2011 FELT

[DuncanS]

felt 1.3 42cm bar 320g
felt 1.1 90mm stem 159g

As measured on my kitchen scales last night when i swapped them for a KCNC/Ritchey superlogic II incidently!

Thanks. Were these off a 2011 or 2010 bike? The component descriptions for 2011 are different - no longer called 1.1 and 1.3. I don't know whether the components have changed or only the names.

[HEN12Y]

from a 2010 AR3 thanks mate.

Handlebar: Felt 1.3 2012 triple butted aluminium

Stem: Felt 1.1 2014 aluminium 3D forged

[53x12]

So I put in a team order for the '11 Felt F1 frame. Bad thing is that it probably won't arrive until early '11 (January/February). Just gives me more time to finalize the build I guess.

[spud]

Dave,

When the new F series was being developed, was a curved top tube design considered? can you comment on the usefulness (or lack thereof) of curved top tubes? Seems to me that it would allow a little extra fore/aft mobility of the head and seat tubes, which might provide a little more comfort.

Of course, I could be all wet on this one.

TIA,

Tom

[SuperDave]

I'm very pleased to say that I just took my 2011 Felt AR3 out for its second decent ride and I'm thrilled with the machine. I can only compare to my old 2007 TCR C1 but the bike feels so centered, stiff in the right ways and dead silent in any wind conditions.

As far as the WW factor goes, the glossy list complete bike at 7.26kg. After adding Ultegra pedals, swapping tyres for conti 4000s and swapping the cassette for a Red 11/23 u did a dodgy kitchen scale weigh which came in about 7.49kg. Accounting for the part changes (I looked them up in the listings) the original weight should have been spot on spec at 7.26.

On the subject of head tube and stack height - so far the only fit adjustment I've made is to drop the bars to the lowest setting, no spacers. Feels perfectly comfortable to me. This is on a 56 frame; I'm 178cm.

Superdave, thanks for all the info that you provided that helped me decide on this bike. I do have one last question: Do you happen to know the raw weight of the bars and stem? I'm yet to do my bike fit and would like to know the weight in case I need/decide to swap either them out.

For '11 the 40cm width is 288g. I don't have a 42cm here to weigh. The stem sample I've got (now on my MTB) in 9cm is 142g. Each cm is 6-9g.

How did you run your derailleur cables? I like to see the different set ups and how the ideal routing varies by bar height and stem length.

-SD

[DuncanS]

SD, the guys at the shop played around and decided on this cable arrangement (hopefully the link works):



http://img217.imageshack.us/i/imagetod.jpg/

This is with spacers still in, but I haven't changed the routing since dropping the stem. With spacers in, I did get a bit of cable slap on bumps, where the rear brake cable crosses the head tube. This is with rear brake habdle on left bar, so there is quite a tight bend from the bar exit to the tube. Perhaps would not be a problem with rear brake on the right. I didn't notice the slap with the spacer removed but have put a bumper sticker on for protection anyway.

Thanks for the weights - probably an opportunity to shave 100-150g if I get the urge to change bars.

[53x12]

Duncan, just thought I would embed your pic for easier viewing:

[chiltonp]

Duncan
Would you mind posting full pictures of your bike, I'm very interested in the 2011 AR3. How do you feel the bike climbs?

SuperDave
Can you share the MSRP on the 2011 AR3?

[53x12]

Can you share the MSRP on the 2011 AR3?

$4999: http://www.feltbicycles.com/USA/2011/Ro ... s/AR3.aspx

[HEN12Y]

I like that, mine currently crosses over the top of the stem, and can get in the way of the computer, may try that when I get home!

Duncan, just thought I would embed your pic for easier viewing:

[DuncanS]

Here we go, full bike images. I couldn't get the codes out of the iPhone app last night, so back to the laptop..

[chiltonp]

Nice ride, thanks.

[KWalker]

When are the FCs going to be available?

[53x12]

The FC should start rolling in early next year according to my LBS.

[KWalker]

any availability from the factory? I'm looking for something quite a bit sooner than that.