# Upgrading My Felt F95



## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Hey all, I still consider myself as a beginner. But since I got a hefty refund from my school(extra grant not used), I'm using part of it to upgrade my bike. I was planning on switching to Sram but I'm not sure which fits me well. I am joining cycling as a club sport, so I'm going to compete, maybe in the spring, if I'm fit enough. (Gained some weight the first week of college, not a good sign :|) So I'm planning on upgrading the drivetrain to either SRAM Rival or Force, I'm not sure which yet, that's why I'm asking it here. Which one would suffice? Also, if I go Rival, I could maybe upgrade my wheels or something. I don't know, probably not. My ultimate budget is about 1000. Maybe more or less. They charge 150 for labor, should I pay for that? I don't know how to put everything together, so I don't know.

If you were me, what should you upgrade first? San Luis Obispo is a hilly town(IDK if that really helps). 
I plan on getting back into riding my bike around town and do some routes next week. I'm still getting the hang of college. Also, I'm getting 20% off for 1 of the part from the groupset(whichever is the most expensive i guess) and another 10% off for being a student at Cal Poly . So yeah, I think that's it for now. I'll probably have more questions later on.

Thanks
John


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## 9.8m/s/s (May 7, 2006)

Maybe not the answer you were looking for but have you considered selling the f95 and starting over? Don't get me wrong, I have a 2007 f85 and love it. The problem is your dumping (possibly) 1k into a sub $800 bike. Generally speaking, the cheapest way to get all new components is to put a frame between them. I'd at least suggest you look into selling it, then take the 400-500 (I have no idea what the used market for that bike is) add it to the 1k and get yourself something you really like. At that level, you can probably find a shop to work with you on fitting, and you won't waste $150 in labor fees to build the bike up. Just my .02


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

9.8m/s/s said:


> Maybe not the answer you were looking for but have you considered selling the f95 and starting over? Don't get me wrong, I have a 2007 f85 and love it. The problem is your dumping (possibly) 1k into a sub $800 bike. Generally speaking, the cheapest way to get all new components is to put a frame between them. I'd at least suggest you look into selling it, then take the 400-500 (I have no idea what the used market for that bike is) add it to the 1k and get yourself something you really like. At that level, you can probably find a shop to work with you on fitting, and you won't waste $150 in labor fees to build the bike up. Just my .02


Or better yet, do that, but not yet. You're just starting out. You don't know what you really want. That bike will perform well for you, and none of the expensive upgrades you propose will make a huge difference in performance. The possible exception is wheels, and you might later (AFTER you join the club and do some group riding) get some lighter wheels, which could be used on a new bike if you decide you you're going to stick with it.

I say save your $ for now.


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## josephr (Jun 17, 2010)

JCavilia said:


> Or better yet, do that, but not yet. You're just starting out. You don't know what you really want. That bike will perform well for you, and none of the expensive upgrades you propose will make a huge difference in performance. The possible exception is wheels, and you might later (AFTER you join the club and do some group riding) get some lighter wheels, which could be used on a new bike if you decide you you're going to stick with it.
> 
> I say save your $ for now.


+1 on this advice


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Alright then, I guess I'll save some money, and look for a new bike before spring(race starts). If I were to get the bike soon, I would get a Cervelo.

Question though, which bike brands usually have an option of having a SRAM set standard? So I know what to look for later on.

Thanks!


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

Wait! Did you get the Team Issue model? There's a guy on the Felt Forum that bought an F95 and upgraded it with Dura Ace 7800- easily shaved off 4 lbs off of the bike's weight. There's nothing wrong with upgrading that bike. It's hard to find an aluminum bike these days outfitted with more than entry-level components. Heck, some companies have Tiagra-equipped carbon bikes now. You have the nice 7005 Super Lite aluminum frame- which used to be used on all high end Felts. If you look at the 2011 F95, you'll notice that it now uses 6061 aluminum and the higher level F85 and F75 use the 7005 that you have. I also used to have an '07 F85 and that bike was a pleasure to ride. I did quite a few centuries on it too. Look at what you have.That frame is Felt's equivalent to a Cannondale CAAD 9 frame. CAAD9s range from the basic model with Sora all the way up to the top model with Dura Ace- which is three times the cost of the least expensive model. Funny thing is that both use the exact same frame. The difference is the fork and other components. Sure, save your money or get those upgrades. That is a good frame to build on. I'm actually looking for an 09 F95 to build up with Ultegra. Good luck.


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## RTUNED87 (Aug 27, 2010)

My buddy has the same bike and he upgrading big time on it cause he loves the frame so i say upgrade.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

I have the team issue 2010. I do love my bike a lot, that's why I'm against selling it and buying a new frame. I guess you could call me a felt fanboy. I'm looking to upgrade before the actual race season starts(when I lose a lot of weight, I am way out of shape right now, hehe 180-185 ish 5'5"). I just need to get back into riding since I haven't ridden long distances in a long time, college is getting in the way. I'm definitely saving some money to upgrade my F95. Heck, I'll even buy better wheels for it too.


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## Jett (Mar 21, 2004)

xximanoobxx said:


> I have the team issue 2010. I do love my bike a lot, that's why I'm against selling it and buying a new frame. I guess you could call me a felt fanboy. I'm looking to upgrade before the actual race season starts(when I lose a lot of weight, I am way out of shape right now, hehe 180-185 ish 5'5"). I just need to get back into riding since I haven't ridden long distances in a long time, college is getting in the way. I'm definitely saving some money to upgrade my F95. Heck, I'll even buy better wheels for it too.


From a functional stand point Force and Rival are exactly same. They only differ in material and weight. But the best bang for the buck is reducing rotational weight. So, go with Rival and put the extra money into the wheels.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Now the ultimate question, upgrade wheels now? or, upgrade drivetrain first?

Also, what makes the clicking sound loud and deep? Is it the hub or something? I love the loud sounds some cervelos make.


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## Optimus (Jun 18, 2010)

Personally, I would get the wheels first!


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

I'll think about it.

Found this on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/2010-Sram-Force..._Accessories&hash=item483bac5e56#ht_500wt_928

I'll add on rival breaks set, Red Cranks, and SRAM BB. It totals to 1062

Or, I'll just buy the whole Force group set for 945.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

xximanoobxx said:


> I'll think about it.
> 
> Found this on ebay
> http://cgi.ebay.com/2010-Sram-Force..._Accessories&hash=item483bac5e56#ht_500wt_928
> ...


From a performance standpoint, assuming you're still running your OEM wheelset, if you were to upgrade those to something in the $400+/- range, you'd gain more than spending more than double that on a groupset.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Oh really, im just not liking the microshift, idk why. Shifting is not very smooth especially during climbs. Idk, I could do either way really, I'm getting 4 more refunds from my school throughout the school year.

Any recommendations on a wheelset? Up to 600, then I will decide


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

xximanoobxx said:


> Oh really, im just not liking the microshift, idk why. Shifting is not very smooth especially during climbs. Idk, I could do either way really, I'm getting 4 more refunds from my school throughout the school year.
> 
> Any recommendations on a wheelset? Up to 600, then I will decide


I have no firsthand experience with the Microshifts, but (FWIW) have read positive reviews. IME drivetrain problems are usually remedied with simple adjustments, but it's your bike and your money, thus your decision.

You don't have to spend $600 for a decent wheelset upgrade. Here are two good bets:
http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_506881_-1_201720_10000_200469

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_145857_-1_201967_10000_200469
(But wait for a Nashbar 'coupon' sale)

And for a little more:
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1034339_-1_1512507_20000_400038


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## dgeesaman (Jun 9, 2010)

xximanoobxx said:


> I have the team issue 2010. I do love my bike a lot, that's why I'm against selling it and buying a new frame. I guess you could call me a felt fanboy. I'm looking to upgrade before the actual race season starts(when I lose a lot of weight, I am way out of shape right now, hehe 180-185 ish 5'5"). I just need to get back into riding since I haven't ridden long distances in a long time, college is getting in the way. I'm definitely saving some money to upgrade my F95. Heck, I'll even buy better wheels for it too.


At that weight, upgrading the bike components for even a 4lb loss won't mean anything. It will be a waste of money, really.

The wheels can make a difference. If you can figure out the weight of your stock wheels and compare to the $450 / 1500g wheelsets out there from Williams/ BWW / etc that might not be a waste of money. But still it will mean little compared to trimming down body weight and building strength and endurance.

Do you have plenty of cycling jerseys and shorts? A good pair of shoes? If you ride with the club and get serious these will be very important. They cost money too.

David


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

dgeesaman said:


> At that weight, upgrading the bike components for even a 4lb loss won't mean anything. It will be a waste of money, really.
> 
> The wheels can make a difference. If you can figure out the weight of your stock wheels and compare to the $450 / 1500g wheelsets out there from Williams/ BWW / etc that might not be a waste of money. But still it will mean little compared to trimming down body weight and building strength and endurance.
> 
> ...



That's true, I didn't think about the jerseys and shorts. hehe. I need more of those. My shoes are pretty decent. They're the Shimanos with the carbon composite soles. I wish I had sidi's though. I'll buy 2 sets of jerseys and bibs. My shoes are fine, so I don't need to replace that. I have speed play zeros chromoly, so that's good. Now deciding wether to get wheels or drivetrain, or try to get both at the same time(just buy rival group set and wheels). I'll visit the 2 bike shops close to my dorms and check what they offer. I really wanna ditch my micro shifts, but we'll see.

I am planning on losing weight by slowly getting back into riding long distances. San Luis Obispo is a great place since it's very hilly, so I will have to use more strength to attack the hills. It's funny though, there's a huge hill (Idk the grade) that I have to go up on to reach my dorm. I could barely get to the top, I even had to walk my bike once when it was midnight or something. I really need to lose weight. I was overweight most of my life, and I was close to being obese when I was in middle school. Good thing I discovered track and field(high school) and cycling(post high school).

Should I get Rollers or a trainier? I was thinking about it, how can I do flat training if san luis obispo is mostly up and downhill? I don't know. It just hit me right now.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Make sure you know what kinds of deals your school's team can get you before you spend any money. It could have a very large influence on your decisions.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

http://cgi.ebay.com/SRAM-Red-BB30-3...ccessories&hash=item3f03585ca5#ht_2453wt_1120

Is the price a steal? I don't think a NIB red cranks could not go lower than that.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Gonna pay a visit to Arts Cyclery tomorrow to see what they offer. Now I'm contemplating wether to get a new bike or upgrade my current. It will be cheaper to upgrade my current bike though. I was talking to my friend last night about my upgrade plans. I thought that upgrading my current bike would be good, then after upgrading it to its full potential, I can ditch the frame and what not and buy a frameset and use the gruppo and w/e upgrades to the frame. I think it would be a good upgrade route but it might be more expensive. Sorry I'm rambling. But yeah, I still have a long time to decide. My upgrade rout for my Felt F95 is to get the drivetrain upgraded and the wheels. The saddle is comfortable(even with a 30 dollar pair of shorts), so I don't need to upgrade that.

I bought Desoto bibs this morning though  If it fits me nicely, I'll purchase another one. I need to buy jerseys too.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Make sure to hold back some money for a couple of team kits.

Actually, hold back some money for tires and maintenance parts too.

Riding competitively tends to result in buying a lot more cycling clothes, and wearing out a lot more of everything. Usually being on a team means good deals on stuff, though, so it's not as bad as it could be. Depending on how much you end up riding, you may end up going through chains, cassettes, tires and brake pads like popcorn. It's kind of shocking to those of us who thought we were riding a lot before, actually.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

I will take note of that. Thanks

I'm probably not going to do competitions this year since I am waay out of shape. Like I mentioned in the earlier posts, I'm 180-85 lbs right now at 5'5"-5'6" ish. This is pretty sad. I was 165-170 during the beginning of the track season senior year, and after tearing my left hamstring, I just started gaining weight. I am not gonna lose 30 lbs until race season starts, so forget it.

I will probably just do group rides with the cycling team since they don't do drop-offs or w/e they call it. So even if I'm slow, they won't leave me behind.

Anyways, I think I'm going to upgrade my current bike. I'm pretty set with that. I will just build up from what I started. I don't want to let go of the frame since it's so nice. But I will end up buying an F1 frameset later on(when I get more competitive).

(Now off to class )


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## TnFeltRider (Jul 27, 2008)

terbennett said:


> Wait! Did you get the Team Issue model? There's a guy on the Felt Forum that bought an F95 and upgraded it with Dura Ace 7800- easily shaved off 4 lbs off of the bike's weight. There's nothing wrong with upgrading that bike. It's hard to find an aluminum bike these days outfitted with more than entry-level components. Heck, some companies have Tiagra-equipped carbon bikes now. You have the nice 7005 Super Lite aluminum frame- which used to be used on all high end Felts. If you look at the 2011 F95, you'll notice that it now uses 6061 aluminum and the higher level F85 and F75 use the 7005 that you have. I also used to have an '07 F85 and that bike was a pleasure to ride. I did quite a few centuries on it too. Look at what you have.That frame is Felt's equivalent to a Cannondale CAAD 9 frame. CAAD9s range from the basic model with Sora all the way up to the top model with Dura Ace- which is three times the cost of the least expensive model. Funny thing is that both use the exact same frame. The difference is the fork and other components. Sure, save your money or get those upgrades. That is a good frame to build on. I'm actually looking for an 09 F95 to build up with Ultegra. Good luck.


 I have a 06 F90 that has the 7005 Super Lite,  that is a great frame, I got a deal on a lightly used Tiagra groupset, added Cane Creek SCR5 brakes with KoolStop salmon pads, Neuvation M28 AERO3s and it is now a super bike, I will keep this frame for many years, I will probably do another groupset to Ultegra or DA someday, breakaway from the carbon fiber crowd, something about aluminum with highend components that's kinda neat these days.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

TnFeltRider said:


> I have a 06 F90 that has the 7005 Super Lite,  that is a great frame, I got a deal on a lightly used Tiagra groupset, added Cane Creek SCR5 brakes with KoolStop salmon pads, Neuvation M28 AERO3s and it is now a super bike, I will keep this frame for many years, I will probably do another groupset to Ultegra or DA someday, breakaway from the carbon fiber crowd, something about aluminum with highend components that's kinda neat these days.



Haha, nice, I really like my frame, that's why it's really hard for me to part with it. So, I'm gonna upgrade. I think I'm going with either wheels first or Rival group. I decided not to get the force shifters and red cranks since it wouldn't make that much of a difference for me since I'm still a beginner. I tend to try to buy the best, but end up buying something great that satisfies me, even if it isn't the most expensive. With the rival, I could squeeze in a set of wheels or something. Or, wheels first then moar jerseys and bibs then Rival later on.

Thanks for those who helped. I learned a lot!  I bet the person who bought the last red crankset for 259 on ebay was from this forum.  Awesome, I was about to get that too. Oh well.


EDIT: Looked up Neuvation, OMG! They're from SLO! I seriously need to contact the owner and see what's up. The prices are ridiculously cheap(wheels and complete bikes)! I might even have the option to pick it up! This is so cool!


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

xximanoobxx said:


> *Looked up Neuvation*, OMG! They're from SLO! I seriously need to contact the owner and see what's up. *The prices are ridiculously cheap*(wheels and complete bikes)! I might even have the option to pick it up! This is so cool!


I'm not saying that Neuvation wheelsets are a _bad_ choice, but I suggest you do some research on them (specifically owners experiences) before proceeding. There have been a number of posters here on RBR that, while providing generally positive reviews of the wheels, have also needed to avail themselves of the warranty due to problems. Food for thought.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> I'm not saying that Neuvation wheelsets are a _bad_ choice, but I suggest you do some research on them (specifically owners experiences) before proceeding. There have been a number of posters here on RBR that, while providing generally positive reviews of the wheels, have also needed to avail themselves of the warranty due to problems. Food for thought.


I will take note of that. Their complete bikes are really cheap that I might end up going that route. When I discovered the website, I was like wow, this is too good to be true, but it is true. Like, how is he making any money? 1900 for a Red equipped aero bike. That's crazy.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

xximanoobxx said:


> I will take note of that. Their complete bikes are really cheap that I might end up going that route. When I discovered the website,* I was like wow, this is too good to be true, but it is true*. Like, how is he making any money? 1900 for a Red equipped aero bike. That's crazy.


Maybe it_ is _too good to be true, maybe it's not. Remember, this isn't a full service LBS we're talking about. Neuvation is an online bike retailer very similar to many others, so they deal in volume, not value added services. It's an ok route for some, not a great option for others. It depends on a variety of factors. 

One note: wheelsets. Take your weight and style of riding into consideration when deciding. For example, if you're a 180+ lb rider and traverse rougher roads, you want to look at higher spoke count wheels - in the 32 count range, to be safe. Less weight, smoother roads? Then consider dropping to a 28h +/- spoke count.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> Maybe it_ is _too good to be true, maybe it's not. Remember, this isn't a full service LBS we're talking about. Neuvation is an online bike retailer very similar to many others, so they deal in volume, not value added services. It's an ok route for some, not a great option for others. It depends on a variety of factors.
> 
> One note: wheelsets. Take your weight and style of riding into consideration when deciding. For example, if you're a 180+ lb rider and traverse rougher roads, you want to look at higher spoke count wheels - in the 32 count range, to be safe. Less weight, smoother roads? Then consider dropping to a 28h +/- spoke count.



First off, I have to contact John, since I could probably check out his store. I live a few minutes away from the store, so I MIGHT have the luxury of looking at the parts he's putting in the bike. I'm not saying that I'm going for this option yet, but it's a possibility.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

xximanoobxx said:


> First off, I have to contact John, since I could probably check out his store. I live a few minutes away from the store, so I MIGHT have the luxury of looking at the parts he's putting in the bike. I'm not saying that I'm going for this option yet, but it's a possibility.


I didn't realize Neuvation had stores, so thanks for the info. Yes, that makes a difference and should get you some of those valuable LBS services.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> I didn't realize Neuvation had stores, so thanks for the info. Yes, that makes a difference and should get you some of those valuable LBS services.



Well, I'm not sure yet, they have an address on their website that is pretty damn close to the campus, so I have to contact John before I head down. But yeah, hopefully he lets locals in his "shop." It'll be fun and exciting.


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## HIMEHEEM (Sep 25, 2009)

xximanoobxx said:


> I will take note of that. Thanks
> 
> I'm probably not going to do competitions this year since I am waay out of shape. Like I mentioned in the earlier posts, I'm 180-85 lbs right now at 5'5"-5'6" ish. This is pretty sad. I was 165-170 during the beginning of the track season senior year, and after tearing my left hamstring, I just started gaining weight. I am not gonna lose 30 lbs until race season starts, so forget it.
> 
> ...


Leave the crankset alone, it's already a compact. 

Buy a set of neuvation m28's, I have ridden the crap out of two sets of them in aweful conditions and have not yet touched them with a spoke wrench (2000+ miles on either set). For -1600 grams set and less than $300 bucks to your door, you can't miss with the neuvations.

If you don't like the microshift, upgrade your shifters and deraillers. All of this could be done for ~$800.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

If I buy a neuvations bike with Rival everything but red cranks, I'm gonna spend about 1500 give or take. Then sell my felt for 500-550, I'll end up spending 1000 and with a new bike.

If I buy the rival with red cranks(I just love the looks of it) with r28's it would cost about 1000 including the labor. So, should I get a new bike? or upgrade. That's the question.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Update: emailed Neuvation and they said they'll let me try out their bikes and see which one fits me the best. Awesome! I'll go visit them on Friday.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Crashed my bike on my way to the library. I think my bike is hating me right now. haha, just a coincidence. The crappy pedal i was using(not clipless, just normal) got caught on the ground when I was turning. I was going down a steep hill from my dorm. It was such a bad idea but I usually do the same, but with my speedplays, which let you tilt to the side more. Lesson learned, don't go to the library or class using a bike ever again. 

Crap I didn't realised that I triple posted. Woops


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

This money's really burning a hole in your pocket, isn't it?

Having been to a few races, I can tell you that once you have a bike that goes, stops and shifts reliably and fits you well, any other changes or upgrades give diminishing returns. If you like your current bike, it's certainly reasonable to keep it. But rather than replacing the drivetrain wholesale, or bolting really expensive cranks to it, I think it's much more effective to look at one or two things that really interfere with your riding experience or cause you to stop applying power to the pedals and fix those.

I'd also be inclined to hold off on buying another bike - if you like racing, your riding position's probably going to change a lot in the next few months. You mention being heavier than you think is good for you - if you lose that weight, it'll change your position too. At the very least, ride with your team a few times, and see if there's a coach or teammate who can help you make sure you're as dialed in as you're getting on your current bike. It would be a pity to buy something fancy, new, and incorrectly sized.

And if you want to race, just do it. Collegiate cycling categories go all the way down to one that USAC considers lower than Cat. 5 in amateur cycling, so you should be fine. Expect to get dumped out the back of your first race or two - there's a lot to learn in racing, and you don't really need to be in the best shape of your life to figure out how to do it.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

xximanoobxx said:


> Crashed my bike on my way to the library. I think my bike is hating me right now. haha, just a coincidence. The crappy pedal i was using(not clipless, just normal) got caught on the ground when I was turning. I was going down a steep hill from my dorm. It was such a bad idea but I usually do the same, but with my speedplays, which let you tilt to the side more. *Lesson learned, don't go to the library or class using a bike ever again.*
> 
> Crap I didn't realised that I triple posted. Woops


Sorry to hear about your mishap, but glad both you and the bike are ok.

The_ real _lesson to learn is to keep the inside pedal at or near the 12 position in turns, so you can still ride your bike to the library and class.


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

xximanoobxx said:


> I will take note of that. Their complete bikes are really cheap that I might end up going that route. When I discovered the website, I was like wow, this is too good to be true, but it is true. Like, how is he making any money? 1900 for a Red equipped aero bike. That's crazy.


I wouldn't say that it's too good to be true since he really has no overhead. Example, a buddy of mine just bought the Di2 group for his bike for $2200!! How did he do it? Easily. He works for a bike shop and was able to get it at dealer cost. 

Upset yet? You shouldn't be when you factor in the overhead to run an LBS. It's nothing new since that is how you do business. Seriously, that $5,000 bike probably cost $600-700 to build. However, due to the bike changing hands multiple times before reaching the consumer, each hand is making a profit off the next guy. John is the only hand between the builder and you so he can offer stuff direct for much lower prices. 

Sounds crazy huh? It gets crazier when you find out that his customer service is second to none. BTW, I'm one of those Neuvation riders that have had repeated problems with wheels in the past. However, with the introduction of the M28 Aero3s a couple of years ago, I haven't had any issues whatsoever. 8,000 miles and these wheels just keep going. The earlier M28 Aeros and Aero 2s I had never even made it to half of that before needing replacement. I stayed because John's customer service. He fixed me up every time. However, I don't see needing his help anymore since my M28 Aero 3s have never needed anything. That says a lot being that I'm 6'3", 215 lbs. and a big chainring guy


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## josephr (Jun 17, 2010)

AndrwSwitch said:


> This money's really burning a hole in your pocket, isn't it?


I bet he buys beers for hot chicks hanging out with other guys too. Doesn't he realize that chicks only like guys that have SRAM Red??? He's talking about a part Rival or all Force groupo....but the chicks all know he's just another wannabe without Red.


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## TnFeltRider (Jul 27, 2008)

HIMEHEEM said:


> Leave the crankset alone, it's already a compact.
> 
> Buy a set of neuvation m28's, I have ridden the crap out of two sets of them in aweful conditions and have not yet touched them with a spoke wrench (2000+ miles on either set). For -1600 grams set and less than $300 bucks to your door, you can't miss with the neuvations.
> 
> If you don't like the microshift, upgrade your shifters and deraillers. All of this could be done for ~$800.


+1 on this, as noted earlier I too have the M28 AERO3s and love them, I am 205 lb and have not touched them once since going on the bike, they made a big difference in the feel of my F90 which is the same frame as your F95.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Yeah totally, I buy everyone beer. Haha no way, I hate alcohol, freakin nasty as hell. Anyways I'm dropping by neuvation on friday, I get to test ride their bikes, so I know what to get. I'm still kinda thinking about upgrading my f95 but I'm not sure if my frame is heavier or not.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Just got home from the cycling club meeting. Apparently one local bike shop that is a Trek dealer is giving 32% discount for their bikes. So I can get a madone 5.1 for under 2 grand and 5.2 for around 2 grand. F100 with red components is around 2 grand as well. Now, my decision gets harder after this. It's just really hard to pass up that one helluva deal. I mean a 3+ grand bike for 2k is ridiculous.

Nahh, I'll stay with neuvation, or we'll see. Neuvation is still cheaper and better for my pocket hehehe.


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

xximanoobxx said:


> Just got home from the cycling club meeting. Apparently one local bike shop that is a Trek dealer is giving 32% discount for their bikes. So I can get a madone 5.1 for under 2 grand and 5.2 for around 2 grand. F100 with red components is around 2 grand as well. Now, my decision gets harder after this. It's just really hard to pass up that one helluva deal. I mean a 3+ grand bike for 2k is ridiculous.
> 
> Nahh, I'll stay with neuvation, or we'll see. Neuvation is still cheaper and better for my pocket hehehe.


Look at it this way: The Madones sound great and they are an awesome buy but you plan to start racing. Can you see yourself replacing that frame after a crash? Even with the lower cost of a crash replacement program, Trek carbon frames aren't cheap. You really should consider upgrading what you have. If you desire a new bike, consider the C'dale CAAD9/10. Neuvation is great but what type of crash program do they offer? I'm a big fan of their wheels but I know little about their bikes. Many say that they are nice bikes and the prices are incredible, but you will be the judge of that. If I was just getting into racing, aluminum or steel would be my materials of choice. They will usually be less expensive to replace.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

I still gotta visit Neuvation though to see what they offer. Their frames are cheap so if anything happens, I'll just get another one or something. I might plan on keeping my F95 for later, maybe if money permits me to. So yeah, tomorrow, gonna ride my F95 down to Neuvation hoping that my F95 doesn't kill me haha, nah.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Awesome people at the Neuvation shop! The place is hidden so I kinda got lost. I rode my bike there. So they let me test one of their bikes. It was awesome. That thing goes oh so quickly. I was impressed. I tried the 6700 ultegra groupset first. The shifting was pretty smooth. Then, they let me test a FC500 with flatbars and force group. The ride was the same(don't take any advise from me, I am still a newbie). I didn't really notice any difference, but the FC500 was lighter, for sure. The frames look so much nicer in real life. Trust me, it's awesome. The guys who were working there were great too. They answered all my answers. I felt welcome to the store.

I got the F100 frame with Rival FD RD BR and Force shifters and cranks. I got over the Red's looks. All in all, it came up to about 1543, tax included. Decided against the Madone since I'm just paying for the brand, and when I tried the carbon frame, I noticed very tiny differences in the ride, a little smoother, but other than that, their the same, based off of my 1 mile test ride on both, so my opinion would be different if I rode both longer.

Now I just have to wait until the bike is all assembled. They took my felt's measurements for the fit, except I opted for a longer stem, since the F100 that had the 100mm stem felt better.

I would recommend people with budget between 1000-2000 to check out neuvation. The people are so nice and approachable. To me, value is the biggest thing.

I'm gonna post an ad of my bike(F95) on Craigslist, I feel bad, but I gotta do what I gotta do.

I will definitely post some pictures the day I get it. So excited


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

I got the email that my bike is ready  I am going to pick it up tomorrow, but they still have to install the handlebar tape that I bought from eBay. Will take pictures when I get home.

Would it be fine if I ride the bike home? Or do I have to lube everything first. Sorry if that question is obvious, but it's not so obvious to me.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

xximanoobxx said:


> I got the email that my bike is ready  I am going to pick it up tomorrow, but they still have to install the handlebar tape that I bought from eBay. Will take pictures when I get home.
> 
> *Would it be fine if I ride the bike home? Or do I have to lube everything first.* Sorry if that question is obvious, but it's not so obvious to me.


The bike should be ready to ride at time of delivery. I've never brought any grease or lube along when I picked up any of my bikes.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Oh, ok. Thanks, I have to ride the bus all the way to Neuvation to pick up the bike if I don't get a ride from anyone tomorrow :|. Then I'm gonna bike my way home and then drop off my backpack then ride around SLO.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Some pictures of my new bike. Gotta ride tomorrow morning. I only rode it home earlier since I had so much stuff to do. But ride wise, it's a lot better. Brakes are super noticeably better. Less effort when braking. I rode faster, since it's a lot lighter obviously. I am very satisfied. They even told me to come back next Friday to get a minor tune up to tighten the cables. I also learned something, Jeff, who assembles the bikes, used to work for white lightning, which is pretty cool, IMO.

So here are some pictures.


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## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

Congatulations on your new bike!
I've always wondered what the Neuvations bikes were like. Looks good!
I've got Neuvations M28 wheels and love them. I think they're a helluva deal for the money.

I'm glad you didn't drop all your cash upgrading the components on the Felt. Nothing against the bike, but that is seldom a cost-worthy upgrade path.


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

I am very content, except that my butt hurts from the ride earlier. I still have to get used to the new saddle. I was so tired from my 27 mile ride earlier. It was my first long ride since my last ride before moving to college, so I'm pretty rusty. The trail I rode was the shortest one from my cycling club's team site, but it was a pain.
Coming from microshift, converting to SRAM doubletap was a breeze. I had trouble switching off the front derailleur for a couple of minutes yesterday after picking it up, but other than that, I'm pretty much accustomed to the double tap. I also like how you can pull the shift lever close to the handlebar. It was easier to shift going downhill.
I have one problem that I can't seem to fix though. At certain gears(2nd from the biggest cog and 3rd from the smallest), the chain seems like it's jumping around and it isn't staying in place. I'm going to Neuvation next friday so I can get it fixed. They also told me to come by to get the cables tightened after a week of riding, so customer service wise, they're awesome.

HEre is a profile picture of the trail I went on. It measures altitude and stuff. I don't know what it's called, but here is a link.

https://www.cpslowheelmen.org/rides/road/turriloop/turriloop_prof.gif

Here are some pictures of the trail 
Super Awesome camera phone panoramic picture


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## Optimus (Jun 18, 2010)

Nice ride, congrats on the new purchase! Got any bites on the Felt yet?


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## xximanoobxx (Jun 10, 2010)

Not yet, I haven't put it up on craigslist yet, since I had to change out the handlebar tape. I have it now, and I'll probably post an ad tomorrow. Will list it for $600 since so many people are low-balling, it's not even funny.


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