New Bike - Parlee Altum R or Basso Diamante

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New Bike - Parlee Altum R or Basso Diamante

Poll ended at Sat Aug 01, 2015 8:36 am

Parlee Altum R
18
46%
Basso Diamante
21
54%
 
Total votes: 39

User avatar
hoggy
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:41 am
Location: Adelaide

by hoggy

Hi guys, a while back I did a poll for my mate and now its my turn. I've narrowed it down to 2 and I thought I had it all sorted but I'm questioning my choice (based on 1 ridiculous aesthetic issue) and I'm keen to hear opinion from others. I have separately asked about Chorus EPS or Record Mech group sets and that came out just in favour of Mech (14-10).

From my research, geometry of either choice is fine and I know both are awesome bikes so I'm keen to hear about any real world experience or comparisons, although any comments would be greatly appreciated

NiFTY
Posts: 1493
Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 11:26 pm

by NiFTY

Haven't ridden either, but the parlee is just too ugly. I just couldn't make the guys i ride with look it at every day - > Basso wins.
Evo 4.9kg SL3 6.64kg Slice RS 8.89kg viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110579" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



User avatar
hoggy
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:41 am
Location: Adelaide

by hoggy

Thanks for the votes guys, I'd love some more comments from people who have ridden either. Cheers

AJS914
Posts: 5397
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:52 pm

by AJS914

I love my Parlee Z4 and have recently decided to make it my main bike. I also have a Calfee Dragonfly and a Time VXS. I wanted to love the Calfee but it beat me up on bumpy roads. The Time VXS is an older work horse of a frame and is comfortable as can be. It was designed as a paris-roubaix bike with vectran fibers in the layup. It's the most comfortable bike I have but it doesn't have the springy, lively feel that the Parlee and Calfee have. The Calfee, despite being 1/2 pound heavier "felt" the fastest by a tiny bit. Quantitatively I'm sure it was not faster.

The Basso only has a 3 year warranty. How long are you going to keep it? After seeing a lot of friends have trouble with Italian frames and short warranties I swore that I'd never buy one again.

The Parlee just got upgraded to 11 speed. 15.85 pounds without any super trick weight weenie parts:

Image


User avatar
prebsy
Posts: 1044
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2012 10:52 pm
Location: there or thereabouts

by prebsy


mrfish
Posts: 1749
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:49 pm
Location: Near Horgen, Switzerland

by mrfish

I have been very happy with both my Z4, Z5SL. Great ride, lively, goes downhill well, light, well made, fits fine. Only improvement would be to change the geometry to remove the toeclip overlap, but that's no big deal unless you ride <3mph a lot.

The thing you don't see if you look at the specs though, is that Parlee really looks after its customers. When my Z4 cracked I talked to the dealer who immediately offered me a replacement. Eventually the bike was upgraded free to a Z5SL. Then 3 years later after I moved countries and my Z5SL developed a problem with the bb they sent me another newer frame based on photos. This is not the sort of service you get from other bike brands. But it's good business and I can understand why Parlee do this to differentiate on service as frames become increasingly commoditised. Bottom line it makes sense from a financial perspective as the direct cost of a replacement frame is far less than RRP and they must have calculated that it's better to keep a customer than lose one. Given time they will make back the cost - for instance, my wife's next bike will be a Parlee with custom paint.

Now think about the experience you will have if you buy an expensive bike with a 2 or 3 year warranty. Bike companies with this attitude generally don't want to honour their warranty, even if the bike breaks after 9 months. If you've spent long enough in bike shops you will be familiar with the sucking of teeth, shrugging and "Hey Earl, come and see this, this guy says he was JRA but looks like he rode in off the roof" followed shortly by "You crashed / dropped it / rode it off the roof". Unless you plan to replace your frame every 1-2 years or don't care about money it simply doesn't make sense to buy a bike with a short warranty when there are good bikes with proper warranties available.

spdntrxi
Posts: 5792
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 6:11 pm

by spdntrxi

I have a z5sli with custom paint.. It has been a wonderful bike in my opinion
2024 BMC TeamMachine R Building
2018 BMC TImeMachine Road
2002 Moots Compact-SL- getting aero look makeover
2019 Parlee Z0XD - "classified"
2023 Pivot E-Vault - completed project, full Xplr package

eaglejackson
Posts: 259
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2014 5:26 am
Location: PNW

by eaglejackson

I have a Z5 SLi and love it. Best bike I've owned. The new Altum, though, that's a tougher choice. The specs on paper are better than the Z5 SLi, but that hump, oh, that humpity hump. I don't know if I could live with it or not. I want my bikes to be beautiful, too, not just ride great.

User avatar
hoggy
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:41 am
Location: Adelaide

by hoggy

Decision made, deposit paid.
prebsy wrote:'nuff said -> viewtopic.php?f=10&t=130792


Build will be Chorus EPS
Bora 1 35's

Frame has to come from Italy to Oz so about 6 week wait

tbrix
Posts: 88
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2014 4:17 am
Location: Melbourne

by tbrix

Great choice. Welcome to the Basso club!

Hope you'll be posting it here when it's finished.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



User avatar
hoggy
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:41 am
Location: Adelaide

by hoggy

tbrix wrote:Great choice. Welcome to the Basso club!

Hope you'll be posting it here when it's finished.


I surely will

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