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Felt DA 650 seatpost issues??
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I just built a Felt DA 650 for a friend last night, the bike ranks high with style points. However we had one major dilema, the seatpost. The seatpost does not want to move easily up and down the seattube. This makes adjustments very difficult. We greased the snot out of both the post and the inside of the seattube, but still had to yell and scream while trying to make adjustments. Has anyone else had these issues, and how did you resolve them?
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Re: Felt DA 650 seatpost issues?? [jTenniswood] [ In reply to ]
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This is a difficult bike to work with. It is best to let someone do it who has had the correct instruction in maintaining and servicing the seatpost/seat clamp area. For each of these bikes we assemble we have our Felt Factory Rep, Dave Koesel (superdave on this forum) do the bottom bracket installation (also tricky, done incorrectly it tends to damage the threads and/or become loose on this frame) and install/maintain the seatpost and seat clamp area. These bikes are delicate and easy to damage in assembly. If you let an authorized Felt dealer do the work is is under warranty. If not, you're on your own. Let it be someone else's problem for the $$$ it takes to assemble the bike. It's cheap insurance.

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
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Re: Felt DA 650 seatpost issues?? [Tom Demerly] [ In reply to ]
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The seatpost clamp is not the issue, the tolerance between the seat post and the seat tube appear to be to close. Due to the tear drop shapes, the friction points are large. My theory is that the aluminum on the inside of the seattube has oxidized and has made the tolerance even tighter.

As far as the having the authorized dealer build it for him, he did not feel confident in the dealer to have it done properly, perhaps he should rethink his position I will suggest this to him and make him aware of the warranty issues.
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Re: Felt DA 650 seatpost issues?? [jTenniswood] [ In reply to ]
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We had big problems inserting the seat posts into the seat tube of the frame. This was an issue since last year (2002) the seat posts had a habit of slipping downward during riding. For 2003 the new bikes (the all black with white graphics, 2003 model year)have closer tolerances between the seat tube and seat post. They are difficult to insert and adjust due to this tighter fit. As a result, it is common to scratch the seatpost during insert/adjustment. Becasue of this we make all positional adjustments on DA 650s and DA 700s from "high to low" and try to nail the customer's correct saddle psotion as it moves downward. It is a delicate and sometimes frustrating process that, done incorrectly, will result in damage (generally cosemetic, but we have seen one complete disaster). The reason why a Felt dealer should take responsibility for this is the same reson you don't do your own dentistry. It isn't exactly rocket science at all but perhaps better left as another person's problem (who isn't doing their first one). Good luck, be careful.

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
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Re: Felt DA 650 seatpost issues?? [jTenniswood] [ In reply to ]
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I don't want to overstate the obvious, but do you have the "push cam" installed correctly? The "clamp" of this post needs to be configured so the curve matches the frame.

Have you called Felt?

1-866-4-felt-usa

I've got a DA, the post is quite snug, but moves without blemmish if I'm careful about the clamp being fully disengaged.

Good Luck.

SuperDave

https://www.kickstarter.com/...bike-for-the-new-era
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Re: Felt DA 650 seatpost issues?? [SuperDave] [ In reply to ]
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Yes, the face of the cam which makes contact with the post is in the correct position. Before we tried putting the post in the frame we loossened the cam bolt, pushed the cam back with my finger and then attempted to install the post. Because of the nature of the riders fit, we had to put a considerable amount of post into the frame, approximately to the level 6 mark the, friction between the post and the seat tube was high. After getting the post in to a certain position it lossened up and has begun to move much better. I am just used to posts sliding in and out with little friction until the the seat clamp is tight. I believe we have the issue solved with a little patience and elbow grease.

Ps. The bike is very stealthy looking, I hope it is not as fast as it looks, this guy is in my age group this year.
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Re: Felt DA 650 seatpost issues?? [jTenniswood] [ In reply to ]
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I'm glad you seem to have discovered a solution. The bike is very fast, I've mostly been impressed with its ability to corner and handle out of the saddle efforts. Many "slippery" bikes suffer from a lack of communication between the front and rear. The P3 comes to mind, as does the seattubeless Kesterl whose name escapes me ...500.. something. Despite the 76 degree seat angle, I could use this bike in a criterium if I had to, its agility and nimble handling make it great for courses with numerous turns and hard accelerations.

Enjoy and watch your back!

https://www.kickstarter.com/...bike-for-the-new-era
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Re: Felt DA 650 seatpost issues?? [jTenniswood] [ In reply to ]
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I have a DA 700 and have had lots of fun with the seat post. When I first got it it would stay at the height I wanted it then eventually it sat correctly. Then it got stuck and had to travel to races with a bike bag with the seat sticking out. Loosened that and once again was too loose and fell down.

The method of fastening the seat post is weird but is probably the best way with the seat post that shape. The main question I have about it is why use a 1/8th inch allen key?? It is way too small and when you have to use the key backwards to tighten, it flexes soo much. Think if the key was a bigger size most of the problems would be solved!
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