Felt Dispatch

[hung]

http://2010.feltracing.com/USA/2010-Pro ... PATCH.aspx

I was looking at a Budget fixie
and the Felt seems to fit the bill

- drops
- brakes on drops
- compact frame

rrp $999

and my LBS has on in stock so before I have over my $$$ next week can anyone suggest a similar bike which I may not heard of

fwiw I did look at the specialized langster but the specialized dealer in my local sutherland area was a bit of a knob so much so It turned me off getting one

[HappyHumber]

take a look at your local Newsagent, I see the Bicyling Australia 2011 Buyer's guide is out. It's got a good breakdown of models currently available by category and their RRP. The SS/FG/Tarck bike category was their biggest growing this year after only being included for the first time in 2010

Personally, straight off the peg, I think you could find better value than the $999 Felt, unless you haggle a better price through your LBS.

[.isaac.]

In Melbourne Altitude are having a relocation "sale". Surly Steam roller for $700 and a Kona Bandwaggon for $700. They only have 1 of each left. You may be interested if you live in Melbourne. As for the felt, it looks like it's built out of quality components but I don't like the sloping top tube design.

[hung]

$999 is the RRP
so there will be a lot of haggling

I did look at the Kona but preferred something a little lighter and quicker
as I was going to use it for our clubs fixie century ride later in the year

[dayne]

Gear shop brisbane has the cinelli gazeta on sale for $1000 on their blog you build it how you want it.

[Mugglechops]

Hi I am new to this forum but not to bikes.

I bought a Dispatch in 08 and have found it to be a great bike. I have probably done about 3000kms on it and the only thing I have done to it is true the rear wheel once.

Which is pretty good seeing as I weigh 123kg

Rode the Sydney to Wollongong in 09 in just under 4 hours on the standard 39-16 gearing.

Am going to gear it up to 46-16 as I just bought a cyclocross bike so I can ride some more hills and hopefully stop weighing 123kgs

[hung]

I was a bit concerned with the standard wheelset
but looks like they are quite bullett proof

ordered mine yesterday so hopefully will have it on thursday

[Mugglechops]

I was a bit concerned with the standard wheelset
but looks like they are quite bullett proof

ordered mine yesterday so hopefully will have it on thursday

Have you got it yet? If you did buy it I won't tell what happened to mine today.

[waramatt]

Mugglechops

I'm looking at acquiring a Felt Dispatch. What happened to yours? And was there any physical injury involved?

[Mugglechops]

I cracked the frame at the seat tube. No injury.



Southcott were very good and sent out a new frame with forks in about 2 weeks from me contacting them.

[fenn_paddler]

Similar crack to my Felt Dispatch:



Southcott also replaced mine, though the replacement took a while



They did advise me to purchase a longer seatpost, which I did - the thomson elite on it now is 400mm. Bike has been going strong for over a year now so don't know if the new frames don't have that weak spot any longer or if the seatpost addressed the issue.

[Mugglechops]

That may be the reason they were so quick to replace mine. Might look into a longer seatpost if I decide to keep it.

[Mulger bill]

Sure looks like not enough seatpost insertion to me.

Rule of thumb I was told years back was to have the bottom of the seatpost at least 50mm below the lowest weld.

[Mugglechops]

Sure looks like not enough seatpost insertion to me.

Rule of thumb I was told years back was to have the bottom of the seatpost at least 50mm below the lowest weld.

Was atleast that far in. Just checked it against the new frame and the bottom of the post was where the red line is.

[Mulger bill]

Sure looks like not enough seatpost insertion to me.

Rule of thumb I was told years back was to have the bottom of the seatpost at least 50mm below the lowest weld.

Was atleast that far in. Just checked it against the new frame and the bottom of the post was where the red line is.

Got me beat then, I'm never getting a Dispatch on the strength of this thread.

[waramatt]

Thanks Mugglechops and fenn_paddler

I appreciate the pics that coincidentally you both posted on April 01 - looks like a good April Fool's joke, but I'm betting it isn't. I agreed in principle to buy a 2nd hand Dispatch from my LBS but now I'm thinking I should back out. Will show thread to LBS and seek a response from them about what they would do if same thing happened to mine.

[Mugglechops]

Sorry mate, its not an April fools day joke.

Me weighing 123kgs probably didn't help the frames longevity though.

[waramatt]

Sorry mate, its not an April fools day joke.

Me weighing 123kgs probably didn't help the frames longevity though.

Still, two blokes with exact same problem. ..makes me wonder. I might stick to my hi-ten SE Draft Lite commuter SS and be done with it.