I’m going to get either an F3 or an orbea opal TDA–same price, basically the same spec. I am gung ho about the idea of Felt tri bikes but it seems that few people clamour over Felt’s road offerings. I always hear about how felt offers a fantastic spec at the price but little about the ride quality of their frames. Just looking at the bikes, the felt is close to a pound lighter than the orbea. But the orbea has a better waranty and IMO better finish. I’d like to buy the felt but I don’t want to have any regrets.
BTW if anyone says buy the one that fits better they deserve to get hit on the head with a hammer. Pretend that I’m past that point and they both fit equally well.
I’ll give you a little more direct answer…
I have a 2 year old top end Felt road bike (non-carbon). It is light, very responsive and rides better than my 15 year old steel bike (…duck…) and mid-range alum tri bike. No complaints and I would buy a Felt again. IMO - They offer a great price point.
That being said - I think handlebars and the right saddle can make a world of difference…
Have you ridden both of the bikes? See if you can take them on extended test rides (1-2 hours each) so that you can get a true sense for how they handle in a variety of conditions.
FWIW, I think the Orbea is a great bike. The Opal is basically a trickle down from the original Orca, which was a great bike IMO. I can’t fairly compare the two, as I have never ridden an F3 though…
If it makes a difference to you, Orbea is still made in Spain, and the oldest “bike” company in the world, although they didn’t begin making bikes until the 1920’s or 30’s… from the 1500’s until then they made guns and munitions. As far as I know, Felt bikes are made over-seas.
As far as I know, Felt bikes are made over-seas.
Spain is “over seas” too 
As far as I know, Felt bikes are made over-seas.
Spain is “over seas” too
You beat me to it.
I think we have a new winner for ‘xenophobic post of the year’.
I have a several year old Felt F50 road bike. Its the all aluminum version, before they went to the carbon seat stays. I bought it used and it’s been an awesome bike. I still get compliments on it. I agree with the other poster who stated that Felt makes a great bike at a great price. I don’t think you can go wrong either way, but if it were me I’d go with the Felt as I’ve had nothing but a positive experience with mine.
I’m not sure there is too much clamoring on this forum about any road bike. And on the larger forums, I think there are so many road manufacturers, that you don’t have as much consensus as you do with tribikes. There are certainly many more good road bike makers than good tri bike makers. For instance, I would say that Orbea does make a good road bike, because they have good craftsmanship AND good geometry. The craftsmanship is there with their tribikes, but the geometry is not. Road bike geometry, on the other hand, is well established. It is where Dan & I would like to see tri bike geometry. So, from that perspective, there is often less of a compelling reason to buy a particular road bike. It more often comes down to things like warranty, weight, etc.
So, with that in mind, I think you can feel good about:
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Felt engineers all their own bikes. They don’t buy “open molds.” I don’t know what Orbea does. But I know that while Felt bikes are made in Asia, they are designed in the USA.
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Felt uses top-quality materials. I know they did purchase their carbon from Torayca. Hopefully SuperDave can say if this is still the case or explain if/when/why they have changed.
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They are good enough for the Slipstream boys. Like CSC with Cervelo and Discovery with Trek, you are getting the same bike the pros ride. (Orbea sponsors Euskatel, so this doesn’t separate the two, but it should help you feel good about buying a Felt generally, though not necessarily “over” an Orbea).
Lastly, despite not being “Made in the USA,” Felt is an American company, with American employees. So if supporting American industry is important to you, then know that you are still supporting American ingenuity with a Felt purchase.
In the interest of full disclosure, I will be sponsored by Felt in 2008, though I’d like to note that I approached them about sponsorship because of the things I listed. “I like Felt bikes *and *I’m sponsored,” **not **“I like Felt bikes *because *I’m sponsored.”
In the interest of full disclosure, I will be sponsored by Felt in 2008, though I’d like to note that I approached them about sponsorship because of the things I listed. “I like Felt bikes *and *I’m sponsored,” **not **“I like Felt bikes *because *I’m sponsored.”
Hmmmmm… Somehow I Felt that this announcement was coming Great choice.
I like Felt bikes. Hope this helps me convince a stubborn kid that you should be always open to change. 
Best wishes,
Sergio
I love my Felt and they make some amazing road bikes. Not sponsoring a pro tour team or any major team besides Slipstream keeps their bikes a bit in the shadow of the road world but they are definitely a force to be reckoned with both value wise and performance wise. The F3c and F2c are awesome bikes (as are the f5c and f4c for the price) race worthy, great handling and stiff. The F1c is on another level. I ride a F3c right now which is the same frame as the F2c and same geometry and design, just a different layup as the top shelf F1c. Love the bike. Unfortunately I’ll be switching frames next week but it’s due to other reasons than not liking my Felt. If you are looking for a used but in great condition F3c frame, size 54cm, just let me know.
when it comes to road race bikes, these things are tools. for me, it’s no different than buying a hammer or a cordless drill. there are good ones and bad ones, but at a certain point they’re all good. both the bikes you mention are plenty good. i just bought a felt for my wife. it was felt’s cross bike. a lot of bike for the money. good value, good company. but i’d just as easily have bought an orbea. or a scott, or a trek or cannondale, or any number of other brands. tri bikes, it’s different, because a lot of companies haven’t figured out the geometry yet. but road bikes, that’s a mature industry, most companies have got that down.
me, the difference is in road groups, specifically with the shifters. campy has it all over shimano in terms of comfort, so i don’t give much thought to the frame i’m riding, much more to the road group.
Thanks Dan, you just took all the fun out of buying a road bike! So what now, do we judge on paint, price and components?? Sigh no fun;) No fun but I secretly have to agree as well. Well agree with the bike brand thing, on the shifting Shimano is kicks Campy’s ass.
Oh and on the bike thing, you forgot to mention that you also really have to look at what a brand offers in terms of frame types. I’m picking up a Fuji SL1 and although I don’t doubt that both Fuji and Felt make awesome bikes (as do most brands) from what I’m hearing from friends riding both bikes the Fuji is a rocket ship but then again when you do a frame with pretty much straight shot seat stays and oversized tubing I guess that’s what you get right!
“Thanks Dan, you just took all the fun out of buying a road bike!”
well, as you know i think a road bike is pretty much just a tool. you don’t think buying tools is fun?!
Jordan - would you say that the new Ordu doesn’t have the right geometry either? And is this due because of the 76 degree seat angle or something else?
I ask because that bike had quickly jumped to the top of my list for new tri bikes and would fit me excellently.
As far as I know, Felt bikes are made over-seas.
Spain is “over seas” too
Not if you’re in Spain/Europe!
I’m not… but that’s besides the point!
As with the points you listed, I like Felt (the company) alot.
I guess with just so many choices I just want something that stands out in performance for my money.
I’m not worried that Felt isn’t the “hot” road bike of the moment, I’m just concerned that I almost always see them discounted online and the reason people aren’t flocking to them has to do with some hidden flaw that I’m unable to devine.
I’ll just have to take the plunge next week sometime. On Saturday I’m going to tool around on them some more to help me decide. I’d love to get them both…but that damn powerball just hasn’t come through for me.
The orbea looks sweet…
That said while looking at Felt’s website last night I thought the F3’s black and gold color scheme would make a sweet “Go Stiller’s” type ride.
i agree with slowman that as far as what you have mentioned it is a huge whatever. as far as these whatever-bikes go, felt is good.
but, it doesn’t have to be that way. the custom road bike market is enjoying an incredible golden age right now, for numerous reasons. for the same ching as a modern tool-like whatever chinese molded bike, you could really have a very very sweet bike that reflects your own personal style and intended use to a “T” from any number of incredible hi-end boutique-level small builder’s with some personality, and subsequent unique enjoyment of ownership if you appreciate something finely crafted, as opposed to mass production mold-grown.
I have been told by a rep here at my LBS in Colorado Springs that Orbeas are made in Asia and painted in Spain still. I am not sure if that is true or not, but perhaps it warrants a bit of investigation.
As to the original question, my LBS sponsored me on a F3c two seasons ago and while I thought it was very well made the fit just wasn’t very good for me. I would base my decision on which bike fit better as either one is undoubtedly very good.
No knock against Felt, but if you can’t get excited about the bike then it probably isn’t the bike for you. Pure and simple. I like Felt. I like their bikes, and I like them as a company. I like the fact that they’re sponsoring two friends of mine in 2008. I don’t know that I’d buy one, but I do like them. Same goes for Orbea (though I admit I do know less about Orbea the company - but I do like the rep for Western Canada). Odds are you’ll never see me owning a Cannondale or a Trek - not because they don’t make good bikes, but simply because I don’t really care for them.
You need a bike that you can get excited about riding. One that you’ll look forward to riding. One that you’ll love riding. It doesn’t have to be the latest and greatest, or made of fancy materials (what ever happened to the beryllium bike?) - just a bike that you’ll want to ride. My favourite bike is a steel Benotto that I bought 2nd hand in ~1992. The frame is slightly large for me and it weighs as much as two new carbon ultralight specials. That’s fixed, so no extra gears/dérailleurs/cables/shifters to add weight.
I don’t even have a Brooks on it.
Go with your gut, and pick the bike that speaks to you. It could be a Felt, Orbea, Specialized, Cervelo, Pinarello, Masi, Merlin… It really doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s your bike. Then get out and ride that mofo!
As far as I know, Felt bikes are made over-seas.
Spain is “over seas” too
Not if you’re in Spain/Europe!
Or if you’re in asia, technically. but then, i guess, if you’re in europe, asia isn’t overseas. (trans-ural?)
I’ve had the good fortune of working for both Felt and Orbea and have great things to say about both brands. I’m a bit concerned about your perception of the frame’s warranty differences. What is it that Orbea offers that Felt doesn’t?
With regards to the look of each brand. Felt has always had a very clean appearance, the first few seasons they only came in matte black with white decals, and the dark look continues to dominate the color schemes the bikes are based on. Orbea on the other hand uses Colnago-esque paint jobs and has offered multiple schemes and finishes for years. Their paints and fades are loud and racy, and truth be told, I’ve always loved my old Orbea track frame paint job:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos.php?id=photos/2003/aug03/nastrack08/BBteambluehandoff1
A shot of a former teammate of mine and I; both riding our Orbea’s.
I’ve found that arguing the look of a particular color or graphic package is one that results in a big waste of time. It seems like the clean crisp look of Felt is here to stay and is often characterised as one of the reason’s people choose our brand.
Please let me know if you have any questions about the Felt F3 or any of Felt’s products, or even anything about Orbea, as I have a fair bit of knowledge regarding their bikes as well.
Regards,
Dave Koesel
ROAD Brand Manager
Felt Bicycles