What to Decide First
Building or upgrading a road bike starts with the frame and fork because that choice sets the geometry, bottom bracket standard, and brake standard for the rest of the build. These four listings come from Felt and Casati, and they cover different sizes, conditions, and included parts. Your main job is to decide whether you want a bare frame, a frameset with a fork, or a more complete starting bundle, and then match that to the size and ride geometry you need.
Quick Take
The Felt AR2 is listed with the largest bundle of parts, while the Casati Dardo includes a fork, headset, and stem. The Felt F Series is a new frame, and the Felt Z1 is a NOS frame. The right pick depends more on what is included than on the listed price alone.
Listed Price Comparison
| Option | Listed Price | Price Bar | Frame Size / Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felt F Series Road Frame | $249.95 | 51cm, bare frame | |
| Felt Z1 NOS Road Frame | $199.95 | 56cm, bare frame | |
| Felt AR2 Frameset + Extras | $325.00 | 54cm, frameset with extras | |
| Casati Dardo Road Frame Set | $399.00 | 700c, frame plus fork and stem |
Decision Matrix
| If you want... | Consider... | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| A new frame for a custom build with your own parts | Felt F Series | New condition, flexible routing |
| A NOS frame with endurance-oriented geometry | Felt Z1 | New old stock, comfort-oriented road geometry |
| A frameset that includes more components | Felt AR2 | Includes fork, headset, seatpost, brakes, handlebar, stem |
| A frameset with fork and stem included | Casati Dardo | Handbuilt frame, carbon fork, headset and stem included |
Product Notes
Felt F Series Road Frame UHC Ultimate TeXtreme Carbon BB30 27.2 Rim Brake 51cm
This new 51cm Felt F Series frame uses UHC Ultimate + TeXtreme carbon with Felt's InsideOut molding process. It is set up for a BB30 bottom bracket, a 27.2mm seatpost, and rim brakes, and the routing supports external mechanical or internal electronic drivetrain setups. That gives you flexibility when you are choosing a groupset. It is sold as a bare frame only, so you will need to provide the fork, headset, and other components. If a 51cm size is right for your build and you want a new frame with room to choose your own parts, this is a strong candidate.
Felt Z1 Road Bike Frame BB30 Rim Brake Matte Black Gloss Red Bare Frame NOS 56cm
The Felt Z1 is described as new old stock purchased directly from Felt, and the Z-series platform is known for endurance-oriented road geometry. It is a 56cm frame with a Matte Black/Gloss Red finish. The main limitation is that it is a bare frame without a complete retail frameset, and the listing notes that exact model year and original full factory spec are not confirmed. If you are looking for a 56cm frame with a comfortable road geometry, this NOS option is worth a closer look.
54cm Felt AR2 Carbon Aero Rim Brake Road Frameset + Extras
This Felt AR2 frameset includes the frame, fork, headset, carbon seatpost, front and rear brakes, 42cm Bontrager carbon handlebars, 90mm stem, and a carbon fiber bottle cage. It is a 54cm carbon aero road frameset. The condition is described as excellent, with no scratches, dings, cracks, or chain drop around the bottom bracket. The limitation is that you are getting a used frameset with a fixed 54cm size and a specific set of components, so make sure that size and those included parts work for your build.
Casati Dardo Scandium Carbon Road Frame Set Italian Handbuilt - 700c Fork & Stem
This Casati Dardo is a handbuilt Italian road frameset made in Monza, Italy. It pairs a Dedacciai Scandium main triangle with a bonded carbon fiber rear triangle and a matching carbon fork. The set also includes an integrated/threadless headset and a 3T alloy stem. It is built for 700c wheels and 130mm quick-release rear spacing. The condition is described as excellent structurally, with no cracks, major dents, or re-welds, though the paint shows normal light cosmetic wear. That cosmetic wear is the main thing to keep in mind if you want a pristine finish.
Final Recommendation
- If you want a new frame for a custom road build with your own fork and components, choose the Felt F Series at $249.95.
- If you want a NOS frame with endurance-oriented geometry and the lowest listed price in this comparison, choose the Felt Z1 at $199.95.
- If you want an aero frame that arrives with brakes, seatpost, handlebar, stem, and bottle cage included, choose the Felt AR2 at $325.00.
- If you want a handbuilt Italian frameset with matching carbon fork, headset, and stem, choose the Casati Dardo at $399.00.
