RIDE REVIEW I FELT IA FRD 2.0 ULTIMATE FORCE ETAP AXS TRIATHLON BICYCLE
P94
frame fit me right out of the box. I had the bike
professionally fitted and, to my surprise, made
only a few changes.
But all was not perfect. I struggled with the
Felt's aero bars. I couldn't stay in the aero posi-
tion for any length of time; the elbow rests and
extensions
were just too close together for me,
which put a severe strain on my shoulders and
wrists. This ultra-aero position might be fine for
pros who are on the bike for about four hours
but not for this age-grouper who'll be on the bike
for more than eight hours. I had to find more
comfort. I did, but it took a while. I was getting
worried because my race was only a few weeks
away and I was still searching. I finally found a
somewhat unorthodox arrangement that worked
for me. I was finally confident that
I could ride the bike for 112 miles
comfortably before starting my
26.2-mile run. Getting off the bike
feeling "fresh" before a 26-mile run
is imperative.
The Felt has a slick built-in
hydration system that holds 26
ounces and is easy to refill while
on-the-go at the aid stations. It
also has a built-in compartment for
gels but can only hold a few, so I
planned on taking advantage of the
special needs stations along the
race route for most of my nutrition.
The bike also has a small com
-
partment built into the frame that
holds just
enough tools to change
an inner tube, which I chose to use
rather than tubeless tires. Let the
debate begin.
RACE DAY
Finally! Race day, and I was ner-
vous. Not so much about the bike
but
the Coeur d'Alene bike course.
I'd done it twice before in half Iron
-
man races, which were brutal. The
thought
of doing it twice seemed
flat-out impossible to me. It's a
The Felt's
aero bars
took some
tweaking, but
I eventually
found my
sweet spot.
Seems to me
there could've
been more
adjustment
options.
I'm now a fan
of the single
front sprocket
system for
triathlons. I'll
never go back
to dual.
(Below)The
Felt has a very
nice built-in
hydration
system and a
small storage
area for gels.
