Summary: About three years ago I bought my dream bike. Waiting until I had the dough gave me time to shop (obsess) for a year and a half. The decision was the Calfee Tetra Pro. With 1" 1/8th" up front, not they're usual 1", Ouzo Pro, Record, FSA, Deda bar/stem/post, Orion II's the bike has in every way lived up to it's status as a dream machine. Did everything beautifully, including crash hard a few times yet it remained perfectly sturdy. But as I was training late this last summer some road weirdness caused the chainstay to separate from a dropout. Not wanting to miss a beat training wise I asked my friend about the Parkpre he rode. A week later I was on the Parkpre Image Road (same set-up) and to this date still have yet to send my Calfee back to be fixed under warranty.
The Parkpre is every bit as stiff where you'd want and expect from an aluminum frame but for the life of me and, after all the research/love affair with carbon, I can't understand how this bike is SO SMOOTHE. It is a perfectly alligned beautiful ride. And with it's responsiveness, not giddy but quick, I'm going to go into this season on the Parkpre. I love this frame.
Strengths: Smoothe, quick, stiff, very assured but responsive.
Value... a better ride than stuff at least twice as $$.
Customer service. Fast!
Weaknesses: None--this bike climbs well too. The Calfee being somewhat lighter, however my times on my local climbs on the Parkpre were no different.
Similar Products Used: Calfee Tetra Pro
Cannondale (way too unforgiving for me)
Atala steel
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Bike Setup: Dura Ace components, Mavic Ksyrium wheels, Deda bar and stem.
Summary: Parkpre came back into production with this smooth riding road frame. It is full "Sonic Six" aluminum with the Oval R900 fork but rides more like a carbon or titanium bike. It soaks up the bumps and is the most stable descending bike I have ridden and I like to descend fast. No shake at any speed including 50+ mph. The handling is also very precise which tells me that the geometry is spot on. If this is the entry back into the market for Parkpre, I can't wait to see what the future has in store!
Strengths: Smooth ride, fast and stable down hill, sharp precise handling.
Weaknesses: A little heavy compared to more expensive carbon brands but the complete bike still weighs in at 17.5 lbs with Dura Ace and Ksyrium wheels. I understand the Parkpre carbon version will be available soon as well.
Similar Products Used: Specialized E-5 Road
Trek 5500
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Bike Setup: Shimano Dura Ace
Dura Ace wheels
Continental GP 3000 tires
Deda newton bars
Easton EC70 stem
WCS saddle
Thomson Masterpiece seatpost
Summary: The Parkpre Image frame is one of the finest frames I've ever riddden.
The handling is very stable, corners great, descends very well and feels lively out of the saddle
This bike performs well on all terrains but excells on rough winding roads
Frame alignment is some of the best in the industry. The frame is very straight, many very expensive frames out there come from the factory out of alignment including poor rear road spacing e.g 133mm spacing instead of 130mm
The Parkpre also uses a doublebolt derailleur hanger which prevents the hanger from bending under pedalling forces. Many single bolt hanger have a tendancy to bend easily causing poor shifting
Welds are clean, braze on's are clean and fit brake ferrules easily
Strengths: I found the Image to corner exceptionally well
While racing in the Carribean I had the bike in a 2 wheel drift on wet roads and it naturally righted itself with little problem
The bike road very well over rough roads and the thin wall alloy frame absorbed better than a custom steel Della Santa I had been riding recently
Frame weight is very good
61ct 1300grams
The tubeset felt like a Scandium ride
Weaknesses: Hard to think of any
Similar Products Used: I've ridden many many frames over the years from Titanium, Aluminium Colnago's, custom steel Della Santa's, Orbea's and Eddy Merckx bikes
This is a really fine riding frame far exceeding cost vs ride quality and weight
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Bike Setup: DA - all
easton Carbon - bars and post
Powertap wheel and A Class front
WTB saddle
Oval Fork
Summary: For the last year I have been riding a Scott CR-1 58cm - nice bike light etc, not the greatest decending bike ever.
Anyway last month thru my team we had the option to purchase our team pro deal bike which is the Parkpre frame and fork (oval) - So I built mine up after hearing great reviews from others.
OK - The bike rocks - I ride a 61cm frame it decends awesome so much better than my Scott, and it is a good ride and looks slick as well.
I am yet to go on major climbs with it .
Strengths: Decending and handling.. comfortable bike I did a 4+ hour ride on it in week one and it was great .
Different tubing look and interesting and stand out but not loud paint job
Weaknesses: wieght compared to other bikes out there which become peoples favourites. ( But I will buy the Parkpre Carbon frame soon and have that as the climbing bike and this one for Crits and training)
Similar Products Used: Specialized Allez
Airbourne Ti Zepplin
Scott CR - 1
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