Parlee Z5

[Jeffr]

Hey folks,

I thought I'd take a moment to show you my all around workhorse. I know it is the fashion to take posed pictures in 53/11 with the bike all clean and no saddle bag. However, this is how I ride it. I live in a tropical climate and sometimes we have tropical rain. I also ride where there is no cellphone coverage so I carry a small saddle bag with some emergency things in it. I usually don't have the fender on but I went out in a thunderstorm and I like to keep my butt dry.

The bike is a XS Z5, wired SI-SL SRM, EE brakes, ax phoenix saddle, M2 racer ti orb II pedals, handbuilt kinlin tubulars on dt hubs with a KCNC seatpost, a ritchey stem, and 10 speed record.

I will say the EE brakes work fantastic when muddy. I had no complaints and my buddy with DA was getting gummed up.

[Ypsylon]

Ah, what I wouldn't give to have some tropical rain to ride in. Sigh.

The EE brakes will muck up eventually and not return to center. It took mine about a year and a half.

Just in case you didn't know, you can take them completely apart. First time it took me around 45 minutes, now they are apart in about a minute. I was really surprised the "internals" didn't show the slightest bit of wear with all the dirt inside of them for so long. They are really, really durable.

Is that a cage in the background or a basket on your handlebar?

[Fuchs]

i like the basket at the handlebar
and i would although love to have some tropical rain (had between -14 to -25 degree the last week)

it´s a nice every day bike.

[Jeffr]

hah! The basket is a dog kennel. It's in the garage. She doesn't use it anymore.

I am going to hose off the brakes and hope for the best. I'm either going to replace the drivetrain with campy 11 speed or di2 in a few months depending on how my business enterprises proceed. I'd kind of rather have the 11 speed so I can have a 12-27 cassette for the climbs here. Thinking about also getting a 38 tooth inner ring.

[mdeth1313]

Ummm, z5, very nice. I was saving for one of those, until I found my addict sl for 1/3 the price! Still, you gotta love parlee (and the basket)! Very nice.

[Boonen]

hah! The basket is a dog kennel. It's in the garage. She doesn't use it anymore.

You keep 'swmbo' in a dog kennel, in the garage Brave man!


Bike looks great Jeff, I like how you can see it's being used!

[FAQinc]

Very nice build Jeffr, I have the same mudguard by the way, if you do go down the Di2 can you make it do 11 shifts(obviously will not work properly in real life conditions just curious)

if you take off the dirty EE brakes they should make for some very sexy macro shots me thinks

[Jeffr]

So you don't think I'm a total fred. Here's what it looks like when we're on the way to a race with dancin shoes on.

[Jeffr]

Oh and 6.3kg/14lb as pictured.

[Fuchs]

thats better
but i miss the basket.

[j_imaizumi]

Though I think you'd earn some serious respect winning races with a basket mounted on the front of your bike.

[Jeffr]

I did pass quite a number of people in a TT last year who had given my hairy legs dirty looks at the start.

[pritchet74]

And with that, can you please post pics of your amazing TT rig as well?



Awesome Parlee. What's the weight with your climbing wheels on it?

[Jeffr]

The climbing wheels, with lighter skewers and lighter cassette, are more than 600 grams lighter than boras.

There is a gallery of pictures of the walser here: http://people.freebsd.org/~jeff/bikes/walser/

They are a bit dated and I have made some changes since. I will take some new pictures once I get things adjusted to work with my newly shim'd leg and higher saddle height.

[pritchet74]

I hadn't seen those pics in a few years. One of my favorite bikes ever.