Felt Launches IA FRD in Kona

What will reigning champ Daniela Ryf and three-time world champion Mirinda Carfrae be riding at the Ironman World Championship this year? That question was answered at Tuesday’s launch party for the Felt IA Disc, the latest model in the popular line of triathlon bikes.

“Our engineers redesigned the IA from the ground up,” says Eric Sakalowsky of Felt, who says the goal was to create a new bike that had all the aerodynamic efficiency synonymous with the Felt brand, but with the added advantages of disc brakes.

With the incorporation of flat mount disc brakes, Felt hopes to inspire more confidence in wet and dry conditions, which in turn will boost overall speed. Felt’s disc brakes also offer the advantage of fewer adjustment issues tied to traditional rim brakes. In addition to Felt’s frame tweaks to better accommodate disc wheels, the use of disc brakes eliminates the need to change brake pads or adjust for different rim widths in swapping out between alloy and carbon wheels.

The IA Disc features a redesigned UHC Advance + TeXtreme carbon fiber frame for a stiffer, lighter and faster ride. Integrated storage solutions in the top tube and behind the seatpost add to the sleek, aerodynamic silhouette of the bike. A brand-new fork was designed to increase stability in response to added stopping power, and the rear triangle was designed for optimal cable and disc-brake routing.

Three complete versions of the IA Disc will be available at varying price points. The IA FRD Disc, priced at $15,749, will feature Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components, along with Zipp carbon wheels. The IA2 Disc, retailing at $7,899, includes a SRAM Red eTap drivetrain and Zipp 30 Course Disc wheels. At $5,799, the IA3 Disc will utilize Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 shifter, Ultegra Di2 derailleurs, and DT Swiss P1800 Spline DB wheels. Consumers will also have the option of purchasing the FRD frame only for $7,349.

The bike is available for limited pre-order now on the Felt Bikes website.