Anyone with experience of Felt F95 and Specialized Allez sizing?

[Bethan White]

I'm about to buy my first 'proper' road bike. I've been into touring and mountain biking for years, but since moving south to flatter parts nearly a year ago, I've spent a lot more time on the road than off. Initially I had a lovely 1970s Dawes steel ten-speed, but was far too stretched-out on it and ended up retiring it due to lower back pain. For the last 6 months I've been on the road on my commuter/tourer while deciding what bike to get.

I've tried loads in that time, and had concluded that I really wanted a decent second-hand Specialized Allez Sport. One bike shop put me on a 52cm frame and said that looked ok. I was a bit concerned it would be too small so I went to another shop and tried a 54cm, which felt ok and didn't leave me feeling overstretched. The Specialized size guide recommends a 54cm Allez for my height. I'm female, 170cm tall with an inside leg (to the ankle) measurement of 70cm, and the Specialized height range for the 54cm Allez is given as 167-175cm.

However, the same shop also suggested a Felt F95, which threw a spanner into the works! They only had a 54cm frame in stock and couldn't order any more. The 54cm was fine in terms of height, but I felt ovserstretched on it compared to the equivalent 54cm frame Allez.

I love the F95, though, and it looks like a lot of bike for the money! I can order a 51cm (the next size down) online, but I'm wary of buying a frame that I've not tried. 51cm sounds really small. On the other hand, the Felt website gives the height range for the 51cm as 159-173cm, and for the 54cm as 169-179cm. This puts me on the bottom end of the 54cm, and I'm likely to have a shorter reach than they use in their calculations, as I'm female.

I know all bikes have very different geometries, and that height is certainly not all that matters, but I'm scared of spending £500-£750 and ending up in the same situation I was in before: being overstretched and getting back pain while riding.

Does anyone have a Felt F95 and experience of their frame sizing? Or experience of Allez sizing compared to the Felt F-series?

 

[vickster]

Have you looked at the Dolce? Or you could add a shorter stem and maybe narrower bars to an Allez

Really you need to testride, but also compare the geometry diagrams on the manufacturer websites

 

[Bethan White]

I've tried a Dolce, but (a) it felt far too small in both height and reach, and (b) it's a triple and I want a compact double. In my recent experience of test riding lots of bikes, women's specific designs just seem to be a poor compromise for someone my height. The Allez feels like it fits really well - even the 54cm isn't too big, and the 52cm may even be too small. It's the recommended size of the Felt compared to the Allez that's throwing me off! That, and feeling that the 54cm Felt was too long in the reach. Such a shame I can't find a 51cm Felt anywhere close by to try.

 

[vickster]

I am 1m78, inside leg 32" and ride a M Giant Avail with a 90mm stem and now 38cm bar. The 'equivalent' Defy felt way too big with a 110mm stem and wider bars IIRC

Check the stem length

If the 54cm Allez feels good, what's the concern? VFM on Specialized bikes is always lower but the frames are supposed to be among the best (with lifetime warramty for original owner), just you get a lower component spec

 

[Bethan White]

No worries over the Allez at all, in fact I'd fully decided on it until I saw the Felt. My commuter/tourer is a Specialized that I built up from a hybrid, and the frame fits me really well, so I have a soft spot for Specialized frames! Then I pretty much fell in love with the Felt when I saw it and the spec - and the idea of owning a bike that not many other people have. The Allez is a great bike, but (and for that reason, I guess) every other person has one.

I was mostly asking to see if anyone with a Felt F95 could comment on their experience of the sizing.

 

[mark st1]

Im not very metric (5ft11 with a 31" leg) i needed a 56 cm Allez as i was to scrunched up on the 54 although i then needed a shorter stem. Standard stem is 105 mm but i needed a 90 mm in order for the bike to fit me perfectly. Never ridden a Felt have heard there sizing is a bit odd and they come up quite small ? although they do look smexy especially when being ridden by a certain female in Windsor

 

[musa]

I had a z85 in a 54. It has a sloping top tube so 56 may have been better in a roubaix i was a 56. Therefore in an allez tarmac venge with straight top tube, im a 54

So get a 54 as the f series are stt bikea

 

[Cyclist33]

I'm about to buy my first 'proper' road bike. I've been into touring and mountain biking for years, but since moving south to flatter parts nearly a year ago, I've spent a lot more time on the road than off. Initially I had a lovely 1970s Dawes steel ten-speed, but was far too stretched-out on it and ended up retiring it due to lower back pain. For the last 6 months I've been on the road on my commuter/tourer while deciding what bike to get.

I've tried loads in that time, and had concluded that I really wanted a decent second-hand Specialized Allez Sport. One bike shop put me on a 52cm frame and said that looked ok. I was a bit concerned it would be too small so I went to another shop and tried a 54cm, which felt ok and didn't leave me feeling overstretched. The Specialized size guide recommends a 54cm Allez for my height. I'm female, 170cm tall with an inside leg (to the ankle) measurement of 70cm, and the Specialized height range for the 54cm Allez is given as 167-175cm.

However, the same shop also suggested a Felt F95, which threw a spanner into the works! They only had a 54cm frame in stock and couldn't order any more. The 54cm was fine in terms of height, but I felt ovserstretched on it compared to the equivalent 54cm frame Allez.

I love the F95, though, and it looks like a lot of bike for the money! I can order a 51cm (the next size down) online, but I'm wary of buying a frame that I've not tried. 51cm sounds really small. On the other hand, the Felt website gives the height range for the 51cm as 159-173cm, and for the 54cm as 169-179cm. This puts me on the bottom end of the 54cm, and I'm likely to have a shorter reach than they use in their calculations, as I'm female.

I know all bikes have very different geometries, and that height is certainly not all that matters, but I'm scared of spending £500-£750 and ending up in the same situation I was in before: being overstretched and getting back pain while riding.

Does anyone have a Felt F95 and experience of their frame sizing? Or experience of Allez sizing compared to the Felt F-series?

Ask the shop to put a 1 cm shorter stem on the felt and see how it feels.

 

[Bethan White]

Thanks for the input, everyone, some useful stuff here. I wish I could find a stockist so I could try both Felt frame sizes!

Mark - thanks, I felt the Allez sizing was on the small side, and a couple of online reviews suggest this too.
Cyclist33 - that's the conclusion I was coming to. I'm worried about creating too much of a seat-to-bar drop if I go for the 51cm. I think the 54cm with a shorter stem might be the solution. Problem is, I need to get to Somerset to go back to the shop!

 

[inkd]

I will be looking at the Z series myself end of year for my first road bike. Having had back problems from work I will be looking at the "sportive" geometry bikes, I rode my mates carbon ribble and loved it but wayyyy out of my price range. Have you looked at Merida bikes?

 

[bools10]

This may be too late but, I am 6ft3" and have a 61cm Felt F95. It is a very race orientated frame even when not in the drops. The sizing suggests I could have gone a size down but it just didn't feel right as the saddle needed to be far too high to get a proper leg extension when peddling.

It is my first road bike and I must say I really like it. The monster green is very green.