# Why Felt?



## ragweed (Jan 2, 2009)

Yea, I know that's sort of a dumb question but if you're going to ask it this is the group to ask. So what is it about a Felt bike that you like?


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## IanChilders (Dec 24, 2008)

I bought my first Felt(F75) a couple of years ago, because I'd been hearing people talk about how nice Felt's were and I found out that my LBS sold them. After looking around at the store and studying other brands online, it seemed that Felt had some of the best bang for the buck entry-mid level bikes. After riding the F75 for a few years with absolutely no problems, I decided I was going to step it up to a higher end bike this winter. I originally was going to get the 09 F3, because it had Red shifters and derailleurs and was right in my price range. Just as I was about to place the F3 order, I saw the ARs and immediately knew the AR4 was for me. After 2 weeks of riding my AR4, I couldn't be happier with it. In short, I basically like Felt because of their technology, durability, and outstanding value.


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## Bike Flyer (Jul 28, 2008)

Light cabon fiber technology and good fit at a decent price on older stock Z25.


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## UpStroke (Oct 12, 2008)

The shop I ride out of kinds of went from a Merlin, Giant and Felt
shop, to mostly Felt. I feel the Felt give you alot of bike for the $$.
The bikes are high quality and it is of of the fastest growing American
bike companies ( if not #1 I don't have the stats). Team Chipotle 
rode Felts in last years tour and rocked.

http://www.slipstreamsports.com/photos/photo/3271887994/Chris-Sutton-Cameron-Meyer-Tour-of-Langkawi-stage-3.html

So .... what bikes were you looking at ??


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## ragweed (Jan 2, 2009)

UpStroke said:


> So .... what bikes were you looking at ??



Astute question. F35 or Trek 4.5 Madone.


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## UpStroke (Oct 12, 2008)

ragweed said:


> Astute question. F35 or Trek 4.5 Madone.


Those bike are closely matched. Your going to have to ride both of
them to decide.
For the extra money the Z25 is a huge step in performance though.


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## Gordon Gekko (Jan 24, 2008)

I took a hard look at the Felt F3, Specialized Tarmac and Roubaix. I picked the Felt because it fit the best and the price/value ratio was hard to beat. I bought the F3 and am very happy with the decision.


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## Jank (Jun 14, 2007)

I'm not seeing where the value is.

I'm looking at these two bikes for myself and they look pretty much identical in every way.

http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/Side2Side.aspx?BikeIDs=18472b+15752b

Convince me why the felt is better?


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## nagatahawk (Jun 14, 2007)

I prefer the Felts attention to detail over Specialized. Because they are so similar in built, I will have to be nit picky. For appearance only, I prefer the radial spoke pattern on the Felt front wheel over the Specialized cross spoked wheel. I prefer ths small Felt logo over the Large Specialize logo on the Frame. You should test ride them the chose.


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## Jank (Jun 14, 2007)

nagatahawk said:


> I prefer the Felts attention to detail over Specialized. Because they are so similar in built, I will have to be nit picky. For appearance only, I prefer the radial spoke pattern on the Felt front wheel over the Specialized cross spoked wheel. I prefer ths small Felt logo over the Large Specialize logo on the Frame. You should test ride them the chose.


Thanks for confirming there's no difference in value.


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## BikeNerd2453 (Jul 4, 2005)

Jank said:


> Thanks for confirming there's no difference in value.


One those two bikes you're getting about the same value, both have alloy/carbon frames, and an almost identical build kit. At that point it boils down to the fit of the bike on you, and which one appeals to you more, stylistically.
You may like the Specialized more, it's up to the person buying the bike.


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## Gordon Gekko (Jan 24, 2008)

Jank said:


> Thanks for confirming there's no difference in value.


I bought my Felt F3 for <$2k from a Felt dealer after some negotiating. I couldn't get close to that price for a comparable bike from Specialized. How's that for value?


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## HIPCHIP (Apr 23, 2009)

I've known Jim Felt for decades, and he was always one of the hardest working motorcycle mechanics out there, so I knew he would make a good product. Heard good things about the Felt bikes so decided to check them out. When I started I tried a friends Specialized Sequoia with CF fork and seat stay. Tried the new Sequoia and it's aluminum and didn't feel as good. Tried a few other bikes and finally tried a Felt Z-70 and it felt exactly like my friends older Sequoia. Same basic price with upgraded components as the new Sequoia, and lighter to boot by almost 5 lbs. I love the way it looks and feels. I don't know much about bikes, but this bike has me hooked on road riding and I can't wait until I can try a full CF Felt to see how good it feels.


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## nemiman18 (May 2, 2009)

Jank said:


> I'm not seeing where the value is.
> 
> I'm looking at these two bikes for myself and they look pretty much identical in every way.
> 
> ...


carbon steerer. full carbon seatpost. and better looking


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## mudphalt (Sep 21, 2008)

Jank said:


> I'm not seeing where the value is.
> 
> I'm looking at these two bikes for myself and they look pretty much identical in every way.
> 
> ...


Go and RIde it....... I was looked at the specialized roubaix, trek madone 5.2, cerveloRS.. Rode the Felt AR4 on a whim, wasnt even considering it.. Well .. When I got back from a 4 or 5 mile test ride, I went straight to the counter and told them I wanted to pay for it... The fact that it came with an even better price was a bonus , cause I would ev bought it anyway... It s the smoothest out of them, and seemingly the fastest one I rode, and the cervelo I tested had Zipp 808 's on it.. So I figure I'll eventually slam some Zipps on this bad boy and it will be unstopable... I'm already scaring myself with the speed, but fortunatly the ultegra brakes work quite well.... So Go ahead test ride them.. and then let us know what you think.. I do have to say they all rode great, all good bikes, but some plusher than others, I think the AR4 had the best combination of smooth, plush ride, with exceptional stiffness and phenominal handling... for a bike that rides soooo smooth, you would not expect it to handle the way it does...


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## mudphalt (Sep 21, 2008)

Yeah , honestly what got me to try the felt at first was the appearance, I saw it and just stared at it for a few minutes, its a beautifull design, aero , sleek, it just looks fast. But once you ride it youll see that it just dosent look fast , IT IS........


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## UpStroke (Oct 12, 2008)

I've had 4 people this year ride an AR and they all
were surprised at it's speed. Right now 3 people bought and one
guy asked the Bike Shop " could I keep this for another week".
That's the hook.....one or two more rides and he won't want to go
back to his old bike.


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## brentster (Jul 12, 2007)

That bike is so friggin cool.


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## joep721 (May 4, 2009)

You guys are making my life difficult. I've been so set on moving to a Tarmac Pro, but the AR4 has been stuck in the back of my head. I guess I need to ride one at the LBS.


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## MaddSkillz (Mar 13, 2007)

Yeah, those AR bikes are dead sexy. UpStroke, nice bike!


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## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

mudphalt said:


> ... and seemingly the fastest one I rode, ...





mudphalt said:


> But once you ride it youll see that it just dosent look fast , IT IS........


O.k., guys, I ride a Felt myself (an F1 SL frame, custom build), and I like the bike, but stuff like the above always makes me cringe. I have no idea what you people could mean when you say that a bicycle is "fast" (or even "FAST"  ). 

There is no such thing as a fast bicycle. There's fast _riders_, yes, but there is no significant difference in performance between road bikes. 

Now, of course, if you are racing, or even racing for money, then every last bit of acceleration you can get out on that final sprint can count, but for most of us hobby riders it doesn't matter what bike you ride (as far as "fast" is concerned, mind you), and you certainly will not be able to differentiate bicycles, with respect to how "fast" they are, on a test ride.


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## UpStroke (Oct 12, 2008)

Pirx said:


> O.k., guys, I ride a Felt myself (an F1 SL frame, custom build), and I like the bike, but stuff like the above always makes me cringe. I have no idea what you people could mean when you say that a bicycle is "fast" (or even "FAST"  ).
> 
> There is no such thing as a fast bicycle. There's fast _riders_, yes, but there is no significant difference in performance between road bikes.
> 
> Now, of course, if you are racing, or even racing for money, then every last bit of acceleration you can get out on that final sprint can count, but for most of us hobby riders it doesn't matter what bike you ride (as far as "fast" is concerned, mind you), and you certainly will not be able to differentiate bicycles, with respect to how "fast" they are, on a test ride.


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## gibalon (Mar 26, 2009)

I have the opportunity to enter an EP program to purchase a new bike. Been in the cycling business for many years and have tried many bikes and seen a lot more. Never before i've been so confused when trying to decide which new bike to purchase. My 2 options at the moment are Felt's F1 SL and/or Pinarello Prince. Am aware this is a Felt Forum, but will appreciate your honest and objective opinions on which bike is the better way to go. We need to move aside from pricing since the Prince is clearly more expensive so let's focus on pure riding properties. Thanks in advance for your insight.


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## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

gibalon said:


> We need to move aside from pricing since the Prince is clearly more expensive so let's focus on pure riding properties.


I ride a Felt F1, but I've never tried a Pinarello Prince. That said, if you were able to do a blind test, I'll go out on a limb and say you would not be able to find qualitative, objective differences between the two frames if all other components were the same. So, at that time it then all comes down to personal preference. Really the best advice I can give you is test ride them both, and then see which one you like better.

Of course, if I was in the market for a bike in that class right now, I'd give the Felt AR1 some serious consideration...


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## gibalon (Mar 26, 2009)

Thanks for your opinion. The AR1 attracts me from an aesthetic standpoint but i don't know if such geometry would suit me best. The same applies in some degree to the F1, with a 76 st angle and a somehow steep fork rake angle, it gives me the idea of being a twitchy/nervous riding in comparison with a more relaxed geometry in the Prince. Unfortunately, i am not able to do test rides since i live outside the country where i would be purchasing the bike and there are non test riding bikes in mine. 
What would be, in your opinion, the riding characteristics in a Felt F1 SL?.


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## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

gibalon said:


> What would be, in your opinion, the riding characteristics in a Felt F1 SL?.


I wouldn't call my F1 twitchy at all; in fact, I think it is rock steady, no matter how fast you go, or how rough the road. You should understand, though, that some small changes can make a big difference in how "twitchy" a bicycle feels, too. First and foremost, stem length can make a big difference, and so can, to a slightly lesser degree, saddle position (forward/backward), and handlebar width. So, if you are not entirely happy with a frame you bought, there is a limited amount of fine-tuning that is possible to improve things to your liking.

I have to say, though, buying a bicycle from a catalog, sight unseen, with some advice from strangers on the internet, is a dicey proposition. At the very least you need to have a very good idea of fit. I could imagine, after a thorough fitting in a good bicycle store, trying out some bikes with geometries as close as possible (ideally identical) to the ones you are considering, and seeing how you like them.


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## gibalon (Mar 26, 2009)

You are very right; I thought of that as well in Felt F1's original configuration, which in my size, it throws a 90mm stem and a 42cm handlebar, that added up to my idea of twitchy. Anyway, i do have a back up stem and handlebar longer and wider respectively. But, besides those adjustable items, the geometry on its own is my concern. I once had and rode a Custom Guru Crono with similar (not identical) geometry and found it twitchy. Anyway, i assume the Felt F1 SL, while with a tendency to tri geometries, is a different beast, don't you think?


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## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

gibalon said:


> Anyway, i assume the Felt F1 SL, while with a tendency to tri geometries, is a different beast, don't you think?


I would think so, yes. But then, you may ride my bike and go, "this thing is twitchy as hell, what was this guy talking about". I like my bikes responsive, and somebody else may call them nervous; it's really a matter of personal, subjective preference. Ultimately, neither I nor anybody else can tell you whether or not you'll like a certain bike.


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## gibalon (Mar 26, 2009)

That is true but i do believe that nervous or twitchy is the ugly cousin of responsive and forgiving. Then again, as you said, swapping stems and/or handlebars may result in a totally different ride experience. Did you have your Felt with the original configuration?; If yes, what do you think of their Devox Stem/Handlebar combo and Shimano's Dura-Ace Wheels. These are also important matters when making my final decision since the Felt in question is offered complete and the Prince needs to be built with my personal selection of componentry.


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## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

gibalon said:


> Did you have your Felt with the original configuration?


No, I bought the frame, and built it up with Campy Super Record, Campy Shamal Ultra wheels, Deda stem and seatpost, Felt Carbon 1.1 bar. Less than 15lbs ready to ride with pedals. I need to put the computer on to be UCI-legal 

P.S.: But, if you like Shimano, their complete config is quite nice. Those Shimano wheels are top notch, and so is their Devox stuff .


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## gibalon (Mar 26, 2009)

Wow!!!; Such configuration is certainly my preference. The prince option is intended to be built around Record 11 and Reynolds MV32C with Ritchey Stem/Handlebar combo. But, it would take time to do so, for such reason the F1 SL complete as is attracts me in someway because i'd be riding when out of the box; With a $1,200 usd. saving if compared with the Prince project. So, if riding is to be practically the same and aesthetics are top quality just as Pinarello, the F1 has certainly an edge. And there's where money comes into action, but i wanted to leave it apart to obtain pure cycling information. 
If you have some pics of yours, i would like to see them if it's not a problem.


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## WI B16 (Aug 28, 2009)

I'm not to sure I'm qualified to make a "Why Felt?" answer. but after being away from biking for 20+ years ( I'm 51) my BIL got me to try some triathalons. After a couple I was hooked. both tri's were on borrowed bikes set up as close to fit as could be.to get an idea of what I wanted in a bike. Then came the shopping for a bike phase The local performance bike shop carried Trek, Cervelo, Orbea, Felt, among their top lines. I tried several after they were set up for me and came away with a Felt B-16. This bike had all that I wanted, was comfortable to ride and the fact the frame comes out of the same mold as their DA with the best price point of all the others. 

For me, Felt was a top performer and a great value. I could not believe how I could accelerate on this thing. This frame is stiff and all your power goes right to the road where you want it to go.

On top of everything else this bike was just cool looking. I may not be the fastest out there but at least I can look trying my hardest.


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## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

gibalon said:


> If you have some pics of yours, i would like to see them if it's not a problem.


Here you go:


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## Praxidis (Sep 10, 2009)

ragweed said:


> Yea, I know that's sort of a dumb question but if you're going to ask it this is the group to ask. So what is it about a Felt bike that you like?




Being new to road biking, I wanted to really try a variety of bikes ( WSD or not) from different manufacturers before I purchased one. On the day we went out to buy a bike, we went to at least 4 or 5 stores and I test rode Treks, Giants, Specialized and Felt bikes.
I wanted to like the Trek especially, but it was not to be....from the very second I got on the Felt it was love. It fit me like a glove, seemed like it became part of my body and the thing wanted to FLY!
I also think that it was a great value in our budget range, and will last me (with maintenance and upgrading) a good long time. 
I became the proud owner of a Felt Z80 and I love it. 
Now, I need to find a replacement for my piece o'crap mtb that I commute with!


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## brentster (Jul 12, 2007)

Congrats!!!


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