Founded in 2000 by Bob Parlee, Parlee Bikes emerged with a clear and ambitious vision: to craft the world’s finest bicycles. Leveraging over two decades of experience in boat building and composite materials, Parlee recognized the untapped potential of carbon fiber in elevating performance bicycles.
Carbon fiber presented a revolutionary opportunity to optimize bike design through meticulous manipulation of tube sizes and shapes. This advanced material allowed for precise adjustments to crucial properties like weight, strength, durability, and compliance. By refining lay-up schedules and molding techniques, Parlee aimed to create bikes that were not only lighter and faster but also significantly more comfortable. This pursuit of perfection has been the driving force at Parlee Bikes for over two decades.
Today, carbon fiber stands as the dominant material in the realm of high-performance cycling. Virtually every major bicycle manufacturer incorporates carbon fiber into their product lines. This widespread adoption leads to a crucial question for discerning cyclists: among the myriad of carbon fiber bikes available, which one is the right choice, and why?
Navigating this decision can be challenging. Every brand asserts the use of top-tier materials and cutting-edge manufacturing processes. Sorting through these claims to discern genuine quality becomes paramount.
The inherent versatility of carbon fiber has, unfortunately, allowed some bicycle designers to prioritize aesthetics over function. Frames can be molded into virtually any conceivable shape. However, Bob Parlee emphasizes a critical distinction: style should never overshadow performance. His design and engineering philosophy remains laser-focused on creating bikes that excel in speed, lightness, durability, and, above all, the joy of riding. Parlee Bikes consciously avoids incorporating superfluous shapes purely for visual appeal.
Carbon fiber’s exceptional strength-to-weight ratio makes it ideally suited for bicycle construction. Focusing on purely stylistic elements introduces unnecessary weight and compromises ride quality, akin to adding non-functional fins to a car – visually striking but detrimental to performance.
Efficiency serves as the cornerstone of Parlee’s design ethos. Carbon fiber is strategically employed to achieve specific performance targets. The ultimate goal is to create a bicycle meticulously tailored to the rider’s needs and intended use, whether it be competitive road racing, rigorous daily training, demanding cyclocross events, or epic gravel adventures.
Parlee Bikes are defined by this synthesis of targeted performance and tailor-made fit. This is the essence of the Parlee difference.
— Bob Parlee
