Our Z-Zero RD was the first carbon fiber road bike to embrace both disc brakes and wider, high volume, lower pressure tires, paving the way for what now defines a modern road bike. This pioneering design excels in all road riding disciplines and features all the carbon fiber expertise we’ve acquired over the past two decades.
- Handmade one at a time in Beverly, Massachusetts
- Available custom geometry
- One-of-a-kind nude carbon finish standard
- Parlee Paint Lab custom paint is also available
From mixed surface exploring to all-day races, sportifs and gran fondos, no other road bike can match the timeless versatility of the Z-Zero RD.
All Z-Zero RD models include:
Carbon dropouts and bearing races: First used on the Z5, our compression molded carbon drops and bearing races (in the head tube and bottom bracket) allow us to reduce the metal content in the Z-Zero to less than 20 grams. Eliminating metal correctly in any carbon composite structure translates to lighter weight and better durability.
PARLEE tube joining process: Pioneered on the Z1, our exclusive molding process is the technical benchmark for fusing carbon fiber tubes into a monolithic structure. Our process is neither “lugged” or traditional “tube to tube” construction. The Z-Zero joining process is more precise, more costly, and unmatched in strength, using only carbon fiber to fuse each tube to another in a manner that yields a wholly unified structure with almost zero redundant material.
Shaped, bladder-molded tubing: Our performance-based tube shaping allows for lighter overall tube weights and optimized tuning of the laminate schedule. A variety of tube designs allows us to perfectly tune the ride to each rider’s needs. Produced by hand, by our staff, here in Beverly, MA the Z-Zero tubes are 10-15% lighter on average than typical carbon tubing yet feature better torsional performance and more comfort.
Tapered head and steerer tubes: An innovation derived from the now industry-wide ISO testing protocols; tapered steerer and head tubes are hardly news anymore, however, with our Z-Zero, we pioneered the use of the optimally sized 1.250” (32mm) inch lower standard over the heavier 1.500”(38mm) inch standard. This provides the ideal balance for a road bike. Strength, safety, performance, and lightweight without harshness.
Disc Brake compatibility: The standard for the future, disc brakes for road bikes present a range of new options for brake, wheel, and drive systems. The Z-Zero was designed from inception to be disc brake capable. We use the modern thru-axle standards both front and rear for optimum performance and handling. The Z-Zero RD is compatible with 12mm front and rear thru-axles and the latest flat-mount calipers from Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo.
