Well, you make a good point expressing your understanding of why the seatpost is a dual position model. I'll add to the list of reasons why I think this is a good idea:

• There is a succesful precedent for a multi-geometry seatpost construction in the industry already.
• The multi-geometry design gives customers something they think they want: Versatility. Whether or not they will go between a slacker and steeper seat configuration is tough to say. I wager they won't. Their fitter will likely position them steep and leave it at that. However, the flexibility to choose is something I think is wise to design in and something consumers will appreciate.
• Who knows where saddle design will go or what a customer will want to use. If a guy wants to use an ISM Adamo they will likely need it positoned in the rearward clamp even if they sit steep. You sit off the nose of this type of saddle. Also, with several new 30cm long saddles (as opposed to more tradtional 27cm saddles) such as the Profile Tri Stryke and the Fizik Arione Triathlon the chances of actually using the rearward clamp are actually reasonable for riders with a really long femur.
• From a sales perspective and for Felt dealers, this adds a lot of versatility that makes the dealer comfortable with flooring more bikes. He feels (somewhat rightfully so) that he can adjust the geometry. This means the bike has a wider "fit band" and one bike isn't married to a given geometry or fit philosophy. Imagine the controversy if the thing just had a fixed 78 degree seat angle with an aero, zero setback seatpost... People would freak.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

I'm glad they didn't put "S" bends on their. And Faris Al Sultan had pretty good luck with traditional bend aerobars at a little race in Hawaii last year....

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

wow, the angle of the chainstays is very 'interesting', or strange. i would imagine it has something to do with the unusual rear brake mounting ? and, from what i can see (not much), it appears that there is a bit of a rat's nest behind the chainrings. it will be interesting to see it in person ...

---

---

Where would you want to swim ?

Good observation. You'll also notice the bottom bracket of the frame is well below the crank bottom bracket. This is a continuation of the wheel cut-out under the wheel. Interesting.

For what it's worth, we actually hve orders for three of these bikes already.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

can you tell us the retail for the bikes on order?

I'm glad they didn't put "S" bends on their. And Faris Al Sultan had pretty good luck with traditional bend aerobars at a little race in Hawaii last year....


Are you glad they put an aerobar on the bike that jacks the price up $1,000 over what a good Vision or Profile bar would cost?

Regarding the Faris comment...c'mon, gimme a break. No one won or lost an Ironman because of the bend of their aerobar extensions, Faris had good luck because he was the best athlete that day, not because of his bars.

---

---

Portside Athletics Blog

Thanks for the explanation, I knew I had read you talking about this before.

I'll be curious to hear Super Dave's response.

---

---

Portside Athletics Blog

Response to what?

If kept at its full depth, the downtube would hit the front wheel, we've interupted it so the front wheel fits. We've also got a much deeper aspect ratio on the headtube itself. There is so much going on with the front of this bicycle that simple cycling fashion can be ignored. The small gap you see is of little consequence when on the trailing edge of the spinning wheel. The rear cut out is on the leading edge. The same goes for the brakes, both on the leading edge. The entire rear surface of the bicycle has a sharp trailing edge with an aspect ratio greater in the horizontal plane greater than the UCI allows for. There isn't so much as a binder bolt or rear brake to interfere with the surface. In the tunnel we ran the downtube all the way to the front tire and it made no difference in drag. However, lowering the downtube and allowing for the wheel to tuck in allowed an increase in the aspect ratio in the horizontal plane, a figure not regulated by the UCI. Also worth noting is the width of the bicycle, it simply disappears behind the fork. You really much see it side by side against other bicycles to appreciate how narrow it is. We took lots of other fast bicycles into the tunnel to help develop the airflow models for this bike. Old defunct seatstayless designs like the SBII and Lotus were resurrected and run through the tunnel.

-SD

I've been asked to let Felt handle the release of official information regarding their '07 line-up.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

First off, Dave...great looking bike! I'm sure you'll sell all you can get your frame vendor to make!

Here's what disappoints me, however--using your own words from a very old post you made a long time ago: It would be really cool if someone would make the fastest bike possible--UCI rules be damned.

Why not you guys?? What % of people on this board do UCI races? (USAT doesn't follow them, right??).

I know, from a marketing perspective, UCI-legal has some cache, but you guys are perfectly situated (not too big, not to small) to make the leap.

Unless, of course, they want to leap into Pro Tour-type sponsorship - in which case they'd need a UCI legal bike...hmmmmm.

---

Jim Manton / ERO Sports

We are very committed to pursuing the goal of creating the most aerodynamic bicycle period. The UCI still plays a huge roll in marketing bicycles, I won't connect the dots for you, but without compliance, the product languishes as invalid.

I suspect that less than 1% of the current buying population have to adhere to UCI rules, and 99% of them buy UCI legal bicycles.



-SD

---

https://www.kickstarter.com/...bike-for-the-new-era

well the bike pictured is a "no holds barred" setup so they obviously went all out on the spec. I'm sure the lower spec'd, or shall we call them "realistically" spec'd bikes will have more cost effective aerobars and wheels.

That being said, who wants to see a boring normally spec'd bike on ST expecially after all the hype that built up on this frame. I want to see hot pimped out bikes like this!

I hope so, someone said they called a dealer though and that was the only setup that was going to be available.

On another note...so you haven't gone to bed yet and I am up and headed out for my morning ride?

---

---

Portside Athletics Blog

Out of interest Dave, you you tell us how much better the new frame is compared to the old B2 one?
I know that it's an unfair question, you obviously want to create demand for the new bike but what really does all this aero tweaking get us?
Thanks in advance,
SteveMc

hey working late cutting wheel decals and working on some replica bikes actually...

the spec sheets that I saw suggested that it'll be availible in a full range of spec. Actually the price range I saw looked TOO full and I'm guessing it was just an early season guess.

I guess offering only one build would be in a way making a statement about how top notch Felt thinks this bike is but I'm sure in real life it'll be offered in the typical 105/ultegra/da type groupings. And if it follows the trend set by other Felt carbon bikes we'll see stepped down more affordable versions with cheaper carbon layups as well as the top end pricier bikes. Felt is a genius in selling fast bikes across their entire price range, I doubt they'll screw it up here;)

I liked Dave's answer to the down tube cutout, I never thought of it as a necessity so that the downtube won't hit the wheel... Looks cool to me though now that I've seen it a few times (a bit weird at first) and hey looks is half of what sells bikes these days;) Otherwise we'd all be riding the same bikes we bought a few years ago!

Am i the only one wondering where the B2 is? We've seen the DA, now where's the new B2? Is there indeed a new B2, or have you brought back the DA to replace it?

(Am i missing something here?)

---

---

blood, sweat...and big gears

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ''Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.''
- Muhammad Ali

I like it but how much more is the frame/fork compared to a PC3? I think anything over $3100 would be a bit overpriced.

Dave in VA

[reply]Am i the only one wondering where the B2 is? We've seen the DA, now where's the new B2? Is there indeed a new B2, or have you brought back the DA to replace it?

(Am i missing something here?)[/reply]

I think somewhere a page or two back it mentioned that the DA will be carbon while the B2 will maintain the aluminum frame/carbon rear triangle. Dunno if the B2 will change at all while keeping those materials or if it will remain unchanged.

B2 is the same frameas the DA (carbon and all), different fork, dura ace, and I'll leave out the rest of the spec because I doubt they want everything out there right now (if you read carefully, I'm not writing anything that hasn't been revealed already, so I'm safe). The price on the B2 is absolutely unbelievable - shocking to me, really, and I'll just say it backs up Slowman's pondering about the Giant Trinity Alliance 1's price point (read his article for an idea on that). The DA is outstanding, but the B2 will be the big seller.

---

Jim Manton / ERO Sports

Since you said it first, I'll just confirm that I've also heard the same thing...specifically, that the B2 frame will be full carbon, just a different lay-up than the DA. I haven't heard anything about specs, however. I'm just hopingthat it'll be possible to get the DA/B2 as a frameset or with a scaled-down Dura-Ace kit. See my earlier post about the DA's wheelset and aerobars.

---

Shawn
TORRE Consulting Services, LLC
http://www.TORREcs.com

I agree with you. Sounds like maybe the B2 will be what people like you and are looking for. Different layup carbon (like the Seduza vs. the Lucero) but still the aero frame and without $3,300 worth of wheels and aerobars.

---

---

Portside Athletics Blog

Oops, forgot to mention the different carbon lay-up. The B2 will be spec'd very well for it's price point, but reasonable. Great, great bikes.

---

Jim Manton / ERO Sports

---

----------
Fortitudine Vincimus

If the prices are right (and they're Felt's, so that's pretty much a given), those bikes are gonna kill it at the dealers this year.

Very nice, all of 'em.

---

float , hammer , and jog