Felt Bicycles
{{Short description|American bicycle company}}
{{Infobox company
|name = Felt Racing, LLC
|type = Limited Liability Company
|parent = Pierer Mobility
|foundation = {{start date and age|1991}}
|location = Rancho Santa Margarita, California, U.S.
|key_people = Jim Felt
|industry = Bicycles
|products = Bicycles
|revenue =
|homepage = {{URL|https://feltbicycles.com}}
}}
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.{{cite web|title=Where was my bicycle made?|url=http://aushiker.com/where-was-my-bicycle-made/|website=Aushiker.com|access-date=19 October 2014}} The company also has a strong reputation in the time trial/triathlon bike area{{cite web
|url=http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/felt-slipstream-chipotle-team-bikes-13213 |title=Felt Slipstream Chipotle Team Bikes |author=Jez Loftus |publisher=Bike Radar |date=16 Nov 2007 |quote=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. |access-date=2010-08-04}} 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
Felt was founded by Jim Felt in early 1994{{cite web |url=http://www.bikeradar.com/gallery/article/interview-jim-felt-aerodynamic-guru-17960/3/ |title=Interview: Jim Felt, aerodynamic guru |author=Gary Boulanger |date=Aug 9, 2008 |publisher=BikeRadar |quote=Jim Felt founded his bicycle company in 1994. |access-date=2012-07-17}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://2009.feltracing.com/09/content.aspx?catid=1540,5&pageid=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002191330/http://2009.feltracing.com/09/content.aspx?catid=1540,5&pageid=1 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=October 2, 2009 |title=Felt History |access-date=2010-08-04}} The brand was relaunched in 2001 as an independent company.
On February 3, 2017, Rossignol Group announced the acquisition of Felt Bicycles.{{cite web |url=http://www.pinkbike.com/news/felt-bicycles-acquired-by-rossignol-group-2017.html |title=Felt Bicycles Acquired by Rossignol Group |date=Feb 3, 2017 |first1=James |last1=Smurthwaite |work=Outside |access-date=2017-02-03}} 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.{{cite web | url=https://www.pinkbike.com/news/rossignol-sells-felt-bicycles-to-ktm-owners.html | title=Rossignol Sells Felt Bicycles to KTM Parent Company | date=23 November 2021 |work=Outside |first1=James |last1=Smurthwaite}}
Technology
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.{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/pro-bike-david-millars-garmin-transitions-felt-da |title=Pro Bike: David Millar's Garmin-Transitions Felt DA |author=James Huang |work=Cycling News |publisher=Cyclingnews.com|date=May 11, 2008 |access-date=2010-08-04}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/interview-jim-felt-aerodynamic-guru-17960 |title=Interview with Jim Felt |author=Gary Boulanger |publisher=Bike Radar |date=9 Aug 2008 |access-date=2010-08-04}}
=Recall=
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.{{cite web |url = http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10290.html
|title = Felt Bicycles Recalls Bicycles Due to Fall Hazard |publisher = U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
|access-date = 2010-08-04 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100710170334/http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml10/10290.html |archive-date = 2010-07-10 }}{{cite web |url=http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/07/news/felt-bicycles-recalls-road-bikes-due-to-aluminum-steerer-tube-failures_124377
|title=Felt Bicycles recalls road bikes due to aluminum steerer tube failures |publisher=Velo News |date=Jul 3, 2010
|access-date=2010-08-04}}
Sponsorships
File:NFTO bicycles.jpg in May 2016]]
In 2007 Felt sponsored the {{UCI team code|GRM|2007}} bicycle team. In 2009, Felt signed a three-year agreement to supply frames to the {{UCI team code|GRM|2009|nolink=yes}} team.{{cite web |url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=/tech/2008/news/09-05 |title=More team sponsorship news for the 2009 season, Garmin/Chipotle-H3O extends with Felt |author=James Huang |work=Cycling News |publisher=Cyclingnews.com |date=September 5, 2008 |access-date=2010-08-04}} On August 28, 2010, {{UCI team code|GRM|2010|nolink=yes}} announced it was switching working agreements from Felt Bicycles to Cervelo bikes and change its name to {{UCI team code|GRM|2011|nolink=yes}} for the 2011 season. Felt chose not to exercise its option with the Boulder-based cycling team after a four-year working agreement. The {{UCI team code|CTT|2010}} folded and some riders moved to {{UCI team code|GRM|2011|nolink=yes}}.{{cite web |url=http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_15919085 |title=New agreement for garmin |newspaper=The Denver Post |date=August 28, 2010 |access-date=2010-08-28}} From 2012 to 2013 Felt Bicycles was the bicycle sponsor for {{UCI team code|GIA|2012b}} with team rider Marcel Kittel winning four stages of the 2013 Tour de France.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} In 2014 Felt became the bike sponsor to the US Continental team, {{UCI team code|HSD|2014}}.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}
The US Women's track cycling team won a silver medal riding Felt bicycles at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}
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|date=August 2024}}
=Athletes sponsored by Felt=
- Daniela Ryf{{cite web |title=Felt Bicycles |url=https://www.feltbicycles.com/en-us/inside-felt/athletes/daniela-ryf.html}}
- Mirinda Carfrae{{cite web |title=Triathlete |date=14 February 2011 |url=https://www.triathlete.com/culture/news/mirinda-carfrae-opens-up-about-decision-to-ride-with-felt/}}
- Sarah Hammer{{cite web |title=Velo Outside Magazine |date=28 March 2011 |url=https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/sarah-hammers-world-champion-felt-tk1/}}
- Tim DeBoom{{cite web |title=A busy summer for Tim DeBoom |url=https://www.slowtwitch.com/Interview/A_busy_summer_for_Tim_DeBoom_2079.html |website=Slowtwitch.com |date=18 May 2011 |language=en}}
- Jennifer Valente{{cite web|title=Felt Bicycles | url=https://www.feltbicycles.com/en-int/inside-felt/athletes/jennifer-valente.html}}
=Gallery=
Image:FELT Beachcruiser ZERO SEN 01.jpg|Felt Beachcruiser ZERO SEN
Image:Felt Tomsk.jpg|Felt Q650
Image:Felt Ververza QX75.JPG|Felt Verza QX75 (2011 model)
File:Felt_B2_Pro.JPG|Felt B2 Pro with Felt edition Zipp wheels
File:Felt BS road bicycle.jpg|Felt Z85 road bicycle with Aluminium frame
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20010720022132/http://www.feltracing.com/ Felt Racing]}}
- [https://feltbicycles.com/ Felt Bicycles - USA web site]
- [https://can-en.feltbicycles.com/ Felt Bicycles - Canada web site]
- [https://eu-en.feltbicycles.com/ Felt Bicycles - European web site]
- [https://int-en.feltbicycles.com/ Felt Bicycles - International web site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830041419/https://int-en.feltbicycles.com/ |date=2018-08-30 }}
{{Commons category|Felt bicycles}}
{{American bicycle manufacturers}}
Category:Cycle manufacturers of the United States
Category:Mountain bike manufacturers
Category:Manufacturing companies based in Greater Los Angeles