2012 Felt F65x Gravel Grinder

Here's my new pride and joy set up as a road/gravel bike.  There's a ton of clearance front and rear for the "27c" Challenge Parigi-Roubaix tires, though mounted onto ENVE 29 XC rims the tire measures just a hair over 30mm.  One of my favorites about running disc brakes vs. cantilever when your bike is set up like this?  You don't have to be "that" guy showing up to a road ride with cantilever brakes!

What can I say about the new SRAM Red that I haven't said in previous posts?  It's really that good...

American Classic hubs have held up great so far, but with only a few hundred miles I would expect nothing else from them.  Engagement is a little slow compared to King or I9, but they sure are light!

ENVE rims have been spot on, but again only have a few hundred miles.  The internal nipples aren't my favorite since they require removal of the tire and rim tape to true, but I'm hoping a careful build with quality spokes will ensure they stay true for quite some time.

Clearance at the fork is huge even with a tire that measures over 30mm.  Of course, it should be since it's still had clearance with a Clement PDX mounted on a wide rim that was measuring 37mm.

Glamour shot from the rear.  The wheelset really sets this bike apart in my opinion, of course they retail for more than the stock complete bike so they should make a statement!

Hayes CX-5 still don't have a ton of miles on them, but have been a solid choice so far.  Performance is there, though the weight it a little high.  The weight can't be that big of a deal though since they weigh about the same as some Avid BB-7'.

Clearance in the rear is also massive.  Again, we'd expect nothing less since this is designed as a cyclocross bike with a fat smooth tire.

There she sits, I'm a fan.  More to come when the carbon version dubbed the F1x D finally arrives, which will hopefully be later this week.

New Review: 2013 Felt F65x Disc Cyclocross Bike

You heard it here first, disc brakes are awesome for cyclocross.  OK, maybe not FIRST, but I've been pushing for disc since about 2008, but the frame and fork selection was lacking.  Currently components are catching on, but now they're behind the frames.  With many manufacturers rolling out brand new carbon CX frames this year to add to their current aluminum setups, and component manufacturers flashing a glimpse here and there of hydraulic setups, we know this is the way of the future.

For my first full-fledged attempt at disc CX I went with the Felt F65x.  Why?  It's the best thing that's readily available without going custom.  The frame is very similar to the F55x, so I know it'll handle well.  The geometry is dialed for me, so much so that my Independent Fabrication Cross Jester is based on the stock 57cm Felt cross bikes.

There's a lot going on with this build, so I'm going to take this in multiple entries.  First, let's cover the bike, we'll cover the pros and cons of the build next, and later cover the performance advantages and disadvantages.

The F65x isn't the lightest bike I've ever owned, but with alloy clinchers, disc brakes, alloy cockpit, a Quarq, 2012 SRAM Red, bottle cage, computer mount, and set up tubeless this bike still came in under 19lbs.  I assume a carbon equivalent with some light race wheels will come in around 17lbs, give or take.

The stock bike comes with a SRAM Apex/Rival build, Felt CX3R wheels, Avid BB5 brakes, and a nice SRAM S300 BB30 crankset.  The rear is spaced at 135mm, exactly what I think will be the de facto spacing.  The build is solid, and probably better than I would expect for a $1750 bike with such a nice frame.

The stock fork is a super-beefy Felt UHC model which offering some really great stiffness and a better than average ride quality.  Off-road the bike tracks very well, though when overgeared and sprinting on the road I am able to make the rotors rub the pads occasionally.  At some point down the road, I'll be giving the ENVE Disc CX fork a try.

Off the bat I clearly made a number of changes.  The 2012 SRAM Red is probably one of the first things many people will notice.  I'm smitten with it, but you can read my review on it here.  The addition of a Quarq was of course necessary since I'm numbers-driven, but it's a swap from my other bike anyway.  Seatpost became a Thomson because I just flat out trust their work.  The stem is currently a Zipp Service Course SL until a Thomson Elite X2 comes in, and the bars are Zipp SLC2 Short and Shallow which have been with me for 3 years and on countless bikes.

I kept the stock BB5 brakes on board, primarily because I forgot to bring the BB7's in when building the bike.  So far, the performance has been extraordinary.

Now let's talk about the wheel swap.  I wanted to keep this build "reasonable", other than the Quarq and Red of course.  I wanted to come up with a wheelset that can be put onto the stock bike and shed a nice chunk of weight, provide a huge performance benefit, and offer the best tubeless compatibility.  I've been using Stan's wheels since I started in mountain biking and have loved them ever since.  This year I managed to ruin a few sets of rims, but I'm chalking it up to bad luck.  From 2005-2011 I used either the 355 or Crest rim from Stan's with nary an issue.  In 2012 I ruined 5 total rims.  Bad luck or bad product?  I don't know, but since that bad streak I'm back to pure gold with them.

Here's the beauty of the stock Crest wheelset: for $530 you get a 1575g claimed (we've measured them to be far lower, but never higher) wheelset which shaves a full pound from the stock Felt CX3R wheelset.  The Crest internal rim width is 21mm vs the stock wheels roughly 17mm width, which means much better grip from your tires.  If you aren't familiar with why wide rims are better, check here.  The final HUGE bonus?  Tubeless compatibility. 

I'll cover the swap more in an upcoming post, but there is one positive that's coming close to being a negative: the wide rims have turned my Clement Crusade PDX 33 tires into a 37c monster!  The grip is out of this world from a knobby 37c CX tire, but clearance is an issue.  The fork is fine, tons of room.  The rear seatstays are begging a 40c tire, but the clearance around the chainstays is tight with a tire this big.

The driveside chainstay on the F65x with the 33c tires and Crest rims is about 5-7mm or so.  Clearance on the non-driveside chainstay is about 4mm or so.  I'm fine with the clearance on the driveside until it gets really nasty, but it's close on the non-driveside.  Of course, the bike comes stock with 32c tires on standard-width rims and offers ample clearance.  It's not until you really push into a tire that's measuring over 37mm that clearance is even something to look at.

There are a couple of solutions to this:

1. Ride away.  I gave the bike a few hard corners and a number of over-geared road sprints and never got the tire to rub.  The photos make it look slightly worse than it is, but so far it's been fine.
2. Run a 32c tire.  There are plenty out there, but the PDX is a favorite of mine.
3. Stan's probably has the best solution, the Iron Cross wheelset.  Coming in about a mm more narrow, I think that'll offer the breathing room to make me feel just fine about running this wheel/tire combo on this frame.  Plus, the name Iron Cross is just so damned good, you know!?

Tubeless setup with the Clement PDX, though not necessarily endorsed by Clement, was a breeze.  Literally, mount one side of the tire, toss some sealant in, mount the other side, inflate.  It was as fast as installing a tire with a tube.  Now you can run lower pressure without worrying about a pinch-flat, get better traction, and severely reduce the likelihood of a flat.

There you have it.  Disc CX is here and it's awesome.  Review on the performance from the brakes and the wheels are coming soon.  Until then, act now and get a disc CX bike.  Before you know it manufacturers will have tons of wheel options for tubeless and tubular, the brake options will be plenty, and you'll wonder why we didn't make the transition sooner.....damn you UCI!

Clothing Sale!

We find ourselves with far too much 2012 clothing when we know 2013 clothing is coming soon.  Rather than end up with WAY too much in the store, we're going to equip you with the clothing you want now.  Help us help you, yeah, that's it!

Check it:

Don't wait too long.  The best sizes will go fast, don't miss out!  If you miss out, don't say we didn't tell ya.  'Cause we did.

New Review: Mavic Cosmic Carbon SLE with Exalith

We received this review from a customer and partner in crime, the one and only Mr. John Bistolfo.  He rides like crazy, mixes it up in a race here and there, tears up trails, and has been known to show up at a CX race or two in full Tuxedo.  Trust what this dude says, he knows what he's talking about:

I’ve been wanting to get myself some aero wheels for a couple years and for many reasons I held off.  Cost, wet-braking, and style were among some of the reasons.  For years I’ve ridden Mavic wheels off-road and after hearing good things about the SLE wheels—especially the Exalith technology—I jumped on a set. 

I’ve got about 1200 miles on the wheels and I’m still psyched every time I ride.  The wheels have transformed my rig and my rides.

Speed is synonymous with the wheels.  I had heard aero wheels are “harder to get up to speed” but I haven’t really noticed a big difference.  I definitely notice an advantage at certain speeds.  18 mph is the first bump, then 22, then 24 mph.  24 mph is where I’ve really noticed the wheels working for me.  Holding speed is much easier and they’re rock solid when you’re rolling around 30 mph.

The transfer of power is also a noticeable advantage.  The wheels are stiff and give nice propulsion when hammering on the pedals.  When rolling at speeds in the mid 20s they give a good kick when you push them.

I’ve been riding a lot of hills with the wheels.  Even though “they” say aero wheels are too heavy for climbing I’ve enjoyed riding in SW Wisconsin with them.  My typical ride would include about 2000’ of climbing for a 50 mile route.  Whatever disadvantage I have from the weight when climbing is made up on the descents.  These are solid bullets on a descent, they roll fast and hold steady. 

The wheelset comes with Mavic tyres – the Yksion GripLink (front) and PowerLink (rear).  The tyres are great and provide good traction.  I rode wet roads this past weekend and they performed well.  This was also a good opportunity to test the breaking.  I didn’t notice any decrease in breaking distance and I attribute this to the Exalith technology.  The breaking surface has grooved surface like a file and used in combination with the Mavic brake pads they work well.

Initially I didn’t use the Mavic pads and burned through my pads in about 300 miles.  Part of the reason I did this was to avoid the loud screeching that the new rims make with the Mavic pads.  Once the new rim surface wears a bit the Mavic pads don’t make noise.  There is still a noise when breaking but it’s a proud whistle akin to a King hub whine.

So aside from the speed, transfer of power, stiffness and grip I’d have to say my favorite aspect of the wheels are the way they look.  Initially I thought about removing the stickers but after stepping back and reveling in the typography of my machine I’ve decided to keep them.  I’ve gotten several unsolicited comments from non-cyclists about how my bike looks bad ass.  I have to agree.

The only downside to the package are the valve extenders.  They’re pretty temperamental and I’m now using 80mm valve tubes.

Overall, these wheels are awesome.  They make going faster more fun.

He wasn't lying about the extenders, it appears he's decided to ride completely without valves!  We can get you a set of these things for a song, and they come with tires.  Give us a call.....

On Test: 2012 SRAM Red Impressions

I opened up my 2012 SRAM Red review process a couple days ago here, but it was based on the building process and a few initial rides.  After a few more rides and a bunch more miles, I'm remembering why SRAM is so popular in these parts.

For me, there were two major areas to be covered with 2012 Red: front shifting and ergonomics.  Previous generations of SRAM road groups had some lack-luster front shifting that's been covered ad nauseam, so I'll let that one be.  The ergonomics were of concern because I really liked them and didn't want them to change.

Front shifting for 2012 Red, to be straight to the point, is roughly 12,496 times better than before.  My current setup is using Cannondale rings, solely because I had them and didn't want to buy something new, and still shifts wonderfully.  Going from the small ring to the big is smooth, quick, consistent, and light to the touch.  Shifting from the big ring to the small is fast and accurate, and without the trim function on the shifters also requires a much lighter touch.

What is it about this new system that makes the shift that much better?  The Yaw front derailleur no doubt plays a vital role, but I also feel the lever itself helps out.  I'm not sure if it's longer or if the leverage ratio has changed at all, but it seems that a lighter touch is needed to make shifts.

The integrated Chain Catcher is also a really nice touch as it's design allows independent adjustment from the front derailleur.  Chain retention systems have become incredibly popular ever since the Schleck Incident, but we've been using them for some time and this one offers unmatched ease of set-up.

The 2012 Red rear derailleur is mostly unchanged, which in my opinion is a great thing.  SRAM's rear shifting has always been fast and precise, not something I would mess with either.  Graphics have been redesigned to match the rest of the new group but the important stuff is as it should be.

Ergonomics are gladly only slightly massaged.  The shift levers find themselves in a very familiar position, though the brake levers and hoods have been slightly reworked.  I can say if were riding in the drops I probably wouldn't notice much other than an easier reach to the brake lever.

The upturn at the front of the hood concerned me when I saw early drawings, but once installed on my bike I didn't notice the extra height.  That is, I didn't notice the height until I hit a sizable rock on the DPRT that may have knocked my hand off of the hoods with a less exaggerated shape.

Gore housing coming stock is a nice touch, though for my use I'll probably be switching over to the Gore Sealed System for cyclocross.  For this original build of 2012 SRAM Red I wanted to use the cables/housing that came stock for a more accurate representation of what customers will get out of the box.

So far I'm psyched on 2012 Red.  I delayed the switch because I have been very happy with Dura-Ace, but SRAM was smart and addressed the few issues they had, improved on the things that were already good, all while improving their industry-leading weight.

Now, how about making some other colors available aftermarket?  Not all of us are looking for a splash of the color red on our bikes....

On Test: 2012 SRAM Red

I hemmed, and I hawed.  The previous generation of SRAM Red was good, the rear shifting was great, the weight was the best, but the front shifting was just never there.  When perfectly set up, it shifted fine, but not exceptionally.

After a few years of experience, SRAM kicked out 2012 Red, which has addressed all of the major concerns of their top-level group.

Ergonomics were always one of the strongest points of SRAM, so the change to a new lever shape concerned me.  But what works for me doesn't necessarily work for everyone, and we heard some people talking about a sharp edge on the back of the lever bothering some hands.  SRAM addressed this issue by smoothing the transition from the lever to the bars and adding some rubber inserts if someone still feels some pressure at the rear of the lever.

For years I settled on SRAM's front shifting to get it's amazing weight and to support the local boys.  Last winter I strayed to Shimano, drawn in by their industry-standard front shifting.  It was great, Shimano did exactly what they claimed.  Shifting was spot-on every time, front shifting was incredibly fast.

With the introduction of 2012 SRAM Red, the boys down on Kingsbury addressed a number of things but most importantly the front shifting.  The new Yaw front derailleur doesn't move like others, it actually moves laterally and slightly rotates to improve shifting.  In doing this, it also eliminates the need for a trim setting.  I was skeptical, but after being around this system for a couple of months I'm impressed.

The integrated chain spotter is a really nice touch as it's independently adjustable from the front derailleur.  Get your derailleur in place, then use the separate bolt to attach the spotter later.  A brilliant design.

The rear derailleur didn't see the same type of overhaul the front derailleur and shifters saw, which is just fine by me.  The shifts are crisp as always with a light touch but a positive engagement.

So here's the test rig.  If shifting in the stand, or on my short test ride, are any indication, this stuff will be sweet.  Now, if the front shifting remains great under power the way it did in the stand, SRAM will have a homerun with their new Red group.  It's only a matter of (not very much) time before the tech trickles down to Force-level where things will really get great for the masses!

Cyclocross is Around the Corner...

Time to get geared up, or maybe cut down to one gear.  Whatever your taste may be, come see us.  We've stocked up on Felt F75x bikes with Shimano 105, F65x bikes with SRAM Apex and DISC BRAKES (!!), and we have a few Breed single speed bikes as well....

Check back over the weekend for something special for those who follow the blog.  There will be a message coming sometime in the next 48 hours that will only be posted for a few hours.  If you get a chance to see it, print it and bring it in!

NEW BIKE DAY! Independent Fabrication Ti Factory Lightweight

It's finally time for this beauty to head home.  She was a pleasure to build, every detail combed over nicely and chosen for a specific reason: lightweight speed.  Pretty incredible what's being hand-made these days and what frame made almost entirely of metal can still become. 

Sure, it wasn't cheap, but it wasn't meant to be.  It was built to be the best bike for this rider, holding back nothing, to create something more than just a bike off of a rack.  About 8 weeks after the original design was done, the bike is complete and it's beautiful.

The 2012 SRAM Red gruppo seems to be an enormous jump in the right direction for our local buddies.  The brakes originally concerned me with their design, the single pivot when announced made me think "Zero Gravity" which meant light but terrible feel.  The 2012 Red brakes actually work really well, though.

Front shifting is also vastly improved which was sorely needed.  Previous SRAM Red was at the bottom of the front-shifting list when compared to Campy and Shimano, but the new Yaw front derailleur and stiffened chainrings lead to quality front shifting.

Rear shifting from Red was already very good, but 2012 Red gives you a bit of a sexier look and light action.  The new design looks great and shifts well, what more could you ask for?

Ergonomics were already quite good with previous generation Red, though it's extremely personal.  The new "wedge" system with gel inserts does ease the transition from the lever to the bars, which was an issue for some.

And oversized bottom bracket is a necessity for a bike like this.  There's no reason to build a race bike custom without including this as it can be adopted to standard 24mm cranks or you can use the 30mm cranks made for BB30.

A shot of the 2012 Red Yaw front derailleur, the matching braze-on clamp, and the impressively-machined titanium front derailleur shims from IF

Mad Fiber carbon clincher wheelset.  Love it or hate it, their weight is nice and the stiffness is there.

The ENVE 2.0 fork was perfectly painted to match the frame, nothing less than perfection will come out of the Independent paint booth.

Another shot of the inside of the fork legs painted to match the scheme on the bike.

The rear dropouts get an etched treatment on each side and are masked from paint to keep that exposed for everyone sucking your wheel to read.

The rear hub shell on the Mad Fiber wheels is made of carbon and totally sexy, whether it's your style or not.  You have to appreciate the amount of work that goes into molding these things.

Skewers are a nice place to make an impact, and Mad Fiber took the opportunity to do so.  Titanium and carbon, incredibly sexy.

A shot showing the custom paintwork done to match the Prologo saddle to the stem to the bike to the fork.  A scheme perfectly carried throughout the entire bike.

A bit more detail on the saddle, which is a great touch you don't see often.  Incredible care was taken to ensure that everything went together.

Ti FLW logo found on the carbon seat mast of each frame out of Somerville.  You won't see many, soak it in.

The standard sterling silver head tube badge is all class...and not cheap.

A couple cockpit shots to show the custom-painted Zipp SL Speed stem matching the scheme on the bike.  Matte black and gloss orange everywhere.

The new down tube script is quickly becoming a favorite on the frames we've been designing.

This seat mast topper is of course custom, but probably more custom than most.  We needed slightly less set-back than the stock hand-made offering, so IF came up with a custom design for us.