Bike Check: Terry’s Felt Nine 3

Bike Check: Terry’s Felt Nine 3

Words and Pictures: Terry McKall

Felt makes good bikes. They fly under the radar. They can sell their bikes for a really good price, because they don’t do things like sponsor huge ProTour factory teams. Instead, they like to sponsor smaller grassroots teams, continental teams, and Women’s UCI level racing (they sponsor Twenty16 Sho-Air, including top Women’s pro racer Kristen Armstrong). They also have a sharp eye for parts spec, nailing a pretty sharp balance between cost and performance. For example, the Nine 3 has a full Deore level Shimano build, except for the upgraded XT ‘clutch’ rear derailleur. Smart. These factors combined result in a bike like the Nine 3, which I have been thrashing around mountains and race tracks across the Pacific Northwest for the last 8 months with little to no complaint from the bike. From ‘spring’ XC races on the Island, to the burly NIMBY 50 course in Pemberton, to the 100 mile beating of Oakridge’s Cascade Cream Puff 100, the Nine 3 has taken everything in stride.

While the stock build is pretty sharp, there are some changes that I’ve made. XTR cranks and XT pedals that I saved from an older bike. The wheels have been bumped up to a tougher, racier combo of XT front wheel, and XT hub/Stan’s Arch EX rim out back. Both sporting Maxxis’ stalward Ikon rubber. And that beautiful, moto inspired 120mm Fox 32.

Felt describes this colour as “Satin Charcoal.” I’ve been going with ‘space ship grey’

Fox’s 2016 mtb theme is 1970 motocross. No idea what MX felt like in ’76, but this fork is great

Flat bars. Because racing. With fewer bouncy and droppy bits, the bars are less cluttered, relatively…

A beefed up head tube area keeps the Nine 3 from feeling too much like a lightweight xc racer

Deore may be Shimano’s less flashy ‘B’ group, but they’re more Bey than B on the trail: flawless

Wolf Tooth Components version of the narrow-wide chainring, with ‘drop-stop’ technology

Similar to SRAM’s narrow-wide, a closer look shows Wolf Tooth’s unique tooth profile. much wolfier

An older XTR 175mm crank, with XT pedals shaves bit of weight. Signs of wear, sure, but holding strong

Shimano’s XT derailleur is a highlight of Felt’s smart, but thrifty parts spec

ESI ‘Chunky’ grips. Relief from tiny ‘race’ grips for those of us with goofy large hands

Up front, Shimano’s XT wheel has required zero truing. I thought I’d put it out once crashing hard in Squamish, but the tire casing gave way before the rim did.

Stan’s Arch EX rims aren’t the lightest. Neither am I. With occasional attention, they’ve survived much abuse

Felt’s Nine 3, happy and at home in the woods of Squamish