Which isn't to say you can't rip up the tarmac away from the rarified air of the pro peloton, particularly if you've got Parlee's new ESX under you. Honed in the wind tunnel by the Massachusetts carbon fibre gurus, the ESX has been in development for several years, and the results are as fast as they look. Probably not fast enough for you to edge out Mark Cavendish in a sprint – but then Parlee are bike makers, not magicians. The frame will set you back £3,999 – and kitting it out appropriately will probably take it north of £10,000, but trust us – it's worth every penny.
Parlee is stocked in the UK by Ubyk. ubyk.co.uk
