Never once had an issue with the P5 rear either.

I don't think under the BB is the issue. I think the brake itself tends to be. Like, put a DA direct mount down there and I'm sure it'd be fine.

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"One Line Robert"

Are there any other brakes you can think of that anyone has found that might fit?
The new Bontragers? Tektros? Or a tri rig omega x? anything that isn't based on a roller design?

For folks who tried the shimano direct mounts, what was the compatibility issue? just width?

Nothing will fit without modification or adapter. The frame is threaded so the brake must be installed with a bolt, not a nut as a traditional caliper. The frame does not use two mounting bosses (tektro U brake) or threaded inserts (Shimano direct mount) so these brakes will not fit.

The new Bontragers? No
Tektros? No
Or a tri rig omega x? No
anything that isn't based on a roller design? Nothing that mounts with a conventional brake nut, mini linear pull studs or shimano direct mount.

For folks who tried the shimano direct mounts, what was the compatibility issue? just width?
The mounting standard itself and of course the brake cover (and potential interference with powermeters

Thanks for the quick response as always dave. I appreciate it.

Hey Dave, the Omega X does install with a bolt, and it can go straight into a threaded insert on a frame. This is how Dimond's rear brakes work, and they've been using the Omega Standard and now the new Omega X. Have a look at the installation guide at http://www.tririg.com/omega -- as far as I can see, it *should* be a good candidate to work on the rear of the IA, sans cover.

Edit: maybe this image is enough to show you that it will work:

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TriRig.com

Forgive me for the naivety but isn't this a race bike meant to be ridden in races? I get that it's expensive and we all want to use our fancy toys more frequently BUT standard practice is you race and train indoors on your race bike with limited outdoor exposure. You then have a secondary bike to take out into the harsh elements to get in outdoor training rides.

I get the economics of this is absurd but you don't drive a Ferrari to Costco for a grocery run. That all being said I do empathize with your troubles and frustration. For what it's worth I've replaced my cable housing with Yokozuna Reaction Compressionless Brake Cable Kit and I've had zero issues. Perhaps looking into better housing could solve the issue?

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"Train so you have no regrets @ the finish line"

Thanks for your suggestion. Along with clearance, the cable routing and height could be problematic.
I won't say impossible but you'll need to forgive me erring on the side of caution from a legal standpoint at the least and from a lack of ISO testing, etc conservatively.
-SD

Yes. Would be interested to see if this would work. If so, buying.

Completely understand. Just for clarification, the Omega is indeed safety certified under EN and CPSC.

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TriRig.com

To original poster,

my IA4 has basically the same problem.

After an e-mail to SDave I received a stronger spring to solve the issue.

On top of changing brake housing and cabling to high quality parts and installing the new stronger spring I disassembled and cleaned the brake.
Unfortunately this has not solved the issues.

While rear brake (still old spring) seems to now work most of the time (new housing+cabling), the front brake now locks up/seizes up in braking position, despite the stronger spring.
It happened to me twice during IM Frankfurt last week (will not blame my poor result on that) and really didn't care for it happening in race situation as I had to reach down to 'release' the brake manually.

To me, these brakes are not fully functional in the real world. Yes it rains sometimes, yes there is dirt on the roads and Felt needs to do modifications to guarantee full function of brakes.

Love the bike, love it's handling, have a great position dialed it in, but Felt should deliver a proper fix beyond advice on cabling/housing etc. Just not enough.

After owning this bike for a year now and having 5000 miles on it and going through two lock up rear wheel periods I know to pull regular PM on it. If I get caught in the rain like I did yesterday besides cleaning the bike and chain I pull the rear wheel take my compressior blow the rear brake clean. It is amazing how much junk comes out. I also own a specialize S works shiv with 12000 miles on it, not one problem with the rear brake which also under the rear stays. But to be fair on this the felt brake is stronger in stopping power.

Hi all,

i had the same problems with the rear brake of my Felt IA FRD. Now i have installed a TriRig Omega X Brake - it works perfect. With little modifications i can use the cover. I recommend this solution for the rear brake issue.

Rear brake on both the Felts I have owned were and are the worst thing about the bike. I had a DA3 and now an IA2.
If this is a solution then wonderful, you may have just saved me countless hours of cursing, high blood pressure spikes and removed the fear my children have when dad is
working on the rear brake days before a race!!!

What little modifications?

Can you post pictures with and without the cover on?

This! We need pics. Was it simple? just take off and put on? More details please.

Please take some pics

i just redid my housing runs to rid myself of this issue. i think the problem i sthat the barrel adjuster they want within the stem cover plate causes a real tight angle to bend to go back into the frame.
so what i did was just used a nice compressionless jagwire cable from the bullhorn through the car and continuing through the stem plate openeing area, over the stem under the stem cover piece and into the the frame. then under that compartment where the housing would normally continue, that is where i put the barrel adjuster.
as well, i use a sram brake lever that you can loose a 2mm bolt and turn the head of the brake lever around and around to change tension so i have that , the sram levers that act as a barrel adjuster, and the barrel adjuster inside the frame. but mainly eliminating tha tbarrel adjuster and that kink right there made my brakes go from super tight, and they would bind when you'd release the lever where the brake spring would nromally push the arms back/the wire back. the wire wouldnt go back. now its absolutely perfect, as nice as the front brakes.
if i have to take off some bolts to adjust, ill just take off 1 bolt. i would have run it all the way back except i like that it breaks inside inthe frame if i ahve to remove the bar, i dont have to run the entire housing again. any questions, pm me and ill giv eyou my cell.

I also have my rear brake locking up, very frustrating.
I tried everything, segmented housing, super expensive brake cables, with and without the barrel adjuster, with and without the noodle, nothing helps. I took the brake apart and cleaned it throughly but after re installing, nothing changed. The brake locks the wheel so I cannot use it at all, have to open it with my hands, therefore I just left it open but on a technical course with steep descends this is just asking for an accident to happen. Love the bike so much, I just hate the rear brake.

Did anyone find a solution in the meantime? Or should I get a Tririg Omega X. I'd wish these brakes would just work.

Talk to SuperDave.

I believe he might be able to help you.

David

Thanks! Just sent him a message.

here is what i experienced and did to resolve. same thing, brakes would lock up. squeeze lever, brake compresses, doesnt release.
the #1 culprit was that the caliper arm itself was hanging up on the carbon covering. what i found was that if you remove the brake with the 4mm bolt that afixes it to the frame, there is the serated washer, and then a flat washer underneath. that 'stack'height was such that the caliper was too far away from the frame and would catch on the carbon cover.
so i got a thinner flat washer and a thinner campy serated washer. that fixed that.
the brake action was still sluggish and frankly, trying to put that barrel adjuster inside the aerobar opening, covered by that carbon aerobar cover plate is not good. the bend from the right aerobar bullhorn through that opening and into the calpac area is too tight of a bend.
so i used a straight piece of housing from the aerobar, through that area, avoided putting the barrel adjuster there, adn put the barrel adjuster inside the head tube area basically under the calapc.
so to adjust if necessary, id have to take off the calpac with the 6 small screws instead of 2. i dont forsee making that adjustment too often, but its pretty damn smooth now.
good luck.

I've read and re-read this entire thread and as Burns-Red-In-The-Sun says in Little Big Man "There is a thing here that I do not understand and it makes my head hurt to think about it." Maybe I'm missing something - if I am, don't hesitate to let me know.
As I read it, this is a $10,000ish super bike and the effing brakes simply do not work. Owners are reduced to "buy this other cable and housing", "bend that spring", "disassemble completely and clean after use","spend $200 on another brand of brake", types of jury rigging to simply hope that the bike will slow or stop and then continue on it's way? With this many people complaining on ST alone, this is obviously a major design flaw. Why don't you owners simply insist that Felt totally remedy the situation or offer to refund the purchase? If I had paid that kind of money for a premium bike and was told "Oh, you can't let it it get wet or dirty. That's why it's unusable", I would go through the ceiling. We're not talking about some crumbly bar tape or a fragile bottle cage here -As Barchettaman says, we're talking about a normal function of a modern bike that is necessary for the basic safety of the rider.

I fully agree! I changed the cable/housing to Yokozuna (the super gliding fully lubed inside cable), i changed the WHOLE brake with a new one and...it gets stuck again with rain! I tried to clean it after every ride but that is simply not always possible.....

Love the bike, love the handling but Felt needs to do something here, especially for the "early adopters" whose Felt is apparently NOT compatible with Tri Rig's x omega....I want a reaction from Felt! At that price (with Di2 it came well over USD 10k) it can't be that we can ride just on sunny days and then hope for race day to be sunny as well..!!

thanks for saying it. Exactly what I am thinking right now!