Felt Bicycles has announced the introduction of an all-new road bike – the Felt AR, designed to offer a greater aerodynamic advantage over standard road bikes.
Inspired by the direct desires of the Slipstream/Chipotle-H3O Pro Cycling Team, the AR combines already-proven Felt TT and track bike solo-effort technology and advantages while maintaining the necessary ride and handling characteristics of Felt’s road bikes.
“Wind tunnel testing has already shown that the AR is not only faster than all other road bikes in its class, in many cases it is faster than a great number of available TT bikes. In general terms, the new AR offers an approximately 2% saving over a standard road bike when in identical conditions. Depending on actual speed and wind conditions, this equates to a saving of 58-75(+) seconds over the course of a one hour ride.”
“The new AR frameset includes design highlights such as UCI-legal aero down tube, head tube, chainstays and fork blades, aero “wheelwell” conforming seat tube and shielded internal cable routing. The full carbon fibre monocoque design frame is built with Felt’s highest grade of carbon fibre, Ultra Hybrid Carbon (“UHC”). The aero bladed fork is also built with premium UHC carbon fibre and includes a full length carbon steering column.”
“UHC is a blend of three distinct fibre types (SB60, M30S and T700) each specifically layered and integrated based on their own unique attributes and characteristics. The new AR frameset also includes nano technology; the end result is an even stronger exterior, one which is considerably less susceptible to crack and impact damage, and offers greater compression and shear strength than carbon fibre without it. ”
“We consider the AR another step in the continued and ongoing development of our road bikes” says Felt US President Bill Duehring. “With all we have learned from our various time trial related projects, it seemed like a natural progression for us. Knowing the AR will now be a big part of the team’s equipment arsenal is really very exciting, especially going into the Tour de France.”
