The PRsix fit me quite well, too. I do not have disc brakes, so can't comment on that.

QR has come out with a ton of loud paint colors. The Q-Box is great. I put everything for my flat kit in there, which frees up my top tube bento for nutrition (top tube bosses make that easy to install as well). The PRsix comes fully ready for electronic, but you can put mechanical on it.

I like that my PRsix is light and still stiff, and easy to work on (that's big for me).

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Proud Member of Chris McDonald's 2018 Big Sexy Race Team "That which doesn't kill me, will only make me stronger"
Blog-Twitter-Instagram-Race Reports - 2018 Races: IM Florida 70.3, IM Raleigh 70.3, IM 70.3 World Championships - South Africa, IM North Carolina 70.3

+1 for the PRsix. I have a 2016 model and love it. I travel several times a year and the bike is a snap to pack and unpack (five bolts). The QBox hold a spare tube, inflator, CO2 cartridge and tire levers with a bit of room to spare. The newer bikes (2017+) have more space on the top tube and the 2018 added disk brakes (plus some wild colors. You won't be disappointed.

No experience with Parlee. I got a QR PRSix this past year; previous ride was a Guru CR.901. I don't have disc brakes. I love my QR. Fits me really well, it's light, comfortable, easy to wrench, and no matter where I've traveled everyone seems to know how to help with any mechanical issues beyond my limited abilities, if they arise. Oh, I have Di2. I have to admit, the new colors are pretty eye popping. Buy for fit, comfort, ease, and ultimately being fast and having peace of mind.

Spectrum,

These are the exact two bikes that were my final list. Both are great bikes. My decision came down to this:

1. I tried and tried and tried to find a way to test ride a Parlee and could not. I talked to Parlee about how to test ride a bike and they said fly to New York City. I couldn't even go to their office in Massachusetts, which I was near enough to visit as they didn't have one available. I was able to test a PR3 at USAT nationals.

2. The aerobar - to me, the aerobar is the component that makes the biggest difference in rider position and aerodynamics. Parlee has a proprietary aerobar and the LBS that is the second largest seller of Parlee bikes (their biggest is in London surprisingly) told me that a number of folks have a hard time getting the fit right as their is not a lot of adjustability causing them to recommend the P5X from Cervelo (which I can't afford) sometimes. In addition to the right fit being important, bars like Tririg's Alpha X are more aerodynamic (and fit better). I don't understand why Parlee makes their own bar. QR uses bars available on the market and while you can't use the Alpha X with it because the Alpha as an integrated stem, you can use other great aerodynamic bars that are highly adjustable like the PD Aeria Ultimate. With Parlee you have to buy it with the aerobar, you can't buy just the frame. QR you can buy the frame and thus avoid buying an aerobar you don't want.

3. While both frames are very well made, I think the QR frame has more aerodynamic design strategy in that makes the bike faster. This is #3 as frame is less important than the engine, rider position and aerobars.

4. The integrated Q-box and bento box on the QR means that storage is integrated, aerodynamic and something I don't need to purchase.

Please note, color and paint job is not that important to me. Parlee has an amazing paint shop and if you want a custom paint job, they do this like no one else.

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2018 Races: IM Santa Rosa, Vineman Monte Rio, Lake Tahoe 70.3

You bring up really great points about the Parlee.

Like your first point, I've searched high and low on the internet to get more info and they don't seem to have a huge presence or even rider base. I attributed this more to the size of the company and a lack of marketing resources that some one like Cervelo might have, rather than any sort of quality issues with the bike. There seem to be more couple of shops here in the SF bay area the sell Parlee, but I have no idea how many TTiRs they sell. My LBS that I would buy from sells them so I should be OK from a serviceability standpoint, but how well does this bike break down and get put back together when I'm on the road at a race? What happens if something breaks? This is one of the reasons I've talked myself out of a Canyon.

As far as the aerobar..I had only really thought of that in passing since I'm trusting that my LBS knows better than me if the integrated on the Parlee is serviceable for my needs in regards to adjustability and position. But maybe I want to just educate myself a bit more in that realm before pulling the trigger.

The Qbox is that nice add on that I really like. While on the Parlee I think I could find an under the seat solution that would work well too, but also requires me to spend a few more $$s. I feel like the custom paint option and the Qbox are a push in regards to the over all decision making process.

What about the frame do you think makes the design more aero? The shift+ stuff?

My take away from these comments is I want a bike that is easy to work on, take apart, etc. And many of the fancy bikes do not meet this criteria. My Cervelo P2 is just so easy to work on. Give me that bike in a disc version and I would buy today.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Dave,

Are you implying that both of these bikes (specifically, because these are the bike the OP is interested in) are difficult to maintain? If so, based on what real-world experience with the bikes.

As noted above by several posters (myself included), the PRSix is very easy to maintain. If you dig up Slowman's review of the PR line, he makes the same comment. And if Dan says so, it must be :-).

Nope, just making a general comment that many think the P2 is a great example of an affordable bike that is easy to work on and travel with.

I have actually looked at the Parlee and like the looks. QR looks okay also. But first thing I look at is price, which both are higher than I would like to pay

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

To some extent yes. My main concern would be the ability to handle basics and not needing 5 different tools to simple stuff that one needs to do during training rides or before a race.

While I consider myself handy, I don't really see myself taking the entire bike apart and putting to back together. I'll let the professionals do that. :)

I live in the bay area too. Studio Velo in Marin has sold one TTIR disc. I don't know about others.

It isn't just the shift+. It is also the Qbox as it makes the bike more aerodynamic in line with what we see from the Diamondback Andean without adding 5-6 pounds to the bike (the difference in weight approximately between the PR6 and the Andean). Weight doesn't matter on a flat course, but we do not live in Florida and we have lots of hills in training and races. Also, the boat tail thing (the bigger chainstay on the non-drive side is good on its own and even better with disc brakes as it blocks the rear disc brake naturally rather than using fairings like Parlee. Also, the integrated stem and bento box means you don't have a gap that collects dead air. So, it is a number of things that together add up to what I think of as a well designed frame with several features that bit by bit give it an aero advantage.

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2018 Races: IM Santa Rosa, Vineman Monte Rio, Lake Tahoe 70.3

If ease of maintenance is important for you, you should like this about the QR bikes:

• Easy Assembly: 2 allen wrench sizes

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2018 Races: IM Santa Rosa, Vineman Monte Rio, Lake Tahoe 70.3

Looks like a great bike for with DI2, 13K? Just way way too much money. If someone can do this for 5K, I am all over it.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I could go through a litany of things on the QR PR6 that are covered well elsewhere. I'll just say this:

I've owned a lot of triathlon bikes in 35 years in the sport. Centurions, Treks, Specialized, the original QR Kilo, QR Tequilo, QR PR, Cervelo P2 and P3 (aluminum), Litespeed Saber and Blade, Cervelo P3C, Kuota Kalibur, Kestrel 4000 and Talon SL... Most of those were set up with top-line components and race wheels, and my position tended to be pretty much the same after we transitioned to tri-specific geometries in the early 90s. The Kuota was the last one I bought in 2008 and then sold it in 2012 after a hip surgery. The Cervelos were nice. The early QRs raced best for me, even on 650c wheels.

This year as I returned to racing, I bought a new QR PR6. Immediately I felt like this bike was what I'd been waiting for. I didn't have to do much of anything to dial it in to a comfortable spot. Super easy to work on, with just 2 allen wrenches. Great aerodynamics (worlds better than the Kuota, even though I loved that bike). It rides solid. The only thing I've done of substance is put a power crank on it, which also required a TriRig Omega brake on the rear for clearance with the crank. Everything else is bone-stock, including the Reynolds wheels. I've owned "higher" specc'd bikes (this one is Ultegra mechanical). But this is, hands-down, the best tri bike I've ever owned. I may change out the group to eTap just to feed my OCD self which loves the reduction of cables, but it's entirely unnecessary. QR's geometry just fits me like a glove, and is super stable at high speeds.

If the geometry is right for you, I would definitely go QR PR series, including the disc brakes. Highly recommended.

If my PR6 gets crashed or lost...I'm getting another one, immediately. I'll be sad the day they stop making them, if the newer model changes much about the overall experience. LOVE the new colors and the discs are growing on me.

I can feel your love for this bike jumping thru my screen!

I agree it is too much money. I am buying frame only and building it up. My cost is $8K for the equivalent of their $12.5K bike. $8K is still a lot of money, but I buy bikes once every 10 years or so.

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2018 Races: IM Santa Rosa, Vineman Monte Rio, Lake Tahoe 70.3

Parlees are for dentists with more money than brains. QR is likely more aero with better aerobars, better saddles, generally shorter cranks, integrated storage, easier to work on and lower priced. Unless you just have to have custom paint or a low volume model, get the QR.