At the 2015 Sea Otter Classic, we got a first look at the brand-new 2016 cyclocross bikes unveiled by Felt Bicycles. Each change may seem subtle, but as an entire package, the new carbon cyclocross bikes (F1x, F3x, F4x) have hopped the barrier to become completely modern machines. The aluminum models keep the same frames, but adopt the latest components.
Felt Bicycles already had an Editors' Award-winning carbon platform for its cyclocross bikes, but it wasn't perfect. Tire clearance was limited, and the Alex Road Tubeless wheels and Vittoria TNT XL tire pairing wasn't reliable at low pressure. Technology has also changed since the carbon platform was introduced, with single chainrings and thru axles being all the rage nowadays.
The company went back to the drawing board and has added a number of subtle changes that add up to a pretty impressive bike line from what we saw at the 2015 Sea Otter Classic.
See all the changes to the Felt Bicycles line in the slideshow below:
Move Over Scott, It’s a Lightweight Tie
The company has added the TeXtreme material to all its carbon cyclocross frames. The Swedish carbon fiber aligns the fibers into carbon tape, not yarns, and allows more carbon and less resin, for reportedly increased stiffness and less weight.
There’s now a higher grade Felt F FRDx (Felt Racing Development) carbon cyclocross frameset above the previous flagship F1x. The frame uses a higher grade of TeXtreme carbon and Felt UHC Ultimate carbon fiber, and weighs a paltry 850g, the lightest production cyclocross frame we know of.
Just a few days ago, we saw the new 2016 Scott Addict CX cyclocross frameset, which claimed to be the lightest frameset available at 890g for the frame, and 360g for the fork. That claim still remains true when the fork is included, but it’s a tie. Felt’s frame is lighter, its 400g fork is tad heavier, and it comes out a wash. Both framesets tip the scales at 1250g, lighter than many carbon fiber frames alone.
Felt offers its top-of-the-line ultralight frameset, the $1999 F FRDx cyclocross frame (shown built), with a higher grade of carbon than complete bikes. 850g frame, 400g fork. 2016 Felt Bicycles cyclocross bikes. FRD stands for Felt Racing Development. © Cyclocross Magazine
