# Why don't people ride Felt or Scott ?



## InfiniteLoop (Mar 20, 2010)

Both Felt and Scott are conspicuously absent from the bike club I ride with. Of over 100 bikes I've informally counted, Trek counts for about half, Specialized next, and a number of Cannondale, Cervello, Orbea, Look, Pinarello, Lemond, Litespeed, Moots, Time, Williers, DeRosa, and others. Not a Felt or Scott in the bunch.

Scott is very well represented in some good shops, Felt somewhat less so, but they're there. Is this just happenstance or is there a reason people shy away from these?


----------



## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

My riding partner Dermot rides a Felt.


----------



## CougarTrek (May 5, 2008)

Is there a GOOD, reputable, well known shop near you that sells these brands AND keeps mid to high-end stock on hand and not just their entry level offerings?

Sometimes it's nothing more than a supply issue.


----------



## cydswipe (Mar 7, 2002)

Both companies are starting to reap the rewards of face-time in the pro ranks. Now there should be a lot more dealers and more bikes showing up here and there.


----------



## roscoe (Mar 9, 2010)

I don't like the felt name, 

to me that's a material we used to make crappy art with in preschool 

as for Scott, I haven't really seen them in stores near me, for some reason I think of them as a skiing company


----------



## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

A couple of years ago when I was looking for my first "real" bike. I test rode a Scott CR-1 Pro. It was light and snappy. But it was very harsh and stiff riding. The other thing was that the name "Scott" is completely un-appealing/bland. Why would I want some guys name on my bike? 
The same shop carried Felt as well and they said in that price range they just weren't comparable to the ride and quality of the other bikes I was looking at. Plus Felt mixed and matched components to keep the prices down back then and I thought that was tacky. I did test ride one, but it didn't have any characteristics of its own. 
I ended up with something completely different and not on my list. 

Felt and Scott are not so common in my neck of the woods either. It's Trek, followed by Trek, and then you'll maybe see a smattering of trek, mixed in with other treks. 
One time, at band camp, I saw a Specialized.


----------



## Nimitz (Jul 8, 2004)

specialized is easily the most popular down here in my area the reason being the largest/best LBS is a huge specialized dealer/pusher

like others said its supply

Chad


----------



## JoelS (Aug 25, 2008)

I test rode a Felt before I bought my BMC. Just didn't like the ride. It seemed "soft" going into turns. I didn't have enough confidence. The BMC felt much better diving into turns. Very confident. I liked that a lot.


----------



## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

I think availability has a lot to do with it. I've noticed Jamis is another brand that I rarely see around me.


----------



## sa7nt (Jun 28, 2010)

One of my current rides is a Felt.


----------



## khaizlip (Aug 21, 2008)

Probably an LBS issue. 
there are tons of felts in my club, but it's the main brand at the shop that sponsors us and felt are actually sponsoring my team this season, so we got some amazing deals. at the same time, there are only a couple specialized and a lot of canondales (the other line at the LBS). 

I probably would have ended up on an F3 but the availability was nonexistent so I went for my 9-4.


----------



## InfiniteLoop (Mar 20, 2010)

In the Twin Cities we have both Grand Performance and Flanders Bros carrying Scott and both are very well respected shops. Also Now Sports and a smattering of others. 

Felt is carried by Gear West (national rep for Tri), County Cycles who's very involved in our club, and 7 others (though I know that 3 of these aren't into any performance kind of stuff).

Doesn't seem like a supply issue given who carries them.


----------



## Cni2i (Jun 28, 2010)

I'm new to the road biking scene, but I'm not surprised to know that Trek and Specialized bikes are seen the most. As others have already mentioned, it's definitely a demand/supply issue. You have to be be "into" biking to have even heard of Felt/Kestrel etc. as road bikes IMO. I am currently searching for a road bike. I looked at Specialized first since I love my Specialized MTB. Then, I looked at Treks and C'dales. In the end though, I will end up going with a GT GTR sport carbon bike. I guess you could probably throw GT into the same group as Felt/Scott in terms of not being at the top of people's list when looking for road bikes. But, the GTR just felt really composed and comfortable to me. Honestly though, so did the Trek and Specialized bikes that I tested. For me, it came down to getting a better overall deal/package with the GTR versus the Trek and Specialized. Finally, it's kind of a nice feeling to show up at a group ride in your neighborhood NOT having the same bike as everyone else


----------



## dcl10 (Jul 2, 2010)

Quite opposite here with regard to Felt’s. They probably outnumber Treks 2:1, and the same goes for Cervelo. I see a few Scotts as well, but more in line with Trek, Specialized, etc. The place where I train most frequently is a state park, lots of hills, well paved roads, very few cars. As such a lot of racers and even some pro’s ride there. So I think that has a lot to do with it. Although I have 2 Treks (My college team was sponsored by Trek) I think a lot of more experienced competitive riders tend to be less interested in mainstream brands, and they have a bit of a poser aura about them. Now if you go on bike shop or club rides you see a lot of Treks, as I think they are much more common with the casual and recreational riders.


----------



## ghost6 (Sep 4, 2009)

dcl10 said:


> I think a lot of more experienced competitive riders tend to be less interested in mainstream brands, and they have a bit of a poser aura about them. Now if you go on bike shop or club rides you see a lot of Treks, as I think they are much more common with the casual and recreational riders.


Aboard my all-too-common Madone, I enjoy dropping the "experienced competitive riders" on their obscure boutique bikes. BTW, there's plenty of Felt and Scott bikes in my area.


----------



## dcl10 (Jul 2, 2010)

Yes, of course there are plenty of Trek riders who are quite accomplished athletes, the problem is for every one of them there are ten middle aged men who want to be like Lance Armstrong, buy a $10,000 bike, and only ride 50 miles a week at 20mph or whatever. I was at a MTB race earlier this year riding my 8500. After the race I’m riding back to my car which is in a parking lot across the road, I look up the road and what do I see? An old lady, had to be at least 70, riding a brand new 8500, with her helmet on backwards, and a rearview mirror attached to the handlebars. Maybe it might be stupid, but when you have a $3000 mountain bike or what have you, there is a certain pride of ownership, which in that moment of both confusion and horror was pretty much non-existent.


----------



## tconrady (May 1, 2007)

The group rides I do with my LBS are almost all Giants, except a few. Coincidentally, that LBS only sells Giants! 

When I ride with mrs tcon, lets_ride, and lawn_dart, I am outnumbered 3 Scotts to one Giant. Here is mrs tcon's Contessa Speedster I picked up as a frameset and built up from there...including the wheels. I saw a stock one on a ride a few weeks ago and this one was much nicer.


----------



## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

I have a Felt and I'll have to say the main decision factors were bike shop first and second the fact it is a little unusual.

Treks and Specialized are good bikes. BUT - there's a lot of riders I know, very good athletes, much better than me who when they decided to give road biking a go just bought a Trek w/o considering any alternatives. Two reasons: first, they truely believed that Trek is the "best" because of Lance. I'm not in any way saying that they arent' good bikes and worthy of consideration among all the others. I'm just saying that many folks I know, because they truely know of no alternatives, just bought a Trek and are vey happy. The second reason is that a major bike shop in my area carries nothing but Trek and the accompanying Bontrager accessories. Nothing else, period.

As for Spec: another great name, not a single problem from my perspective. But the reason they're #1 or #2 around here is that the largest bike shop here abouts carries nothing but Specialized bikes.

After that it's some Giants, Bianchis, and maybe some Konas ... all based on local supply. If I see a Scott, Cervelo, Colnago, or anything else it's someone who's an "afficianado" and went somewhere else to buy it.

It's all good though because everyone likes their bike!


----------



## skyliner1004 (May 9, 2010)

the lbs where i've bought my last 2 bikes are SCOTT/LOOK/MARIN/HARO dealers. Mainly Scott though. Scott carries a 5 year warranty. The manager told me they "have a good relationship" with Scott and will give me a lifetime warranty on the frame at the time of my purchase. I dont have this in writing. Is it possible for me to have this lifetime warranty on the frame?

My gf rides a Scott Contessa CR1 Pro (Race). Was a very hard bike to find. i had to call many scott dealers around the area and scott was all sold out for the 2010 year, except this one shop who purchased more of them in the beginning so they had 1-2 in stock. The bike is good, the paint quality is lacking.


----------



## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

I associate Scott and Felt as primarly Mountain Bikes

Their entry to the Road Bike market is somewhat recent


----------



## ghost6 (Sep 4, 2009)

dcl10 said:


> Yes, of course there are plenty of Trek riders who are quite accomplished athletes, the problem is for every one of them there are ten middle aged men who want to be like Lance Armstrong, buy a $10,000 bike, and only ride 50 miles a week at 20mph or whatever. I was at a MTB race earlier this year riding my 8500. After the race I’m riding back to my car which is in a parking lot across the road, I look up the road and what do I see? An old lady, had to be at least 70, riding a brand new 8500, with her helmet on backwards, and a rearview mirror attached to the handlebars. Maybe it might be stupid, but when you have a $3000 mountain bike or what have you, there is a certain pride of ownership, which in that moment of both confusion and horror was pretty much non-existent.


I see what you're saying. Funny story about the old lady! I didn't mean my response as a jab to you at all. I was just playing off of what you'd said.


----------



## Cni2i (Jun 28, 2010)

Camilo said:


> I have a Felt and I'll have to say the main decision factors were bike shop first and second the fact it is a little unusual.
> 
> Treks and Specialized are good bikes. BUT - there's a lot of riders I know, very good athletes, much better than me who when they decided to give road biking a go just bought a Trek w/o considering any alternatives. Two reasons: first, they truely believed that Trek is the "best" because of Lance. I'm not in any way saying that they arent' good bikes and worthy of consideration among all the others. I'm just saying that many folks I know, because they truely know of no alternatives, just bought a Trek and are vey happy. The second reason is that a major bike shop in my area carries nothing but Trek and the accompanying Bontrager accessories. Nothing else, period.
> 
> ...


Nicely summarized. :thumbsup:


----------



## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

Felt is well represented in my area by a quality bike shop. Everyone I've talked to that owns one says they are very happy with it. But Trek and Specialized dominate. Once in awhile I'll see a Scott, more so now that a new shop opened up and carries them pretty heavily. 

It's all about the LBS, what they carry and what they push. All of these are good bikes. What is hard to find in my area is a Look dealer. I rarely see a Look out on the roads, except for mine. Again, a function of no LBS carries them right now in my area.


----------



## innergel (Jun 14, 2002)

ghost6 said:


> Aboard my all-too-common Madone, I enjoy dropping the *"experienced competitive riders" on their obscure boutique bikes*. BTW, there's plenty of Felt and Scott bikes in my area.


They had just finished a double century and were doing their cool down miles.


----------



## rward325 (Sep 22, 2008)

I can pretty much get whatever bike I want locally. There are a couple of Trek stores and a Large Specialized shop near me. My LBS carries Scott, Felt, Cannondale, Look and Colnago. On the road I would have to say Felt and Specialized are the most popular. I live right next Irvine so maybe it is a local business thing here wit the Felt's.


----------



## exracer (Jun 6, 2005)

*



Why don't people ride Felt or Scott ?

Click to expand...

*Both have a small following here in Las Vegas. A friend of mine bought a mid level Felt ($2k-$2.5k). He likes it but then he hasn't ridden any higher end bikes to compare it to. Some of the racers are on Scotts. It seems more of the intermediate class riders are on Felts. It seems over the years that the number of Felts I've seen on the road has gone up slightly and the number of Scotts has come down quite a bit. Seems like some of the people that used to ride Scotts have moved on to something else.


----------



## ljfran2383 (Aug 27, 2009)

One shop in my area is a scott dealer , another is a felt dealer. All depends on where you are from I guess. It always intersting to see what areas have what. In my hometown, everybody, nearly unanimously rides a trek. :idea:


----------



## txzen (Apr 6, 2005)

maximum7 said:


> . The other thing was that the name "Scott" is completely un-appealing/bland. Why would I want some guys name on my bike?


Indeed.


----------



## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

txzen said:


> Indeed.



Nice try. 
Now tell me about Ed Scott and how HE was legendary in cycling...


----------



## Terex (Jan 3, 2005)

Local dealers are key. Scott kinda blew up it's dealer network a few years ago, and it's just starting to come back. But if one of the only places you can purchase a Scott is at a chain sporting goods store (Eastern Mtn. Sports here in NJ), you're not going to sell a lot to the racer boyz.

I've got an '09 Scott Addict R3 that I prefer to my '09 Parlee Z4.


----------



## jwcurry83 (Jun 21, 2010)

I bought my first road bike this past August from my LBS... they only sell Scott & Gary Fisher bikes... I ended up buying a 2008 Scott Speedster on clearance and have absolutely no complaints. I was also recently looking at the Felt B16 as a good entry level tri bike... but after doing some research I think I will save some money and build up a Chinese tri frame with SRAM Force and a decent carbon wheelset.


----------



## elcameron (Aug 10, 2002)

ljfran2383 said:


> In my hometown, everybody, nearly unanimously rides a trek. :idea:


Someone I know just spent $6K on a trek because he had outgrown his beginner bike which was a $2k Trek. He had maybe 3K miles on the old bike over the past 2 years. Every other bike is second class, and not as good as a trek to him. His opinion and that is fine. 

I mostly ride a 8 year old Cannondale and like it just fine. Still rigid enough to git-up when I can, and comfy for a century. It has about 30k miles on it. Nothing special. I have a few other bikes.... The point is, it is about the rider not the bike. I wouldn't buy a Trek because I don't like the Trek attitude. 

Go Lance:aureola:


----------



## ghost6 (Sep 4, 2009)

innergel said:


> They had just finished a double century and were doing their cool down miles.


Cute.


----------



## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

Ive thought about getting one of their track machines. I honestly don't know much about them and there isn't a whole lot of LBS support for either of the brands (I see more Scotts though.)


----------



## jwp3476 (Jun 22, 2010)

I think the local dealer is the real key. If a shop carries Trek, they are floorplanned and must take what Trek wants if they want certain models just like most car dealers. This ties up their capital and credit so they don't tend to carry many other brands. This also means that it is the larger shops that carry Trek while the smaller boutique shops carry the other brands. If you have one of the smaller shops in your area then you probably will see more non-Trek bikes, etc.


----------



## medimond (Apr 26, 2009)

It's like this on a lot of products. When i moved from Salt Lake City to Seattle, I'd never heard of Helly Hanson. It seems like everyone was wears HH. Now I'm back in Salt Lake City again ... basically no one is wearing HH here still.


----------



## francoaa (Mar 19, 2008)

I only assume it lbs supply maybe. Where I live I am starting to see alot more people riding fuji bikes. I think the lbs store pushed the componets on the bikes rather than the bike itself imo. There are at least 4 stores selling fuji.


----------



## AlexCad5 (Jan 2, 2005)

Scott was all the rage when they were the first frame out there to be around 900gms with the CR1. It didn't hurt that it was only distributed in Europe. All the WWeinies couldn't wait to get them, some even going so far a buying them in Germany or what not.
The Addict came in, and it was lighter, but it had a longer reach, and it wasn't the only light bike on the market.

I have a specialized, and it is a great bike, but dang, there are so many of them out there! I just keep reminding myself that it fits better than anything else but custom, and it's a great bike.


----------



## kritiman (Jul 31, 2006)

I'm neither one or the other but I don't have a problem with rich, middle aged guys buying $10K Madones. So they're not Boy Racers, who cares? It's good for the industry, and good for them.

It's the same reason they buy a Porsche rather than a Chevy. Because they can.
Should they be buying 10 year old Giants?


----------



## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

I agree with kritiman. We enjoy the technology we have today because the rich are willing to part with their money on the latest and greatest. The price point of a fully decked out top of the line Trek Madone 3 - 5 years ago eventually trickles down to todays Madone 5.2 at a price point blokes like me can afford. In another 5 years all the middle class enthusiasts will be riding around in the Madone that Lance is peddling in the TDF today.


----------



## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

> I'm neither one or the other but I don't have a problem with rich, middle aged guys buying $10K Madones. So they're not Boy Racers, who cares? It's good for the industry, and good for them.


The sad thing is, is that I betcha none of those guys took the time to test ride something else. Whenever someone in my club shows up a on a new bike, (usually a trek), I ask them what else they tested out and the answer is always "nothing". The "Nordstrom" of bike stores sells them, so they have to be good.


----------



## ENVIGADO (Aug 11, 2008)

dcl10 said:


> Yes, of course there are plenty of Trek riders who are quite accomplished athletes, the problem is for every one of them there are ten middle aged men who want to be like Lance Armstrong, buy a $10,000 bike, and only ride 50 miles a week at 20mph or whatever. I was at a MTB race earlier this year riding my 8500. After the race I’m riding back to my car which is in a parking lot across the road, I look up the road and what do I see? An old lady, had to be at least 70, riding a brand new 8500, with her helmet on backwards, and a rearview mirror attached to the handlebars. Maybe it might be stupid, but when you have a $3000 mountain bike or what have you, there is a certain pride of ownership, which in that moment of both confusion and horror was pretty much non-existent.


i am one of those guys ...only riding 100 miles per week due to work obligations..but to me this is a big accomplisment to ride at 20mph average and drop some youngsters that train 3 days per week ......and yes i like to be like lance .....that will keep me motivated:thumbsup:


----------



## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

Scott and Felt do well - there may be local variation but their national sales figures are strong. Plus, they both have good sales in Tri community (that's where the $ is).


----------



## kritiman (Jul 31, 2006)

maximum7 said:


> The sad thing is, is that I betcha none of those guys took the time to test ride something else. Whenever someone in my club shows up a on a new bike, (usually a trek), I ask them what else they tested out and the answer is always "nothing". The "Nordstrom" of bike stores sells them, so they have to be good.


That's a fair point. Test drives are part of the fun!

(Rain today... Sigh)


----------



## WheresWaldo (Nov 29, 2005)

maximum7 said:


> _The sad thing is, is that I betcha none of those guys took the time to test ride something else. Whenever someone in my club shows up a on a new bike, (usually a trek), I ask them what else they tested out and the answer is always "nothing". The "Nordstrom" of bike stores sells them, so they have to be good._






kritiman said:


> That's a fair point. Test drives are part of the fun!
> (Rain today... Sigh)


It's really too bad that unless a shop 'guesses' right on your fit that test rides are highly over-rated. About all it will tell you is how good the shop is at setting up their floor models.

Most of today's bikes with similar geometry will pretty much ride the same. As a recreational rider if you claim to be able to tell a difference in a test ride I would suggest that it is bike setup that you feel along with some preconceived brand prejudice.


----------



## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

WheresWaldo said:


> It's really too bad that unless a shop 'guesses' right on your fit that test rides are highly over-rated. About all it will tell you is how good the shop is at setting up their floor models.
> 
> Most of today's bikes with similar geometry will pretty much ride the same. As a recreational rider if you claim to be able to tell a difference in a test ride I would suggest that it is bike setup that you feel along with some preconceived brand prejudice.


+1 on this, I couldn't agree more. This is even more true if you don't buy a boutique bike, but pick your components yourself. Just changing a saddle and/or seatpost can make a big difference in how a bike feels. Start swapping wheels, stems, handlebars, and you can make a frame feel completely different. Quality of shifting as assessed on a test ride? Give me a break! So, yes, to beginners at least, test rides are as close to useless as it gets. What you need is lots of experience, and a good understanding of the bike geometry that fits you. No beginner has any of this, so the best a beginner can do is get a decent fitting from a competent store, and then learn, over time.


----------



## elcameron (Aug 10, 2002)

WheresWaldo said:


> [/i]
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I disagree. You are right about the fit and that most of today's bikes in the same class and with the same geometry will ride about the same. 

As a seasoned rider, (I assume) you pretty much know what you need and can probably get by without a test ride. But in the case of less experienced riders and recreational riders, the test ride is more than just riding the bike, it is also an oportunity to learn about different options that are available to them. Chances are they are not up on the plus and minus of compact geometry, integrated headsets, 9 or 10.....

Point is, I think it is more important for a recreational rider to test a few options, and if they can a few shops. 

Which of course has nothing to do with Felt, or Scott!!


----------



## WheresWaldo (Nov 29, 2005)

elcameron said:


> I disagree. You are right about the fit and that most of today's bikes in the same class and with the same geometry will ride about the same.
> 
> As a seasoned rider, (I assume) you pretty much know what you need and can probably get by without a test ride. But in the case of less experienced riders and recreational riders, the test ride is more than just riding the bike, it is also an oportunity to learn about different options that are available to them. Chances are they are not up on the plus and minus of compact geometry, integrated headsets, 9 or 10.....
> 
> ...


Whether or not a frame is compact geometry or traditional, T700 carbon or some other specification, a beginner will not be able to detect differences other than fit and setup. There is no "opportunity" to learn about different options on a test ride, other than how careful the shop was when they pulled the bike out of the box.

All those things you mention above are not relevant to beginners who have no idea what works and what doesn't. How this relates to Felt and Scott, if you are beginning and do not want to make a mistake when purchasing a bike you tend to go with the safe choice, and what safer choice can you make with Trek, Specialized or Cannondale, with mostly bland graphics and neutral to dead steering and comfortably numbing geometry. Why would a beginner even look at Felt, unless at a significant price discount or Scott which will never compete with Trek on price.

There was an old saying in IT, "you will never get fired for buying IBM." Same applies to bikes, with every bike so similar how could a beginner go wrong with any one of the big three.


----------



## elcameron (Aug 10, 2002)

Perhaps if you are talking about someone with no experience on a bike. What you said was recreational rider, which covers a lot of ground. 

You are totally wrong thinking there is nothing to learn from a test ride, from talking to different sales people, preferably at different shops, and from the ride itself. Why would you think that someone who maybe rides only 3 to 5 thousand miles a year cannot perceive differences in a bicycle? Very pretentious!

There is plenty to learn both about the bike and about the shop, especially for a recreational rider who may only buy a bike every 5 or 10 years.


----------



## boostmiser (Sep 10, 2008)

I've got a Scott CR1. 
I originally set out for a Trek Madone. But once I started comparing prices, I thought they were a bit over priced. I also rode a Scott, Cannondale and Orbea. I never equated Scott with bicycling until I read about the CR1's heritage and Team Columbia/HTC. I figured it's a proven frame and the package was at the right price. Another thing I liked was the the fact you don't see them around in my area. I like the fact it's a more unique/off-brand bike. 
As far as Felt, I liked the Felt Aluminum bikes years ago. But one of the LBS dropped them because they said they no longer presented a better value than any other bike. They picked up Giant and kept Cannondale. Must have been some issue with service or something.


----------



## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

maximum7 said:


> The other thing was that the name "Scott" is completely un-appealing/bland. Why would I want some guys name on my bike?


Because it's the alternative to looking like a "Wannabe Lance" poser. Nothing against Trek as a company, but there are too many wannabes out there who bought one because- well, Lance rides it. If you really feel that way, then you know nothing about bikes. Schwinn, Scott, Felt, Gary Fisher, Colnago, Bianchi, Coppi, Lynskey, Lemond, De Rosa, Temple, Calfee... need I continue? Maybe riding a Motiv will appeal to you more.


----------



## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

Opus51569 said:


> I think availability has a lot to do with it. I've noticed Jamis is another brand that I rarely see around me.


+1.... Jamis- like Felt and Scott- is an excellent brand. I see very few of them because they aren't as big as many others. Trek and Specialized reign because they have a big name and essentially control bike shops. In most cases, to sell Trek or Specialized bikes, a shop owner has to carry 80% of trek or Specialized products. It's not that they are better or worse than the others; They just market heavily and really push their products. Go into most shops that sell Trek and nearly everyitem in the store is Trek or Trek owned. Specialized is the same way. I was told that Giant does that as well but I haven't seen it yet.


----------



## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

Salsa_Lover said:


> I associate Scott and Felt as primarly Mountain Bikes
> 
> Their entry to the Road Bike market is somewhat recent


This answer disturbs me because it is correct. Mountain bikers known Scott and Felt very well- especially Scott. Scott has MTB history from darn near the beginning of the sport. Also, Scott road bikes are extremely common in Europe. Felt has a good reputation in the MTB community, but they are up there with the likes of Cervelo in the triathlon community. You'll never meet a triathlete who hasn't heard of Felt. Jim Felt has been building triathlon bikes for at least 15 years for top athlete's. Felt's reputation of wins in triathlons around the world is nearly (if not) equal to Cervelo.. Felt's only been selling road bikes since 2002.


----------



## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

terbennett said:


> +1.... Jamis- like Felt and Scott- is an excellent brand.


Agreed. I went with the SCOTT because of the value overall, but I really liked the Jamis that I test rode. I think they deserve more press than they get.


----------



## been200mph (May 28, 2004)

Hmmm.... IMO Felt isn't what I'd call one of the top mtb companies. I was primarily a mtb'er and if memory serves me Felt came into that scene less than 10 yrs ago? I've seen maybe one around here along with one Cervelo. LBS's are primarily Specialized, Cannondale, and Trek lineups.


----------



## WheresWaldo (Nov 29, 2005)

elcameron said:


> Perhaps if you are talking about someone with no experience on a bike. What you said was recreational rider, which covers a lot of ground.
> 
> You are totally wrong thinking there is nothing to learn from a test ride, from talking to different sales people, preferably at different shops, and from the ride itself. Why would you think that someone who maybe rides only 3 to 5 thousand miles a year cannot perceive differences in a bicycle? Very pretentious!
> 
> There is plenty to learn both about the bike and about the shop, especially for a recreational rider who may only buy a bike every 5 or 10 years.


Wow, a recreational rider that can ride 3K to 5K miles per year, even in the year I took off of work I only managed 4K miles, with a full time job I barely manage 2000 miles a year, your definition of recreation and mine are very different.

You also threw in a lot more variables into the equation, we were talking test rides, then now we added talking to sales people about bikes and technology. Even so, sales people will tell you about the basic marketing pitch of what they are trying to sell you. Going to different shops only confuses beginners even more as they are inundated with marketing BS about whatever bike the shop carries and the information is usually contradictory to what they heard from the last shop they visited.

You can believe what you want about test rides, but I still contend that most of what you will feel is based on setup and brand bias. It is impossible to be subjective when you know what you are riding. Now if we are at the mileage you suggest, I would classify you as an "avid" cyclist rather than recreational, I would expect you to demand the bike be in top shape and fit before "test" riding, minimizing as many variables as possible. In fact when I have taken test rides in the past (the last test ride I took was about 350 miles over the span of a couple of weeks,) I took all my measurements with me as well as my pedals to make sure fit was not a factor during my test.

Still relates to why you don't see Felt, Scott, Blue, and others as much as the big three since they most likely feel the same to beginners and recreational cyclists, and most people know someone who has one of the big three (brand bias plays more of a role than you are acknowledging here.) Hard to buy a second tier brand when all your buddies are riding a Trek.


----------



## 152passenger (Mar 16, 2010)

*Love My Felt*

I have a felt F3and love it although I am the only one on Felt in my group rides. I think this is due to my location in Sydney and LBS in area not stocking Felt. I got it for a number of reasons. Price was good in comparison to other bigger brands. Bike got fantastic reviews on a couple of webpages, and advertising works (in the form of sponsoship dollar) if Garmin team can win races on them then the brand must be OK.
Wouldnt hesitaste to buy another Felt, build quality and value for money are I think as good as your TREKS, Cannondales etc.


----------



## elcameron (Aug 10, 2002)

WheresWaldo said:


> Wow, a recreational rider that can ride 3K to 5K miles per year, even in the year I took off of work I only managed 4K miles, with a full time job I barely manage 2000 miles a year, your definition of recreation and mine are very different.


Well, I have never raced, but have gotten 10K in a year, while working full time, and have many times exceeded 2k; I consider myself a recreational rider. Recreational because I ride for myself, not for a team not for a job; not that I wouldn't want to, but I am old. I know plenty of people who ride 3 to 5 K in a year and can hold 22 to 25 mph for 40 miles, in a group, who consider themselves recreational riders. There is nothing wrong with being a recreational rider. And if you are not riding at least 100 miles per week, maybe you should consider yourself a "Recreational Rider". Because what else would you be classified as? Cat 8?


----------



## WheresWaldo (Nov 29, 2005)

elcameron said:


> Well, I have never raced, but have gotten 10K in a year, while working full time, and have many times exceeded 2k; I consider myself a recreational rider. Recreational because I ride for myself, not for a team not for a job; not that I wouldn't want to, but I am old. I know plenty of people who ride 3 to 5 K in a year and can hold 22 to 25 mph for 40 miles, in a group, who consider themselves recreational riders. There is nothing wrong with being a recreational rider. And if you are not riding at least 100 miles per week, maybe you should consider yourself a "Recreational Rider". Because what else would you be classified as? Cat 8?


This will be my last response directed to you. I do not consider myself "avid" I do consider myself on the higher end of recreational. At 10K miles per year you are riding between 500-600 hours a year (unless of course every single ride is 20mph+ average), that is a lot of time with a full time job so my guess is that you do this to the exclusion of nearly any other activity. I am not so obsessed with cycling and enjoy many other activities that include my family among others. I do not have time for 100+ miles per week nor do I want to ride that much. I also do not live in an area where I can ride all year long so in order to put in that 4K I had to ride 7 centuries that year. I have more things to do with my time than to dedicate it all to cycling.

Just because you say you don't race doesn't really make you a recreational cyclist, especially considering your apparent level of commitment to the sport.


----------



## elcameron (Aug 10, 2002)

Like I said nothing wrong with being a recreational rider, and like you said, recreational riders can get a lot out of a couple of test rides. I just nagged at you because you put down recreational riders. Luck to you. 

I live in the NC Sandhills and the local shop features Trek and Felt, and a few others, including some Surleys. I see a lot of Felts in the area. I am sure due to the shop, as others have mentioned. Solid bikes I have heard. I am really Jones-ing for a Surly single; I am not up for a fixed.


----------



## skyliner1004 (May 9, 2010)

are Scott CR1 frames known to be super light compared to other carbon frames in the same price bracket?


----------



## WheresWaldo (Nov 29, 2005)

elcameron said:


> Like I said nothing wrong with being a recreational rider, and like you said, recreational riders can get a lot out of a couple of test rides. I just nagged at you because you put down recreational riders. Luck to you.
> 
> I live in the NC Sandhills and the local shop features Trek and Felt, and a few others, including some Surleys. I see a lot of Felts in the area. I am sure due to the shop, as others have mentioned. Solid bikes I have heard. I am really Jones-ing for a Surly single; I am not up for a fixed.


We are close to one another, I am in the Piedmont area. I don't recall putting down recreational riders, I think I just said that they would have trouble discerning any measurable differences in identically fit bikes on a test ride. Any recreational rider that says so is really describing setup and brand bias. There was nothing in those statements intended to "put down" any group of riders, that I also find myself in.

I have tried fixed and I too an not into it, I like to coast once in a while. Also there are very few felts here, but depending on the groups you ride with there are either an overabundance of Specialized and Trek, for the mostly road riding groups; or there are an inordinate number of Cervelos when you ride with the YMCA groups (usually skewed toward triathletes). Personally, I own a Klein (currently undergoing restoration) and several Asian no name frames as well as a custom US made carbon tandem (not a Calfee).

So I lied about that other comment being my last in this thread.


----------



## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

terbennett said:


> Because it's the alternative to looking like a "Wannabe Lance" poser. Nothing against Trek as a company, but there are too many wannabes out there who bought one because- well, Lance rides it. If you really feel that way, then you know nothing about bikes. Schwinn, Scott, Felt, Gary Fisher, Colnago, Bianchi, Coppi, Lynskey, Lemond, De Rosa, Temple, Calfee... need I continue? Maybe riding a Motiv will appeal to you more.


Acutally, I'll stick with my Look 585. It appeals to me very much thank you, however the Motiv was my second choice. 
Please feel free to read the rest of my posts in this thread before you quote me and put me down. 
Oh yeah, apology accepted.


----------



## kritiman (Jul 31, 2006)

Please correct me if I'm wrong here.

There can't be much meaningful difference in the low end CF and sub $2k aluminum frames. Giant makes all the aluminum frames and there's probably one huge factory in China for CF. Different decals, maybe minor geometry changes. So you're buying components and a brand. 

At this price then, wouldn't you get a better bike for the buck in a Felt, Motobecane, Jamis or Scattante than a Trek or Specialized? Maybe the big boys get better quality control.

This is a pretty good read.
http://allanti.com/articles/where-was-my-bike-made-pg328.htm


----------



## T K (Feb 11, 2009)

I've just never "Felt" like buying a "Scott".
See what I did there?


----------



## skyliner1004 (May 9, 2010)

kritiman said:


> Please correct me if I'm wrong here.
> 
> There can't be much meaningful difference in the low end CF and sub $2k aluminum frames. Giant makes all the aluminum frames and there's probably one huge factory in China for CF. Different decals, maybe minor geometry changes. So you're buying components and a brand.
> 
> ...


yep you're wrong. Giant does not make all aluminum frames, unless you have proof of this.
There are many geometry specs and design differences that make each aluminum bike different. WRT handling, weight, vertical compliance, aesthetics, etc. The bigger brands get better testing, R&D, warranty, lbs support, better quality(?), better graphics designers. 

Back to the OP: Check out this Scott CR1 Elite, ~15lbs, $2700 retail (who pays retail)
http://www.scott-sports.com/us_en/product/9089/45408/cr1_elite


----------



## sacacuerno (Jul 8, 2010)

Hey, 

New member here. My cousin gave me a brand new 2009 Scott Speedster frameset as a gift. I really liked the frame and the way it felt. It was light enough for me to build up and I wanted to take the opportunity to have a side project of building my own bike. Every component on the bike was purchased through Ebay. That's right. It took some time to get the right deals, but it was definitely worth it. I'm really happy with the way it all came out.

Anyway the bike itself feels solid and stiff. I must say it handles really well and I'm comparing this to my 2009 Roubaix comp compact. *So yes, I now ride a Scott! *

Here are the specs:
Frameset: 2009 Scott Speedster S40
Handlebar: Specialized Compact Bar
Stem: FSA SL-K 90mm
Seatpost: FSA SL-K
Saddle: Specialized Alias
Wheels: Mavic Aksium Race
Tires: Schwalbe R


----------



## Terex (Jan 3, 2005)

WheresWaldo said:


> Wow, a recreational rider that can ride 3K to 5K miles per year, even in the year I took off of work I only managed 4K miles, ...
> 
> *Most of my friends, only a couple of whom race, ride at least 3-5K miles per year. I've ridden with a guy in his 80's who was doing about 15K a year.*
> 
> ...


*Don't understand by what you mean "second tier". Do you mean name recognition or something else? If all my buddies rode Treks, that would be OK. I just wouldn't think as highly of them. :wink: *


----------



## Terex (Jan 3, 2005)

WheresWaldo said:


> Wow, a recreational rider that can ride 3K to 5K miles per year, even in the year I took off of work I only managed 4K miles, ...
> 
> *Most of my friends, only a couple of whom race, ride at least 3-5K miles per year. I've ridden with a guy in his 80's who was doing about 15K a year.*
> 
> ...


*Don't understand by what you mean "second tier". Do you mean name recognition or something else? If all my buddies rode Treks, that would be OK. I just wouldn't think as highly of them. :wink: *


----------



## GerryR (Sep 3, 2008)

I ride a Scott CR1 and my wife rides a Felt F85. There are about 100,000 people in Billings, MT and I only know of one other Scott and no other Felts. The closest dealer for Scott is 140 miles from here and that's where I got mine. She got her Felt in California while we were visiting my brother last year. There is supposedly a Felt dealer here now but the last time I was in there they didn't have any and the next closest dealer is 140 miles away.


----------



## kritiman (Jul 31, 2006)

Nice bike, sacacuerno. Looks fast just sitting there. 

And you can get bar tape to match the yellow/black. Or would this be too much?


----------



## WheresWaldo (Nov 29, 2005)

Terex said:


> *Don't understand by what you mean "second tier". Do you mean name recognition or something else? If all my buddies rode Treks, that would be OK. I just wouldn't think as highly of them. :wink: *


Market penetration


----------



## rroadie (Jan 6, 2010)

I had a felt, it was okay but not inspiring. Dead feeling, lacked snap. Replaced it with a Scott CR1. Much better but it broke. Went on to an I.F ti which rode great but not stiff enough. Now ride a Look 585 and it is the best of the lot by far.


----------



## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*I too have no trouble*



txzen said:


> Indeed.


riding with eddy between my legs

nice Panasonic BTW


----------



## WaynefromOrlando (Mar 3, 2010)

I believe its more of a supply and demand issue than it is a quality of the bicycle issue. A LBS here in Orlando sells Felts and if you check out the rides centered around that LBS you will see a large number of Felts in those events. Another LBS that is larger and in multiple locations sells Trek cycles, so they are more widespread and well represented in the area events. 

My own LBS sells bikes from the Bike Direct stable, and I see quite a few Motobecanes, Kestrels and Windsor bicycles rolling down the road in and around our area. Those brands are few and far between once I go across town. My Motobecane Immortal Pro gets lots of looks when I go across town for races or road rides because it is not so common a mere 10-20 miles away from my neighborhood.


----------



## frontierwolf (Jun 21, 2008)

I bought my FELT over a TREK because it was a solid aluminum frame with decent components. I've had TREK bikes in the past so that was the first place I looked.

Alot of companies don't seem to break out the Ultegra stuff unless there's at least carbon seatstays and I didn't really want a lower end carbon frame. FELT had a nicely specced aluminum frame bike. That's what I was looking for and FELT had it. 

I actually drove over 4 hours to get it because that was the closest one I could fine in my size.


----------



## bikesdirect (Sep 9, 2006)

Not all that long ago; Schwiin, Raleigh, Motobecane, Peugeot, and Fuji made up almost all LBS sales. Schwinn was by far the majority. I did well selling Motobecane & Peugeot plus Univega. And I was able to sell a new brand {Trek} to some customers that wanted something different. Later I added Specialized and those sold OK too in that new style of bike [Mountain Bike]

Besides bikes; I like sports car - and I see a lot of 911s, Caymans, Vettes, SLKs, and Z4s around -- but when I see a DeLoena, Lotus, Alfa, Astin-Martin, or Sunbeam; it turns my head and I know the driver is probably a bit different than the typical Cayman owner. 

Choices are great: I wish there were more


----------



## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

I've been trying to think of the correct automobile analogy.

If Trek & Specialized are GM and Ford...
SCOTT and Felt are...?


----------

