# 2013 Felt F5 or Felt F75



## jasxn (Jul 20, 2011)

I apologize to everyone who views this post since I'm sure this question popped up already else where. 

BUT! 

Never have I heard anyone review on the roadbuzz between the two.

My budget for a new bicycle was $3K but since my future baby is due to arrive in november! I cut my budget in half to $1.5K.. (the least i can do right?) 

i've done enough reading and researching the difference between the alum frame vs carbon frame. don't need to know about that. since i cut my budget down the only available options i see is to get an alum frame w/ carbon fork.

i was torn between the felt F75 and the CAAD 10-5 but the F75 felt more at ease for me. then i saw the F5 which is only a few hundred more intrigued me.

So my question is.. if i purchase the F75 which is an alum body with carbon fork and carbon seatpost.. how much of a difference will i feel (roadbuzz) between the two F5 vs F75?

i typically ride 30~60 miles and ive been getting back on hill climbing (and ive been training on my steel)

thanks in advance for all your input!


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Put fizik gel under your handlebar tape. That'll cancel out a lot of buzz. It's great stuff, lots of other companies make similar products.


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## FeltF75rider (Feb 10, 2012)

I have a 2011 F75 and wanted an F5. Both are great bikes and I never regret going aluminum. I would love to have a carbon bike but do not feel I am missing out. I had a Redline R740 aluminum bike with a carbon fork that was horrible. Lots of road Buzz and really harsh. My F75 is really smooth. I did change the Rubino tires for Corsa Evo tires and that was worth it. I still want a carbon bike but I am not getting rid of the F75 to get one. My only complaint would be the saddle but it may work for you. The same carbon frame is used for the F5 up to the F3 or maybe it's the F2. Other than paint and parts group it's the same. It's a great frame for for the price point. Kinda like buying the fame and getting the rest of the bike for next to nothing. Either way you will enjoy the Felt ride.


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## jasxn (Jul 20, 2011)

felt rider thanks for the review! yeah i just dont know since i havent road either bicycle on long enough rides to really get a feel for either bike.

but you pretty much answered my question about the buzz ive been searching for everywhere on the internet! thanks for that!

went to my lbs today after work.. he offered the 2013 F5 for 1500.. he didnt have the F75 in stock but he's going to make a call to Felt tomorrow and see if they have any F75s in stock.. he said depending on which year hes going to give me a damn good deal.. haha.. 

so if i get the F75 ill be definitely upgrading the wheelset.. and the components later on... i do have a 9 speed ultegra group sitting in the garage..


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## bwbishop (Sep 17, 2011)

I would say go with the F5. I started with full carbon so I can't compare the two, but my Felt floats over the road and I have never regretted my decision. After 2.5 years the only thing that is still stock is the front derailleur.

I don't think you will regret your decision either way.


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## jasxn (Jul 20, 2011)

bishop.. i'm very torn between the two hah.. but ill see what he'll offer me for the F75 if he can get a hold of one from Felt. If not I'm just going to buy the F5 today! 

you guys dont understand how excited I am .. feel like a little kid again

been riding my steel for years now.. i'm sure ill be flying on a carbon or alum bike.. ha


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## FeltF75rider (Feb 10, 2012)

$1500 for the F5. That is a great price. I got my F75 for $1250 out the door but the F5 was $2069. If I could have got an F5 for $1500 I would be on carbon for sure. It would have to be under a grand to even think about the F75 with that F5 deal out there.


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## jasxn (Jul 20, 2011)

completely understand! that $1500 price is really hard to pass up.. but with the extra cash saved from the F75.. i can start the upgrading process sooner. or get the F5 and upgrade slowly..


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## FeltF75rider (Feb 10, 2012)

Either way my only suggestion would would be to get some tires like Conti GP 4000s or my personal favorite Vittoria Corsa 320tpi. I run 23's but 25's at the right pressure make for a really nice ride. Then you could ride it and decide what you want to change. I did not care for the saddle so that was a big upgrade for me. Every upgrade made me want to ride more more. The saddle was the single most important upgrade for me though. Then the tires.


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## enzo24 (Jul 8, 2012)

I think the F5 for $1500 is a good deal, even though the 2013 is a serious downgrade from the 2012 or 2011. I've got a 2011, it's a great frame.


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## jasxn (Jul 20, 2011)

i currently have the Conti GP 4000s on my current bicycle.. i just bought em so i plan on switching it out.

also have a specialized Romin Evo saddle that was the best thing that ever happened to my ars.. hah.. (i'm sure there are better saddles out there )

also going to be putting my speedplays on the new bike as well. 

think i got all the basic stuff out the way so far.


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## jasxn (Jul 20, 2011)

yeah bought the 2013 F5.. the good price just got to me.. aaaannddd.. they didnt have anymore F75's in 2013.. only the 14s so he couldnt give me a good deal.

now i need to find a better wheelset than the ones it comes with..


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## FeltF75rider (Feb 10, 2012)

Congratulations, for the money that is a heck of a bike. What is you wheel budget?


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## jasxn (Jul 20, 2011)

i'm not quite sure yet. i know the cxp22's are pretty heavy but it'll be the first upgrade ill be doing. any recommendations? i was looking at the mavic krysium elites.. the lbs i bought the bike said they can give me a good deal.. he was ordering more so ill probably find out how much later.

but im definitely open to suggestions.

next would be to upgrade the components to sram rival or red.. 

(im selling a bunch of stuff i dont use anymore to fund all this good stuff! lol - drumset, tag heuer watch, track bike, and other misc stuff..  )


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## FeltF75rider (Feb 10, 2012)

I have the Ksyrium elites. great wheel I would get them. A lot of people do not like Mavic because of proprietary spokes and not aero among other reasons. I got a set of elites and shaved over a pound off the bike and I like the way they ride. I have had zero issues and at least for me, I got my moneys worth. I got a 2009 set at Performance Bike for $399. These wheels could be used as a tubeless set up but I have not gone that route. Boyd wheels are another good choice for about the same money. There are a lot of choices in this price range and shopping is half the fun, I think.


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## vineland (Sep 1, 2013)

Hi all,

I'm looking to upgrade from a great old 1980's road bike that has got me seriously into the sport. I have a budget ceiling of $1500(CDN), and am trying to figure out the best bang for my buck. It seems like an awkward time to look though as there are deals on some 2013s.. though not many sizes left.. and while some companies have put out their 2014s, a lot are yet to come.

I test rode a 2014 Felt 75 this morning after a quick fitting by my lbs. I really liked the aggressive positioning, as it is very similar to my old bike in comparison to something like a Cannondale Synapse.

I feel, based on the other companies' 2013 specs, the '14 Felt 75 is great value for money (full shimano 105, carbon fork & seat post).. but it's hard to tell before the other brands put out their specs for next year.
F75 - Felt Bicycles

My biggest concern with the Felt is that it's fitted with a Shimano 11-25T 9-speed cassette. I live in Alberta, and plan on longer rides with mountainous climbs. Will this cassette dramatically hold me back?

The other bikes I'm considering are the Scott 20, or Specialized Allez (though the gruppo doesn't seem as good on the Allez?). CAAD 8 would be in the running, but my local Cannondale dealer doesn't seem to stock anything between a Synapse and CAAD 10!

Anyway, tldr; will the F75's 9-speed cassette be cumbersome on rides with larger climbs?

Thanks!


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## joeinchi (Sep 24, 2010)

vineland said:


> HiMy biggest concern with the Felt is that it's fitted with a Shimano 11-25T 9-speed cassette. I live in Alberta, and plan on longer rides with mountainous climbs. Will this cassette dramatically hold me back?


It's hard to say since only you know how strong a rider you are. 50/34 chain rings with 11-25 cassette might be perfect, or you might need a triple with 11-30 to scale the Rockies.

What you might want to do is compare your current gearing with those featured on the bikes you're considering to see if there's much difference. When faced with such a question, I use Sheldon Brown's gain ratio calculator to get an apples-to-apples comparison:

Here's the explanation: Gain Ratios--A New Way to Designate Bicycle Gears

And the calculator: Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Gear Calculator


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## FeltF75rider (Feb 10, 2012)

F5 and F75 are both 10 speed so I do not understand the 9 speed cassette reference. It is a 11-25 10. I ride a lot of hills and have no issues with a compact double. I found the triple crankset redundant and that is why I bought a F75 with a compact double. Felt generally has a good groupset on each model and its a lot of bike for the money. I am going to get a F4. I have no reason to look further because I know how a good a bike felt makes.


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## vineland (Sep 1, 2013)

Yeah, I'm kind of an idiot and was confused into thinking the F75 was a nine-speed when I posed that message. 
I've heard amazing things about Felt and think they're a well-kept secret. I'm pretty much decided on an F75 or Z85.. I just need to give each another test ride or two.
I appreciate the response!


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## vineland (Sep 1, 2013)

Okay hi, me again (sorry for bumping this thread!)

So I went back to my lbs with the intention of trying the F75 and Z85, but they don't stock the Z85 so I gave the Z5 a whirl to test the 'relaxed' geometry. While I didn't like the geometry, it was the first time I'd ever ridden a full carbon bike and wow.. far more noticeable difference than I expected!

That got me thinking about the F5.

As someone buying their first _new_ road bike, with the need to invest in pedals and shoes (I have pretty well everything else, I believe), would spending the extra $350 on a carbon frame be worth it?

The F5 is retailing for $1800, and I had hoped to get kitted out for ~$2000... is it unreasonable to barter with the shop to try and get them to include shoes and pedals for that price-point? I'm essentially clueless on how much these cost.

The F75 is $1450.

I don't _think_ I'd be disappointed with an aluminum frame, but I would like to get something that I wont want to upgrade in two or three years!

Thanks!


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## bwbishop (Sep 17, 2011)

Spend the money up front for the carbon frame. Otherwise you will just always wonder what if.


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## joeinchi (Sep 24, 2010)

As for getting extras like pedals and shoes included as part of the deal, I'd say the only way to find out is to ask. Negotiating is much more art than science--there's no right or wrong answer, here.

Just tell them your story and ask what's possible. Hopefully, you'll get a good response ... you're buying a pricey bike, after all. Keep it positive--no need to hammer them.

It's like that movie "Waiting."


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## zoomzoomam (Sep 19, 2013)

In the military and stationed here in Japan and all the info I read here I was positive I wanted a Felt. I went searching dealers and bike shops around and had a hard time finding anyone that carried the Felt brand. Finally found a dealer and he had 2013 and a 2 2012 models left over. He was selling the 2013 models for 158,000 yen (around $1600 give or take). I saw his 2012 models and he had my size and asked what he wanted for those. Was able to talk him down to about $1100 US for one. I couldn't leave without buying it. I wanted an F5 but from the reviews and for the price I couldn't pass up the deal! Going on a 50 mile ride in the morning and excited for the upgrade from my DBR Podium 1 from 2006.


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