Weight Weenies

Yes I know it's open ended and could go round in circles, but..

I have a Z4 and a Supersix HM, both great, the Parlee is a 54cm and the Cannondale a 52cm..

My go to bike is the Cannondale, most of my riding is in the hills, average a couple of hours >1,000m of climbing per ride, plenty of fast downhills, and rough roads, the Cannondale is stable, fast, corners like it's on rails, instills me with confidence..

The Parlee, not so, especially on the downhills, a bit wobbly at high speed and I feel the frame is a bit too large, too stretched on the TT, and less comfortable in my position going up, up, up!!! I need to try different bars sometime, short/shallows of some description, see if that helps...

So, new bike, will have 'new' SRAM Red, my existing ENVE 45 clinchers, what frame?

Either the Cannondale 'black', (or Racing Red and sell wheels, upgrade other parts) will have to strip off the DA and sell, ditto with the wheels, and build back up, I know it'll fit, be fast, and light, but, I'm pretty rough with my road bikes, they get taken on dirt, gravel, etc..

Or small Z5SL with a 52.5cm TT smaller than my current Z4, and 1cm smaller than my Supersix, should be a good fit, geometry looks generally similar to my Supersix, will it be as good on the downhills though?

Any advice, cheers?

Before you ask, Crumpton is 4 months, away, Specialized I'm not that keen on, no Cervelo's thanks, etc, etc, I've pretty much limited my choice to those two, or variations of..

James

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Sounds like you love the Cannondale. If you must get a new bike, get the EVO.

The z5s descend like missiles..
Very nimble, stable and easy to ride very quickly through corners

Hmmm, just had a look at the Specialized Tarmac SL4, very nice.

Saxo Bank, the frame looks black inside, but when you get it out in the sun, has specs of metallic blue in the paint, very good looking
Race black, nice as well, understated, not sure of the graphics inside the fork and the rear stays, but you don't see them when you're riding!

Makes the choice even harder, especially as the SL4 comes in a frameset at a 'reasonable' price, whereas the Cannondale will mean stripping things off selling, trading, rebuilding etc!

Wonder how the two compare, the Cannondale does have the advantage of the new hollowgram..

Any further thoughts, cheers?

My 'Black' evo shipped out on Wednesday, I'll give you some impressions when it comes in.

Buy a new gruppo and some WW parts for your SS - you'll feel like your on a new bike and it will feel and handle the same as your old one

KH1 - that is a very good point, and one I have considered, bar the fact I've already 'pre-sold' by SS in anticipation!

mgordon - that would be great if you could provide feedback, and pictures, would be good to see how the graphics and the whole build in general looks.

Cheers..

I don't think there's much functionally to choose between the bike designs. I would choose the geometry and paint and price / exclusivity you like the best. The paint on the Cannondales is pretty nasty in my view. If the 52cm Parlee has the same stack and reach as the Cannondale you are comfortable on, you might try a test ride.

I've had a Z4 and now ride a Z5SL. The SL is definitely a better bike - downhill it responds better as the front end is a little stiffer, and the ride is a bit better and builds confidence on rougher roads and keeps you fresh longer.

I also find that the Parlee is "very responsive" on descents but is great on the ascents
I have a Cannondale Caad9 as my Winter trainer and CX9for cyclocross. I think that the Cannondales are excellent and before buying the Parlee Z5sl I did consider a Cannondale EVO but the kudos of owning a Parlee (and the first one in Northern Ireland) and the sloping top tube (which I REALLY like) did it for me
No Regrets but I know that the EVO would not have disappointed me

sugarkane wrote:The z5s descend like missiles..
Very nimble, stable and easy to ride very quickly through corners

Perhaps, but the Evo descends like a greased squirrel on a luge.

BTW, yesterday I stopped in a local shop on a run to get water and saw an Evo/Red painted black for $4k complete sans pedals: an amazing deal, I thought. But then I found myself thinking "would I want to ride the painted Black Evo, instead of the hand-picked unpainted Evo Black". Hopeless sucker.

Got my Evo Black in today, they have to glue up the tires. Will be riding tomorrow, looks badass.

sugarkane wrote:The z5s descend like missiles..
Very nimble, stable and easy to ride very quickly through corners

Newton's second law... anything will descend like a missile when you add enough mass.... (F=ma)..

Righto..

Where am I now?

- No Evo for me, no Racing Red available in Oz, apparently it can be bought as a special order but not in the gloss black version
- The Evo 'black' also not available till practically the end of the (Oz) summer, barring any delays
- SL4, similar story, in my size with the matte black frame and white s-works lettering, 8 coming in at the end of Nov, all sold, next lot as above, end Feb ish, the pinstripe red one is available, have looked at it in the flesh, nice but no cigar
- Parlee Z5SL available, checked with Bob at Parlee, he did up a CAD drawing for me to check the contact points with my Supersix, all good..

Looks like a Parlee Z5SL it is, in a small..

Also looking at a slightly different paint job now, nothing too flash, maybe a bit of white pinstriping around the letters top break up the black, zoom, zoom,

Just need to work out bar, stem and seatpost combo..

Wheels will be my ENVE 45's, and a new Sram Red groupset..

sbkidd, would be primo to see some pics of your bike. Any chance you could post some please? Pretty please with anti grav on top?

Cheers

GJ

We just built up the evo black at the shop.

It comes in at 11 lb. 12 oz. with no tape, no pedals and no glue...but otherwise, completely stock. It's SICK.

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