I have a Parlee Z5sl.
I luv it like.
In a similar way to MrShibb above I wanted something different and this time around bespoke. Don’t like titanium so lots of drool’idge bikes were never considered, plastic only was my choice.
Having owned, and thrashed to death, De Rosa Avants, Meraks, Orbea Orcas, Look 575’S and lastly before this yet another Orca I chose a bespoke builder that would build something to me, for me.
I took the measurements off the Orca and had another fit out by Primera in B’mth just to confirm measurements, then sent them over to Bob. Bike arrived 14weeks later and once I’d finished working away built it up, built it up light. The only thing I’ve changed in 18mths of ownership are the rather expensive and quite useless Most Lightweight wheels, the 111’s, they just kept loosing their trueness, the Red has been faultless.
Doesn’t matter what it cost, it’s the effort and passion you put into it.
If you ride it to the shops and that’s all, who cares.
I kill all my bikes to death, I ride them hard and race them with mates, they take me places that only my legs and some thin wheels will ever do. The bike punishes me and I love it even more for that very reason.
Bikes Rock, no matter what you pay for them.
Well done Mr Shibb, ride it hard.
