and BB7 front disc to complete his enthusiastic vision. Over the course of the Rob English build process, we received photo updates until the time came for the bike’s green base coat and shipment to Geoff in LA.

Geoff McFetridge, Champion Studio

The Project Right bike is, to date, our most unique build and it fits Geoff’s vision perfectly. He hand painted characters across the bright green frame, fork and stem in a Where the Wild Things Are style. The characters fit perfectly with the shape and complement every junction and bend. Feet hang under the bottom bracket as if sitting side saddle across the pedal spindle, more feet run down the single seat stay while multiple figures and shapes create what reminds me of a totem pole on the fork. Geoff even painted a design on the quill-like neck of the stem as a surprise to anyone who pulls the headset apart. The vision Geoff brought to this project is completely distinct and really added to the overall feel of the build.

To learn more about Geoff’s work and his design studio, go to his website, Champion Studio. Please note that Geoff is an artist and not a painter, unless budget is of no concern to you, please don’t contact him about custom paint on your personal bike. If you like what he’s doing we ask that you leave a message letting him know on this blog.

Project Right Build List

*Thanks to Rob for keeping such detailed notes on his builds.

Project Right Image Gallery

David Haines sat down with Project Right for a bit to document the bike for us.  Normally we try to parse the galleries down to around twelve images.  This time though, with the detail of the build and the paint, we couldn’t cut any out and ended up with a whopping 31.  Enjoy!

All images are copyrighted by David Haines.

Videos of Project Right

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLKYnwpdVkQ

From Road Bike Review’s coverage of NAHBS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BreQ9sX39FI

From Road Bike Action’s Coverage of NAHBS.

Links for Project Right

• Road Bike Review
• Road Bike Action
• Wired.com
• Bike Radar
• Bike Rumor
• Velonews
• of course English Cycles
• and finally Our Blog

In Closing

We’d like to offer sincere thanks to everyone involved in Project Right – the people we have the opportunity to work with are truly amazing. Rob reports that the ride is very nice.

The post Project Right – The Final Update appeared first on Fair Wheel Bikes.