I like the fact that the Parlee, like the Dragon-Fly is light.
I'm concerned about the wooden feel that carbon can have. I've ridden the new Giant. It's fairly
muted when you stand on it. A good friend raced an OCLV last year and switched to the Giant this
year. He said under his feet the Giant was way more lively than his Trek.
I've read that Calfee has a reputation of being more alive than the average carbon bike. For what
its worth, when I spoke with Bob Parlee, he said about half of his bikes on the road are being
ridden by previous Calfee riders.
I'm also interested in the fact that Tyler Hamilton choose to ride a Parlee even though he was being
paid to ride a Look. I don't put much stock in what people are paid to ride. The fact that he
elected to buy and ride a Parlee painted like a Look tells me there might be something special about
the Parlee.
The quest for more information continues <g>. Thanks.
M
Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
> > Does anyone have any experience with Parlee? I'm intrigued by the reported lively feel and the
> > boutique (not everyone has one) nature of the brand.
>
> Easy to rationalize the "boutique" aspect of the Parlee, but the "reported lively feel?" Exactly
> when have we seen PR or magazine reviews that *didn't* report that a frame had a "lively feel?"
>
> I couldn't find any info on their website regarding product warranties, but finding out that info
> could give you some idea of what to expect. Also, purchasing one through a reputable dealer might
> be a bit of an insurance policy as well (there have been several times over the years where we've
> taken care of something that was obviously defective, even though the manufacturer was no longer
> in business).
>
> I think the primary advantage to the Parlee is simply that it *is* different, although, frankly,
> it appears pretty similar to some of the LOOK carbon frames, with its external lugs.
>
> Another option that would cater to a desire to have something unique would be to get a TREK or
> Calfee with a custom paint job. That would have the advantage of getting you a bike with a known
> track record, and a history of continuous product improvement over the many years it's been out
> there. That's something not to be overlooked; things do improve as a manufacturer puts more and
> more of the product out on the road, and learns a few things about the real world.
>
> But if money's not an issue, some of these concerns are less relevant, since, if it doesn't work
> out, the alternatives will still be there.
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
>
> "Michael Hoyt" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > Does anyone have any experience with Parlee? I'm intrigued by the reported lively feel and the
> > boutique (not everyone has one) nature of the brand. I am concerned about long term support and
> > just the lack of information "out there" because there are so few on the road. I know there's a
> > big following for the Calfee Dragon-Fly, but I don't like the look of the sandwich lugs. The
> > Parlee should have all the advantages, but the continuous wrap looks much nicer. Thanks in
> > advance.
> >
> > M
