# New ZC Frame



## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

First time making a post like this, but I'm fired up. Just received my ZC frameset and it's a beaut. There's a couple of interesting differences though from both the website and the shop's 2010 catalogue:

It came with a 1.2 fork, not the 1.3 fork spec'd. The shop's info stated the 1.3 had an alloy steerer, so I was actually going to upgrade to the 1.2 to get a full carbon fork (which is how the 1.2 is described on the website). (Felt wouldn't do it, but the shop gave me a good price and I planned to ebay the original, unused) Fortunately, this frivolous decision was delayed a couple of days so the fork hadn't been shipped by the time the frameset arrived... with a 1.2 fork with carbon steerer. So I was very happy that the sales guy told me he'd gone ahead and saved me nearly $300 by canceling the fork on his own initiative.

The paint/graphics aren't the same as shown on the website or the shop's book. Not a huge difference, but I just wonder why both the website and the printed material at the shop were wrong (about that and the fork). It's a bare matte carbon look with just silver/gray printing and some white parts too. But the overall look is bare carbon. I'm on the fence about this - it's nice and the current trend, but I would have opted for a nice paint job, if there was an option. This isn't a disappointment - just another difference from the "official" specs.

For the Weight Weenies among us:

The frame with only the riveted/glued bosses, brackets, and other parts - and the water bottle cage bolts - weighs exactly what is claimed - 1093 grams (claimed 1095). This is very refreshing to have an accurate manufacturer's weight.

The fork is kind of a mystery though. Online, the aftermarket 1.2 fork is said to (a) be full carbon, even the dropouts and (b) weigh 320 grams. My 1.2 fork (a) has alum. dropouts and (b) uncut, with the compression plug (which I haven't figured out how to remove) and crown race, weighs 420 grams. I can't believe the expansion plug and crown race weigh 100 grams (probably more like 50), and a ~370 gram weight with aluminum dropouts would make sense if the full carbon one is 320. But again, I don't understand the discrepancy between the 1.2 specs and the actual 1.2 I received. 

Again, this is NOT a disappointment to me because the fork is plenty light (I'm just a marginal weight weenie), and it's definitely an upgrade from what I was expecting. But it makes me wonder if there's a difference between the "1.2" fork supplied with framesets or complete bikes, and the "1.2" fork that you can buy aftermarket for $300? 

Anyway, I'm going to try to get the bike built up before my weekend group ride and am Realllly looking forward riding it. Never owned a cabon fiber bike and have been wanting the "Z-type" geometry for a couple of years now..


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## Superdave3T (May 11, 2009)

Camilo said:


> First time making a post like this, but I'm fired up. Just received my ZC frameset and it's a beaut. There's a couple of interesting differences though from both the website and the shop's 2010 catalogue:
> 
> It came with a 1.2 fork, not the 1.3 fork spec'd. The shop's info stated the 1.3 had an alloy steerer, so I was actually going to upgrade to the 1.2 to get a full carbon fork (which is how the 1.2 is described on the website). (Felt wouldn't do it, but the shop gave me a good price and I planned to ebay the original, unused) Fortunately, this frivolous decision was delayed a couple of days so the fork hadn't been shipped by the time the frameset arrived... with a 1.2 fork with carbon steerer. So I was very happy that the sales guy told me he'd gone ahead and saved me nearly $300 by canceling the fork on his own initiative.
> 
> ...


I think we answered an email from you today on this, but just to clarify, the 1.2 fork is an upgrade over the 1.3. It is a monocoque fork, where the 1.3 uses a bonded construction. BOTH have carbon steerer tubes, crown, and blades. BOTH have alloy dropouts EXCEPT the 1.2 forks used on the 650c wheel on the ZW models. The 1.1 full carbon fork is ~320grams uncut. 1.2 should be ~350g.

For our frame and bike weights I weight them when we photograph them for the catalog, they are accurate representations of a real bike, so they should always be accurate +/-2% or so.

I hope everything else on the steerer tube and compression device are cleared up for you now as well.

Regards,
Dave Koesel
Felt Bicycles


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

Now that's service!

O.P. - post some pics when you can.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

Yes, I've been very happy with the responses to my questions that I got from Felt. They even responded very positively and productively to some issues I had with technical info available on their web site.

Everything about the frame and fork are excellent. It's just beautiful. Just fwiw, to corroborate what Dave mentioned, I did actually get to weigh the fork (what can I say, I'm that kind of guy). It's very close to the 350 gm. claimed weight without it. IIRC, I got just a few grams over that, with the crown race still on it.

I hope to finish building it this weekend unless daily life interferes.

PS: Yes I will post some pics. Last night I put my wheels on the frame and leaned it against the wall just to admire it!


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

Finally uploaded a "before" photo. Almost have it built... gainful employment and weekend recreation w/ family interfered (not complaining). I want to get it all set up including fresh bar tape (the last step) before posting an "after" photo.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

I've ridden it a couple of times and now have fresh bar tape on it so it's photo worthy. Still messing with bar height and position, but first 30 mile ride seemed very comfortable.


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