Felt Bicycles

Founded: 1991
Country: United States
Range: High-performance road, gravel, triathlon, and e-bikes
Price segment: Mid-to-high price range
Reputation: Felt is known for its innovation in aerodynamics and carbon fiber technology, catering to serious athletes and competitors. The brand has a legacy in professional racing, including the Tour de France, Ironman World Championships, and the Olympics.
Appearance: Sleek and lightweight with a focus on aerodynamic performance, particularly for road and triathlon models.
Overall quality: Very high, with cutting-edge materials like carbon fiber and advanced frame designs that maximize speed and efficiency.
Durability: High, particularly in carbon fiber frames known for strength and performance, though sensitive to misuse like stationary trainers or improper handling.
Customer service: Strong, with a focus on dealer-based support and comprehensive warranty options, particularly for frame defects.

Who or What is Felt Bicycles?

Felt Bicycles is an American performance cycling brand founded in 1991 by Jim Felt in California. Initially known for producing triathlon bikes, the company quickly gained a reputation for building fast, aerodynamic, and high-performance bikes. Over its history, Felt expanded its offerings to include a range of road, gravel, track, and cyclocross bikes, all engineered with a focus on speed and competition.

Throughout its evolution, the company has been driven by innovation, particularly in the use of carbon fiber and aerodynamic design, setting new standards for bike performance in competitive cycling. Felt bikes have been ridden to victories in major global events, including the Tour de France, Ironman World Championships, and the Olympics.

In 2021, Felt was acquired by Pierer Mobility AG, a major player in the e-mobility market, signaling the brand’s entry into the e-bike space. This acquisition further positioned Felt as a significant player in the electric bike market, while maintaining its strong heritage in performance and race-oriented bicycles.

What Makes Felt bikes Good or Unique?

Felt Bicycles’ unique selling points are centered on performance, innovation, and competition. One of the brand’s key differentiators is its pioneering use of carbon fiber in bicycle frames, which significantly reduces weight while maximizing strength and stiffness, making their bikes faster and more efficient.

Felt is also recognized for its aerodynamic designs, especially in triathlon and time trial bikes, where every element is engineered to reduce drag and enhance speed. Their track record in elite competitions—Tour de France stages, Ironman championships, and Olympic gold medals—further underscores their reputation for building bikes that are among the fastest and most advanced in the world.

Another unique aspect of Felt is its commitment to constant innovation. The brand has set benchmarks in suspension systems for mountain bikes and aerodynamic development for road bikes. With their acquisition by Pierer Mobility, they are now blending their expertise in performance bikes with advancements in electric mobility, aiming to bring cutting-edge e-bikes to the market.

Felt Electric Bikes of 2024

Felt Bicycles produces a wide range of bikes, all focused on high performance. Their categories include road bikes, gravel bikes, triathlon and time trial bikes, track bikes, and cyclocross bikes. Each of these categories is designed with a focus on speed, efficiency, and competition, making Felt a preferred brand among athletes. They also offer hybrid and fitness bikes, targeting a broader range of riders who prioritize both performance and comfort.

More recently, Felt has ventured into the e-bike category, focusing on both commuter and performance e-bikes. Their e-bikes are designed with the same emphasis on lightweight materials, advanced suspension, and high-end motors, offering electric assistance without compromising the performance characteristics that the brand is known for.

Price of Felt bikes

In terms of pricing, Felt Bicycles typically falls within the high-end range. Their road and triathlon bikes, which feature advanced carbon fiber frames and aerodynamic technologies, are priced at the higher end of the market, often ranging from several thousand to over ten thousand dollars, depending on the model and specifications.

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Felt bicycles History

Felt Bicycles was founded in 1991 in California by Jim Felt, who originally worked as a motorcycle mechanic and fabricator. His transition into bicycle design came through his involvement in triathlon bikes. Felt’s early success came when athletes using his bikes won key competitions, leading to widespread recognition for their innovative design and performance focus.

From its beginnings, Felt became a pioneer in cycling technology, particularly in the development of aerodynamic and carbon fiber frames. The brand’s philosophy has always centered on speed, performance, and technological advancement. This commitment led to the creation of bikes used by top athletes in prestigious events like the Tour de France, the Ironman World Championships, and the Olympics. Over time, Felt also expanded its range to include road bikes, mountain bikes, track bikes, and more recently, gravel and e-bikes.

In 2017, Felt was acquired by Rossignol Group, which marked a strategic shift as the brand narrowed its focus to emphasize performance bikes and streamlined its distribution network.

In 2021, Felt was sold again, this time to Pierer Mobility AG, a company that has become a major player in the e-bike market through its brands like KTM and Husqvarna. This acquisition marked Felt’s entry into the broader e-bike space under Pierer’s growing e-mobility division.

Felt’s history is characterized by its dedication to performance and speed, reflected in its sponsorship of professional athletes and teams in cycling and triathlon. Throughout its journey, the company has maintained its reputation for innovation, continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible in bicycle design.

Timeline of Felt

1991: Jim Felt founds Felt Bicycles in California, focusing on building high-performance triathlon bikes.
1994: Felt bicycles gain attention after athletes using them achieve major victories, especially in triathlons.
2001: Felt partners with Bill Duehring and Michael Müllmann to officially launch the company as a complete bicycle brand.
2007: Felt begins sponsorship of professional road cycling teams, including the Garmin-Chipotle squad, further boosting its reputation.
2011: Felt continues expanding its product range, including introducing more road, track, and gravel bikes while refining its use of carbon fiber.
2017: The Rossignol Group acquires Felt Bicycles. The brand focuses on streamlining its offerings, centering on performance bikes.
2021: Pierer Mobility AG acquires Felt Bicycles as part of its strategy to dominate the global e-mobility market.
2022: Under Pierer Mobility, Felt shifts towards developing high-performance e-bikes, expanding its reach into the electric bicycle market.
2023: Felt continues to innovate within the e-bike market, releasing models targeting both commuters and performance-driven cyclists, with further integration into Pierer Mobility’s portfolio.

News about Felt in 2024

In 2024, Felt Bicycles is expected to further its involvement in the electric mobility sector, under Pierer Mobility’s strategic vision for growth in e-bikes. Press releases have highlighted ongoing developments in Felt’s product lineup, particularly focused on enhancing their e-bike range.

The company is reportedly working on leveraging advanced battery technologies and lightweight materials to maintain its edge in performance cycling, now with electric assistance. Although details about specific 2024 models are still emerging, Felt’s integration into Pierer’s larger e-bike strategy points to further innovation, especially in the urban commuter and gravel categories.

There have also been organizational changes within Pierer Mobility that are expected to influence Felt’s operational strategies. This includes relocating some production and research efforts to partners in India and China, aimed at reducing costs and accelerating product development timelines.

Additionally, there are discussions about Felt’s increasing role in the North American market, where it is expected to compete more aggressively with other high-performance e-bike brands. These developments align with Pierer’s ambition to make Felt a key player in global e-mobility, while still maintaining its legacy in non-electric performance bikes.

This strategic focus is anticipated to result in new e-bike models tailored for both competitive cycling and everyday commuting, blending Felt’s tradition of speed with modern e-bike technology.

Felt Contact and Warranty

To activate the warranty, customers must register their bike with an authorized Felt dealer at the time of purchase.

Felt Bicycles offers a limited warranty covering their frames and proprietary components. For most models, Felt provides a lifetime warranty on the frames, which applies to the original owner of the bike. However, this warranty only covers defects in materials and workmanship, not damage caused by wear and tear, accidents, misuse, or modifications. Components from third-party suppliers (such as drivetrain parts or suspension systems) are typically covered under the manufacturer’s own warranty, not Felt’s.

Felt is very clear that certain modifications, such as repainting the frame or using the bike on stationary trainers, may void the warranty. The company emphasizes that bikes, especially those made of carbon fiber, are designed for real-world riding, and activities that apply abnormal stress to the frame, like mounting it on a rigid trainer, are discouraged due to potential damage.

Felt Bicycles Contact Information

Website: www.feltbicycles.com
Email: You can reach them via their online contact form, accessible through their support page.
Social Media:
- Instagram: @feltbicycles
- Facebook: Felt Bicycles
- Twitter: @feltbicycles
Phone: Not directly available on the site, but inquiries can be made through the dealer network or via the support form on their website