Here's why we made the Z-Zero GT

Earlier this summer, we unveiled our best road bike ever, the new Z-Zero GT.

Now that we’ve caught our breath from that sprint to the launch, I wanted to share a bit more on our inspiration for this bike and why we designed it the way we did.

The moniker “GT” refers to Grand Touring cars, a classification reserved for premium automobiles blending race car-like performance with well-appointed interiors and all the creature comforts expected of a luxury vehicle.

Think Aston Martin, Bugatti, Porsche, or Rolls Royce.

Basically, a vehicle that’s wicked fun to drive and extremely fast, yet able to comfortably clock hundreds of miles, day after day.

That was our goal with the new Z-Zero GT -  bike that’s super fast, yet comfortable to ride all day long, mile after glorious mile, no matter the road.

Our Z-Zero line has always been the pinnacle of our road lineup, and, arguably one of the best road bikes in the world.

But we knew it was time for an update, and we wanted to use all of the latest technology and standards to make it faster and more comfortable.

We also wanted to make it lighter - this is our lightest-ever frame at just 897g for a size 53.

Lastly, we wanted to modernize its look without losing that classic road bike vibe.

Combining all of these traits and one-upping its predecessor was a tall order. Here’s how we did it…

More Power to You

The new layup is stiffer around the bottom bracket, with a new chainstay and dropout design that delivers more of your power to the rear wheel.

This stiffness also keeps the rear end tracking precisely, and front end geometry is adjusted to make it more stable on the descents.

We also lowered the bottom bracket by 10mm. We like to say this puts you “in” the bike rather than “on” it. It lowers your center of gravity, and while 10 mils may not seem like much, you’ll notice that you’re carving corners faster and more confidently than ever.

Smooth = Fast

Around the office, all of us are now riding wider tubeless road tires.

Not only does it feel much smoother on our beat up northern roads, the science proves they’re faster thanks to lower rolling resistance on the straightaways and more grip in the corners.

Like most of you, we’ve grown fond of exploring those side roads and hitting a little hardpack dirt road now and then, too.

So fitting wider tires was a key goal, and we went big. Bigger than most, actually.

The new GT fits up to 40mm tires, giving you the flexibility to ride it where and how you want.

Classically Modern Aesthetics

This is one of our favorite parts of the new GT.

Stealth cable routing makes modern road bikes look amazing, keeping the focus on the frame’s lines and paint. But it also means compromises, usually in the form of a fat head tube that makes it look more like a gravel or mountain bike.

We wanted to keep it slim, so we developed an entirely new fork with a D-shaped steerer that fits the brake lines between it and a standard 1-1/8” upper headset. (Check out Bikerumor’s Factory Tour for a closer look)

Paired with a slim 1-1/4” lower headset (not a big 1.5” like on many modern bikes), and we have the slimmest stealth front end we’ve seen.

This gives us an extremely sleek bike with a modern yet classic look.

No Dead Weight

The new Parlee Z-Zero GT is the lightest road bike we’ve ever made, and our first production bike under 900g.

In comparison, that’s 187g (about 11%) lighter than its predecessor. And with a Nude carbon option, you can keep it ultralight and show off the carbon craftsmanship.

We accomplished this in two ways:

First, we completely revised the layup, optimizing every piece of carbon fiber and eliminating any superfluous layers. We’ve always been meticulous with the layups, but modern materials and a fresh design created opportunities to trim things down a bit while also improving performance.

Second, we make every Z-Zero GT in house in our own factory in Beverly, Massachusetts, USA.

Every premium brand says they optimize their layups and refine their production, and there are a lot of great bikes out there. But at the end of the day, we are one of very few brands who actually manufacture our own frames in house (and in the USA), and this gives us the ultimate control over every step, every carbon ply, and every single frame that leaves our factory.

Which means we can also offer…

Full Custom Geometry...Or Not

For the first time ever, our Z-Zero line is available in stock geometries, with 12 different sizes and models to fit nearly everyone.

This was an important goal for us, we really wanted to make the best road bike in the world more accessible. Each one is still built to order, but thanks to our expansive size lineups and the ability to get it in Race or Sport geometry, the Z-Zero GT is available with a quicker turnaround than ever.

Of course, they’re still available in full custom geometry, too. And every bike is built to the customer’s exact specs from a nearly unlimited selection of components, with cockpits and crank lengths sized to fit each rider perfectly.

Ready to build your own the GT? Click here to explore all the options!