The Z is built to make every ride more enjoyable by maximizing rider comfort over the long haul. Whether you’re racing or trying to complete an all-day epic, comfort is key to performance. With that in mind, Felt took the assured handling of the time-tested F-series and modified the positioning. The fact is, many of the bikes raced to victory at the Tour de France over the years were a bit different from the race bikes popular today. Those bikes were stable on descents, offered great vibration damping to lessen fatigue, and featured a slightly more upright rider position. These design elements and ride characteristics went into the creation of the Z.
Z-series frames use a slightly longer head tube to give greater choice in handlebar and overall rider position. They also feature a sloping top tube for increased stand-over clearance and they benefit from improved vertical compliance due to a more exposed seatpost. The Z features a slightly longer wheelbase for confident handling at any speed. Even with these modifications, the Z still packs the same torsional stiffness and bottom bracket rigidity as our legendary F bikes. It all adds up to a bike that can be ridden in classic full-race position, yet also provides options.
Even with its distinctly different look and adjustability it would be a mistake to think of the Z as a non-performance-oriented bike. Nearly half of the Garmin/Slipstream pros, including Dan Martin, Trent Lowe and Will Frischkorn, choose the Z for select races.
Whether you choose a Z model with its UHC Nano or one of the lightweight aluminum/carbon models, you’ll get that same assured handling and race-worthy stiffness for a ride that’s as responsive as it is confidence-inspiring.
All Z-series bikes are built with the right components for the ideal fit, plus gearing for any terrain and unmatched reliability. Each bike is equipped with either a compact or triple crankset combined with a wide-range cassette to make tackling hills a cinch no matter your speed. If ever there was a bike to inspire you to reach new heights, the Z is it.