Jim Felt Talks About the S32

If anyone knows bikes, it’s Jim Felt, founder and owner of Felt bikes. Despite his busy schedule, Mr. Felt had time to answer a few of our questions about the S32. His answers are confirm a lot of the same thoughts we’ve had here at Jack and Adam's as we’ve seen many of our customers ride to success on the S32, but it is still great to hear it from the source!

J&A: What was your goal for the S32?
Felt: I really saw the need to make an affordable entry-level tri bike.

J&A: Could The S-32 be used to set the Ironman Bike Course Record?
Felt: Anything is possible with a Craig Walton aboard!

J&A: If so, how would this rider’s run be affected off of this bike?
Felt: Same as any other Felt [bike], as the geometry is almost identical throughout our Tri line-up.

J&A: What is the biggest obstacle in producing the perfect entry level TT Bike?
Felt: Really it’s the [technical specifications]. It is really hard to keep the price points down without sacrificing quality but that’s one of our strongest points.

J&A: What type of rider do you see purchasing and riding the S32?
Felt: First year triathlete, or someone who already has a road bike and is now thinking that a tri-bike might be the next step for them.

J&A: Why have aluminum bikes gotten such a bad wrap in the past 5 years?
Felt: More like 20 years! This drives me crazy. This came from the early days of Cannondale and Vitus who did not engineer the tube sets that went into those bikes of the past. They rode very harsh and had many, many failures. Today’s alloy bikes are some of the best riding bike out there.

J&A: When beginner triathletes are deciding between a time trial bike versus a road bike, what type of advice do you give them?
Felt: Always a road bike first with a clip-on [aero-bars].

J&A: How would you trick out your own S-32?
Felt: Because the frame is so good on the S-32 the sky is the limit on what you can do to that bike. Zipp [wheels], electronic [shifters, like Shimano’s Dura Ace Di2], bars, etc.

J&A: The 2010 S32 looks awesome. Are there any changes or improvements to this years model that you'd like to highlight?
Felt: The overall look is very aggressive and has a very good spec. with quality parts.

J&A: In one sentence wrap up the S-32?
Felt: The best entry level tri-bike for the money for 2010!

J&A: In one word wrap up the S-32?
Felt: Value!

Jim Felt Talks About the S32