Specifications
One look at the new ESX, and you know what this bike is about. It looks fast. And as the wind-tunnel data proves, it is fast. The most radical design ever created by Parlee took years to develop —and when it comes to performance, we'll put it up against any other aero road bike on the market.
Several key technologies put this new bike in a class of its own. Its sleek, wind-cheating profile starts with a patented tube technology called Recurve. Bob Parlee's background in designing and fabricating boats served this project well. His experience creating shapes and sections that move through fluid with optimal efficiency helped inform the design process of Recurve tubing. With its unique " fluted tail" shape, Recurve delivers the ideal blend of low drag and high torsional stiffness—along with road-smoothing comfort that is so often lacking in aero bikes.
The other factor that was deemed critical from the start of the ESX project was weight. The typical way to improve aerodynamics is to create airfoils and added shapes—but a big part of the signature Parlee ride quality centers around a lightweight chassis. Adding material to create airfoils, or to shore up stiffness, wasn't an option. In the end, after many prototypes and iterations, the design team was able to achieve its goal of hitting all the aerodynamic goals with a frame that still has excellent torsional stiffness and weighs less than 950 grams
