Felt F70

Price Paid:  $900.00 at SuperGo Bikes (now P

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
No Cars Please

Bike Setup:
Profile Design Century Aerobars, Profile Design Elite Strada Seat Post, Profile Design Triathlon Saddle, Replaced with Neuvation Wheels, with a Polar S625X cycling computer.

Summary:
Good for a beginner getting into cycling or triathlon. Despite the Shimano 105 components, will still yield good performances at an intermediately high level of competition, as the frame is relatively light with carbon fork and seat stays.

Strengths:
Frame (aluminum & carbon).

The crankset is solid

The wheels are strong (and relatively lightweight)

Weaknesses:
Saddle = crap & gives I bet gives men Erectile Disfunction.

Pedals will screw up your knees DO NOT USE.

Components are a bit low - stock back cassette wore out fast.

Bottom bracket tends to loosen.
Frame geometry: has a rather long top-tube requiring those with shorter than average torsos to suffer.

Similar Products Used:
First road bike, no other products tested.

Price Paid:  $600.00 at JD James

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Terrington Bank, North Yorks, Uk

Bike Setup:
Stock apart from Shimano SPD Pedals

Summary:
1st road bike bought after braking wrist falling off my mountain bike - needed some way of maintaining fitness while out of action.

Never thought I'd say this, but I really enjoy road biking.

Awesome bike for the money. Good looking, Light + decent kit. Really pleased with the purchase

Strengths:
Value for money, spec, weight, nice looking bike.

Weaknesses:
60cm frame is very flexy - bike squirms under aggressive climbing/acceleration
(I am quite big so can't complain for money).

Buckled rear wheel when only use was a turbo trainer! No problems with wheelset after true + retention at LBS.

Crack appeared on wishbone seat stay. Felt have inspected and apparently this is only cosmetic - they put a sticker over it. I hope they're right.

Pedals binned immediatly - made of cheese.

Price Paid:  $750.00

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
bealach na ba

Summary:
i'm a skinny road runner - no bike legs - who bought this to avoid embarrassing myself in a fun race, but can make this light firm frame go like a train. absolutely flies on the flat, is light enough to accelerate up the hills (even with two rings) and I only get a sore bum after about 70-80 miles.

Strengths:
light for the price, firm flex means you can take off.

Weaknesses:
a bit of mucking about with front 105 gears.

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Petes

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Blue Ridge Parkway up from Cherokee

Bike Setup:
2005
Triple-FSA Gossamer
105 Group
Shimano 550

Summary:
Solid all around performer. I logged about 2k on this bike w/o any problems. The frame was stiff and responsive, maybe a bit harsh, but fast and fun to ride. I had a triple version and had no problems in NC or NH, plenty of gears. This bike was mistaken for a more expensive bike on several occasions where I took full advantage of the oogling from tourists and casual bike riders.

Strengths:
Value, durable, sweet looks

Weaknesses:
Hard to say, you get what you pay for. I would have upgraded the 550s to something with less flex to make the ride more efficient

Similar Products Used:
First bike

Price Paid:  $825.00 at Spin Lite Cycles

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Topoco/Deal's Gap Loop

Bike Setup:
bike poorly set up out of shop

Summary:
-Superlite alloy frame with carbon
wishbone seatstays. The same frameset
used on more expensive Felt bikes
-carbon fork and seatpost
-105 levers, derailleurs
-tektro brakes
-CA(?)wheelset
-FSA Gossamer triple crank

I had grown weary of my problematic Bianchi Veloce triple and was looking to move into something more carefree. I had almost committed to an 07 Specialized Allez Elite when I found this NOS 05 F-70 in a shop. I loved the yellow/black color scheme and the fast, no-nonsense frame design. I've ridden her about 500 miles now and am impressed with the stiffness and stable nature of the bike. I live in mountain country and appreciate how this bike climbs when I'm out of the saddle (a welcome change from the Bianchi which was no fun in this regard). The wheels are the weakest link in the chain and I'll probably change them out first, but so far no problems.

Strengths:
Very clean, beefy, straightforward frame design compared with the swoopy, curved seattubes and stays on many comparable frames. The frame is fast and stable.
-Good component choice for the money. The 105 shifters are techno "snick, snick" compared to the heavy and solid ratcheting of my old Campy bike.

Weaknesses:
Rather cheap wheelset
Even though this bike is a triple, the 11-23 cluster isn't low enough for the Smoky Mountains unless I get out of the saddle.
Hubs were too tight, cluster loose, crankarms loose, and shifter wires stretched out when bike left shop.

Similar Products Used:
Bianchi Veloce
Speckialized Allez Elite