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Felt Bicycles

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Felt Racing, LLC
Company typeLimited Liability Company
IndustryBicycles
Founded1991; 33 years ago (1991)
HeadquartersRancho Santa Margarita, California, U.S.
Key people
Jim Felt
ProductsBicycles
ParentPierer Mobility
Websitefeltbicycles.com
Felt head badge

Felt Racing is an American bicycle brand based in Irvine, California. Felt produces road, track, cyclocross, electric bicycles, and cruiser bikes. All design is completed in the United States and the majority of production comes from Asia.[1] The company also has a strong reputation in the time trial/triathlon bike area[2] and for several years provided bicycles to UCI teams in the Tour de France. Felt still supports several professional level race teams including Hincapie Racing and Team Twenty 16.

History

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Felt was founded by Jim Felt in early 1994[3] when Felt products were distributed by Answer Products. Felt nearly disappeared from the domestic market following a fallout with Answer after a seven-year relationship.[4] The brand was relaunched in 2001 as an independent company.

On February 3, 2017, Rossignol Group announced the acquisition of Felt Bicycles.[5] The announcement noted that Felt had grown to $60 million in revenue at the time of sale, though terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Rossignol announced in March 2022 that it is selling Felt Bicycles to Pierer Mobility.[6]

Technology

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Felt has developed several unique bicycle technologies. For its time trial/triathlon bikes, Felt has developed the Bayonet Fork, which utilizes an external steerer in front of the head tube for additional stiffness and aerodynamic efficiency.[7] Felt has also developed the Equilink suspension system for its full-suspension mountain bikes.

Felt extensively utilizes wind tunnel and computational fluid dynamics modeling in its frame design process.[8]

Recall

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Felt has issued a recall of 2009 Felt model B12, B16 and S32 road bicycles because the steerer tube can break, causing the rider to lose control, fall, and suffer injuries.[9][10]

Sponsorships

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The Felt bicycles used by the NFTO team at the Edinburgh round of the Tour Series in May 2016

In 2007 Felt sponsored the Slipstream–Chipotle bicycle team. In 2009, Felt signed a three-year agreement to supply frames to the Garmin–Slipstream team.[11] On August 28, 2010, Garmin–Transitions announced it was switching working agreements from Felt Bicycles to Cervelo bikes and change its name to Garmin–Cervélo for the 2011 season. Felt chose not to exercise its option with the Boulder-based cycling team after a four-year working agreement. The Cervélo TestTeam folded and some riders moved to Garmin–Cervélo.[12] From 2012 to 2013 Felt Bicycles was the bicycle sponsor for Argos–Shimano with team rider Marcel Kittel winning four stages of the 2013 Tour de France.[citation needed] In 2014 Felt became the bike sponsor to the US Continental team, Hincapie Sportswear Development Team.[citation needed]

The US Women's track cycling team won a silver medal riding Felt bicycles at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.[citation needed]

Jennifer Valente won two gold medals, one in the Omnium and another in the Team Pursuit, riding Felt bicycles at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.[citation needed]


Athletes sponsored by Felt

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  • Felt Beachcruiser ZERO SEN
    Felt Beachcruiser ZERO SEN
  • Felt Q650
    Felt Q650
  • Felt Verza QX75 (2011 model)
    Felt Verza QX75 (2011 model)
  • Felt B2 Pro with Felt edition Zipp wheels
    Felt B2 Pro with Felt edition Zipp wheels
  • Felt Z85 road bicycle with Aluminium frame
    Felt Z85 road bicycle with Aluminium frame

References

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  1. ^ "Where was my bicycle made?". Aushiker.com. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  2. ^ Jez Loftus (16 Nov 2007). "Felt Slipstream Chipotle Team Bikes". Bike Radar. Retrieved 2010-08-04. The American Slipstream/Chipotle pro cycling team has started to gear up for the 2008 season with new team bikes and colours. [They] will be racing Felt's top of the line production models. This comprises DA, F1, F1 Sprint and Z1 frame and forks.
  3. ^ Gary Boulanger (Aug 9, 2008). "Interview: Jim Felt, aerodynamic guru". BikeRadar. Retrieved 2012-07-17. Jim Felt founded his bicycle company in 1994.
  4. ^ "Felt History". Retrieved 2010-08-04.
  5. ^ Smurthwaite, James (Feb 3, 2017). "Felt Bicycles Acquired by Rossignol Group". Outside. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  6. ^ Smurthwaite, James (23 November 2021). "Rossignol Sells Felt Bicycles to KTM Parent Company". Outside.
  7. ^ James Huang (May 11, 2008). "Pro Bike: David Millar's Garmin-Transitions Felt DA". Cycling News. Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2010-08-04.
  8. ^ Gary Boulanger (9 Aug 2008). "Interview with Jim Felt". Bike Radar. Retrieved 2010-08-04.
  9. ^ "Felt Bicycles Recalls Bicycles Due to Fall Hazard". U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Archived from the original on 2010-07-10. Retrieved 2010-08-04.
  10. ^ "Felt Bicycles recalls road bikes due to aluminum steerer tube failures". Velo News. Jul 3, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-04.
  11. ^ James Huang (September 5, 2008). "More team sponsorship news for the 2009 season, Garmin/Chipotle-H3O extends with Felt". Cycling News. Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2010-08-04.
  12. ^ "New agreement for garmin". The Denver Post. August 28, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
  13. ^ "Felt Bicycles".
  14. ^ "Triathlete".
  15. ^ "Velo Outside Magazine".
  16. ^ "A busy summer for Tim DeBoom". Slowtwitch.com.
  17. ^ "Felt Bicycles".
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