Bob Parlee introduced the Z-Zero model 13-years ago and today the Parlee Z-Zero GT keeps the heritage while letting the name shine in 2025.
If you aren’t familiar with Parlee, it’s the name of a man. Bob Parlee started out building boats but in the late 90s he transitioned to bikes with many of the same skills. Carbon fiber was the centerpiece and somewhere around 2001 consumer bikes started landing in customer hands. Everything was manufactured in the US and custom was the only option. The model at the time was a Parlee Z series. All these years later a lot of things remain the same.
The new Parlee Z-Zero GT is the latest pinnacle model in the Parlee lineup and the brand describes it as “a fully modern road bike with updated geometry & future-forward compatibility, yet it pays homage to its lineage, carrying over the classic lines esteemed by riders everywhere.” Further explaining that “The Z-Zero GT is named for legendary Grand Touring cars capable of phenomenal speeds and luxurious comfort, mile after mile” and that this is a 100% new design.
Internal routing without compromise
The biggest update, by my estimation, is moving the cables inside the frame and bars. Getting there wasn’t an easy task though. At the heart of the challenge was the desire, or perhaps need, to keep the outside of the bike looking reminiscent of a classic round tube frame.
There’s no mention of aerodynamics and while some Parlee models use a larger 1 1/2″ to 1 1/2″ that wasn’t going to fly for the Z-series. To thread that needle, Parlee built a new fork in-house. The design uses a D-shaped steerer tube and fits the cables inside without bulking up the bike on the outside. Building in-house also allowed Parlee to drop weight and fit a 40mm tire in that fork.
Lightweight, standards driven, and made to order
With internal routing handled the rest of the bike screams out for inclusion in our all-road field test. The rear triangle mirrors the 40mm tire clearance of the fork and there’s no mention of a front derailleur asterisk to that spec.
That means you can run a front derailleur or not but should you decide to go 1x, the Parlee Z-Zero GT has the features to support it. The frame embraces the UDH standard allowing for use of the latest SRAM full mount 1x systems. Also keeping inline with modern standards is a T47 bottom bracket.
On top of the standards updates, Parlee managed to drop weight throughout. According to the brand, “the new layup is a whopping 187 grams lighter than the prior Z-Zero. A completely new layup and the use of cutting edge new materials let us build a bike that is stiffer and faster than any custom frame we’ve ever produced, whilst reducing weight and maintaining our legendary ride quality. A typical 53cm frame now weighs in at 893g.”
As always this package is built to order. “Every Parlee is assembled to order and ships with your own personal combination of crank lengths, stem length, bar width, seatpost setback, and saddle width to ensure the bike meets your every measurement, offering a perfect fit straight out of the box.“
What’s unique with this update though is an offering of stock sizes. Parlee shares that the GT iis offered in twelve standard sizes. This is a first for the top model and the sizes come from “25 years of fit data” with each of the twelve standard sizes using “a unique reference geometry to fit 98% of riders, with your choice of Race or Sport fit. Of course, we still offer full custom geometry, and fit the widest range of riders of any carbon fiber manufacturer in the world.”
Another benefit of the made to order model is paint. Parlee “designed a unique paint scheme for the GT, available in 20 standard colors, or choose our signature Nude carbon finish to highlight the craftsmanship and save weight. Our Paint Lab has been designing some of the most incredible bikes for over 20 years. Work with one of our in-house designers to make your wildest dream a reality.”
Parlee Z-Zero GT pricing and availability
Available for order starting today, the Parlee Z-Zero GT frameset will run $12,490 on it’s own. For complete builds the numbers start at $16,490 for Force or Ultegra level builds with Campagnolo’s new Super Record 13 available at the top of the pricing structure at $22,990.
Parlee is adding some timing pressure as well, sharing that “Frames & bikes start shipping in August, and dealer pre-orders are already on the books. New orders are filled first come, first served. Current estimated delivery date for new orders is November 2025.”
There is also one more thing. “A special, extremely limited Z-Zero GT 25th Anniversary Edition will also be available with a highly curated, bespoke build using the best components and accessories available.”
For more information on either of the new bikes visit the Parlee website.