So, have been very lucky and over the years saved and saved and saved to get a madone 7 SLR (the most aero one). It has a very cool paint job and is frankly faster than I am as an older ex-racer.
Revelation 1: at some point the bike cannot be used by you to it’s fullest (had this probably a long time ago but as I like to say “the older I get the faster I was”)
Revelation 2: Dura Ace is really worth the extra money because it lasts and lasts and lasts but extra speeds not so much…da 11 di2 is just about peak groupset…
Then I picked up a Factor OSTRO Vam used.
It’s ride was not for me. I had believed all the hype…
Revelation 3: Hype is out there…best to try a bike before buying it of course, but some rare bikes like a FOV are simply impossible to test first…so you go by youtuber reviews…anyway, not ideal.
Got a used Parlee RZ7 frame, got the aero bars from PRO for it…and moved all the parts and voila - a real weapon of a bike. (aero bars and cables are a really awful thing…but they look cool for sure…)
Revelation 4: The unheralded Parlee RZ7 is actually faster than the much praised Madone SLR 7 in strict descending and watts per mph on a closed loop. Not wind tunnel level data, but it is faster…and has an incredible ride.
Revelation 5: Parlee’s deserve their reputation and no longer in the RZ7 represent crazy expensive…they still are but the rest of the world has for some reason caught up.
Obviously I highly recommend the Parlee RZ7 - it is perhaps not a crit bike, but a fondo/road bike more, but it certainly is stiff and responsive (more so than the slr - it is unbelievably efficient at energy transfer, it just doesn’t somehow beat you up at the same time like every other bike…the people at Parlee must have a secret sauce if you will…). Maybe this is a reflection of the owner a bit too…a person who has ridden RIGI’s, Alan’s, kestrel’s, and a lot of other bikes over the years…the only other bike close to the Parlee is a Seven which I got custom over 20 years ago and is not very aero but rides well…the Parlee rides better, is more aero, and is a lot lighter…carbon fiber made correctly I guesss.
Final Revelation: Shimano has chosen to not let di2 get upgraded…they could let 11 drive 12 or perhaps even 13 speed if they wanted…they chose to not let that happen. It is all about profit and marketing…and is quite wasteful (or our money perhaps mostly). Hopefully some hacker will break the code and figure out how to make da x work with da y…and all you will need is chain, cogs, rings, and maybe pulleys…I’d be into that. If such exists, please inform via a reply to this post.
Anyway, try a Parlee if you like to ride a lot and don’t have to ride something else due to sponsorship. It is simply the best (have tried SL8 too…this opinion hold up there too, Canyon, and Cervelo too). My opinion only…but a small US based company with suppliers that somehow do the carbon layup just right. And put a Hambini race BB into your bike…it is that good too. I have no relationship with any company mentioned here.
And, support your local bike shop!!!
Please add your revelations into this thread -