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You could definitely say that over the years, Carroll Shelby and the Shelby brand have become synonymous with Gaurdsman Blue paint with white racing stripes. Considering Felt Bicycle company’s history of producing some really cool motor sports inspired cruisers, it’s not surprising that they would now base on off of certainly one of the most iconic teams in US racing history.
The Shelby cruiser above is positioned in front of what looks like a Shelby Daytona, perhaps even one of the original 6. Number 98 would represent chassis number CSX 2300 that Carroll himself owned until 1999 (although it could be a Superformance Replica). When it came to Shelby’s history, the Daytona was an aerodynamic success as the Daytona’s slippery body caused it to be much faster than the Cobra, even though it had the same chassis and engine.
I honestly would have expected the colors to be the inverse on the actual bike, but the Wimbledon white with Guardsman blue stripes was popular on the GT 350 which seemed to be the true inspiration for the design. The Shelby cruiser joins a stable of rad Felt cruisers styled after Indian Motorcycles, Military vehicles, Cafe racers, and Woody surf wagons. Unfortunately, the Shelby cruiser won’t be around for long, as the newest addition to the cruiser line up is an individually numbered, limited edition and when they’re gone, they’re gone.
More on the Shelby Cruiser after the break!
From Felt:
Felt Bicycles is pleased to introduce the Shelby Cruiser. Felt and Carroll Shelby Licensing have teamed up to design and develop a cruiser that pays homage to the iconic Shelby image. The Shelby Cruiser will be a limited edition offering and available worldwide.
“Carroll is known for his determination to succeed and his passion for performance,” said Felt President Bill Duehring. “These attributes propelled Shelby to the pinnacle of auto racing and inspired a legion of fans. At Felt Bicycles, we share these same values and we are honored to be part of this project.”
Felt designers worked hand-in-hand with the Shelby team to create a bike that exudes the Shelby image and culture. Designers drew upon the wealth of Shelby racing traditions when developing the design and graphic scheme. The bike features the legendary Wimbledon White and Guardsman Blue paint scheme that adorned many of Shelby’s vintage cars, including the famed GT350.
“Felt Bicycles is a world renowned competition and high performance bicycle manufacturer and designer,” noted Tracey Smith, vice president of Carroll Shelby Licensing. “The team at Felt understands the passion that drives many Shelby enthusiasts, which is similar to the spirit of competition in many Felt bike owners. Now enthusiasts can take their love of Shelbys to the bike trails, streets and beach boardwalks.”
The bike is built around Felt’s hydro-formed aluminum tank frame and fitted with high performance three-speed Nexus internal gearing. The bike rolls on 36 spoke wheels wrapped with “blue dot” tires to resemble automotive racing tires, and a proprietary linkage-designed springer fork affords fast and precise handling. Every detail on the bike is honed to the tradition and passion embodied by Carroll Shelby and his company.
Each of the limited edition bicycles is individually badged and serial numbered to ensure authenticity. The Shelby Cruiser will be available through Felt Bicycles and its retailers beginning in late May 2011 and will retail for $999.
Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.
Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.
