Update:
Felt stepped up huge, and saved the day. See the latest post for more details. 
Huge thanks to Felt.
Help!
Was out this morning doing a last checkout ride of my bike before IMWI on Sunday.
Bike is a 2007 Felt B2.
The bike has been creaking a lot recently, which I isolated to the seatpost area. Figured it was the seatpost/frame creaking, as it would come and go, depending on how I was sitting in the saddle.
After the ride this morning, I was walking the bike into the garage, and lifted up on the seat. The whole seat assembly came up.
The clamp is still attached to the post and is not broken, and the seat does not slide down past that, it just has nothing holding the front part of the clamp to the frame. The metal sleeve that goes inside the frame is fractured at the juncture between the clamp and the frame.
What are my options at this point? I know others have had similar failures and the clamps were replaced. How long is that procedure? Can it be done between now and Saturday when I check in the bike?
If not, will riding the bike with the clamp as-is risk further damage the frame?
I have another bike ( 2004 Felt S25, coverted to roady ), so absolute worst case, I have that as an option to ride.
Argh! At least it happened today and not on Saturday/Sunday.
Go to get a grip hey have it in stock! Don’t forget to wear your compression sox and crocks 
Dude, you’re scaring me. I have an '07 B2 as well, and also have “creaking” noises. I wasn’t going to tow my other bike along, but I think you just changed my mind.
Good luck!
creaking noise comes from the cable under BB, just wet it or lube the cable housing where it enters the frame, it will disapear. Rest assure the te clamp snaps without any warning
Good info Islandman. I remembered that issue, but couldn’t remember where it was.
Bike is currently at Machinery Row Bikes in Madison ( where I am ), as they are the local Felt dealer ( bought it originally from the now defunct Mission Bay in Elgin, IL ).
Still haven’t heard anything from Felt yet though, and they only have a web contact form on their website now, which I filled out this morning. Not even a form reply saying they got my issue. Just the web page which says, contact your local Felt Dealer.
Machinery Row took pictures to document it, and is trying to talk to their Felt Rep about what the options are. If a size 54 frame gets to Machinery Row tomorrow, they’ve said they can build it up in time.
Keeping my fingers crossed, and trying not to freak out too much.
-Chris
Alrighty, I have an update. And it’s a good one.
The bike shop ( Machinery Row in Madison ) got in touch with Felt, and worked it out. A new frame is on it’s way, and it’ll be built up tomorrow ( Friday )!
The new frame isn’t free, but it’s a good deal for me (and it’s a 2010 B2 vs my busted 2007 B2), and I don’t have to worry about trying to shim/epoxy/whatever the bike to make it rideable for Sunday.
So, a huge thanks to Felt and Machinery Row, both stepped up bigtime in my eyes, and I’m very grateful to both.
I own 2 Felts already, and based on the service I’ve just had, that number is going to keep growing.
“If” it does not arrive I can get you a 56cm B2 of the same year in 30 minutes or less. The bike is currently in Rockford just south of Madison.
Glad to hear that. I haven’t had an issue with my Felt but posts like this remind me why I bought it in the first place and why I’m looking for another one. Good luck at IMWI.
Very generous of you Chip. Nice to see everyone stepping up in this situation.
chris
Good deal. Glad to see Felt helped you out. Just wondering though. Is the break in the metal collar/insert that looks to be inside of the frame? Is the carbon compromised at all? Just thinking the metal collar/insert could be replaced, no?
I have a B12 that I’m very happy with, but do get nervous when I read stuff like this.
The new frame isn’t free…
The Felts have a lifetime warranty, so why is it not free? Are they saying it’s your fault or something? Or would the “free” warranty version be repair your existing frame?
The new frame isn’t free…
The Felts have a lifetime warranty, so why is it not free? Are they saying it’s your fault or something? Or would the “free” warranty version be repair your existing frame?
Taking off my “entitlement” hat, it’s a 3 year old bike. I’ve ridden a lot of miles on it. Nothing is indestructible.
Felt could well have said, “we’ll fix it free, send us in the frame and we’ll send it back in a few weeks after we fix it”. If I had more time, that may have even been an option, I just don’t have any time. I had 48 hours before bike check-in for the race is closed.
Instead, Felt offered to send a brand new frame overnight so that I’m riding again by tomorrow. I don’t expect that to be free, and I’m paying a very fair price for the upgraded (2010 bayonet2 vs 2007 non-bayonet) and brand new frame.
I’m very happy with Felt for how this was handled. The kind of service they showed is why I plan to continue riding Felt bikes. They didn’t just offer a one-size fits all policy, but went outside the box and came up with a way to get me back on a bike in ~24 hours from when my bike broke.
Alrighty, I have an update. And it’s a good one.
The bike shop ( Machinery Row in Madison ) got in touch with Felt, and worked it out. A new frame is on it’s way, and it’ll be built up tomorrow ( Friday )!
The new frame isn’t free, but it’s a good deal for me (and it’s a 2010 B2 vs my busted 2007 B2), and I don’t have to worry about trying to shim/epoxy/whatever the bike to make it rideable for Sunday.
So, a huge thanks to Felt and Machinery Row, both stepped up bigtime in my eyes, and I’m very grateful to both.
I own 2 Felts already, and based on the service I’ve just had, that number is going to keep growing.
I was sorry to read about your issue with a Felt. I’m glad everything worked out. Sorry we no longer had any old B2 frames left, I hope the new frameset eases your mind a bit for Sunday. The new frameset has an all new seat collar set up which is less sensitive to being overtightened, but nonetheless, take care to keep the torque on those two pinch bolts that hold the seatpost to 5Nm.
Triple check all your current dimensions and take your time measuring up the new frameset, try to replicate the postion as best as you can. Sorry everything came together last minute, but I hope you can relax a little now.
-SD
That wasn’t intended as a slam on Felt at all, but as a Felt owner I’m just kinda curious. Being 2 days shy of the event certainly limited your options, and I’m glad they stepped up.
But is that kind of damage even repairable? I thought it wasn’t. So that being the case, what would their solution be? You say “it’s a 3 year old bike” but a lifetime warranty sure oughtta last a whole lot more than 3 years. Anyone else had an issue w/Felt that didn’t have the urgency with it?
Before they toss out that old frame, it would be worth it for you to at least attempt to keep it for “posterity”, which actually means selling it on ebay to someone who would be willing to epoxy in the seatpost in a fixed location. Otherwise, that’s just an awful waste.
Chris
Is the break in the metal collar/insert that looks to be inside of the frame? Is the carbon compromised at all? Just thinking the metal collar/insert could be replaced, no?
SuperDave, can you shed some light on this?
Is the break in the metal collar/insert that looks to be inside of the frame? Is the carbon compromised at all? Just thinking the metal collar/insert could be replaced, no?
SuperDave, can you shed some light on this?
In theory, the metal insert could be replaced, just like the dropouts can. The issue with doing this in-house at Felt is the alignment needed to re-bond the insert and correctly clean and ensure no parent material was damaged when the broken part is removed.
In these rare cases Felt just replaces the old frame with an alloy insert with a new one with a full carbon design and replaceable clamp (not integrated).
Regards,
-SD
i have a 2008 felt b2. a few months after i bought it, the bayonet fork was rubbing pretty bad on the fork, to the point where it was very visible. my lbs took photos and sent them to felt where they decided they wanted to take a look at it. felt sent the shop shipping labels to my lbs and they sent the frame to felt. after about two weeks and their inspection of it, they decided to sent me a new frame. no issues on the warranty and i was pleased with their work with my lbs. i haven’t had any problems with my bike since.