Felt F series - head tube length?

CptKernow
CptKernow Posts: 467
edited October 2014 in Road buying advice
I'm looking to buy a Felt F1 frameset but am holding back a little as the head tube length seems infeasibly short.

I'm currently riding what would be classed as race geometry but this as a 145mm head tube cf 120mm on the Felt F series bikes. I already use a couple of spacers and am a bit worried I'd end up with loads if I got the Felt.

So, could anybody with an F series Felt bike comment on whether these bikes do have abnormally aggressive geometry, or if they are pretty much comparable with other race geometry bikes.

Thanks

Comments

  • dj58
    dj58 Posts: 2,223
    Have you seen this: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/arti ... 015-41831/

    120mm on the 54cm frame, says on the headset spec.

    Product Description
    The Felt F2 2015 Features are:

    Headset: FSA NO.38/42, 1.125 - 1.5 sealed cartridge bearing w/ Felt VariableHeight Cone Spacers (20mm PC, 4.5mm aluminum), 1x 10mm + 2 x 5mm PC headset spacers, Felt compression device, carbon fiber top cap & aluminum bolt.

    So if that is in addition to the 120mm HT length + (24.5 + 10 + 2 x 5 = 44.5) so if you use all the spacers 164.5mm.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    Yeah, I have the F1, as well as several other bikes. The F1 does indeed have a short head tube and a very aggressive position.

    Oddly, after riding it I found all my other bikes 'too high'! I changed out the stems on the other bikes to get a lower position on them.

    If you already use spacers on a bike with a bigger head tube, you will probably find the F1 too low. I normally slam my stems so it wasn't as big a drop for me when I got the F1.

    FWIW, the F1 is a great frame and a great race bike. I use mine as my training bike year-round and even occasionally race on it.
  • CptKernow
    CptKernow Posts: 467
    Thanks for the replies. Think I may hold out on the F1 unless I get to test one in the meantime. Am working my way down the spacers on my current bike but not ready to slam it quite yet!

    Am also considering a Cervelo R3 but as I have Campag stuff the BBright thing is putting me off slightly.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    CptKernow wrote:
    Am also considering a Cervelo R3 but as I have Campag stuff the BBright thing is putting me off slightly.

    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cam ... ign=115353

    This should be what you need to fit a Campag chain set to a Cervelo R3.
  • CptKernow
    CptKernow Posts: 467
    Pokerface wrote:
    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cam ... ign=115353

    This should be what you need to fit a Campag chain set to a Cervelo R3.

    Thanks again. I read somewhere that fitting these is a bit of an art form. Fortunately one of the few LBS around do Cervelo builds so if I do find an R3 at the right price I might not be on my own...
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    CptKernow wrote:
    Pokerface wrote:
    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cam ... ign=115353

    This should be what you need to fit a Campag chain set to a Cervelo R3.

    Thanks again. I read somewhere that fitting these is a bit of an art form. Fortunately one of the few LBS around do Cervelo builds so if I do find an R3 at the right price I might not be on my own...

    I (briefly) read that you may need to put some loctite on the cups when installing them to prevent creaking.

    FWIW, I also owned an R5 - basically the same as the current R3. Except for the paint job on the R3 - it's probably a better frame to ride than the Felt. I'm riding Spesh for all my other bikes now so may sell the F1 frame and replace with another Spesh frame. At least all my geometries will be the same then!

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