Parlee is known for making great road bikes. Some of the best, in fact. So it’s no small thing when they say their all-new Z-Zero GT road bike is the best they’ve ever made.
It’s a whopping 187g lighter than its predecessor, coming in under 900g for the frame. And it’s faster, with a new layup that’s stiffer where power transfer is key, but compliant and comfortable where it matters for traction and comfort. And it fits up to 40mm tires… a combo that makes it faster over anything you throw at it.
Which is all well and good, but what about… Slimmer?
A quick primer
The Z-Zero has been Parlee’s flagship road bike since Bob Parlee founded the company 25 years ago. Designed long before disc brakes and 28mm tires were the norm, it had those classic road bike lines, slender tubes, and an aesthetic that retrogrouches love. Over the years, the bike got better, lightened up, and switched to disc brakes, but it kept those slim lines thanks to external routing.
But, times (and tastes) have changed, and discerning riders want that sleek, aero look of integrated stealth routing. But, some also want to maintain a classic look. And Parlee won’t do anything that sacrifices ride quality.
It starts with the fork
So, the new Z-Zero GT pays homage to its pedigree while going full modern on routing, tire clearance, and drivetrain compatibility. And it started with a new fork, their first-ever designed, developed, and manufactured 100% in house in Beverly, MA.
Parlee’s GT has a head tube nearly as slim as the standard Z-Zero thanks to a proprietary fork with a D-shaped steerer tube.
This lets them use a standard headset for 1.125″ to 1.25″ tapered steerers, keeping the top of the headtube slim and use normal headsets.
That keeps it compatible with all manner of stems and handlebars, too, so you can pick from a wide variety of options for complete builds. If you’d like to see more about the fork, check out our factory tour for closeup photos and a look at how they make it.
Z-Zero GT Features
Taking everything they’ve learned over 25 years, the new frame is 187g lighter than the Z-Zero it’s replacing. Claimed frame weight is under 900g (893g for size 53, to be exact), and for the first time, this top model will be offered in stock sizing, too. More on that below.
The rear dropouts and chainstay structure are completely redesigned to improve stiffness and work with UDH hangers, letting you run the bike with all of SRAM’s 1x and 2x road and gravel groups, as well as future proofing it for next-gen Transmission drivetrains. Naturally, it’s also fully compatible with Shimano and Campagnolo drivetrains, too.
The frame’s layup and geometry is optimized around ride quality, Parlee’s calling card. If you haven’t ridden a Parlee, it’s hard to describe, but it just feels right. Check our review of the RZ7 for an example. For this bike, they dropped the bottom bracket ~10mm to keep your center of gravity lower for carving high speed corners, particularly on the descents.
Spec highlights include:
- Up to 40mm tire clearance
- T47 bottom bracket
- All-carbon dropouts
- Sub-900g frame
- Ceramicspeed bottom bracket & SLT headset
Geometry, Prices & Availability
The Z-Zero GT is Parlee’s first Z-series bike to be offered in stock sizes, and they’ve got 12 to choose from, with either Race or Sport fit. The geos are based on 25 years of fit data, and it’s a lot of data because they request a bike fit for every customer so they can help choose the right components.
Which means, no matter what build you go with, the GT’s cockpit, crank length, and everything else will be handpicked to fit you and your riding style…there’s no truly “stock” build here, it’s all built to order to give you exactly what you want.
The Z-Zero GT comes in 20 standard colors, but you can also have it custom painted. Or, order it with their Nude finish, which is bare carbon, pretty much straight out of the mold, then waxed to protect it. That’s the lightest option, and it’s how they ship their Ouray and Taos production bikes, too.
There’s also an “extended paint” option that color-matches the cockpit, seatpost, bottle cages, and headset spacers.
The new Z-Zero GT frames start at $12,490. Complete bikes start at $16,490 for Force or Ultegra level builds and run up to $22,990 for a range topping bike with the new Campagnolo Super Record 13 drivetrain.
Dealer pre-orders have already filled the production queue, and those start shipping in August. Parlee says current estimated delivery date for new orders is November 2025.
A special, extremely limited Z-Zero GT 25th Anniversary Edition will also be available around November with a highly curated, bespoke build using the best components and accessories available.
