Felt Bicycles

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Felt Racing, LLC
Type Limited Liability Company
Industry Bicycles
Founded 1994
Headquarters Irvine, California, United States
Key people Jim Felt
Products Bicycles
Website http://www.feltbicycles.com

Felt Racing is an American bicycle manufacturer based in Irvine, California. Felt produces road, mountain, track, bmx, cyclocross and cruiser bikes. The company also has a strong reputation in the time trial/triathlon bike area.[1]

History

Felt was founded by Jim Felt in early 1994[2] when Felt products were distributed by Answer Products. Felt nearly disappeared from the domestic market following a fallout with Answer after a 7 year relationship.[3] The brand was relaunched in 2001 as an independent company.

Technology

Felt has developed several unique bicycle technologies. For its time trial/triathlon bikes, Felt has developed the Bayonet Fork, which utilizes an external steerer in front of the head tube for additional stiffness and aerodynamic efficiency.[4] Felt has also developed the Equilink suspension system for its full-suspension mountain bikes.

Felt extensively utilizes wind tunnel and computational fluid dynamics modeling in its frame design process.[5]

Recall

Felt has issued a recall of 2009 Felt model B12, B16 and S32 road bicycles because the fork steer tube can break, causing the rider to lose control, fall and suffer injuries.[6][7]

Sponsorships

In 2007 Felt sponsored the Slipstream-Chipotle (currently Garmin-Sharp) bicycle team. In 2009, Felt signed a three-year agreement to supply frames to the Garmin-Chipotle team.[8] On August 28, 2010, Garmin-Transitions announced it is switching working agreements from Felt Bicycles to Cervelo bikes and will change its name to Team Garmin-Cervelo for the 2011 season. Felt chose not to exercise its option with the Boulder-based cycling team after a four-year working agreement. The Cervélo TestTeam will fold and some riders may move to Team Garmin-Cervelo.[9]

Athletes sponsored by Felt

Gallery

References

  1. Jez Loftus, tech ed (16 Nov 2007). "Felt Slipstream Chipotle Team Bikes". Bike Radar. Retrieved 2010-08-04. "The American Slipstream/Chipotle pro cycling team has started to gear up for the 2008 season with new team bikes and colours. [They] will be racing Felt's top of the line production models. This comprises DA, F1, F1 Sprint and Z1 frame and forks." 
  2. Gary Boulanger (Aug 9, 2008). "Interview: Jim Felt, aerodynamic guru". BikeRadar. Retrieved 2012-07-17. "Jim Felt founded his bicycle company in 1994." 
  3. "Felt History". Retrieved 2010-08-04. 
  4. James Huang (May 11, 2008). "Pro Bike: David Millar's Garmin-Transitions Felt DA". Cycling News. Retrieved 2010-08-04. 
  5. Gary Boulanger, US editor (9 Aug 2008). "Interview with Jim Felt". Bike Radar. Retrieved 2010-08-04. 
  6. "Felt Bicycles Recalls Bicycles Due to Fall Hazard". U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Retrieved 2010-08-04. 
  7. "Felt Bicycles recalls road bikes due to aluminum steerer tube failures". Velo News. Jul 3, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-04. 
  8. James Huang (September 5, 2008). "More team sponsorship news for the 2009 season, Garmin/Chipotle-H3O extends with Felt". Cycling News. Retrieved 2010-08-04. 
  9. "New agreement for garmin". The Denver Post. August 28, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-28. 

External links


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