Felt’s 2015 media day was a whirlwind of bikes and info, with new and updated models rolling past almost faster than we could type. Rather than blow them past you at the same frenzied rate, we’re breaking it up a bit. Mountain bikes are posted here, e-bikes are here and road/triathlon is coming up. Here, we’ve got the bikes meant to blur the lines between the two – cyclocross!
For 2015, Felt has updated the carbon FX frames with a Di2/EPS compatible frame that doubles as an internal routing option for 1x drivetrains. At the top level, they’ve also added TeXtreme woven carbon to their frames to make them both stronger and lighter. Felt’s got the exclusive on the material for bicycles, and it allows them to use half the material without losing any stiffness or strength.
They’ve also completely redesigned the alloy FX series bikes with an all-new frame and no more cantilever brake options despite dropping the base model down a price notch. The frame geometry has been revamped to make it racier, and they switch to a pressfit BB386 bottom bracket shell to run larger, wider spindled cranksets – anything except BB30 will fit. All cable routing moves internal, too. Beyond the performance upgrades, the new colors and graphics are tight. That purple shown here? It’s called Snozberry, and it’s on the F85X model equipped with Shimano Tiagra 10sp and Tektro Mira mechanical disc brakes.
Oversized tubes, a flattened top tube for easier shouldering and internal cable routing makes for a very good looking frame. Felt makes several size-specific considerations beyond the frame, using crank lengths from 165mm on the smallest 47cm frame up to 175mm on the 55-60cm frame sizes and varying stem lengths and handlebar widths as they grow. They also offer different height headset top caps that can add up to 20mm without looking so lanky.
The PFBB386 provides plenty of real estate for the larger tubes and versatility with crank selection.
Racy design aside, they keep the rack and fender mounts on the rear.
Plenty of tire clearance. The F85X comes in at just $1,199 as shown here.
Belgain California Bear graphic FTW. The F85X is also available in Acid Army Green:
They’re spec’d with Felt-brand alloy wheels and cockpit with 27.2 seatpost and Prologo Nago Evo saddle.
Above that is the F65X, which gets an 11-speed Shimano 105 group with FSA cranks, TRP Spyre-C calipers and upgraded wheels for $1,499. Both this and the F85X are $200 less than comparable 2014 models. Another bonus? The new Felt alloy rims are wider and tubeless ready!
The 2015 Felt carbon cyclocross bikes carry over on the same frame, but the top F2X and F3X models and the F1X frameset get a new carbon fork that uses a double blade construction that forms a single-piece full fork then bonds a secondary structural blade onto it to handle the braking forces. It’s an asymmetric design with a robust dropout section to keep it torsionally stiff, too. Thanks to the inclusion of TeXtreme woven carbon fiber, it comes in at just 390g. It’s designed around a 140mm front rotor, versus the 160mm post mounts on the carbon-with-alloy-steerer fork found on the rest of the bikes.
The F2X (above) comes in at $5,999 with Shimano Ultegra Di2, R785 hydraulic disc brakes and thru-axle DT Swiss wheels that pairs a 15mm thru axle front with DT’s 10mm thru axle rear that fits in standard 135mm wide QR dropouts. They’re wrapped with Challenge Grifo Race 700x32c tires. Claimed weight: TBA. It, and the F4X, use the updated frame that adds a wire port to run electronic shift wires internally and designed around use of a seatpost/internal battery. The bonus is that the port plugs can be swapped for cable ports to run a single shift cable housing (full length) for 1x drivetrains.
The F4X does just that with a SRAM CX1 spec. Unfortunately, at just $2,999, that means no hydraulic disc brakes, but the rest of the build is solid: Mavic Aksium wheels, TRP Spyre SLC calipers, and Vittoria Cross XL 700x33c tires. Actually, those tires are spec’d on all but the F2X. Claimed weight: 18.7lb (8.53kg).
Between those two is the $3,799 F3X with mechanical Ultegra and R685 hydro brakes and Aksium wheels. Claimed weight: TBA.
Perhaps the best deal is the F5X, which gets a very solid FSA crankset and 105 group with TRP HYRD mech/hydro calipers for just $2,199. It’s a slightly lower grade carbon than the F3X/F4X, but claimed weight is a very easily upgraded 20.4lb (9.49kg).
Felt’s had kid’s road bikes (in 24″ and 650c) and this 24” cyclocross bike in the line already, but it’s very much worth a look. The F24X alloy cross bike gets a butted alloy frame built up with Microshift levers and front mech, a Felt 155mm crankset, Shimano Sora rear derailleur and Kenda tires on Felt alloy wheels.
The Belgian Bear graphic and sweet paint scheme make it look very pro, but kid friendly features like inline brake levers and smaller shifters keep it functional.
Tektro RX1.0 linear pull brakes keep the tot’s speed in check.
Retail is $799, which can be made a little easier to swallow by knowing you can just throw some slicks on it and send ’em out on the pavement the rest of the year.
