Felt’s revolutionary TA FRD track bike has been awarded the prestigious “Bike Design of the Year” award from VeloNews Magazine. Here’s an excerpt from the January/February 2017 issue:
“When Felt engineers designed a new bicycle for the U.S. women’s team pursuit squad they tried to overcome a problem that few knew existed. As it turns out, the aerodynamics of track racing are very different from those of traditional road cycling.
Their efforts created the TA FRD track bike, which has its drivetrain on the left side.
The design is no gimmick. Exhaustive wind tunnel testing and analysis showed that specific wind angles on a velodrome have a significant impact on the rider. Track cyclists always travel in a counterclockwise direction (it’s all left-hand turns), so more turbulent air flow over the left side of a track bike versus the right. Since drive-side crank arms are more aerodynamic than non-drive-side crank arms, moving the drivetrain to the left side reduces the portside drag.
Felt also redesigned the frame tubing to be asymmetrical from left to right, which also improves air flow at yaw angles specific to the track. Felt analyzed each airfoil section of the frame for optimal aerodynamics based on that section’s location on the bike.
Engineers embraced emerging 3D-printing technology during the design phase: The mock-up of each tube was printed in-house after engineers drew the initial shapes. The tubes were then assembled and the mock-up was taken to the wind tunnel for testing. After testing and tweaking, carbon molds were built from the final 3D-printed model. It took four years, but Felt developed a pursuit-specific weapon in time for a run at Olympic gold.
While the women’s team (already world champions) fell just short of their Olympic aspirations, earning silver, Felt’s TA FRD track bike was a success.”
We're incredibly excited to announce our new partnership with Rally UHC Cycling, which will see us serve as the team's equipment sponsor for the next three racing seasons. Both men’s and women’s contingents of the American-based, Pro Continental squad will ride the FR Disc in road racing events and the DA in time trials.
It's the most revolutionary track bike the world has ever seen. It's won two consecutive world championships. So what's it like to plunk down your hard-earned cash for the fastest track bike in the world? Meet David Fetah, an avid Masters track racer, retired finance executive, and the newest owner of a Felt TA FRD.
As 2018 comes to a close, we’re looking back on a year filled with incredible moments from our family of professional teams and athletes. The dedication these athletes put towards their competitive goals inspires us to ride, train, and push ourselves further, and it's also a vital component into how we create the best bikes.
Bike Sizing
IA 48 | ||
Compulsion XL (22") | Doctrine XL (22") | Surplus XL (22") |
Decree XL (22") | Dispatch 9 XL (22") | DD LG (21") |
Virtue XL (22") | Dispatch 7 XL (22") | 7 XL (22") |
Edict XL (22") | Nine XL (22") |
Compulsion XL (22") | Doctrine XL (22") | Surplus XL (22") |
Decree XL (22") | Dispatch 9 XL (22") | DD LG (21") |
Virtue XL (22") | Dispatch 7 XL (22") | 7 XL (22") |
Edict XL (22") | Nine XL (22") |
Compulsion XL (22") | Doctrine XL (22") | Surplus XL (22") |
Decree LG (20"), XL (22") | Dispatch 9 XL (22") | DD LG (21") |
Virtue XL (22") | Dispatch 7 XL (22") | 7 XL (22") |
Edict XL (22") | Nine XL (22") |
Compulsion XL (22") | Doctrine LG (20"), XL (22") | Surplus LG (20"), XL (22") |
Decree LG (20"), XL (22") | Dispatch 9 LG (20"), XL (22") | DD LG (21") |
Virtue XL (22") | Dispatch 7 LG (20"), XL (22") | 7 LG (20"), XL (22") |
Edict XL (22") | Nine LG (20"), XL (22") |
Compulsion LG (20"), XL (22") | Doctrine LG (20") | Surplus LG (20") |
Decree LG (20"), XL (22") | Dispatch 9 LG (20"), XL (22") | DD MD (18.5"), LG (21") |
Virtue LG (20"), XL (22") | Dispatch 7 LG (20") | 7 LG (20") |
Edict LG (20"), XL (22") | Nine LG (20") |
Compulsion LG (20") | Doctrine MD (18"), LG (20") | Surplus MD (18"), LG (20") |
Decree LG (20") | Dispatch 9 MD (18"), LG (20") | DD MD (18.5") |
Virtue LG (20") | Dispatch 7 MD (18"), LG (20") | 7 MD (18"), LG (20") |
Edict LG (20"), XL (22") | Nine MD (18"), LG (20") |
Compulsion MD (18"), LG (20") | Doctrine MD (18") | Surplus MD (18") |
Decree LG (20") | Dispatch 9 MD (18") | DD MD (18.5") |
Virtue MD (18"), LG (20") | Dispatch 7 MD (18") | 7 MD (18") |
Edict LG (20") | Nine MD (18") |
Compulsion MD (18"), LG (20") | Doctrine MD (18") | Surplus MD (18") |
Decree MD (18"), LG (20") | Dispatch 9 MD (18") | DD MD (18.5") |
Virtue MD (18"), LG (20") | Dispatch 7 MD (18") | 7 MD (18") |
Edict MD (18"), LG (20") | Nine MD (18") |
Compulsion SM (16"), MD (18") | Doctrine SM (16"), MD (18") | Surplus SM (16"), MD (18") |
Decree MD (18"), LG (20") | Dispatch 9 SM (16"), MD (18") | DD SM (16"), MD (18.5") |
Virtue SM (16"), MD (18") | Dispatch 7 SM (16"), MD (18") | 7 SM (16"), MD (18") |
Edict MD (18"), LG (20") | Nine SM (16"), MD (18") |
Compulsion SM (16"), MD (18") | Doctrine SM (16") | Surplus SM (16") |
Decree MD (18"), LG (20") | Dispatch 9 SM (16") | DD SM (16") |
Virtue SM (16"), MD (18") | Dispatch 7 SM (16") | 7 SM (16") |
Edict MD (18") | Nine SM (16") |
Compulsion SM (16") | Doctrine SM (16") | Surplus SM (16") |
Decree MD (18") | Dispatch 9 SM (16") | DD SM (16") |
Virtue SM (16") | Dispatch 7 SM (16") | 7 SM (16") |
Edict MD (18") | Nine SM (16") |
Compulsion SM (16") | Doctrine XS (14"), SM (16") | Surplus XS (14"), SM (16") |
Decree MD (18") | Dispatch 9 XS (14"), SM (16") | DD SM (16") |
Virtue SM (16") | Dispatch 7 XXS (14"), SM (16") | 7 XS (14"), SM (16") |
Edict SM (16"), MD (18") | Nine XS (14"), SM (16") |
Decree SM (16"), MD (18") | Doctrine XS (14") | Surplus XS (14") |
Edict SM (16") | Dispatch 9 XS (14") | 7 XS (14") |
Dispatch 7 XS (14") | ||
Nine XS (14") |
Decree SM (16"), MD (18") | Doctrine XS (14") | Surplus XS (14") |
Edict SM (16") | Dispatch 9 XS (14") | 7 XS (14") |
Dispatch 7 XS (14") | ||
Nine XS (14") |
Decree SM (16"), MD (18") | Doctrine XS (14") | Surplus XS (14") |
Dispatch 9 XS (14") | 7 XS (14") | |
Dispatch 7 XXS (12"), XS (14") | ||
Nine XS (14") |
Decree SM (16"), MD (18") | Doctrine XS (14") | Surplus XS (14") |
Dispatch 9 XS (14") | ||
Dispatch 7 XXS (12"), XS (14") | ||
Decree SM (16") | Dispatch 7 XXS (12") | |
Decree SM (16") | Dispatch 7 XXS (12") | |
Verza Speed Aluminum XXL (61) | Verza Speed Carbon XXL (61) | VERZAe LG (20") |
Verza Path XL (22") | LEBOWSKe LG (20") | NINEe XL (22") |
Outfitter LG (20") | ||
Verza CafÉ XL (21") | Verza Speed Carbon XXL (61) | VERZAe LG (20") |
Verza Speed Aluminum XXL (61) | LEBOWSKe LG (20") | NINEe XL (22") |
Verza Path XL (22") | Outfitter LG (20") | |
Verza CafÉ XL (21") | Verza Speed Carbon XL (58), XXL (61) | VERZAe LG (20") |
Verza Speed Aluminum XL (58), XXL (61) | LEBOWSKe LG (20") | NINEe XL (22") |
Verza Path XL (22") | Outfitter LG (20") | DUALe XL (22") |
TOTE'm LG (20") |
Verza CafÉ XL (21") | Verza Speed Carbon XL (58) | SPORTe 58 |
Verza Speed Aluminum XL (58) | LEBOWSKe LG (20") | VERZAe MD (18"), LG (20") |
Verza Path LG (20"), XL (22") | Outfitter LG (20") | NINEe LG (20"), XL (22") |
TOTE'm LG (20") | DUALe XL (22") |
Verza CafÉ LG (19"), XL (21") | Verza Speed Carbon XL (58) | SPORTe 58 |
Verza Speed Aluminum XL (58) | LEBOWSKe MD (18"), LG (20") | VERZAe MD (18") |
Verza Path LG (20"), XL (22") | Outfitter MD (18"), LG (20") | NINEe LG (20") |
TOTE'm LG (20") | DUALe LG (20"), XL (22") |
Verza CafÉ LG (19"), XL (21") | Verza Speed Carbon LG (56), XL (58) | SPORTe 58 |
Verza CafÉ W MD (18") | LEBOWSKe MD (18") | VERZAe SM (16"), MD (18") |
Verza Speed Aluminum LG (56), XL (58) | Outfitter MD (18") | NINEe MD (18"), LG (20") |
Verza Path LG (20") | TOTE'm LG (20") | DUALe LG (20") |
Verza CafÉ LG (19") | Verza Speed Carbon LG (56) | SPORTe 55, 58 |
Verza CafÉ W MD (18") | LEBOWSKe MD (18") | VERZAe SM (16"), MD (18") |
Verza Speed Aluminum LG (56) | Outfitter MD (18") | NINEe MD (18") |
Verza Path LG (20") | TOTE'm LG (20") | DUALe MD (18"), LG (20") |
Verza CafÉ LG (19") | Verza Speed Carbon LG (56) | SPORTe 55 |
Verza CafÉ W MD (18") | LEBOWSKe MD (18") | VERZAe SM (16"), MD (18") |
Verza Speed Aluminum LG (56) | Outfitter MD (18") | NINEe MD (18") |
Verza Path MD (18"), LG (20") | TOTE'm MD (18"), LG (20") | DUALe MD (18"), LG (20") |
Verza CafÉ MD (17"), LG (19") | Verza Speed Carbon MD (54), LG (56) | SPORTe 52, 55 |
Verza CafÉ W MD (18") | LEBOWSKe SM (16"), MD (18") | VERZAe SM (16") |
Verza Speed Aluminum MD (54), LG (56) | Outfitter SM (16"), MD (18") | NINEe SM (16"), MD (18") |
Verza Path MD (18") | TOTE'm MD (18") | DUALe SM (16"), MD (18") |
Verza CafÉ MD (17") | Verza Speed Carbon MD (54) | SPORTe 52 |
Verza CafÉ W MD (18") | LEBOWSKe SM (16") | VERZAe XS (14"), SM (16") |
Verza Speed Aluminum MD (54) | Outfitter SM (16") | NINEe SM (16") |
Verza Path MD (18") | TOTE'm MD (18") | DUALe SM (16"), MD (18") |
Verza CafÉ MD (17") | Verza Speed Carbon MD (54) | SPORTe 49w, 52 |
Verza CafÉ W SM (16"), MD (18") | LEBOWSKe SM (16") | VERZAe XS (14") |
Verza Speed Aluminum MD (54) | Outfitter SM (16") | NINEe SM (16") |
Verza Path SM (16"), MD (18") | TOTE'm MD (18") | DUALe SM (16") |
Verza CafÉ MD (17") | Verza Speed Carbon SM (51), MD (54) | SPORTe 49w |
Verza CafÉ W SM (16"), MD (18") | LEBOWSKe SM (16") | VERZAe XS (14") |
Verza Speed Aluminum SM (51), MD (54) | Outfitter SM (16") | NINEe XS (14"), SM (16") |
Verza Path SM (16") | TOTE'm SM (16"), MD (18") | DUALe SM (16") |
Verza CafÉ MD (17") | Verza Speed Carbon SM (51) | SPORTe 48, 49w |
Verza CafÉ W SM (16") | TOTE'm SM (16") | VERZAe XS (14") |
Verza Speed Aluminum SM (51") | NINEe XS (14") | |
Verza Path SM (16") |
Verza CafÉ MD (17") | Verza Speed Carbon SM (51) | SPORTe 48 |
Verza CafÉ W SM (16") | TOTE'm SM (16") | VERZAe XS (14") |
Verza Speed Aluminum SM (51") | NINEe XS (14") | |
Verza Path SM (16") |
Verza CafÉ MD (17") | Verza Speed Carbon XS (47), SM (51) | SPORTe 48 |
Verza CafÉ W SM (16") | TOTE'm SM (16") | |
Verza Speed Aluminum XS (47), SM (51) | NINEe XS (14") | |
Verza Path SM (16") |
Verza CafÉ W SM (16") | Verza Speed Carbon XS (47) | SPORTe 44 |
Verza Speed Aluminum XS (47) | ||
Verza Path SM (16") | ||
Verza CafÉ W SM (16") | Verza Speed Carbon XS (47) | SPORTe 44w, 44 |
Verza Speed Aluminum XS (47) | ||
SPORTe 44w, 44 | ||