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FELT Innovation, Technology & Aerodynamics

FELT was founded in the early 1990s and has been known from the outset for its expertise in the field of aerodynamics and its use of carbon fibre. FELT is a performance-driven brand which seeks to perfect the smallest details whilst maintaining the highest quality standards.

 

 

Extensive wind tunnel  testing

FELT has gained a reputation for focusing on the aerodynamics of its bikes. FELT pioneered such developments and was the first brand to use a wind tunnel to test its models throughout the entire development process. Wind tunnel testing enables detailed analysis of frame performance from the very first prototype right the way through to the final product. Once the manufacturing process is complete, the bikes are test-ridden by sponsored athletes and company employees.

The outcome of this process is not only a light, rigid product but also a bike that requires the production of fewer watts to travel at the same speed, ensuring a considerable advantage for the rider.

 
 

 

Getting the most out of carbon fibre

Synonymous with cutting-edge performance, carbon fibre is the material of choice for bike manufacturing due to its incredibly high resistance to weight ratio and degree of malleability. Carbon offers a limitless number of combinations in terms of elasticity, resistance and efficiency, but it requires special expertise. Carbon fibre is an ensemble of fibres, which are available in a variety of qualities and feature varying degrees of modulus. The higher the modulus, the greater the rigidity and the lower the weight. However, this doesn’t mean that the best bikes are made entirely of high modulus carbon fibre. Calculating an optimal blend and layering is key to ensuring an ideal balance between rigidity, resistance, weight and cost.

FELT’s latest innovation is the UHC Ultimate + TeXtreme®, a new ultra-high performance blend created using UHC Ultimate + Nano technology. Featuring for the first time in the new Nine FRD frame, this material consists of a quartet of uni-directional carbon fibre layers (intermediate modulus, high modulus, ultra-high modulus and 1K weave) so as to maximize rigidity and minimize weight. This is then covered with a resin consisting of nano particles to ensure a maximum degree of solidity.

 
 

 

Unique suspension platforms

Unlike most manufacturers, who simply integrate pre-existing platforms in their frames, FELT develops its own suspension platforms to ensure that each bike is equipped with the best possible components and moves with the bike in an optimal fashion.

With just one goal in mind, that of ensuring you get the best ride on all terrains and in all conditions, Felt has developed two unique technologies, Fast ® and Equilink ®, designed for different disciplines.

  • FELT Active Stay Technology (Fast ®) features on the brand’s XC bikes. The system is extremely light, efficient and low-maintenance, offering 100mm of travel and centring on a single-pivot designed specifically for carbon frames. Featuring a single-piece rear triangle, FAST ensures maximum control and exceptional comfort whilst also providing optimum performance by eliminating squat.
  • Equilink ®features on FELT's All-Mountain and Enduro models and was developed to actively absorb shocks whilst maintaining an extremely high level of pedal efficiency. A vertical bar links the upper and lower pivots and thus separates the opposing drivetrain and suspension action. This four-pivot system enables you to feel at home on both climbs and lightning-fast descents.
 

 

Design
methods

In order to design the best bikes, FELT uses a unique manufacturing method. The whole process (first diagrams, preliminary Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), creation of the first prototypes, wind tunnel tests, test in real-life conditions, finishing and in-store availability) can take several years.

The development process is the fruit of the tireless work of engineers, designers, product managers and sponsored athletes, all of whom seek to obtain the perfect form, the ideal geometry and the best blend of carbon fibre layers and types to make every single Felt bike unique.

 
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