Parlee’s New ‘Cross Bikes Have Life Beyond the Barriers
The leaves are about to start changing color in Beverly, Massachusetts, which means one thing: Cyclocross season is almost here at Parlee Cycles. The company is ready for the mud and cowbells with two new disc-equipped, cyclocross-oriented bikes—the Z-Zero XD and Chebacco—designed to be ridden even after ‘cross season ends.
While some bike brands and riders believe that a cyclocross bike and a gravel bike are different and demand individualized geometry, Parlee believes only tires separate the two niches. The two bikes share a geometry a Parlee representative describes as “neutral.” He uses the BB height as an example: It’s not as high as some CX race bikes, not as low as some gravel-specific bikes.
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The Z-Zero XD is based on the Z-Zero road bike, which is manufactured in-house at Parlee's Massachusetts factory. (The company now manufactures its carbon tubes in-house, as well). The bike will have sky’s-the-limit customization possibilities: ride quality, features, paint, and geometry (it’s also offered in stock sizes). Customers can even specify exactly where they want the shift wires and brake lines to enter the frame. A frame module (with fork and headset) sells for $8,300. Complete builds are also available.
The Chebacco—named not for a Wookie, but rather for the original name of Essex, a town near Parlee’s HQ—is the same style of bike as the Z-Zero XD, but based on the Altum road bike. It’s made overseas and only offered in stock geometry (custom paint is available). Shift housing and brake lines are internally routed with interchangeable chips providing compatibility with electronic and mechanical drivetrains. Hidden fender mounts are included for foul-weather friendliness. A frame module sells for $4,000, with complete builds offered from $4,399 (yep, just $399 more than a frame module) to $7,500.
The bikes share some features: the same chip rear dropouts for thru-axle compatibility, post mount disc attachments front and rear, a claimed frame weight of 950 grams, and the same 400g fork.
That fork is a point of pride for Parlee. Representatives say that when they tested other gravel/‘cross bikes, they found the bikes rode decently with fatter tires, but if narrower road tires were swapped in, the bikes rode harshly because the forks were so stiff. Parlee wanted a fork that provided compliance and “flow” when the bike was equipped with road tires, so the bikes were pleasant to ride in more situations. In keeping with Parlee’s versatility directive, the fork is fitted with semi-hidden fender tabs.
The Z-Zero XD is available now and the Chebacco should be available in October.
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