The 2016 Felt Verza Speed 10 hybridOliver Woodman/Immediate Media
Felt’s Verza Speed 10 is a flat bar hybrid with speedy ambitionsOliver Woodman/Immediate Media
32mm Vittoria tyres are seated on tubeless-ready own brand rimsOliver Woodman/Immediate Media
Cables and hoses are internally routed at the frame’s down tubeOliver Woodman/Immediate Media
Three finger Shimano hydraulic brake levers are a good choice for leisure ridingOliver Woodman/Immediate Media
Shimano’s RS500 compact cranksetOliver Woodman/Immediate Media
The Felt’s transmission combines Shimano’s unusual 11-spd flat bar shifters with Ultegra 6800 derailleursOliver Woodman/Immediate Media
Shimano Deore hydraulic stoppers are a solid and reliable choiceOliver Woodman/Immediate Media
Felt’s own VariableAngle stem can be configured to six different settings offering a huge 32 degrees of adjustmentOliver Woodman/Immediate Media
Reflective decals are a nice touchOliver Woodman/Immediate Media
Shimano Ultegra 6800 derailleurs are great to see at this priceOliver Woodman/Immediate Media
Felt’s ergonomic grips won’t suit everyone but are easily replacedOliver Woodman/Immediate Media
Verza is Felt’s name for its range of flat-bar hybrid bikes and this, the Verza Speed 10, is the range-topper at £1,100 / US$1,499. For those who want a speedy commuter but prefer the ride of a flat handlebar it looks just the ticket.
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Triple butted tubes and plenty of hydroforming work to create an attractive frame, while a matt-black finish and subtle graphics mean the Felt isn’t plastered in branding like many bikes in this category.
Those graphics are worth a mention for another reason though, as they’re actually reflective, and the same can be said for the strip on the bike’s Vittoria tyres. The result is a machine that’s a fair bit more visible than most black bikes at night – it’s only a small touch but we like it.
Reflective decals are a nice touch
There’s nothing particularly unusual about the Felt’s geometry sheet: its 71/74 degree head/seat angles and general sizing is bang on with what we’ve come to expect for this sort of bike. At 10.45kg (23lb) the total weight is impressive rather than outstanding.
At the front of the Verza is a carbon fork with a tapered alloy steerer, which connect to Felt’s own VariableAngle stem – thanks to a clever shim system, this can be configured to six different settings offering a huge 32 degrees of adjustment. Then there’s the Verza’s 600mm flat alloy handlebar, which itself is likely to be a major selling point for people considering this bike.
Three finger shimano hydraulic brake levers are a good choice for leisure riding
Glancing at the Verza with its RS500 crankset, you could quite easily be forgiven for thinking it isn’t as well equipped as it is. Look closer and you’ll notice that both derailleurs in the compact transmission are from Shimano’s excellent Ultegra 6800 group. The Shimano SL-RS700 flat bar shifters are another spec highlight – holding plenty in common with Shimano’s mountain bike shifters, they’re particularly nicely executed.
Also at the handlebar are levers for Shimano’s hydraulic disc brakes, they’re of the three-finger trekking variety, and match up to Deore calipers and 160mm rotors at each end. The Felt’s ergonomic grips won’t suit everyone but are quickly and easily replaced.
Own-brand 700c rims feature a 24mm depth and at 17mm wide provide a tubeless-ready seat for the 32mm Vittoria Voyager rubber. That wide footprint combined with the Felt’s 27.2mm carbon seatpost and Selle Royal saddle shows that Felt cares about comfort as well as pace. Practical touches include rack and guard mounts plus fiittings for two water bottles.
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The Felt Verza Speed 10 is sold in seven sizes ranging from 45-61cm.
Felt’s verza speed 10 is a flat bar hybrid with speedy ambitions
Now officially part of the furniture, Oli enjoys bicycles of all sorts and has a keen eye for technical detail. An unhealthy interest in older motor vehicles keeps him poor but happy
