For 2011, Felt Bicycles is releasing a cruiser that is a little bit different from the norm – instead of being inspired by balloon tired bicycles from the past, it is inspired by motorcycles from the past. The Felt Chief cruiser takes design cues from the early Indian motorcycles up through approximately the late 1920s. The deep red paint, tank frame, gold decals, the typeface, Thick Brick 3” white tires, springer seat and spoked wheels are all details that can be seen in the early Indian Motorcycles.
The Felt Chief is not completely void of modern features, most notably the Shimano Nexus three-speed gearing and “super-wide” Felt 50mm aluminum rims. For braking, the Nexus rear hub contains a simple coaster brake. Being a cruiser, there are really no features that this bike is missing except that the Felt Chief seems to lack is a mount for your favorite beverage.
The Felt Chief Features:
•Hydroform Steel Tank Frame
•Unicrown Tapered Fork
•Aluminum Adjustable Quill Stem
•Super-Wide Felt 50mm Aluminum Rims
•3-Speed Shimano Nexus Coaster Brake Hub
•Felt Oversized Aluminum Double 5-Star Design Front Hub
•24 x 3.0 Antique White Thick Brick Tires Front & Rear
•Alloy Bullet Valve Caps
The Felt Chief is available though Felt Bicycle authorized retailers and has a MSRP of $529.