Suggestions please: Parlee Z5 or Gaulzetti Corsa

[XC_racing]

I need some suggestions as i am looking for a new frameset to train and do some crit races next 12 months.

Will be furnished with Dura Ace 7900, Zipp 101 wheelset with Conti GP4000s shoes, Zipp Service Course SL cockpit.

My current bike are: Kish titanium training bike.

Never tried carbon or aluminum before. So i suppose Zetti or Parlee will be an experiment.

So: Parlee Z5 vs Gaulzetti Corsa

OK, they are apples and oranges to compare, so i am not wanting advice regarding their ride characteristics.

Which would you choose? and why please.

Cheers.

[54ny77]

if you're ignoring the unique ride qualities of each and just assuming they're both really good, then i'd say get the one you can afford to crash or thrash without batting an eye (or at least being upset less).

i know several folks who have z5's, and they all love 'em. they're trained on, raced on, you name it.

[krhea]

I own a Z5 and love it enough it'll be one of very few bikes that will probably forever remain in my stable, however, your question, to me, doesn't make any sense...because it is apples to oranges.

I don't think I'd ever use my Z5 for crit race. I use an uber stiff, giant tubed carbon VeloVie bike for that purpose...to only go very fast, turn and handle on a dime and if and when I crash, which all us crit guys do at one time or another, the frame won't cost me an arm and leg to replace. The Corsa is a beast of a great bike and an excellent crit machine.

A lot of it to me is personal feel and preference. My crit carbon is snappy, light and responsive. My Z5 is pretty snappy, definitely light and responsive as well...just not serious crit racing snappy/responsive. I'm over the bars hard coming out of a crit corner and I like a very stiff front end on my bike. My "cheap" carbon has that feel, my Parlee is more front end understated stiff.

Lastly, the angles/geometry on a serious crit bike vary from a "stock" Z5 which has the most direct effect how the bike handles. I'd also wonder why you'd race crits on GP4000s tires instead of something supple with a high thread count and excellent road feel neither of which do those Contis offer. Tires, tubes and wheels are important components of a crit bike. A fast frame with slow rubber doesn't make sense for crit racing.

I can see a Z5 in a road race but not a crit. That certainly doesn't mean obviously that it couldn't be used but the better question is, why would you.

On the other hand, if you can only have one bike and it's gotta be a do-it-all machine and the majority of it's use will NOT be racing crits/circuits or other smallish closed course races I'd go for the Z5. It's a great do it all bike, just not the first frame that pops to mind when the words crit racing are used.

[reggiebaseball]

I need some suggestions as i am looking for a new frameset to train and do some crit races next 12 months.

Will be furnished with Dura Ace 7900, Zipp 101 wheelset with Conti GP4000s shoes, Zipp Service Course SL cockpit.

My current bike are: Kish titanium training bike.

Never tried carbon or aluminum before. So i suppose Zetti or Parlee will be an experiment.

So: Parlee Z5 vs Gaulzetti Corsa

OK, they are apples and oranges to compare, so i am not wanting advice regarding their ride characteristics.

Which would you choose? and why please.

Cheers.
Are you for real?
I don't think so.

Race on your titanium bike. If you want AL get a CAAD10. If you want carbon still get the CAAD10.

You don't sound like you have raced before, and you don't need a Ferrari for your first ride around the block.
The suggestion re:tires is on the mark, and I think you should spend a season on your CAAD10 learning this stuff before wasting your money on the wrong bike for you.

[XC_racing]

Thanks for pointing out the the really good points re road racing and crit racing,

I am a mountain biker at heart so for me road riding /racing is a complement to my cross country racing in the next 12 months. So while training for the road i would like to take the opportunity to do some road/crit racing too.

I am not looking for crit or road racing only bike but i suppose, a more general "jack of all trades, master of none" bike.

The Kish is quite stiff, it beats me up at the end of a long training ride, and just now Parlee Z5 and Gaulzetti Corsa horizontal TT 52cm both are available to be bought at reasonable price, so it got me thinking....nothing bought yet, so just thinking it over and getting advice.

Leaning to Parlee Z5 at the moment but the Gaulzetti is so enticing

Caad10... will do more research.

Cheers.

[Louis]

Caad10... will do more research.

+1

I'm not a racer, never will be, but I've wasted plenty of time on this forum and others, and CAAD9 (and now CAAD10) is almost always the most recommended crit bike.

[1centaur]

I own a Z5, I know Craig, I agree with krhea, and with Louis.

[veloduffer]

I own a Z4 and it would be great to race with but expensive to replace in a crash. In crit racing, you have to expect to crash at some point - it's like bike racing's version of NASCAR. I did my racing on Cannondale aluminum frames - stiff and they used to have a crash replacement policy.

The CAAD10 is an excellent frame, even for all around riding. Likewise, you could get a CAAD9 fairly cheap for racing. You don't need a light bike for crit racing - stiff and quick turning is what you'd want. Furthermore, I would not put expensive parts on it either for the same reason as above.

[stephenmarklay]

I have a Corsa coming. I bought this from a forum member. I will report back when I build it up.

I don't plan on really doing to many crits on the bike but I will be doing some road racing and Gran Fondo type rides.

I also would not hesitate to ride a CAAD9 or 10

[jr59]

At times this place gets to me.

The OP asked about 2 bikes. NOT what bike should I get?
The most common answer around here is cad/9/10.
I swear it sounds like other forums where the answer is always long haul trucker.


I don't know about either bike the poster asked about, so I don't know.

Why are we in such a hurry to cloud the issues!

( end 0f rant)

[dekindy]

At times this place gets to me.

The OP asked about 2 bikes. NOT what bike should I get?
The most common answer around here is cad/9/10.
I swear it sounds like other forums where the answer is always long haul trucker.


I don't know about either bike the poster asked about, so I don't know.

Why are we in such a hurry to cloud the issues!

( end 0f rant)

The first sentence says " I need some suggestions as I am looking for a new frameset".

[xeladragon]

At times this place gets to me.

The OP asked about 2 bikes. NOT what bike should I get?
The most common answer around here is cad/9/10.
I swear it sounds like other forums where the answer is always long haul trucker.


I don't know about either bike the poster asked about, so I don't know.

Why are we in such a hurry to cloud the issues!

( end 0f rant)
LOL. So true. I recently posted a thread about compact crank recommendations, and half the replies were forum members trying to sell their cranks to me. Oh well... it is what it is.

To the OP, I own a CAAD10... it's great bang for the buck and would probably suit your needs pretty well. If I had to choose between a Z5 and a Corsa though, having never owned or ridden either, I'd probably go with the Corsa, purely based on its bad@$$ness.

[Joachim]

I've raced plenty, all over the place, and if you haven't raced before it will automatically mean cat 5 crits. If you want to race a Z5 in that, go right ahead, but make sure you buy a second one, because you will crash and wreck that frame. Even if you race in the front 6 people of a cat 5 crit. I would just race the Ti and first see how it goes before splurging on an expensive carbon frame that is going to get trashed. On the other hand, maybe your income allows you to play around with a Z5 in a crit. In that case go right ahead (not being snarky, I mean it). Race what you can afford to replace (replace regularly in cat 4/5 crits). But to answer your original question... I would go for the Corsa. Remember, a bike becomes a race bike as soon as you pin a number on. Doesn't matter what it is. Crits are more about positioning and bike handling than riding a certain bike.

[Fixed]

Buy the jerks bike
It is made for gut wrenching racing
IMHO +. You can ask him all kinds of dumb stuff and he will tell you what is .:)
Cheers

[maxdog]

I'd probably go with the Corsa, purely based on its bad@$$ness.

The only road bike I still want.

[reggiebaseball]

Thanks for pointing out the the really good points re road racing and crit racing,

I am a mountain biker at heart so for me road riding /racing is a complement to my cross country racing in the next 12 months. So while training for the road i would like to take the opportunity to do some road/crit racing too.

I am not looking for crit or road racing only bike but i suppose, a more general "jack of all trades, master of none" bike.

The Kish is quite stiff, it beats me up at the end of a long training ride, and just now Parlee Z5 and Gaulzetti Corsa horizontal TT 52cm both are available to be bought at reasonable price, so it got me thinking....nothing bought yet, so just thinking it over and getting advice.

Leaning to Parlee Z5 at the moment but the Gaulzetti is so enticing

Caad10... will do more research.

Cheers.

Dear Sir,
Definitely take some time to think before spending your money.
First- ALL CRIT BIKES WILL BE STIFFER THAN YOUR KISH. Crits are short fast races where people care about speed and cornering and NOT about soft ride. So if you ask people about a Crit bike, they are going to recommend something stiffer than your Kish I suspect.

Second - Cat 5 racing will involve MANY crashes and you will probably severely damage at least one, maybe two or three bikes during your first season.

Third - a Parlee Z5 is a TOP end carbon bike, it is not really a crit bike and will get damaged. Even the other people at the races will look at you like you're an a-hole, because you are showing off on a bike that is inapproprate for Cat 5. You don;t want to be "that guy". The Z5 however is a really great jack of all trades bike if you aren't Crit racing.

Fourth - the Gaulzetti is a crit bike for sure. However, it is going to be stiffer than your kish. It is NOT going to be a jack of all trades bike, it is a finely honed weapon of Crit destruction. Very stiff and fast.

Crit racing is not for everyone, I dont think you need to invest in a $5k bike for your first season, no matter how little that may seem to you.

Like you, I love to buy the best and only buy once, but the reality in crit racing is that you will get to buy a bike many times as you get crashed out and break things, so don;t worry you can get the $3k frame next time.

This time, I would just ride your kish (if you dont mind crashing it), or get a CAAD with the recognition that it will be even stiffer than the Kish.

Running good tires at the proper pressure may improve the ride more than the frame. If you run clinchers maybe get wide rims.

Also, maybe go to a crit race or two near you and LOOK at what bikes those blokes are running, and WATCH what happens to them in the 16 crashes you will see. You will probably note that almost none of these gals and guys ride his "jack of all trades" bike at the crit, most have that bike safely at home while they ride a "Crit BattleAxe" for racing. Ask some of them what they ride at home and what they bring to the races.


Now, if you are really made of money and want two more bikes, I would get the Parlee as my jack of all trades AND a Gaulzetti for crits.

[Bob Ross]

i am looking for a new frameset to train and do some crit races next 12 months...[snip]...Which would you choose? and why please.


Tough choice! Talk about First World Problems.

Personally I'd want the Parlee more...but (and it's a big but, given your intended usage) I'd be more hesitant to race crits on it than on a Gaulzetti. Crash that Z5 and there's no telling what might be damaged and/or salvagable. (I hate to contribute to the "Carbon Asplodes On Impact!" nonsense, but for a crit bike I think a certain degree of prudence is necessary.)

Whereas if you crash the Corsa, all you have to worry about are lawsuits from the pack fodder you killed with your indestructable weapon. So for you, I'd think the Gaulzetti should be the first choice.

[Ryun]

I havent owned a Z5 but have owned a corsa for quite a while. It is a race bike pure and simple. I have raced a long long time at a variety of levels and would dispute that a "crit" bike should be different from a "road race bike" (I think a race bike could be different from a "fast road ride on saturday with the local group" which is actually what most people mean but anyhoo)

The corsa just goes. I have ridden it for longer rides shorter races etc and it does what you ask it to. While it may not be the most economical choice for trying racing, I dont think it is as bad as some here have suggested. Compared to a CAAD10 or Spooky, the tubing on the corsa is relatively thick. I think it is likely much more dent resistant than other high end ultra light alum tubing. Craig wasnt out to make it the lightest bike out there and seems to me a good bit of crash worthiness is built it.
The front end is rock solid and the bike goes where you point it, all very nice attributes in a race bike

[Charles M]

If you can afford to crash either of them it would be (and is for me) the Z5...

Past that, If I were buying an Alu bike it would be the caad 10.

[nahtnoj]

Douglas Brooks says the Corsa is the best riding bike he has ever owned.

And there is this:

http://bicycling.com/blogs/theselection/2012/01/13/the-revelation/

[WickedWheels]

Get the Z5. Craig's bikes are nice, but Parlee is having a huge sale on the Z5's. I'm blowing them in my shop out at ridiculous prices that put other bikes to shame. They become a "no-brainer" purchase for anyone looking for a decent mid-range bike, never mind the high-end.

[Fixed]

Douglas Brooks says the Corsa is the best riding bike he has ever owned.

And there is this:

http://bicycling.com/blogs/theselection/2012/01/13/the-revelation/

But you have to be a yogi to ride one of the jerks bikes .....
I forgot he is ::)
No question z5 is a great bike corsa is a great race bike
IMHO cheers

[stephenmarklay]

But you have to be a yogi to ride one of the jerks bikes .....
I forgot he is ::)
No question z5 is a great bike corsa is a great race bike
IMHO cheers

I need to go do my morning yoga in anticipation of my Corsa...

[oldpotatoe]

At times this place gets to me.

The OP asked about 2 bikes. NOT what bike should I get?
The most common answer around here is cad/9/10.
I swear it sounds like other forums where the answer is always long haul trucker.


I don't know about either bike the poster asked about, so I don't know.

Why are we in such a hurry to cloud the issues!

( end 0f rant)

Interesting place this, sometimes..

OTher thread about a tasil light for mid afternoon winter, low light riding...don't think the guy needs a $200 light for that...

[Bob Ross]

I have raced a long long time at a variety of levels and would dispute that a "crit" bike should be different from a "road race bike"

I've heard several custom framebuilders (including Carl Strong, when he was designing a bike for me a couple years ago) make a distinct differentiation between a "crit" geometry and a "stage race" geometry. iirc, the main differences were in rake/trail, and bottom bracket drop.

[krhea]

i've heard several custom framebuilders (including carl strong, when he was designing a bike for me a couple years ago) make a distinct differentiation between a "crit" geometry and a "stage race" geometry. Iirc, the main differences were in rake/trail, and bottom bracket drop.

+1