Felt AR Advanced Disc brake bike Ultegra Mechanical in Aqua

Felt Bicycles Aero Road Advanced Disc UHC Advanced

• +TeXtreme carbon fibre, Manufactured with inside out construction,
• Carbon fibre BB386 bottom bracket shell,
• 12 x 142 Syntace Style thru axle,
• Flat mount disc Brake standard,
• Aluminium rear replaceable mech Hanger,
• Internal Electronic specific cable routing,
• High frequency vibration reducing seat post.

AERODYNAMICS
The aero paradigm has evolved. Gone are the elongated, deep-section, teardrop shapes and hard edges that were previously thought to be the most efficient at slicing through the wind. The latest industry research and theories have shifted aero bike development towards truncated, squared-off profiles (sometimes referred to as “Kammtail” designs) that have been optimized for real-world riding conditions. As a result, thoughtfully designed bikes will perform better during the actual riding and racing conditions that cyclists encounter most often. As the performance benefits of this new paradigm have taken hold, we’ve seen a validation of the speed gains ourselves. Our development of the new AR followed these theoretical models and industry improvements with more deliberate, hands-on efforts to advance our own platform.

PATENTED “FISH LIPS” DESIGN OPTIMIZES AIRFLOW
Okay, so it’s a funny name. But what it does is seriously cool. With a flared rear to the seat tube cut-out area, airflow off of the seat tube and onto the rear tire and wheel has been optimized for wider rims. And, with our patented design, the rider gets the benefit whether he or she is running 23mm, 25mm, or even 30mm tires.

INTEGRATED CHAIN CATCHER
For added security, we’ve built a nifty chain catcher directly into the frame so you can keep the speed going without mechanical worries.

AERODYNAMIC OPTIMIZATION : OBJECTIVE, UNWEIGHTED RESULTS
In the interest of transparency, we present the following data. These percentages are unweighted comparisons between the drag coefficients (i.e. aerodynamic efficiencies) of the new AR and the previous generation AR, conducted by independent operators of the world-renowned San Diego Low Speed Wind Tunnel.

The results were as follows:

0 degrees = 9.4% Faster*
-2.5 to 2.5 degrees = 7.0% Faster
-5.0 to 5.0 degrees = 5.2% Faster
-7.5 to 7.5 degrees = 3.2% Faster
-10 to 10 degrees = 0.7% Faster*
“Faster” is defined as more aerodynamically efficient than the previous generation Felt AR.

Based on the findings of our wind tunnel test results, the new AR is significantly faster than the previous generation AR at the ranges of yaw listed above. These data are incredibly significant, because contemporary research studies show that a cyclist spends the vast majority of his or her time (~90%) riding at yaw angles less than 10 degrees (positive or negative). Note that this is a conservative estimate, as most studies focus on the efforts of an individual cyclist riding alone, such as during a solo training scenario, time trial effort, or when a cyclist is attacking in a race and is “off the front.” It’s fair to say that a cyclist riding in a large pack of other cyclists, or peloton, could see upwards of 95-99% of their time spent at yaw angles of less than +-10 degrees.

DISC BRAKES & THRU-AXLES
Disc brakes are found on the entire Felt road line-up. Through testing and experience, we know that disc brakes can win races on the biggest stage. So from the beginning of the AR project we knew that the next-generation bike would have disc brakes exclusively.

On road bikes, disc brakes allow you to have more control over technical roads, to brake later into corners and carry more speed, and to perform in every type of weather condition, while always offering maximum control and confidence. Quite simply, over the course of a ride, disc brakes are faster due to all of this increased performance. From an aero standpoint, disc brakes can often be less aerodynamic than rim brakes on a road bike. So, to eclipse that hurdle and not only make the newest AR ride better, accelerate more rapidly, and stop with greater control, but also make it more aerodynamically efficient, we optimized the AR frame and fork development to include the use of disc brakes from the outset. We didn’t just add disc brakes to a frame. We incorporated disc brakes as part of the frame’s aero profile.

What you see is what you get: No gimmicks, just pure speed and function.

SEAMLESS THRU-AXLES
While a thru-axle system is a given on modern disc brakes, its benefit isn’t just the additional security of keeping the wheel in place. It translates to a better road feel, and a sense that you can really rail it on the bike. For those who’ve ridden disc-brake equipped bikes with thru-axles, you’ll understand that the added stiffness of a thru-axle helps make the bike feel exceptionally planted during out-of-the-saddle efforts, especially uphill. On our new AR, we took the added step of countersinking the front and rear dropouts and creating custom thru-axles with a flush-mount design. This ensures that there’s no random edge to catch the wind and decrease aero efficiency even the slightest bit. It’s a relatively small detail, but we always sweat the details.

COCKPIT & STEERING / HANDLING
We designed a brand-new and unique stem. Its oversized shape ensures the symbiotic, two-way transfer of road feedback to the rider’s hands and every last bit of rider power and torque to the road. Simply put, this stem was built for the world’s most powerful sprinters. It also allowed us to develop a method of running cables, wires, and hoses in an aesthetically clean way, while also tucking them away to further improve aerodynamic gains, and to make mechanical work nearly as user-friendly as a traditional-style stem. Best of all, the proprietary stem adds a tremendous amount to the AR’s incredible handling prowess. The bike corners like a dream with a light steering feel and a firmly planted sensation that makes you feel like you’re riding on rails. Fast yet functional—that’s what racers require.

SEATPOST & RIDE QUALITY
We pioneered a unique seatpost design for the previous-generation AR, and it offered such a high level of aerodynamic efficiency and a superb ride quality that we used it as a basis for our latest World Championship-winning triathlon bike. For our new AR, our engineering team fine-tuned the post’s shape as part of the complete airfoil project. In addition to a more aero profile the post still features the signature split design that serves three unique functions.

One, it allows for an aerodynamically optimized interface between the post and the frame’s seat tube junction; this means no extraneous clamps. Two, it allows the two halves of the post to flex and shear independently of one another, which increases overall rider comfort by mitigating the effects of high-frequency chatter and low-frequency big hits from making their way from the road to the rider. To ensure optimal ride quality, we created a co-molded insert that lives within the junction of the seatpost and seat tube, giving the entire interface added compliance and a super tuned ride. Third, the slotted seatpost design allows for the use of a proprietary clamping mechanism that is designed specifically around the unique properties of carbon fiber and intended to ensure maximum reliability. Rather than using a commonplace band clamp-style mechanism that would compress the leading and/or trailing edge(s) of the aero-shaped post, the AR’s system clamps each wall of the post against each inner wall of the seat tube. This not only ensures that the seat tube and seatpost will not be damaged due to unnecessary compression, it also results in a lighter overall setup thanks to the use of thinner carbon walls, as well as a more finely tuned level of compliance for rider comfort.

The new AR’s seatpost provides 112% more flex than the version on the previous-generation AR. Purists will say that an aero race bike shouldn’t be “comfortable.” But we disagree. A modest increase in compliance at the point where the rider rests the majority of his or her body weight makes for a more comfortable ride quality—this means that you can ride harder for longer, and that you’ll be less fatigued when you start your sprint to the finish line.